These days more and more people are shutting down their landlines and either turning to VoIP phones, mobile phones, or a combination of the two services.
While the change is worthwhile for most people, there is a process that you need to follow to avoid major problems.
This includes notifying people and companies of the change (if you are no longer going to be using the number), transferring the number, and communicating with the phone company.
Read on to learn more about the things you must keep in mind when shutting down a landline.
Notifying People & Companies of the Change
One of the most important things that you need to do when shutting down a landline is to notify people and companies of the change.
Of course, this only applies if you will no longer be using the number. If you will be porting the number to a VoIP service or your mobile phone, nobody will know the difference.
Not all numbers can be ported, however. It’s important to ensure that your number can be transferred before you actually shut down the landline.
Otherwise, you might miss out on important calls.
Transferring Your Landline Number
It has become very common to transfer a landline number to a mobile phone or VoIP service.
Both mobile phone service providers and VoIP services make it quite easy to do so. In most cases, you won’t even need to make a call.
You can probably port your number online.
If you want to transfer landline number to mobile, you have two options.
You can either get a new cell phone and a new plan and use your old landline number on this phone.
However, this may be expensive and time-consuming.
A better option is simply to port the number to a VoIP service. Nearly every major VoIP service has an app that you can download on your smartphone. This will allow you to take calls from both your existing mobile number and from your old landline number.
Communicating With the Phone Company
It’s best to communicate with your landline phone company well ahead of time if you are planning to shut down the line.
You may need to schedule the shutdown well in advance.
Also, communicating with the phone company will ensure that you are not surprised by any fees they may charge.