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Choose the new Canadian carrier, tell it you want to keep your existing number, and let it initiate the transfer before you cancel anything. Keep the old service active until the port finishes. A mobile transfer may take a few hours and can cause a temporary interruption, including to 9-1-1 access, so arrange another way to reach emergency services during the changeover.
The safest order is simple: confirm the new service fits your phone and location, authorize the new carrier to port the number, wait for completion, then deal with the former carrier’s final bill. Cancelling first can make the number ineligible for a normal transfer.
What number porting does
Number porting moves your existing telephone number from your current carrier to a new one. The receiving carrier submits the transfer request and coordinates with the former carrier; you normally do not contact the old carrier to start the port. Once the transfer completes, calls and messages addressed to the number should reach the new service.
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Porting is different from opening a new line. If you accept a new number during signup, the carrier may not initiate a transfer of your old one. State plainly that you want to keep your current number and ask for a port, transfer or number-retention request.
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The process is separate from settling your old account. A successful port does not cancel device financing, unpaid bills or other amounts that your agreement makes payable. Review those obligations with the former carrier after the transfer.
Compare the destination service before ordering
Check coverage and service at your locations
Confirm that the destination carrier provides the coverage and network performance you need at home, work and places you regularly travel. Check the precise address where possible, not just a national coverage map. A number can be portable even when the new plan is not suitable for your location, so make this check before authorizing the move.
Check phone, SIM and eSIM compatibility
Ask the destination carrier whether your current phone can be used on its network and whether you need a replacement SIM or an eSIM activation. Confirm which device must be used during activation and whether the phone is unlocked or otherwise eligible under the carrier’s requirements. The number-transfer process does not universally require a new phone or a particular accessory; those requirements depend on the carrier and device.
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Compare plan terms, not just the headline price
Compare the monthly price, included data, calling and texting terms, roaming options, coverage, activation support and transfer timing. Also compare any remaining device or contract cost with the former carrier. The CRTC’s number-porting guidance does not rank providers or verify plan prices, so obtain current terms directly from each carrier.
Have account information available privately
The new carrier will explain which account or identity details it needs to validate the request. Supply those details through the carrier’s secure order or support channel. Do not post account numbers, passwords, government identifiers or other sensitive information in a public checklist, forum or social-media message.
Step-by-step: transfer your mobile number
- Select the destination carrier and plan. Verify coverage, device compatibility, the SIM or eSIM setup, monthly price, data allowance and support options for your situation.
- Place the order with the new carrier. Say clearly, “I want to keep my current number.” Ask the representative or online flow to initiate a number port rather than assigning a new number.
- Provide the requested validation information. The carrier will tell you what it needs for your account and identity. Ask how it will confirm the request and how you will be notified of progress.
- Confirm authorization. Follow the carrier’s approval process and save the order number, email or other confirmation. For local services, the CRTC lists written consent, recorded or independently verified oral consent, electronic order authorization, internet confirmation or another method that leaves an objective record. Wireless carriers may use different methods.
- Leave the existing line active. Do not submit a separate cancellation request to the old carrier while the port is pending. The number generally must still be active for the receiving carrier to transfer it.
- Follow the activation instructions. Install the supplied SIM or eSIM only as directed. Keep the old SIM or eSIM available until the carrier confirms that the transfer is complete.
- Expect a possible service gap. Keep another working phone nearby. Calls, texts, data and even 9-1-1 access can be interrupted while the transfer is processed.
- Test the new service. Place an outgoing call, call the number from another phone, send and receive a text message, and test mobile data. If any function fails, report it to the new carrier while the order is still open.
- Review the former carrier’s final account. Check for device balances, unpaid usage, contract charges and credits. Ask for an itemized amount and the date any automatic payment will be taken.
How long the transfer takes
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) gives a general estimate of a few hours for mobile transfers. It is not a guaranteed appointment: the carrier handling your order can provide the most useful case-specific estimate. Ask when the request was submitted, what event marks completion and how you will be notified.
| Transfer type | Published general timing | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile to mobile | A few hours | The CRTC estimate is general; your carrier may require different validation or scheduling. |
| Landline to mobile | Typically up to two business days | Cross-technology transfers can take longer than mobile-only ports and may involve service interruption. |
| Mobile to landline | Typically up to two business days | Eligibility depends on the destination service and local calling area. |
During the change, calls, texts or data may stop working temporarily. The CRTC specifically warns that 9-1-1 service can also be interrupted. Do not assume emergency calling will remain continuously available; if you need urgent help during the window, use another working phone or available emergency-access method. The regulator does not promise a fixed outage length, so avoid scheduling the switch when you must have uninterrupted connectivity.
