Number porting allows you to bring your existing phone numbers to Techlab from another provider.
Q. What Costs are Involved in Number Porting
For Hosted PBX customers, your first number port is on us! After that, there is a once-off porting fee to transfer each number ($25.00 per Category A/simple port), group of numbers ($220.00 per Category C/complex port), mobile number ($25.00 per Category M port) or $55.00 for a 13/1300/1800 number. Please scroll down for rejection fees. Once a standard number has been transferred to Techlab , there is no ongoing cost except if you have already used up the total number of DIDs included on your plan – then it would be charged at the excess rate of up to $2.00/month per number (dependent on your plan). Both 1300 and 1800 premium numbers have an ongoing monthly hosting fee, which is $15.00/month for a 1300 number or $25.00/month for a 1800 number.* For Hosted PBX plans
Q. Which providers can Techlab port numbers from?
Techlab is able to port phone numbers from most Australian carriers and VoIP providers. We regularly port numbers from Telstra, Optus, AAPT, TPG, iiNet, MyNetFone, and many more.
Q. How long does the process take?
The time it takes to port a number varies, depending on a number of factors, but the typical port time is:
Category A ports: 1 – 2 weeks
Category C ports: 6 – 9 weeks
Category M ports: 1 – 2 weeks
1300/1800 Number ports: 1 – 2 weeks
Q. How do I know what category I need?
Please see Number Porting FAQ – Category A or C
Q. Will my number experience any downtime?
Yes, during the cutover window where your number is being moved from your current provider to Techlab , your number will be unreachable. This is normally only a few minutes per number, but on rare occasions, can be up to 4 hours.
Q. What can delay a number port?
Providing incorrect details, or details that don’t match the previous provider’s account records may cause the port to fail, restarting the number port timeframe.Complex services on a Category A port (line hunt, fax duet, etc.) will cause the port to fail and can significantly delay a number port. For a Category A port, these services must be removed before porting.Number porting agreements between different carriers have different agreed turnaround times. Certain carriers may simply take longer than others.
Q. What will happen to the line my number is associated with?
Once the port in has been completed, the existing telephone service will cease to function. This will also mean that any services connected to the line such as Broadband Internet or monitored security systems will be disconnected. You should check with your service provider to ensure you will not incur early disconnection fees as a result.
Q. If the port is rejected, am I still charged?
If your port is unsuccessful, it means that the details you have provided do not match the losing carrier’s records, or the carrier is providing you with “complex services” on your numbers which need to be removed first.There is a fee of $18.00 per number rejection for Cat A and Cat C. To be clear, the number port rejecting fee is per number, so if a 100 number range port is rejected, the rejection cost will be $1,800.00. This cost is directly incurred by Techlab for a rejected port and cannot be waived under any circumstances.
Please make sure your details are 100% correct before submitting the port. A port failing due to rejection start the process from the beginning, resulting in delays and additional costs (which can be very large for a 100-number Cat C port) if care is not taken to begin with.
Q. What is a complex service?
A complex service is a type of phone service or add-on that can prevent numbers being ported, or prevent a number port from being eligible for “Category A” porting. Some examples include….
- The line or number being part of a “hunt group” (must be removed from the hunt group first, may be diverted in the meantime)
- An ADSL internet service being present on the line (must be moved to another line or removed first)
- A Faxstream service being present on the line (must be removed first)
- The phone number being delivered over ISDN (must be ported with Category C)
- Telstra DOT or Optus Loop services (must be ported as Category C)
Q. Can I port away from Techlab ?
You can port away from Techlab at no cost from us. You may need to provide your new carrier with the account number shown on your Techlab invoice. Please contact your carrier for further information.
Note that if your number port to Techlab has just been completed and you need to return it to the previous carrier, this can sometimes be done with an emergency port reversal. These have very small time windows (within hours from the port completion) and have a cost associated with doing so. Please contact our support team immediately if you need to request a port reversal.
Submitting Your Port Request
To submit your number port request and begin the process of transferring your number, please login to https://thetechlab.com.au/etern and select Other Services then Number Porting
For more information on filling out this information, please see Portal Guide – Number Porting