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Read in detail about the Local number Portability
Initiative and what it means for the customer.

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General Issues

Number Portability (NP) means you can keep your current fixed (or landline) or mobile (or cellular) telephone number if you decide to change from one service provider (or operator) to another in Barbados. In short, it's a process that allows you to change service providers without having to change your telephone number. So, switching between service providers won't mean having to go to the trouble of advising all your friends, family, colleagues, customers and clients that your number has changed - it stays the same.

Porting is the term used by the operators (or service provider) to describe the process which moves your number from one operator to another.

You will be able to use the Barbados LNP service from the ****day ** ***********2022. The Local Number Portability service is available to all fixed and mobile subscribers within Barbados

No, numbers can only be ported between the same service, ie mobile to mobile or fixed to fixed, so a landline or fixed telephone number can only be ported to another landline service, and similarly, a mobile number will only be able to port to another mobile service.

There are no charges for you to port your number. All porting (or switching) charges are met by the service providers. ? But your current provider may charge for unlocking your handset once you have ported your number. You may wish to check with your current provider if handset unlocking charges will apply before you start the porting process.

The Telecommunications Unit has published information on number portability on its website at www.telecoms.gov.bb/lnp You may also visit The Telecommunication Unit's Facebook page, *********, email ************@barbados.gov or telephone the Telecommunications Unit at 1 246-535-2540 for more information

Eligibility to 'Port' Your Number

  • Any post-paid fixed/ landline or mobile/ cellular customer whose number has not been barred or suspended from making outgoing calls, and also provided you have no more than one bill that has not been paid by the due payment date and are still unpaid or your outstanding account balance exceeds the deposit you have made to your current service provider. ? Any pre-paid mobile/ cellular customer whose number has not been barred or suspended from making outgoing calls

  • If your number has been barred or suspended from making outgoing calls for non-payment or any other reason the port will be refused by your current operator. The operator you wish to move your service to will conduct usual credit checks and may require the payment of an appropriate deposit before providing service or, in some circumstances may refuse to provide service to you. ? If you have no more than one bill that has not been paid by the due payment date and are still unpaid or your outstanding account balance exceeds the deposit you have made to your current service provider

Provided that your number has not been barred or restricted from making outgoing calls, you are eligible for porting. You will still remain liable to pay any outstanding balance due to your current provider.

The Porting Process

  1. Go to the retail shop or authorised dealer of your chosen new service provider to request a new telephone service, and tell them that you would like to keep your number. (Please note that porting can only be undertaken by visiting the retail shop or authorised dealer of your chosen new service provider and is not available by telephone or online).
  2. The staff will ask you to complete an application form together with a "Porting Request Form".
  3. You will be asked to provide: ? Proof of identity, either a passport or driving licence. ? If you have Post-Paid Account, a copy of a recent mobile/ cellular bill from your current service provider. The name on the recent bill must match the name on the corresponding photographic identity document used to authorise the porting request. In the case of business accounts, proof of authorisation to deal with the account by the person submitting the request must be given.
  4. You will be asked to send a text from your phone to the special porting number 77678.
  5. You will receive text confirming that your request has been received.
  6. Provided your number is not barred or suspended due to non-payment or any other reason, your order will be processed and you will be informed of its progress by text.
  7. Your order will be processed and you will be informed of its progress by text.
  8. Under normal circumstances your porting will be completed within one working day after you complete your request. At that time your number is moved to your new service provider, you will receive a text message asking you to change to your new provider's SIM card and your previous provider's SIM card will stop working. During busy periods the port may take longer to complete.
  9. When this happens, put the new SIM card provided by your new service provider into the phone you wish to use. If you are unsure how to do this, you can go into the retail store or authorised dealer of your new service provider and they will be able to help. Your service will only be briefly interrupted for the time it takes to insert the new SIM card from your new service provider and power up your phone.
  10. The process is complete


