The Complete Number Porting Handbook

The number porting process is led by the Gaining Communications Provider (GCP) at all times.

Xinix will work hard to port your incoming phone numbers to the Xinix VoIP service on time. However, we cannot guarantee that numbers will be ported successfully or within a specific timeframe, including the minimum industry-standard lead time for the type of import. We also cannot guarantee that you will not meet problems during the porting process with your current provider.

Number portability in the UK is overseen by Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator. The geographic and non-geographic porting processes carry no guarantees, so the lead times in this handbook are the minimum standards set by the industry.

As standard practice, Ofcom only allocates numbers to providers that have completed the technical Service Establishment (SE). A porting contract with at least one network is usually needed to export allocated numbers, although this is not a binding requirement for getting number allocations from Ofcom.

Wholesaler and reseller porting between service providers is not supported. Number portability is only available to end users, or subscribers, who want to switch provider. This applies to all imports to Xinix and exports from Xinix. For more information, see the Ofcom numbering guidance.

Any import or export order we receive that we suspect is a wholesaler or reseller port will be rejected. Requests for a change of service (such as ISDN to hosted PBX) may be allowed case by case.

If a number you are importing is listed in Directory Enquiries (such as Directory Management Solutions or the BT Phonebook), you may be charged without notice when the directory is reprinted. To avoid unexpected costs, cancel any directory services you don’t want with your current provider as soon as possible.

Porting can also lead to extra charges from third parties involved in your order, such as your current and new providers. Make sure you know about these charges before you commit to a porting order. You should also be aware that changing the porting date may not be possible, as it depends on the number being ported or the type of circuit.

Porting moves a phone number from one provider to another. Once a number is ported from a fixed phone line, the original line is taken out of service. Any extra services that ran on that line, such as voicemail and broadband, are cut off as well.

For ISDN and analogue imports from BT (as the range holder), the number prefix change typically happens at the exchange level.

To port your phone number to the Xinix VoIP platform, we need the following for every number:

1. Proof that you own the number, preferably a copy of your most recent bill from your current network operator (CNO).
2. Your consent to port the number, ideally a signed GNP Customer Letter of Authority.
3. The details of the number, on a fully completed porting form.
4. The CUPID of the range holder. You can find it on www.telecom-tariffs.co.uk, and you should check it against the S1 allocation form from Ofcom.
5. The Losing Communications Provider (LCP) CUPID of the company that bills you for the number, which may also be the range holder.

Without the above information we cannot start a porting request.

Several things can delay a porting order:

• A security tag or Redcare on the line. You must either move the service to another circuit number or cancel the Redcare before the port can go ahead.
• An incorrect postcode or address, or details that don’t match what the current network operator has on file.
• No response from the range holder or LCP. Always tell your current provider that you intend to port, to avoid holding up the order.
• No Service Establishment with the range holder or LCP. As a subscriber, there is nothing you can do to fix this.
• Incorrect labelling, for example a multi-line shown as a single line. Always check the line type with the range holder or LCP.
• Inaccurate telephone information, such as the DDI range or main billing number. Check the details of all attached numbers with the LCP or range holder.

Porting is led by the Gaining Communications Provider (GCP) and is only available to the subscriber or end user. To export numbers from us, follow the same porting process with your new provider. The data submitted by the LCP is validated as needed, and the new provider must also check a Customer Letter of Authority (CLoA) before an export goes ahead. The porting rules are standard across the industry, so the process is the same as with any other provider.

To speed up your export request, give Xinix a copy of the CLoA, especially if you have a short porting timeframe. If we receive the form late from the GCP, the port can time out because it can’t be authenticated.

Where we are not the range holder, any number ported into the BT IPEX can be ported out again. Numbers imported to Xinix can generally be exported the same way they came in, or split. If a range of numbers was imported, the whole range must be exported to keep the numbers you want.

Geographic numbers where Xinix is the range holder can be exported away from us, with a few restrictions that come from the IP Exchange platform:

• Once number ranges assigned by Ofcom to IP Exchange-based range holders are exported away from IP Exchange, they can’t currently be taken back. This includes any other IP Exchange communications provider. For example, a number transferred to the BT PSTN can’t currently be ported elsewhere.
• Number ranges assigned to us by Ofcom and based on IPEX can currently be prefixed away from IP Exchange only once. Changing or updating porting prefixes for later exports to other providers is not currently possible, so an earlier transfer of a Xinix number is permanent unless IP Exchange says otherwise.
• Non-geographic number ranges (starting 03, 05, 08 or 09) assigned to Xinix by Ofcom and based on IP Exchange can’t currently be transferred. These export requests are outside our technical scope for now.

We can’t export numbers that are out of service. Any number to be ported must be live and working, and porting requests for numbers that fail a test call are rejected automatically.

We don’t support bulk number porting by wholesalers or resellers into or out of Xinix. Porting is only available to end users who want to switch provider, so reseller and wholesaler porting requests are declined. This rule applies in all cases. For more information, see the Ofcom numbering guidance.

• Simple DDI: several digital lines (SS7/E1/T1/ISDN) on one or several phone numbers, with a primary billing number. It may have a single number DDI (SNDDI) on the circuit and/or a whole block of DDIs (at least 10, in multiples of 10).
• Complex DDI: several digital lines (SS7/E1/T1/ISDN) with part of a block of DDIs and a primary billing number. Every DDI connected to the circuit must be recorded on the porting document, with clear instructions on which numbers to port. Any numbers that aren’t ported go back to the range holder.
• International: numbers from countries outside the United Kingdom.
• Multi-line geographic: several lines on one or several phone numbers, including single-number ISDN and WLR analogue multi-line.
• Single line geographic: one number starting 01 or 02 that is not the primary billing number of a DDI range, not part of a DDI range and not part of a multi-line.
• Single line non-geographic: one non-geographic number that is not part of a feature line or multi-line, and is not the primary billing number of, or part of, a DDI range.

