Now you can port your non-geographical numbers (0800 | 086x | 087)

24.03.22 09:27 AM - By Joy

For many years, if a business in South Africa wanted to port their non-geographic number (0800, 0860, 0861, 0862 and 087) they weren't able to due to regulations that had been put in place. The only way for a business to switch to another telecommunications service provider was to change their contact number completely. This meant businesses would incur massive costs in changing all of a company’s marketing collateral and business information – think directory listings, advertisements, business cards and so on – this can become incredibly expensive.

This has now all changed with the new regulations passed by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), which enables businesses to port their non-geographic phone numbers.

So, how will non-geographic number porting impact your business exactly? Let's start by explaining what a geographic telephone number is. This is a number traditionally used by businesses in SA, where part of its digit structure contains geographic significance used for routing calls to the physical location/area code (011, 021 and so on). Businesses typically opted to use these numbers because they could be ported to other service providers. Non-geographic numbers are not assigned to a geographic location, instead they are virtual telephone numbers that can be used anywhere no matter where your business is located in South Africa.

The downside of a business only having a geographical number is that call rates are more costly and a geographical landline number may become unreachable in the of event of a fault or damage to the telephone network in the area that they are linked to. The consequences of which can be far reaching for companies. For example, customers would be unable to phone their call centre or support teams if their phone lines are down.

But now for the first time in South Africa, businesses are no longer stuck with their service providers and can easily move away while keeping their number. This helps business redundancy and yields better returns for the business as they are less likely to be offline due to network faults.

Other benefits of non-geographical number porting for businesses include: upgraded communications infrastructure, cost savings, greater flexibility and better customer service.

Communicate anywhere, anytime: Businesses no longer need separate infrastructure for their inbound non-geographic numbers, with DSL Telecom there are multiple ways to connect using our cloud phone system this means that the way you communicate can be improved, you no longer need to be stuck at your desk to make or receive calls, with DSL Telecom's Cloud PBX System you can make and receive calls on your mobile phone or desktop from anywhere at anytime.

Cost Savings: Not only will you save on the call cost per minute but also on backhaul infrastructure. Companies can move beyond fixed prices and save up to 50% over traditional phone systems as well as cut costs with lower per second billing VoIP rates.

Greater Flexibility in how calls can be routed into call centres which means you will no longer have to stay with your current service providers old and outdated technologies.

Better Customer Service: You no longer need to deal with call centres for support because dealing with a niche provider means you'll experience personalised support with fast resolution times.

The process of non-geographical number porting with DSL Telecom

Businesses who require more innovative, flexible and scalable communications solutions, should port their non-geographical numbers to DSL Telecom. With us you'll receive great voice quality, resilience, high service levels, better pricing and security. The porting process to DSL Telecom is very simple from start to finish. Here's what needs to happen if you would like to port your number:

Step 1: Provide a porting mandate. Once you have requested to port your number to DSL Telecom we will fill in a porting mandate for you. This document instructs your new chosen network to begin the number porting process away from your current network provider. Once the document is complete we will send it back to you to confirm that all the details are correct.

Step 2: Provide supporting documents. This includes the ID of the person signing the porting instruction, the latest bill and company registration document.

Step 3: Provide a preferred porting date. Once your current network provider has received notification that the numbers are ready to port, the new network provider will ask you for a preferred porting date. The number will be ported in the evening of the chosen porting date and should be working by 8am the next morning.

To port your number to DSL Telecom, contact us here

Frequently asked questions on non geographical number porting

Which numbers are non-geographic numbers?

0800, 0860, 0861, 0862, 087.

Can you port a toll free non-geographic number?

Yes you can port toll free non-geographic numbers. You can port any eligible number that you own.

Can 0860 numbers be ported?

Businesses can port their 0860 number to a network provider of their choice now. Businesses can also port the following non-geographic numbers: 0800, 0860, 0861, 0862, 087.

Can a provider refuse to port your non-geographical number?

A phone number cannot be ported if the customer has already cancelled their service with their old provider and the number is no longer active or has been assigned to a new customer. A number can also not be ported if:

The account number in the request is not the same account number that you are requesting to be ported.
The number or number block in the request is not used exclusively by the entity requesting the porting.
The number is already subject to the porting process.
The number has been ported in the last two months.
The subscriber has a suspension of outgoing or incoming calls because of failure to settle their accounts.

How much does it cost to use non-geographic numbers?

It is a lot more cost effective to use non-geographic numbers rather than geographic number as it is cheap to call from both fixed and mobile lines. Calling costs are the same for local/national calls.

Does porting my number cancel my current service?

When you port your number, you are transferring your existing number from one service provider to another. The process allows you to switch providers while keeping your same number, this means your service with your previous service provider will be cancelled and your new service with your existing number will start with your new chosen service provider.

How long does it take to port a non-geographic number?

Once your current network provider has received notification that the numbers are ready to port, the new network provider will ask you for a preferred porting date. The number will be ported in the evening of the chosen porting date and by 8am the following morning the numbers should be updated and working. The entire process from start to finish can take anywhere between 7-21 working days.

What are the costs included in porting your non-geographic number?

If you want to port your non-geographic number from your current service provider to DSL Telecom, it will cost R150 per number that you want to port over.

Can you port an inactive number?

It's impossible to port an inactive number. If your business has a deactivated phone number then it cannot be ported/transferred to another service provider. Only active phone numbers can be ported.