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Why cancelling first can lose the number
A transfer request relies on the existing number being active. If you cancel the old line before the new carrier starts the port, the CRTC says the number will definitely need to be replaced through the normal process. A cancellation can also put the number into a disconnected state in which it is no longer eligible for porting.
Do not cancel simply to “restart” a stalled transfer. Keep the old service connected and ask the new carrier to correct the request or explain what information is missing. Once the port completes, the old service normally ends as part of the transfer; confirm the status and final billing with the former carrier rather than sending an earlier cancellation request.
A suspended line presents the same risk. The CRTC’s current guidance treats suspended or terminated service as not active or working for porting purposes. A disconnected number can eventually return to the carrier’s inventory and be reassigned, so contacting the receiving carrier quickly matters if a disconnection has already occurred.
Can you keep the number after moving provinces?
Not always. Canadian number portability is tied to the number’s geographic calling area and the services available at the destination. Moving to another province or to a different local calling area may mean that the number cannot be transferred or that the new carrier can offer service only with a new number.
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Ask the receiving carrier to check your specific number and destination before you place the order. A carrier’s ability to serve your new address, the exchange associated with the number and the technology you are moving to all matter. Do not infer eligibility from the fact that both locations are in Canada.
If keeping the exact number is essential, ask the carrier to confirm eligibility before you cancel housing, business or security services that rely on the number. A number that works in one local calling area may not be portable to a different exchange even when the same carrier operates in both places.
Landline and VoIP limitations
Local landlines
For local home-phone service, the CRTC describes portability as generally associated with remaining in the same exchange or local calling area and keeping the number connected and unsuspended. A landline number may be transferable to a mobile service or vice versa, but location and the receiving provider’s service footprint can restrict the move.
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Before ordering, ask whether the destination provider serves the number’s exchange and whether the existing line must remain connected until the transfer completes. Local-service authorization must be documented, but the exact approval method varies by provider.
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Some moves involving voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) service are cases in which a new number might be required. Confirm portability with the destination provider before ordering and ask whether the address, exchange or VoIP platform changes the answer. Do not assume that a VoIP number follows the same rules as a mobile number.
Cross-technology timing
Landline-to-mobile and mobile-to-landline transfers typically take up to two business days under the CRTC’s general guidance. Because the services use different technologies, arrange an alternative contact method if you cannot tolerate a gap. Keep the old service and any required equipment available until the receiving provider confirms completion.
What happens if the line is suspended or already cancelled?
Do not assume a suspended, terminated or disconnected number can be recovered through an ordinary port. Current CRTC guidance treats a cancelled number as unavailable for the normal transfer process. A 2026 Commission decision also discusses numbers on suspended or terminated service as not active or working for porting purposes and notes that disconnected numbers can eventually return to inventory and be reassigned.
If you have already cancelled or the former carrier disconnected the line, contact the new carrier immediately and ask whether any recovery option exists. There is no general promise that the number can be restored, and waiting can reduce the chance of recovery. The former carrier may also be able to explain the number’s current status, but the receiving carrier remains the first contact for a transfer request.
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The customer or an authorized agent must approve a transfer. In guidance for local services, the CRTC lists authorization methods such as written consent, a recorded or independently verified oral authorization, an electronic order authorization, an internet confirmation or another process that creates an objective, documented record.
Those are CRTC-listed local-service mechanisms, not a guarantee that every wireless carrier uses every method. Follow the method presented by your receiving provider and keep confirmation numbers, emails or screenshots until the port and final bill are settled. If someone is acting for you, ask the carrier what proof of authorization it requires.
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Costs, contracts and cancellation notice
Outstanding balances remain separate
Porting the number does not erase amounts already owed. You may still owe unpaid monthly service, usage charges, a device-financing balance or a contract cancellation amount. Ask the former carrier for the exact balance and payment date instead of estimating from the new plan’s price.
No general 30-day notice requirement
The CRTC’s consumer guidance says customers do not need to give 30 days’ notice to cancel phone, mobile, Internet or television service. That does not guarantee a zero-dollar final bill: the agreement and the circumstances determine whether permitted cancellation or device-related charges apply.
Check the agreement before switching
Save a copy of the contract, device-financing schedule and current bill. Compare the listed obligations with the final statement after the transfer, and challenge any amount that does not match the agreement or the explanation provided by the carrier. Ask when credits, deposits or automatic-payment adjustments will appear.
