How to Transfer Your Phone Number to a New Provider in Canada

Yes, you can keep your phone number when you switch providers in Canada. The key is to let your new provider start the transfer (called “porting”) and to not cancel your old account first — cancelling can release the number before it moves. Here’s how to do it smoothly, step by step.

What “porting” your number actually means

Your phone number isn’t tied to your phone or your SIM card — it’s assigned to your account with a provider. Porting is the process of moving that number from one provider’s account to another’s. You start it with the provider you’re moving to, and they request the number from the provider you’re leaving.

Your contacts, apps and photos aren’t part of a port. Those live on your phone or in your cloud backup. The port only moves the number, so calls and texts start arriving through your new provider.

Before you switch: a quick checklist

A little preparation avoids most porting problems. Before you sign up with a new provider, gather:

• Your old account number. It’s usually on your bill or in your provider’s app or online account. It is not the same as your phone number.
• The account holder’s name and address, exactly as your old provider has them. A mismatch is one of the most common reasons a port gets rejected.
• Any account PIN or passcode you set up with your old provider.
• Your phone’s IMEI, in case the new provider asks. Dial *#06# to display it on most phones.

If you’re on a business or family account, check who the account holder is. Usually only the account holder (or someone they’ve authorized) can approve moving a number.

Step by step: how to transfer your number

1. Choose your new provider and plan. Compare plans on the providers’ own websites or in store, since prices and offers change often.
2. Tell them you want to keep your number. Whether you sign up online, by phone or in a store, there’s usually a “bring your number” or “transfer my number” option. Enter your existing number and old account details.
3. Get your new SIM or eSIM. The new provider will give you a physical SIM card or eSIM activation details (often a QR code or a setup option inside their app).
4. Keep your old SIM in until the switch. While the port is in progress, your old service may keep working. When it completes, your old SIM stops getting service and the new SIM or eSIM takes over.
5. Restart and test. Once your new provider confirms the transfer, restart your phone, then make a call, send a text and check mobile data.

Most ports finish without you having to do anything else, but timing varies. If it seems stuck, contact your new provider first — they’re the ones managing the request.

Is your phone unlocked?

If you’re keeping your current handset, it needs to work with the new provider’s SIM. Phones sold by a provider used to be locked to that network. Under the CRTC’s Wireless Code, covered providers have had to sell new phones unlocked and unlock existing ones free on request since December 2017 — but an older or second-hand phone could still be locked.

The easiest check is to borrow a SIM from a friend on another network and see if it connects. Our guide on how to check if your phone is unlocked walks through it for iPhone and Android. If it turns out to be locked, ask your old provider to unlock it before you leave, or ask us about carrier unlocking.

Also check that the phone supports the new provider’s network. Your phone’s maker and the provider’s website list compatible models and network bands.

Things that can catch you out

Cancelling too early

This is the big one. If you call your old provider and cancel before the port goes through, your number may be released and could be difficult or impossible to get back. Let the port handle the cancellation.

Device balances and contract terms

If you’re paying off a phone through your old provider, leaving can make the remaining balance due. Read your agreement or ask your old provider what you’d owe before you switch, so there are no surprises on the final bill.

Prepaid credit and bundles

Unused prepaid balance usually stays with the old account. If your number is part of a home internet or TV bundle, ask how moving it affects your other services and any bundle discount.

Verification codes

Banks and apps that text you sign-in codes will keep working once the port completes, because the number is the same. Expect a short gap during the switch, so avoid porting just before you need to log in to something important, like a bank transfer or a flight check-in.

eSIM or physical SIM after switching?

Many newer phones support eSIM, and many Canadian providers offer it — check with yours. With an eSIM there’s no card to insert — you activate the line through a QR code or the provider’s app. A physical SIM is still simple and easy to move between phones. Our eSIM vs physical SIM guide covers the trade-offs if you’re deciding.

If you go with a physical SIM, make sure it’s the right size for your phone, and keep the SIM tool or a paper clip handy. If you’re switching to eSIM, delete the old eSIM only after the new one is working.

Protect your number from port-out scams

Because your number receives security codes, scammers sometimes try to port it away without your permission. A few habits help:

• Ask your provider whether you can add an account PIN, passcode or extra port protection, and set it up if they offer it.
• Never share account PINs or one-time codes with someone who calls or texts you, even if they say they’re from your provider.
• If your phone suddenly shows “No service” or “SOS only” in an area where it normally works, contact your provider right away from another phone.
• Where possible, use an authenticator app instead of text messages for important accounts.

Need a hand with your SIM or phone downtown?

If you’re switching providers and want help getting a SIM card, checking whether your phone is unlocked, or setting things up, MyChoice Mobile Repair can help. Our kiosk is on Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver and is open every day, 9 AM to midnight. Find out more about SIM cards and setup, call (236) 785-8300, or ask for a quote before you visit.