Two questions come up almost every time a business considers switching phone provider: will we lose our number, and can people actually use this from their phone? Both have straightforward answers.
Can You Keep Your Number?
In the vast majority of cases, yes. Moving a landline or mobile number to a new provider is called porting, and it's a well-established, routine process — not something specific to switching provider that risks losing the number in the process. Your new provider handles the request with your old one, and the number transfers over, typically with minimal or no downtime if it's planned properly.
The one thing worth checking upfront is your current contract's terms — if you're still tied into an existing agreement, you may need to wait for it to end, or check whether an early termination fee applies. That's a contractual question, not a technical one.
Can Staff Answer the Office Line From Their Mobile?
Yes, with a modern cloud phone system. Platforms like 3CX include mobile apps that let staff make and receive calls on the business number directly from their personal or work phone — the caller has no idea whether the person answering is at a desk or on the move. This is one of the more genuinely useful upgrades businesses get from moving off an old-style phone system, particularly for hybrid or field-based teams.
What Actually Happens During the Switch
A well-planned switch involves setting up the new system first, testing it, porting the number across at an agreed time (often overnight or a quiet period), and confirming everything works before the old system is switched off. Done properly, most staff barely notice the change beyond a new app to use.
What This Looks Like at REONEX
REONEX manages number porting and mobile app setup as a standard part of moving a business onto business telecoms or 3CX. See Changing IT Provider for how this fits into a wider switch of IT and phone provider at the same time.