How To: Port Your Mobile Phone Number to Google Voice

Want to stick it to your mobile carrier by porting your cell number to Google Voice? Now you can! 

On Wednesday, January 19th, Google Voice began allowing select users to transfer their personal numbers to Google Voice for a one-time fee of $20. Though the feature is still in limited release, Google has stated that they intend to make the feature available to all Google Voice users "in the near future." Terrific, right? Not entirely! 

Transferring an existing mobile number effectively ends your contract with your mobile service provider. That can mean early termination fees. What's more, after porting your number, you won't be able to use your cell phone. Not until you've signed up for yet another cell plan, gotten yet another set of ten digits and set up call forwarding online. These things may or may not be a big deal to you, of course.

Still interested in porting your telephone number? Want to find out if you're among the Randomly-Selected Elect who even can make the transfer at this point in time? Here's how to check!

Step 1 Log into your Google Voice account

Step 2 Click on Settings » Voice settings 

Step 3 In the Phones tab, look for Change / Port

If you find "Change / Port" next to your Google Voice number, congratulations, you're among the users admitted to Google's test group. If you'd like, you may now go ahead and actually port your mobile number. 

Step 4 Click on Change / Port & select "I want to use my mobile number instead."

Step 5 Enter your mobile number to see whether or not it can be ported

Step 6 Read and accept the terms and conditions

Step 7 Verify your phone

Step 8 Verify your account and check out

Step 9 That's it!

Your mobile phone number is now associated with your Google Voice account.

Warnings

• Your service plan will be terminated when you port your number to Google Voice and your carrier may charge you an early termination fee.
• Google Voice is not a mobile phone service provider. Once porting is complete, you will not be able to receive calls to your mobile phone until you set up a new mobile phone service plan and request a new number and add the new number to your Google Voice account as a forwarding phone.
• You may be unable to receive text messages for up to 3 business days after the porting process is complete.
• Your Google Voice number will be replaced by the number you are porting. It will remain on your account for 90 days.