Fixed Porting Only

  1. Go to the retail shop or authorised dealer of your chosen new service provider to request a new telephone service, and tell them that you would like to keep your number. (Please note that porting can only be undertaken by visiting the retail shop or authorised dealer of your chosen new service provider and is not available by telephone or online).
  2. The staff will ask you to complete an application form together with a "Porting Request Form".
  3. You will be asked to provide:
    • Proof of identity, either a passport or driving licence.
    • A copy of a recent telephone bill from your current service provider. The name on the recent bill must match the name on the corresponding photographic identity document used to authorise the porting request. In the case of business accounts, proof of authorisation to deal with the account by the person submitting the request must be given.
  4. You will receive a unique porting code by either SMS or email to your nominated mobile number and/ or email address. You will be asked to make a call from any fixed or mobile number to 77678 (7PORT) and follow the instructions on the recorded porting validation service. During this call, you will be asked to enter the fixed number you wish to port and the unique porting code that you have received by SMS and/ or email. Sales staff will be able to help you to do this if required. Once you have completed the call to the dedicated porting number you cannot cancel or postpone your porting (switching) request. It must proceed to completion; or alternatively ? You can make a call from the fixed phone/ landline you wish to port to 77678 (7PORT) and follow the instructions on the recorded porting validation service. Once you have completed the call to the dedicated porting number you cannot cancel or postpone your porting (switching) request. It must proceed to completion.
  5. You will receive an email and/ or text confirming that your request has been received.
  6. Provided your number is not barred or suspended due to non-payment or any other reason, your order will be processed and you will be informed of its progress by email or text.
  7. Under normal circumstances your porting will be completed by the fifth working day after you complete your request (i.e. excluding weekends and public holidays). At that time your number will have been moved to your new service provider and calls to your number will no longer be sent to your existing service provider's line.
  8. When this happens, you will receive an email and/ or text advising you that your porting has been completed.
  9. The process is complete

  • The mobile porting process should take one (1) working day (i.e. excluding weekends and public holidays), after the day on which you make the request. ? The fixed porting process should take five (5) working days (i.e. excluding weekends and public holidays), after the day on which you make the request

Mobile Porting only - The only disruption to your mobile service will be when you receive a text asking you insert the SIM card provided by your new provider. This process should take around 30 seconds and once your new SIM card is inserted and your handset is powered back up, your mobile service and number will have been ported. Fixed Porting only - The porting process should not result in any noticeable interruption of your service whether for business or individual customers. However, business customers porting multiple telephone lines should discuss the porting process with your proposed new service provider who may formulate a tailored porting process to ensure that your business is not interrupted or inconvenienced

You will lose your broadband and ancillary services (for instance broadband, TV services etc) with your current provider when you port out your fixed voice service/ landline number, and you will need to set these up again with your new service provider.

  • No. Porting may happen on any business day.

  • Mobile Porting only - Your porting process can be cancelled with no charge before you send the validation SMS to the special porting number 77678, set out in step 4 of the porting process (above). Once that SMS has been sent however, the process cannot be aborted ? Fixed Porting only - Your porting process can be cancelled with no charge before you make the validation call to the special porting number 77678, set out in step 4 of the porting process (above). Once that call has been made however, the process cannot be aborted.

What will Number Portability Cost You

  • Proof of identity, either a passport or driving licence. ? Post-paid (fixed and mobile) customers only - A copy of a recent fixed telephone bill from your current service provider. The name on the recent landline or mobile bill must match the name on the corresponding photographic identity document used to authorise the porting request. In the case of business accounts, proof of authorisation to deal with the account by the person submitting the request must be given. Mobile customers only - the working handset with the number to be ported

  • No.

There is no charge for you to port your number. All porting charges are met by the network service providers.

  • Not related to porting, however, note below that there may be contractual charges due as a result of ending your contract with your current service provider.

The charges applicable to your service after switching will be on the terms and conditions of your new provider, and you will now be on their network. As such, charges may be different from those of your previous service provider, including increased charges for making calls from your new network to numbers on your previous network.

Service Issues

  • You will receive a bill for your usage up to the time your number is switched to the new service provider, and your service terminated with your current service provider. ? If you have not completed a minimum required term of the contract with your existing service provider you may be required to pay the outstanding balance of monthly rentals due under the contract. You should investigate this carefully with your existing service provider before switching in order to avoid any surprises.

All contractual arrangements with your previous service provider are based on your service contract with that provider. You should investigate carefully the provisions regarding termination of service. Terminating a contract and porting your number should be no treated no differently than termination without portability.

If your new service provider fails to meet promised quality of service, then you can reverse the porting (i.e. port back to your previous service provider) within 14 days of your porting having been completed. After that period has elapsed, you may not port the same number again (whether to your previous operator or to any other operator) for sixty (60) days after the port has completed.

  • No. Your old service provider is not allowed to contact you during the porting process to try and persuade you to stay with them. Your old service provider is prohibited from contacting you with the intention or effect of encouraging you to return to them for re-sign up for their mobile/ cellular or fixed/ landline telephone services for a period of sixty (60) days following the completion of the porting process. However, your old service provider can contact you to recover outstanding payments.

  • Mobile Porting only - Messages which have been sent to you, but not delivered, may be erased. You will lose your old voicemail, sms, mms and ancillary services, and you will need to set these up again with your new operator. ? Fixed porting only - You will lose your old voicemail including messages and ancillary services such as broadband and TV, which are associated to your landline/ fixed account, and you will need to set these up again with your new service provider.

  • If there is any problem with porting or for any other query during or after the porting process, you should contact your proposed new service provider, who will coordinate the complaints process (even though the problem may not have been caused by that provider)