Keeping your landline number after 2027

Last reviewed: 2026-03-04

Your number does not change

When your provider moves you from an analogue line to digital voice, your phone number stays the same. You do not need to request this. It happens automatically as part of the migration.

The number porting question only comes up if you are switching to a different provider at the same time as the digital migration, or if you are moving home.

If you are staying with your current provider

You do not need to do anything about your number. Your provider will migrate your line and your number carries across. There should be no gap in service.

If you are switching provider

You can keep your phone number when you switch to a new provider. This is called "number porting" and it is your legal right under Ofcom rules.

The process:

1. Sign up with the new provider first. Tell them during signup that you want to keep your existing number.
2. The new provider arranges the port. They will contact your old provider to transfer your number. You should not need to speak to your old provider yourself.
3. Do not cancel your old service before the port completes. If you cancel first, you may lose the number permanently. The old service should be cancelled automatically once the new provider takes over.

How long porting takes

For landline numbers, porting typically takes one working day once the new provider has submitted the request. In practice, the whole process from signing up to having your number active on the new service usually takes one to two weeks.

During the port itself, there may be a short interruption to your service, usually a few hours at most. Your new provider should tell you when this will happen.

The golden rule: never cancel first

This is the single most common cause of people losing their phone number during a switch. If you cancel your old service before the new provider has completed the port, the number goes back into a general pool and may be reassigned to someone else.

Always let the new provider handle the switchover. Your old contract will be ended as part of the process.

What if my number has been lost?

If you cancelled your old service too early and have lost your number:

• Contact your old provider immediately. If the number has not yet been reassigned, they may be able to recover it.
• If the number has been reassigned, it cannot be recovered. This is rare if you act quickly, but it does happen.
• If your provider failed to port the number correctly (rather than you cancelling early), you can complain. They are required to make the porting process work. See how to complain.

Your rights

Under Ofcom's General Conditions of Entitlement, you have the right to:

• Keep your phone number when you switch provider (number portability)
• Have the porting process completed within one working day
• Not be charged for the port itself (though you may pay for the new service)
• Complain to your provider and escalate to an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme if the process goes wrong

If your provider is making it difficult to keep your number, this may be a breach of their licence conditions. How to complain and escalate.