THe Entire Port Process

Porting a phone number from one carrier to another involves several technical steps, especially when transferring a number from a postpaid to a prepaid carrier. Here is a thorough breakdown of the backend processes that take place during the porting process:

1. Initiation of the Port Request

• Customer Request: The customer provides their new carrier (Tesix Wireless, in this case) with the required porting information, including:
  • Current carrier name.
  • Account number with the current carrier.
  • Account PIN or port-out authorization code (if applicable).
  • The phone number to be ported.
  • Personal details (name, address, etc.) that match the current carrier's records.
• Port Request Submission: The new carrier submits a port request to the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC), the centralized database that manages porting in the U.S.

2. Validation with the Current Carrier

• Validation Process:
  • The new carrier communicates with the customer’s current (postpaid) carrier to verify the provided account information.
  • The current carrier matches the submitted details with their internal records.
  • If there is any mismatch (e.g., incorrect PIN or account number), the port request is rejected, and the customer must correct the information.
• Account Status Check:
  • The current carrier ensures that the phone number is eligible for porting. For instance, the account must be active, and the number must not be flagged as fraudulent or ineligible for transfer.

3. Approval and Scheduling

• Approval:

  • Once the current carrier validates the information, they approve the port-out request.
  • The NPAC assigns a due date and time for the porting process to be completed. Porting typically takes between a few minutes to 2 business days for wireless-to-wireless transfers. It's seldom that it take over a 5-20 minutes, but in some cases more verification may be needed.

4. Update in NPAC Database

• Routing Updates:

  • The NPAC updates its centralized database with the new carrier's information, associating the customer’s phone number with the new carrier's network.
  • This update ensures that calls, texts, and other services are routed correctly to the new carrier.

• Broadcast to Carriers:

  • The updated routing information is broadcasted to all telecom providers, enabling them to route traffic for the ported number to the new carrier’s network.

5. Deactivation on the Current Carrier

• Service Deactivation:

  • Once the port is completed, the number is deactivated on the current (postpaid) carrier's network.

6. Activation on the New Carrier

• SIM Card Update:

  • The new carrier activates the ported number on their SIM card or eSIM profile.
  • This step ensures the customer’s phone is fully functional on the new carrier's network.

• Configuration:

  • The new carrier configures backend systems to provision services (e.g., call, text, and data) for the ported number.
  • APNs (Access Point Names) may be updated to ensure data services function correctly.

• Customer Notification:

  • The new carrier informs the customer that the porting process is complete and that their number is now active on the new network.

7. Ongoing Maintenance

• Call Routing Testing:
  • To ensure that the port is successful, the new carrier may test call and message routing for the number.

Technical Details Specific to Postpaid-to-Prepaid Porting

• Credit Check Exclusion:

  • Unlike postpaid carriers, prepaid carriers do not request SSNs or perform credit checks, simplifying the activation process.

• Account Balance and Add-ons:

  • Postpaid carriers may have additional balances (e.g., device installment payments) that remain due after the number is ported.
  • Prepaid carriers require an upfront payment or plan activation before completing the port process.

Key Challenges

1. Incorrect Information:

   • If the customer provides incorrect account details (e.g., wrong PIN or account number), the port request is rejected, delaying the process.

2. Fraud Protection Measures:

   • Carriers may flag unusual activity to prevent unauthorized porting (SIM swap fraud), which may require additional identity verification.

3. Service Downtime:

   • Temporary service interruptions can occur if the porting process is not completed smoothly or if updates to the NPAC database are delayed.