Number porting step by step: time, cost and common mistakes

Number porting (MNP) lets you move to another operator while keeping your existing number. Because your number is tied to bank, e-government and social media accounts, many people hesitate to port. But with the right steps the process completes smoothly within a few days.

Pre-porting checklist

1. Check your commitment: if you have a commitment or device instalment with the old operator, the remaining amount may be collected during porting.
2. Leave no unpaid bills: an open debt can delay porting.
3. Use up your prepaid balance: the balance stays with the old operator and is not transferred.
4. Prepare your ID details: the line holder's ID must match the application exactly.
5. Tell your bank: during porting you may see a short SMS delay of a few hours.

Steps

In the Lavanta app choose your plan, tick Port my number and enter your number. After ID verification, reply to the confirmation SMS from your old operator. When the application is approved the porting date is set, usually completing within one to three working days. On the day there may be a brief signal interruption (a few hours at most); your eSIM takes over automatically.

Cost

Porting to Lavanta is free. The old operator may charge an early-termination fee or remaining device balance within legal limits. As an offer, those who port a number get 50% off the first three months.

Common mistakes

• Cancelling the old line while porting is in progress: this makes you lose the number. Do nothing; the old line closes automatically.
• Being abroad on porting day: you may not receive the SMS needed for device and eSIM setup.
• Entering the wrong ID or number.

After porting

Once your new line is active, test that SMS arrives on the new line in your banking apps and in services where you use two-step verification. If you have problems you can reach us 24/7 via live support in the app.

Frequently asked questions

Will bank SMS stop during porting? There may be a short interruption on porting day; we recommend not doing critical transactions that day. Can I port a postpaid line to prepaid? Yes, porting is independent of line type; the old line just must have no debt. Can the process be cancelled? Before porting completes you can cancel the application in the app. Can I port the same number back again? Yes, though legal waiting periods may apply.

Business number porting

Bulk porting of company numbers needs an authorised signatory document and a tax certificate. For more than ten lines, porting is planned on a single calendar so service interruption is minimised.

You can track status in the app at every stage of porting: application received, awaiting old operator approval, porting scheduled and completed. You are informed by notification and SMS at each stage, and if you get stuck you can reach live support in one tap.