“At Applied we’ve been using Bellcom for our phones and internet services for years and couldn’t be happier with the service provided. Everything has been reliable, professional, and handled quickly whenever we needed support. A special mention to Joe, who has always been fantastic with backup service and support. He’s always helpful, responsive, and goes the extra mile to make sure everything is sorted with minimal hassle. Highly recommend Bellcom to anyone looking for reliable phone and internet services along with excellent customer support.”
It’s the number one worry we hear before a business switches phone system: “we can’t change our number — it’s on the vans, the signage, the website and every customer’s phone.” Here’s the reassuring news: in almost all cases you keep your existing number. Moving to a modern phone system does not mean starting again with a new one. The process that makes this possible is called number porting, and it’s something Bellcom manages for you from start to finish.
What is number porting?
Number porting simply means moving your existing phone number from your current provider to a new one, so it keeps working exactly as before — just on a better, more flexible system. Your customers dial the same number, your marketing stays valid, and nothing on your vans or website needs to change. It’s a well-established, regulated process in Ireland, used every day by businesses moving to VoIP.
Does it work for VoIP, Cloud PBX and SIP?
Yes. Whether you’re moving to VoIP phone systems, a Cloud PBX, or consolidating lines onto SIP trunks, your existing numbers can typically come with you. Most business landline and geographic numbers can be ported, and in many cases so can others — the honest answer is that we check each number before promising anything, because the right way to do this is to confirm rather than assume. If you tell us your numbers, we’ll tell you straight whether they can move.
How the process works
Porting sounds daunting; in practice it follows a clear, low-drama path, and we handle the moving parts:
- Check — we confirm your numbers are portable and gather what’s needed from your current provider.
- Authorise — you sign a simple letter of authority so we can request the transfer on your behalf.
- Schedule — we agree a switch date and time that suits you, avoiding your busy periods.
- Switch — the number moves across to your new system, usually with little or no downtime, and we’re there on the day to make sure calls are flowing.
For the full detail on each step, see our guide to how business number porting works.
What to watch out for
There’s one golden rule: don’t cancel your existing line or contract until the port is complete. A number can only be ported while the line it sits on is still active — cancel early and you risk losing the number for good. Leave the timing to us; we coordinate the switch and only tidy up the old service once your number is safely live on the new system. It’s exactly the kind of pitfall a local team who’s done this many times steers you around.
What Bellcom handles for you
The whole point of using a local specialist is that porting stops being your problem. We check your numbers, prepare the paperwork, liaise with the current provider, schedule the switch around your business, and are on hand on the day and afterwards. We set up your new system in parallel — part of our installation and support — so everything is ready to go the moment your number lands. You get plain-English updates throughout from a real person in Mullingar, not a ticket in a queue.
Ready to switch without losing your number? Talk to us about porting your number — tell us the numbers you want to keep and we’ll confirm exactly what’s involved, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
In almost all cases, no. Most business numbers can be ported to your new system so customers keep dialling the same number. We check each number first rather than assume.
It varies with your current provider and number type, so we confirm a realistic timeframe once we've checked your numbers, and schedule the switch for a time that suits you.
Typically your current provider details, the numbers to move, and a signed letter of authority so we can request the transfer for you. We'll tell you exactly what's needed.
Usually yes. Most geographic and business landline numbers can move to a VoIP or cloud system - tell us your numbers and we'll confirm.
Your number moves to the new system, usually with little or no downtime, and we're on hand to make sure calls are flowing. Don't cancel your old line until the port is complete.