VoIP • Number porting

Number porting in South Africa: you have a legal right to keep your number

Switching to VoIP does not mean a new number on your business cards. ICASA’s portability rules let you take your landline, mobile or 087 number with you. Here is what can be ported, how the process runs, and the three things that get a port rejected.

Last verified 02 June 2026
By the WhichVoIP editorial team
8 min read

Your rightportability is regulated by ICASA

7–10 daystypical working-day turnaround

2010geographic porting live in SA

Gainingprovider drives the process

The short answer

Can I keep my phone number when I switch to VoIP?

Yes. Under ICASA’s number portability regulations, South African businesses can move a geographic landline, a mobile number or a non-geographic 087 number to a new provider, including a VoIP system, without changing the number. Your new provider drives the port, which usually completes within 7 to 10 working days.

typical working days to complete

geographic porting live in SA

087 and 086x porting allowed

common reasons a port is rejected

Business Owner Holding A Smartphone In A Small Office Reception — Keeping your number protects every business card, invoice and Google listing that already points at it. That continuity is the whole point of porting.

What can be ported, and what cannot

Number portability in South Africa is regulated by ICASA and supported by the licensed operators. Most business numbers qualify; a few situations do not.

South Africa was an early mover on portability: mobile number portability launched in 2006, geographic portability in 2010, and non-geographic numbers such as 087, 0860 and 0800 became portable in 2022. That covers almost every number a business holds.

Number type	Portable?	Notes
Geographic landline (011, 021, 031…)	Yes	Including copper or fibre to VoIP
Mobile (06x, 07x, 08x)	Yes	Between networks, since 2006
Non-geographic 087	Yes	VoIP numbers, portable since 2022
0860 / 0861 / 0800	Yes	Shared-cost and toll-free, since 2022
Number tied to unpaid account	No	Settle or dispute the account first

✓

Bottom line: the technology your number sits on today, copper, fibre or another VoIP service, does not block the port. Geographic number portability is designed to carry it across, regardless of the underlying line.

How porting to VoIP works

The single most important thing to know: your new (gaining) provider runs the process. You do not contact your old provider to “ask permission”.

The porting flow, end to end

The steps in practice

Pick your VoIP provider firstChoose and sign up with the new provider. They initiate the port; you do not cancel your old service yourself.

Hand over the right detailsProvide the exact account holder name, account number and a recent bill from the losing provider. These must match their records exactly.

Validation and a port dateThe losing provider validates the request. Once cleared, a porting date is confirmed, usually within 7 to 10 working days.

CutoverOn the agreed date the number moves to the VoIP system. The switchover itself is brief; keep both services active until it completes.

Watch out: do not cancel your existing line before the port completes. Cancelling first can release the number back into the pool and you may lose it for good.

The three things that get a port rejected

Most porting delays are avoidable. They come down to details that do not match the losing provider’s records.

Mismatched account detailsThe name or account number you give does not match the old provider’s records exactly. Copy them straight off a recent bill.

An account in arrearsAn unpaid or disputed account can hold the port. Settle or resolve it before you submit.

Cancelling too earlyClosing the line before cutover releases the number. Keep it open until the port is confirmed live.

Keeping your number is not a favour from your provider. It is a regulated right, and the new provider does the work for you.

WhichVoIP editorial view

Hand Signing A Porting Document Next To A Desk Phone — Match the account name and number to the losing provider’s records exactly. Detail mismatches, not technical limits, cause most porting delays.

Our verdict

For almost every South African business, porting to VoIP is straightforward and your number comes with you. The regulation is on your side, the gaining provider does the heavy lifting, and the turnaround is short. The only real risks are self-inflicted: mismatched details, an account in arrears, or cancelling the old line too soon.

Our recommendation: have a recent bill from your current provider in hand before you start, keep the old line open until cutover, and let your new VoIP provider drive the port.

Ready to switch and keep your number?

Compare South African VoIP providers and get quotes that include managing your number port end to end.

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The step-by-step porting walk-through

Frequently asked questions

How long does number porting take in South Africa?

Once your new provider submits the request and the losing provider validates your details, a porting date is typically confirmed within 7 to 10 working days. The cutover on the day itself is brief.

Can I port a landline that is on copper or fibre to VoIP?

Yes. Geographic number portability is designed to move your number across providers and technologies, so a number currently on a copper or fibre line can be ported to a VoIP system without changing the number.

Will my phone line go down during the port?

Downtime is minimal. The number moves on an agreed cutover date and the switchover is short. Keep both your old and new services active until the port is confirmed complete so there is no gap in service.

What do I need to provide to port my number?

Your new provider will ask for the exact account holder name, the account number with your current provider, and usually a recent bill. These details must match the losing provider’s records exactly, which is the most common cause of delays when they do not.

Can I port an 087 or 0860 number?

Yes. Non-geographic numbers including 087, 0860, 0861 and 0800 became portable in South Africa in 2022, so you can move them between providers in the same way as geographic and mobile numbers.

Keep reading

Porting my number to VoIP: the step-by-step guide
South African phone numbers: a business buyer’s guide

Sources: ICASA Number Portability Regulations (2018, as amended) and the ICASA numbering pages; geographic, mobile and non-geographic portability milestones (2006, 2010, 2022). Verified 02 June 2026.