How to Switch Cell Phone Carriers Without Losing Your Number

Find your carrier’s account number and transfer PIN — we list the exact phone numbers, hold times and PIN retrieval steps for every US carrier.

How to Switch Cell Phone Carriers in 5 Steps

The order matters. Doing step five before step one is how people lose a number they have had for twenty years.

1. Get your account number and transfer PIN. These are not your phone number and not your online password. Most carriers hide them. Look up yours on our carrier pages.
2. Confirm your phone is unlocked. A locked phone will not accept another carrier’s SIM. Your current carrier must unlock it on request once the device is paid off.
3. Pick the new carrier. Match the network your phone’s radios support, then compare price.
4. Start the port from the new carrier. You give them the account number, transfer PIN, billing ZIP code and the number you are moving.
5. Wait for the new SIM to activate, then stop paying the old carrier. The old account closes itself when the number leaves.

Your number belongs to you, not your carrier

Federal rules require carriers to release your number. The FCC’s number portability rules say a carrier cannot refuse a port because you owe money, and cannot hold the number hostage. Simple wireless-to-wireless ports are expected to complete within one business day.

You can port a number between wireless carriers, from a landline to wireless, and from wireless to a VoIP service. You cannot port a number to a different geographic area in every case — landline-to-wireless ports are limited by rate center.

Get your account number before you do anything else

Every carrier stores three different things people confuse: the phone number, the account number, and the transfer PIN. The port needs all three plus your billing ZIP code.

The account number is rarely printed on the bill in an obvious place. The transfer PIN is usually different from the PIN you use to call support, and on many carriers it expires after seven days. Get both on the same day you plan to port.

We publish the retrieval steps for every major carrier and reseller, including the ones that shut down:

• US Cellular account number and PIN
• MetroPCS account number and PIN
• Tracfone account number and PIN
• H2O Wireless account number and PIN
• Lyca Mobile account number and PIN
• Claro Puerto Rico account number and PIN

Match the network before you compare the price

A cheap plan on a network that does not cover your house is worthless. Pick the network first, then pick the cheapest brand riding on it.

Coverage varies more by county than by advertising. Check the coverage map at your home address and your work address, not just your city, and ask someone who already lives on that network.

Our carrier and network comparison lists which of the three networks every US carrier actually runs on, including the brands owned outright by the network they resell.

Check whether your phone is unlocked

Dial *#06# to get your IMEI, then ask your current carrier to unlock the device. Carriers must unlock a phone that is fully paid off and not reported stolen. Prepaid phones often carry a minimum active-service period first.

If your phone is locked and the carrier refuses, buying an unlocked phone is usually cheaper than fighting about it.

Bring your own phone or buy one unlocked

Most people switching carriers keep the phone they already own. If yours is locked, aging, or the wrong network type, an unlocked phone works on every carrier and removes the problem permanently.

Unlocked phones on Amazon · Dual-SIM unlocked smartphones

Those are affiliate links. We earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

What goes wrong when people port a number

Four failures cause nearly every rejected port:

• Canceling the old account first. The number is released and gone. This is not reversible.
• Name or address mismatch. The port request must match the old carrier’s records exactly, including a middle initial or an apartment number.
• An expired transfer PIN. Many carriers expire it in seven days. Request it the same week you port.
• A locked device. The port completes, the SIM does not work, and you have service you cannot use.

If a port stalls past 24 hours, call the new carrier, not the old one. The new carrier owns the request.

Questions people ask before switching carriers

How long does it take to switch cell phone carriers?
Most wireless-to-wireless ports finish in 1 to 24 hours. Landline-to-wireless ports take 2 to 10 business days.

Will I lose my phone number?
Not if you port correctly. You lose it only if you cancel the old service before the port completes.

Can my carrier refuse to let me leave if I owe them money?
No. The FCC prohibits blocking a port over an unpaid balance. You still owe the balance, but the number moves.

Do I need a new SIM card?
Yes, unless the new carrier uses the same network and supports eSIM on your device.

Will my phone keep working during the switch?
Your old service works until the port completes. There is usually no gap longer than a few minutes.

Can I switch carriers if I am under contract?
Yes. You can port out any time. You still owe any remaining device payments or early termination fee.

Start with your account number

Everything else waits on that one piece of information. Find your current carrier below, get the account number and transfer PIN, and the rest is a five-minute phone call.

Look up your carrier’s porting instructions