Bring your number during signup
You don't have to give up the number your customers already know: on step 3 of signup, click Bring my number instead of picking a new one. Ody checks that the number can move, keeps it as your workspace number through the rest of signup, and opens the port request for you the moment you land in the app.
Before you start
- You need a US or Canadian business number you own (local or toll-free).
- Have the number handy now; the carrier account details (account number, PIN, service address, a recent bill) are only needed later, in the port request itself — see Port your number to Ody.
- Only the workspace owner or an admin can run signup and open port requests.
Step-by-step
During signup
On the Pick your phone number step, scroll under the list of numbers and click Already have a business number? — Bring my number →.
The step becomes Check portability. Type your current number in Your current number (10 digits, like
(512) 555-0100) and click Check portability. Nothing changes with your carrier at this point.Read the result card:
- Good news — this number can move to Ody (green): you're set. Chips tell you if the number is Fast port eligible and whether Texting ports too.
- We couldn't pre-check this number automatically: you can still bring it — the carrier confirms it can move once you submit the port request after signup.
- This number can't be ported right now (red): the carrier's reason is shown. Click Pick a new number instead to continue with an Ody number.
Click Continue with my number.
Finish signup as usual — Invite your team, Choose a plan, Verify your identity and Verify your phone number. Wherever your workspace number is shown, you'll see your number with a small PORT tag, so you know nothing new is being bought for you.
In the app
When you arrive in the app, the Let's move your number to Ody pop-up opens at the top of the screen with your number already filled in and checked. It starts by spelling out what to expect — Texting, Timing varies per carrier, and You pick the switch date — then walks you through the same port request as Port your number to Ody: carrier account details, a preferred switch date, the signed Letter of Authorization and a recent bill, review and Submit to carrier, then the texting registration.
Until your number lands, a PORT banner stays at the top of the app showing your number and where the port stands — Finish the port, Continue (saved draft), Reply (the porting team asked a question), Fix it (the carrier needs something), Port request submitted or Switch confirmed for …. Click it any time to reopen the request.
On the switch date your number lands on Ody automatically, the banner disappears and you get a "your number is live" email.
What it costs
Every plan includes one number, so if this is your only number there's nothing extra for the port. Additional ported local numbers are $5/month each, and toll-free numbers bill at the toll-free rate ($10/month). Texting from a US local number needs the one-time 10DLC registration — see Register for 10DLC messaging.
Troubleshooting
- Changed your mind and want a new Ody number instead? — in the banner, click Get a new number instead, then Yes, pick a new number. The port is dropped (you can still port later from Settings → Port numbers) and the regular Choose your business number pop-up opens.
- The result card disappeared after I edited the number — a verdict belongs to the exact number you checked. Click Check a different number to check the new one.
- "Enter a 10-digit US or Canadian number" — type the full 10 digits, with or without
+1. International numbers can't be ported to Ody. - I closed the pop-up in the app — the PORT banner at the top brings it back; it won't go away until your request is with the carrier.
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Frequently asked questions
Does my number stop working while I sign up?
No. Checking portability changes nothing with your current carrier. Your number keeps working there until the switch date you agree on in the port request — then calls and texts start arriving in Ody.
How long does the port take?
It depends on your current carrier. Most ports complete in 3 to 10 business days; some carriers take longer and a few are same-day. You choose a preferred switch date in the port request, and the carrier confirms the final date. Ody emails you at every status change.
Can I text from my number once it's ported?
Yes. If your carrier releases texting with the number, you text from it as soon as it lands. Ody also registers your business for texting (10DLC) right after the port request — until the carriers approve it, Ody sends your texts through a campaign it already owns, so texting works from day one.
What if the check says my number can't be ported?
The carrier reported the number isn't eligible right now — usually a contract hold, an unsupported number type, or a port already in progress. Click Pick a new number instead to finish signup with an Ody number; you can still port your number later from Settings → Port numbers once the issue is cleared.