Getting started and switching · For businesses evaluating 3CTel
What should I prepare before moving to a new phone system?
Gather your latest phone bill showing the account number and every number on it, a list of users and who should answer which calls, your business hours, and any greetings you want to keep. Confirm who is authorized to sign the port request. Check your internet connection and decide whether you want desk phones, apps or both.
Step by step.
Find your latest bill
The port request must match your current provider's records exactly: business name, service address, account number and the numbers being moved. Any PIN or passcode on the account is also needed.
List every number
Include main lines, direct lines, fax numbers and toll-free numbers. Decide which ones move, which are no longer needed and whether any should be added.
Map who answers what
Write down departments, who is in each, and what should happen when nobody picks up. This becomes your ring groups, queues and voicemail rules.
Note your hours
Business hours, lunch closures, holidays and any on-call arrangement. These drive the after-hours behaviour.
Check the internet
Know your provider, speed and whether the router is yours or the provider's. Business-grade connections are best; see the internet requirements article.
Decide on devices
Desk phones, headsets and apps. If you own IP phones already, note the make and model so a specialist can check whether they can be reused.
Name the signer
The person who signs the port authorization should be an authorized contact on the current account.
Why the bill is the most important document
Most port delays come from a mismatch between the request and the losing provider's records. A bill from the last thirty days shows the account number, the exact legal name and the service address as the provider has them, which is not always the way your business writes them. A copy of the bill lets the specialist submit a request that matches on the first attempt.
Things people forget
- Fax lines and alarm or elevator lines that share the phone account.
- Numbers printed on signage, vehicles and directories that are no longer in use but still ring somewhere.
- Existing greetings and hold music you want to reuse; ask your current provider for the audio files or re-record them.
- Call-forwarding rules staff have set on their own, for example a receptionist forwarding to a cell at lunch.
- Mobile users who should have the business number on their cell phone.
What you do not need to prepare
You do not need to design the phone system yourself, know SIP settings or choose codecs. Those decisions are made during planning with a specialist. You also do not need to cancel your current service ahead of time; that happens after the port is complete.
Related questions.
My bill does not show an account PIN. Do I need one?
Not all providers use a PIN for porting. If your provider does, it is typically set in your online account or by calling them. The specialist will tell you whether one is required for your provider.
The business name on the bill is out of date. Is that a problem?
The port request must match what the losing provider has on file, even if that name is old. You can update the name with them first, but it is usually faster to port under the existing name and use the correct name on the new account.
Can I prepare all this online?
Yes. Build My Phone System captures users, numbers, hours and routing preferences online and hands them to a specialist, who follows up with any questions. You can send the bill and the signed port authorization separately once the plan is reviewed.
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