What is Number Porting?

When a customer wants to move from provider A to provider B (Gradwell), we call this process Porting.

Number porting is the process whereby we can take over a BT/Virgin Media (telewest/NTL) and some other VoIP providers phone numbers and move it onto our phone network so that our customers can receive phone calls over their internet phone service(s), on what was their usual landline.

Number Porting is a simple manual process, which requires us to ensure that you complete the necessary paperwork, and if need be liaise/find information from your current provider if needed. Gradwell will be responsible for ensuring you have correctly set-up/configured your accounts and that the phone numbers migrate (port) without any errors or long interuptions to your service.

We can port fixed lines and VoIP numbers from other companies (listed above) that we have existing porting agreements with. The numbers that you wish to port need live and have an active service with your current provider. If you are unsure whether the number is portable please contact the Porting Team.

We can migrate from the following companies:

• BT Retail/Wholesale geographical (01225) and non-geographical (0800) numbers
• Virgin Media (telewest/NTL) geographical only (until further notice)
• Energis Non-geographical numbers only
• Magrathea Telecom clients (a wide variety on VoIP Companies included)
• Gamma Telecom clients (a wide variety on VoIP Companies included)

Note it is possible to port all BT geographic area code telephone numbers and non-geographic BT numbers beginning with 08 (e.g 0800/0870/0845).

The following circumstances will NOT prevent the export of a number: -Change Number Interception (CNI) -Permanent call Diversion -Subsequent ports (where a number has been previously ported from Virgin and now billed by BT).

The following circumstances will prevent the export of a number:

-Number associated with a temporary service -Inactive Numbers -A non-BT or Virgin Media Account Number (unless with another provider*) -A non-BT or Virgin Media provided Number (unless with another provider*)

*To port a SIP number we would require a letter of authorisation from the losing provider and also the letter of authoriseation from the customer.

As soon as we have received confirmation from the current provider that they give us authorisation to port your number onto our systems, we will send you a email stating that it has been accepted and what date the number will be migrating over to Gradwell networks.

We will ask several questions about your account, particularly which services you require and to which number(s) they are to be attached to.

The email will look similar to this:

I'm pleased to inform you that the port of the above number(s) has been accepted for .

Please can you confirm which Gradwell account (e.g. email address registered with Gradwell) you would like to import your ported number(s) to and also which service you would like to associate the ported number(s) with (Single line, Centrex, IAX/SIP trunk, Fax2Email etc.)?

Would you like us to add the ported number(s) to your account as additional lines or replace any of the numbers you may have set up already?

Once we have this information we will make the necessary changes on or before the date of porting.

No existing numbers will be ceased until after the port.

Once we have an update from you for the above, we will make the necessary changes on or before the date of porting. No existing numbers will be ceased until after the port has completed. This will allow service continuity.

On the day of porting, your number(s) will be transferred anytime between 10am and 1pm.

Porting requests can be rejected for a number of reasons, please note however we can resubmit once we have the correct information.

The following will stop the export of a number:

-Porting forms were completed incorrectly (no signature, insufficient information provided) -Numbers belonging to another company who Gradwell do not hold a Porting agreement with -With multiline installations and a full list of numbers were not provided -The numbers are associated to a telephone line with an alarm system attached such as REDCARE -Numbers are associated with a temporary service with the current provider -Customer has no service or is in the process of ceasing their account with the Current Provider -There is an unresolved dispute with the current operator such as outstanding money owed or customer is still required to honour a minimum term contract with current operator

The following will NOT stop the export of a number:

-Change number interception (e.g a voice prompt to state a change of number) -Permanent Call Diversions -Numbers taken temporarily out of service.