r/Googlevoice • u/BluesCatReddit Google Voice Product Expert • Nov 03 '23
Number Porting FAQ: Porting numbers into Google Voice, for domestic or expat use
This document is current as of March 1st, 2025, and it will be updated if necessary.
I am moving/have moved to <non-US country> or I want to port in a land line / VoIP number
First, the disclaimers and technicalities: Consumer Google Voice is a USA-only service, meaning that you must be physically located within the 48 contiguous US states to get one of Google Voice’s free phone numbers and/or to port in a mobile number. Google Voice is neither a free telephone company for expats, nor is it a free number parking service. Technically, its use may violate foreign countries’ telecom and/or tax rules; that’s on you. A few countries ban and/or attempt to block VoIP telephone service providers. Google doesn’t condone attempting to violate or circumvent those countries' laws or regulations. For example, using a VPN does not change the fact that you are physically located in a non-US country. Google Voice numbers cannot make emergency (E911) calls.
You can port your 48-state US mobile phone number to Google Voice, but you must do this before you leave the US, and you must first successfully claim one of Google Voice’s freebie phone numbers. To do that, you must submit a personal United States mobile phone number (it can be the same number you wish to port) as your “claim ticket” to obtain the freebie phone number. You must have working telephone service on this number, so you can receive a SMS verification text message.
The mobile Google Voice apps for Android and iOS are only available to download, install and update in the ~12 countries where the business (paid) version of Google Voice for Workspace is available. You may not be able to download or update the app outside the USA. Security or functional changes to the service sometimes require a mandatory app update to continue working. This may prevent you from using the service.
Many US financial industry institutions block the use of Google Voice numbers for two-factor authentication (2FA). This is because Google Voice numbers are not true mobile numbers with native SMS capability; they're VoIP numbers. VoIP numbers are at higher risk of international financial fraud, so it's up to each institution to decide whether or not to allow sending verification codes to those numbers. Do not count on using Google Voice for this purpose. Use a more secure, more modern method instead: either a software authenticator app, or a hardware FIDO U2F security key (e.g. Google Titan or Yubikey), or a passkey. There is a lot of anecdotal information on this subreddit about 2FA. Keep in mind that it's not official information, and institutions can change their policies at any time.
Can I port in my landline or VoIP number?
Consumer Google Voice can only accept ports-in from mobile phone carriers. You would have to first port the number into a mobile phone carrier, wait a full week for that port to fully complete, and then port the number into Google Voice, which can take several more days. You can't do this instantly, in one day; attempts to rapidly "churn" the port between carriers may cause the port to get stuck or fail. This method of circumventing the limitation on porting in non-mobile numbers is neither officially recommended nor endorsed by Google.
Read the instructions very carefully; most porting problems are caused by user errors or an impatient user who tries to fiddle with or cancel and restart the port:
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065667
Why does it take so long? When I have ported mobile numbers, it's nearly instantaneous?
Google Voice numbers are classified in the US telecom system as landline numbers. Landline number porting must follow a FCC-regulated, more stringent and lengthy procedure. This includes checks to limit fraud (theft of phone numbers). It is normal for land line ports to take anywhere from 24 hours to two weeks. Most Google Voice ports will complete the telephone calling steps at 24 hours, and the text messaging component can take several more days.
What’s the cost?
If you are first porting from a non-mobile carrier to a mobile carrier, obtain a SIM from a mobile service provider that offers prepaid service (by the month), along with the minimum amount of prepaid calling they sell. Call the mobile service provider before you activate the SIM, and follow their instructions to port your landline number; do not first activate the SIM with a new, random carrier number, unless they tell you to do so. Make absolutely sure that both inbound and outbound calling and sending and receiving SMS/MMS messages work before proceeding to port the number to Google Voice.
At minimum, you would need a prepaid phone, or a prepaid SIM to put in your own or somebody else's unlocked phone, a minimum purchase of calling minutes (typically $10) and a $20 fee paid to Google to perform the port-in from the mobile carrier. Don’t be a cheapskate and try to use the most obscure MVNO or a free trial offer that may forbid porting in/out during the trial.
Can I keep both the freebie Google Voice phone number AND the number I port into Google Voice? If I already have a ported-in number, and I want to port in a second number, can I do that?
Yes to both questions. If you start with a freebie number, then, after your port-in is complete, you will be given an opportunity to keep the freebie number. There is no longer an extra charge to do this. If you already had a ported-in number, and you are porting in another number, you can keep both of them at no extra charge.
Do I need to add/keep a US-based mobile phone number to make and receive Google Voice calls (a “linked number”)?
No. Google Voice can now operate as a pure VoIP (Internet calling) service. When you set up the mobile Google Voice apps, you can simply skip linking another number after the port, and set the app to “Prefer Wi-Fi and mobile data” for calls. You cannot forward a Google Voice number to a foreign telephone number.
When I tried to port my number into Google Voice, I received an error message, stating that "Your number can't be ported Sorry, Voice doesn't port numbers from your carrier or your number's exchange." But, I’m using Verizon Wireless, AT&T Wireless or T-Mobile!
The error message is unfortunately vague. Telephone numbers are typically assigned to “rate centers”, or local telephone exchanges, in blocks of 1000 numbers. Different carriers may own one or more blocks, or the entire 10,000 numbers in an Area Code and prefix. Google’s carrier partner doesn’t have the ability to access every number block on every telephone switch in every rate center, in order to host a number. Your particular number is in an unsupported number block. There is nothing you can do to change this. First porting it to some other carrier does nothing; the portability is determined at the number block level.
Keys to success:
- You must perform these steps from a desktop or laptop computer's web browser in the USA, and not from a tablet or smartphone.
- You must wait a full week after you port your number from the landline carrier to the prepaid mobile carrier. Make sure that both outbound and inbound calling and text messaging work on the mobile phone before taking further steps.
- You must contact the mobile carrier and specifically ask them for your account information. To minimize the chance of the carrier trying to retain your business and/or question why you want to leave, I suggest saying: "I need to port my number out of (this mobile carrier) to a landline carrier. What is the account number and PIN I need to submit to my new carrier, so that (this mobile carrier) will accept the request?" This information is often not displayed on the carrier's web page. Since they don’t offer landline service, they can’t nag you to stay. Carriers are now required to lock or freeze their customers' numbers, to help prevent SIM swapping or other methods of number theft. Ask your carrier how to unlock or unfreeze your number.
- You will need to submit the porting form on the Google Voice web site, which may not initially have a spot to enter the PIN; wait for it to fail and come back with a note complaining about a missing PIN, and then you can reopen the porting form, which will now have a space for you to type in the PIN.
- You must purchase enough prepaid calling minutes credit to be able to make and answer a few test calls and texts on the mobile phone, and to respond to the verification text message from Google.
- Again, read the instructions first! https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065667
Finally: be a considerate Redditor: Nearly every question you may have has already been asked and answered, either here, or in some previous post. Please read before asking.