• Multi-line geographic: copy of latest bill, Letter of Authority, porting form.
• Multi-line non-geographic: copy of latest bill, Porting of Non-Geographic Numbers notice.
• Non-geographic: copy of latest bill, Porting of Non-Geographic Numbers notice.
• Simple and complex DDI: copy of latest bill, Letter of Authority, porting form.
• Single line geographic: copy of latest bill, Letter of Authority, porting form.

These are the minimum industry lead times, in business days:

• Complex DDI: 22 to 25 business days.
• Multi-line geographic import: 7 to 25 business days.
• Non-geographic import: 15+ business days.
• Simple DDI: 10 to 23 business days.
• Single line geographic import: 4 to 13 business days.

1. You, the customer (subscriber or end user), send your request to Xinix with a copy of your most recent bill, a Customer Letter of Authority (CLoA) and a porting form.
2. Xinix submits the details to IPEX through an online portal, together with a Customer Required Date (CRD).
3. IPEX automatically checks its database to verify the range holder and line type.
4. The order is confirmed once the information matches the range holder’s or LCP’s records.
5. The range holder or LCP notifies IPEX that the request has been received and records the time and date of acceptance.
6. Xinix tells you that the porting request has been accepted.
7. At least 24 hours before the port, Xinix adds the number to your account, ready to receive traffic from BT IPEX.
8. On the date and time of the port, IPEX loads the number onto the ENUM and forwards calls for that number to Xinix.
9. The range holder automatically applies the porting prefix so that calls are routed to IPEX.
10. IPEX confirms to us that the number has been ported successfully.
11. Xinix makes a test call once the confirmation arrives to check calls are routed properly. If there is a problem, we escalate it to BT straight away.

1. You, the customer (subscriber or end user), send your request to Xinix with a copy of your most recent bill, a CLoA and a porting form.
2. Xinix submits the details to IPEX through an online portal.
3. IPEX fills in the information manually on an NPOR form.
4. The NPOR form goes to BT Openreach, which sends it to the range holder or LCP.
5. The range holder or LCP checks the NPOR information and replies to BT Openreach, giving reasons if the request is rejected.
6. BT Openreach sends the response to IPEX.
7. If the request was accepted, the approval is passed to Xinix with the time and date the port will start.
8. At least 24 hours before the port, Xinix adds the numbers to your account, ready to receive traffic.
9. On the day and time of the port, we configure the port manually on the IPEX portal once the Port Configuration Window opens. This loads the number onto the ENUM.
10. At the confirmed time, Xinix contacts IPEX with the main billing number (MBN) and/or reference numbers and asks for the port to go ahead. We also make a test call to check the ENUM load.
11. Openreach then carries out the port. The range holder applies the porting prefix, and incoming PSTN traffic is routed to Xinix if everything is correct.
12. If there is downtime of more than 15 minutes, Xinix contacts IPEX and asks for it to be escalated.

1. You, the customer (subscriber or end user), start by completing a separate Porting of Non-Geographic Numbers notice. It must be typed carefully, printed on the subscriber’s headed paper, dated and signed, then sent back to Xinix with a copy of your most recent LCP bill. Include your account number with the LCP where you have one, and the LCP’s address, email address and phone number. The GCP is Xinix, with our address entered correctly.
2. If resellers are involved, the lead time increases and everyone involved must be told of the porting request. The shortest possible lead time for a non-geographic port is 15 business days.
3. Once we have the completed paperwork, Xinix sends it to IP Exchange to process the request on our behalf through BT Inbound Services. BT Inbound Services then sends a porting request to the current network operator (which may be a reseller), or rejects it because the port isn’t possible or the paperwork is wrong.
4. Once the request to your current provider is approved, BT sends the range holder a porting order.
5. When the porting order is accepted, a date for the port is agreed with IP Exchange and, if needed, a time range or fixed time is chosen.
6. At least 24 hours before the port, Xinix adds the number or numbers to your Xinix account, ready for incoming calls.
7. On the day and time of the port, IPEX builds the number or numbers on the ENUM and then asks the range holder to apply the porting prefix.
8. Xinix makes test calls once the confirmation arrives to check calls are routed correctly. If there is downtime of more than 15 minutes, we contact IPEX and ask for it to be escalated.

These are the abbreviations used in this handbook:

• CNO = Current Network Operator
• CP = Communications Provider
• CRD = Customer Required Date
• CUPID = Communications Unique Provider ID
• DDI = Direct Dial In
• ENUM = E.164 Number Mapping, the call routing engine from IPEX that directs inbound calls to the assigned destinations or carriers
• GNP = Geographic Number Porting
• BT IPEX = British Telecom IP Exchange
• IPEX = IP Exchange
• ISDN = Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN30e or PRI, ISDN2e or BRI)
• LCP = Losing Communications Provider
• NGN = Non-Geographic Number
• PSTN = Public Switched Telephone Network
• RH = Range holder
• SE = Service Establishment
• SS7 = Signalling System 7, a set of protocols usually on a fixed E1 circuit that define the routing and signalling of calls