- Number portability for landlines is a regulatory requirement: Ofcom rules oblige providers to let customers keep their geographic number when switching where it is technically feasible.
- Landline porting is arranged between the providers, unlike mobile switching, which uses a customer-requested PAC or STAC code.
- Geographic landline numbers can usually only be ported within the same area code, because they are tied to a numbering area.
- The PSTN switch-off means traditional landline lines are migrating to all-IP voice over Openreach's network, with the migration completing in 2027.
- As services move to VoIP, existing geographic numbers can generally be carried across, so customers keep their familiar number on the new platform.
You can usually keep your landline number when switching provider. The two providers arrange the port between them, so there is no PAC code as with mobiles.
Last reviewed: June 2026
What landline number portability means
Number portability is the right to take your existing telephone number with you when you move from one provider to another. For landlines, this matters because a home or business number is often long-established, printed on documents, shared with contacts and tied to a sense of continuity. Losing it on a switch would be a real deterrent to changing provider, which is why Ofcom requires the industry to support porting. Where it is technically feasible, a provider must allow a switching customer to keep their geographic number rather than forcing them onto a brand-new one.
A geographic landline number is associated with a specific numbering area, identified by the area code at the start. This has a practical consequence for porting: a number can normally only be carried to a new provider if you remain within the same numbering area. Moving house to a different part of the country, into a different area code, generally means the existing number cannot follow you, because it belongs to the geographic area you are leaving. Switching provider while staying at the same address is the straightforward case where porting usually applies.
How landline porting differs from mobile switching
The mechanics of keeping a landline number are quite different from the mobile process most people are familiar with. To switch a mobile and keep your number, you request a PAC, a porting authorisation code, from your current provider and hand it to the new one, who completes the transfer. The customer is in direct control of that code. Landline porting does not work that way. There is no PAC for a landline. Instead, the porting is arranged provider-to-provider behind the scenes.
In practice, this means you place an order with the gaining provider and tell them you want to keep your existing number. The gaining provider then coordinates with your current, or losing, provider to arrange the transfer of the number across the underlying network. Much of UK landline switching now runs through processes designed so that the new provider leads the switch, reducing the burden on the customer. The key point is that you do not need to obtain a code yourself; you request the keep-my-number option and the providers handle the technical port.
Landline number porting process and timelines
The table below outlines the typical stages of a landline port and what is happening at each point, so you can recognise where a switch has reached.
| Stage | What happens | Who acts |
|---|---|---|
| Place order | Request the new service and ask to keep your number | Customer |
| Port request raised | Gaining provider notifies the losing provider | Providers |
| Validation | Number and account details are checked and matched | Providers |
| Port date set | A switchover date is agreed and confirmed to you | Providers |
| Go live | Number activates on the new service | Providers |
How long landline porting takes
There is no single fixed duration for a landline port, because it depends on the providers involved, the type of service being moved to and whether the transfer is a simple like-for-like switch or part of a broader change such as moving to a new broadband and phone package. A straightforward switch between providers on the Openreach network can often be completed within a short window once the order is validated, while more complex moves can take longer. The providers agree a switchover date during the process and confirm it to you, so you know when the number will move.
It is sensible to keep your existing service running until the port completes rather than cancelling it early. If you cancel the line before the number has been ported, you risk losing the number altogether, because once a number is released back to the network it may no longer be available to recover. Following the gaining provider's instructions and waiting for the confirmed port date is the safest approach. The switch itself is intended to happen with minimal disruption to your service.
Portability and the move to all-IP
Number portability is taking on fresh importance as the traditional telephone network is retired. The PSTN switch-off means the old analogue landline network is being withdrawn and voice services are moving to all-IP, delivered as VoIP over a broadband connection across Openreach's network, with the migration completing in 2027. For most households this means the way calls are carried is changing, even if the handset and the dialling experience feel familiar.
The reassuring point is that existing geographic numbers can generally be carried across to the new all-IP service, so customers keep the number they have always used. When a provider migrates a line to digital voice, or when you switch to a provider offering VoIP, the same portability principles apply: the number moves with you where it is technically feasible. This continuity is deliberate, because Ofcom and the industry recognise that being forced to abandon a long-held number would be a significant detriment. The technology underneath is changing, but the right to keep your number is being preserved through the transition.
Practical steps to protect your number during a switch
A few habits make a landline port more likely to go smoothly. State clearly at the point of ordering that you want to keep your existing number, and make sure the number you give the gaining provider exactly matches the one on your current bill, including the full area code. Mismatched details are a common cause of validation delays, because the providers must match the number against the existing account before the port can proceed. Keeping a recent bill to hand when placing the order reduces the chance of a transcription error.
It is equally important not to cancel your current service yourself before the port has completed. Where a switch is led by the gaining provider, the old service is closed as part of the coordinated process, so a separate cancellation by the customer can cut the line early and release the number prematurely. If anything about the switchover date or the confirmation seems unclear, the gaining provider is the right first point of contact, since it is coordinating the transfer. Should a port stall or fail despite this, providers operate formal complaints procedures, and an unresolved issue can ultimately be escalated through the dispute routes available to phone customers. Approaching the switch in this orderly way is the surest way to arrive on the new service with the same number you started with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my landline number when switching provider?
In most cases yes. Ofcom rules require providers to support number portability where it is technically feasible, so you can usually keep your existing landline number when changing provider at the same address. The main limitation is that a geographic number is tied to its area code and generally cannot move to a different numbering area.
How does landline number porting work?
Unlike mobiles, landline porting does not use a PAC code. You place an order with the new provider and ask to keep your number, and the two providers arrange the transfer between them. The gaining provider coordinates with your current provider to move the number across the network and confirms a switchover date.
How long does landline number porting take?
There is no single fixed time. A simple like-for-like switch can complete within a short window once details are validated, while more complex moves take longer. The providers agree and confirm a port date during the process. Keep your existing service running until the port completes so you do not risk losing the number.
What if my number does not port correctly?
If a port fails or stalls, contact the gaining provider first, as they are leading the switch and coordinating with your old provider. Avoid cancelling your existing line until the number has successfully transferred, because releasing it early can cause the number to be lost. If the issue is not resolved, you can escalate a complaint through the provider's formal process.
Can I port a landline number to a VoIP service?
Generally yes. As the network moves to all-IP voice, existing geographic numbers can usually be carried across to a VoIP or digital voice service, so you keep your familiar number on the new platform. The same portability principles apply, with the number moving where it is technically feasible.
