You have been using the same number for years. It is on your van, your quotes, your Google profile and in the phones of hundreds of customers. No wonder the idea to switch business phone provider feels like a leap into the unknown, even when your current plan stopped fitting a long time ago.

In practice, that worry is usually bigger than it needs to be. In this blog you will read when it makes sense to switch business phone provider, and how to do it without losing a single customer.

Should you switch at all?

Not everyone needs to move. But there are a few signs that your telephony is no longer growing with your business. If you recognise two or more, it is time to take a serious look.

• You pay for things you do not use. An old bundle with desk phones sitting in a drawer, while all you really need is a smart number and an app.
• You miss features you do need. A phone menu, a queue or a number that rings several colleagues at once. With many older plans that costs extra, or simply is not possible.
• Every change is a chore. Adjusting your opening hours or setting up call forwarding means calling, emailing and waiting. These days you can simply do that yourself in an app.
• Your business has grown, your telephony has not. New colleagues have joined, maybe a second location, but everything still runs through that one phone at the office.

Want to see everything that becomes possible after the switch? Take a look at our business telephony features.

Can you keep your number when you switch business phone provider?

Yes. In the Netherlands, business customers have a right to number porting (taking your existing phone number with you to a new provider). Under the ACM rules on number porting (in Dutch), your old provider is not allowed to refuse the request. That applies even if your contract is still running.

There are a few ground rules. A mobile number stays mobile, and a landline number with an area code stays within the same area code region. An 085 number simply moves with you as an 085 number. You also decide whether to move all your numbers or just some of them.

The porting itself is free. To see exactly how it works with us, read our page on keeping your business number.

Checklist: switch without missing a single call

Most problems during a switch are not caused by the technology, but by doing things in the wrong order. Follow these four steps and you will hardly notice the move.

• 1. Check your notice period and end date. Get your current contract out. If it still has a while to run, you can still switch, but your old provider may charge an early termination fee. That way you know where you stand and can choose your moment deliberately.
• 2. Request number porting from your new provider. Not from your old one. Your new provider handles the transfer and coordinates it with your current provider. Keep your customer number and current plan details at hand to speed things up.
• 3. Pick a smart switch date. Plan the transfer for a quiet moment, for example early in the week and not in the middle of your busiest period. According to the ACM, you must be able to make calls again no later than one day after the switch. Usually you notice even less.
• 4. Do not cancel anything yourself until the transfer is complete. This is the big one. If you cancel your old plan yourself, you risk your number being released before it has been ported. With number porting, the old subscription for that number is normally ended automatically once it is live with your new provider. If you also have internet or other services with your old provider, check separately what happens to those.

An extra tip: set up your new configuration before the switch date arrives. Think of your phone menu, opening hours and voicemail message. That way everything works the way you want from day one.

What does it cost to switch business phone provider?

Taking your number with you costs nothing. Any costs sit in your old contract: if you switch before the end date, a termination fee may apply. Often that does not outweigh what you save every month on a plan that no longer fits.

So run the numbers. Put what you pay per month now next to a new plan, and count the months until your end date. You will see at a glance whether it is better to switch now or later.

How switching works at Zakelijketelefoonnummers.nl

With us, you request number porting when you sign up, and we handle the rest with your current provider. Whether it is an 085 number, an 088 number or a landline with an area code. You order online, configure everything in the app and call from your mobile, computer or Teams with your familiar number.

Working with several colleagues? Then the SME package from 15 euros per month is a logical choice. Phone menu, queue, opening hours and call groups are included as standard, so you do not just switch, you move forward straight away.

Your number stays, everything else gets better

Your customers do not need to notice that you have switched. They simply call the same number. The only difference is on your side: less hassle, more control and telephony that finally fits the way you work today.

Ready to make the move? See how switching while keeping your number works with us and arrange it today.