The transfer itself is not a product purchase. A new SIM, eSIM or phone may be needed for a particular activation, but no universal accessory is required merely to keep a number. Buy or replace equipment only when the destination carrier confirms that your device or setup requires it.
Troubleshooting a delayed or refused port
- Contact the new carrier first. It submitted or is managing the transfer, so ask for the current status and the specific reason for any refusal or delay.
- Ask targeted questions. Find out whether validation information is missing, whether the old line still appears active, whether the number is eligible in the destination calling area and when the next status update will arrive.
- Check the order details. Confirm that the number, account information and destination service were entered correctly. Ask whether the request needs correction or resubmission.
- Keep the old line connected. Do not cancel it to force a retry. Tell the agent that the service remains active and ask what correction or resubmission is required.
- Protect emergency access. If service is intermittent, use another working phone for urgent calls and ask the carrier for an updated interruption estimate.
- Document each interaction. Record dates, case numbers, promised actions and the names or identification of representatives. Keep port-confirmation messages and copies of both bills.
- Escalate an unresolved complaint. If the provider does not resolve the issue, the CRTC identifies the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) as an independent complaint-resolution body. Use the provider’s complaint process first and retain the record needed for escalation.
A practical checklist for switching day
- The destination carrier confirmed that it can serve your number and address.
- You compared coverage, monthly price, included data, device compatibility and support.
- You asked the new carrier to keep the existing number and received a port or order reference.
- The old line is still active and has not been separately cancelled or suspended.
- You know the expected timing and have another way to make an emergency call during a possible outage.
- You have the required account information ready for the carrier’s secure validation process.
- Your phone, SIM or eSIM is compatible, and you know when to install or activate it.
- You saved confirmation messages, case numbers and the former contract or bill.
- You tested incoming calls, outgoing calls, text messages and data after activation.
- You requested the former carrier’s final balance and checked device or contract obligations.
What a recent CRTC decision illustrates
Telecom Decision CRTC 2026-211, dated August 18, 2026, concerned a specific reseller dispute over access to a network operator’s porting system after customer service had been disconnected. The decision highlights why customers should initiate a transfer before disconnection; it is not a general instruction to contact a particular carrier and does not guarantee recovery of a disconnected number.
The decision records party estimates involving tens of thousands of disconnected numbers. One estimate suggested up to 40,000 end-users might not retain their numbers without access to the porting system, while another statement referred to 30,000 to 40,000 numbers not yet ported. Those figures were estimates in that dispute, not a verified national count of Canadian consumers and not a prediction of an individual customer’s outcome.
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Start the port with the new carrier while the old number is active, keep the old service running until the transfer succeeds, and plan for a short interruption. Check location and technology limits before ordering, then settle the former carrier’s final account separately. If the transfer fails, the new carrier is your first point of contact; unresolved complaints can be taken to the CCTS.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I cancel my old phone plan before switching?
No. Ask the new carrier to initiate the port first and keep the old line active until the transfer is complete. Cancelling beforehand can make the number unavailable for a normal transfer.
How long does a Canadian mobile number transfer take?
The CRTC gives a general estimate of a few hours for mobile transfers. Timing is not guaranteed, and a temporary interruption, including to 9-1-1 access, can occur.
Can I keep my number if I move to another province?
Maybe. A move to another province or local calling area can make the number ineligible or require a new number. Have the receiving carrier check the specific number, exchange and destination before ordering.
Can I port a landline to a mobile phone?
It may be possible, but local calling-area rules and the destination provider’s service footprint apply. Cross-technology transfers typically take up to two business days.
Can I port a number that was suspended or cancelled?
Do not assume so. CRTC guidance treats cancelled numbers as unavailable for the normal process, and suspended or disconnected numbers may no longer be active for porting. Contact the new carrier immediately to ask about any available option.
Will porting cancel my old device payments or unpaid bill?
No. Device-financing balances, unpaid usage and permitted contract charges remain separate from the number transfer. Request an itemized final balance from the former carrier.
Do I have to give my carrier 30 days’ notice?
The CRTC says there is no general 30-day notice requirement for phone, mobile, Internet or television service. Your agreement can still determine final charges and device obligations.
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Contact the new carrier first because it is handling the transfer. Ask what validation or eligibility issue caused the problem, keep the old line active, document the case and use the CCTS if the provider does not resolve the complaint.
The Bottom Line
Tell the new carrier to port your number, keep the old line active until completion, prepare for a possible few-hour outage, and handle final charges separately. Verify local-area and technology eligibility before switching.
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