> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.fieldpulse.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # How to Purchase and Port Phone Numbers > Buy a new local or toll-free number in FieldPulse Engage, or port in your existing business line — LOA steps and the porting timeline to expect. > **Who uses this:** Admins and Team Managers who manage Engage phone lines. **Availability:** United States and Canada · requires the Engage add-on. There are two ways to add a phone number to [Engage](https://www.fieldpulse.com/features/engage): purchase a new local or toll-free number directly in Engage, or port in a business number you already have from another carrier. Purchasing adds the number to your account right away; porting takes longer but lets you keep the number your customers already know. ## Overview Purchasing a number happens inside Engage's settings and adds the number to your account as soon as you reserve it. Porting moves an existing number from your old carrier to Engage — it requires a signed Letter of Authorization (LOA) and can take up to 30 days, but your number keeps working with your old carrier the whole time until the switch completes. ## Before you begin * **Porting prep:** before you request a port, remove all call routing features from the number with your current carrier — call forwarding, phone tree, sequential call ring, and similar. * **Toll-free porting:** 1-800 numbers cannot be ported into FieldPulse without a specific request. Contact the Customer Success team for more information on porting 1-800 and toll-free numbers into Engage. * **Images (MMS):** Engage numbers support sending and receiving images. * **Verification codes:** Engage lines do not support verification codes (OTPs). ## Purchase a new number To buy a new phone number for use in Engage: 1. In Engage, go to **Settings** and select **Phone Numbers**. 2. Select **Purchase Number**. Engage settings with Phone Numbers highlighted in the left menu and the Purchase Number button above the Purchased Numbers list 3. Confirm the country for your new number, then select **Select Area Code**. Purchase Number window on the Preferred Country code step, with the country set to United States and the Select Area Code button highlighted 4. Enter your preferred area code, then select **Select a Phone Number**. Purchase Number window on the Preferred Area code step, with an area code entered and the Select a Phone Number button highlighted 5. Choose one of the three numbers that populate, then press **Reserve Number**. The number is added to your Engage account. Purchase Number window on the Select Engage number step, with one of three available numbers selected above the Reserve Number button If you don't like any of the three numbers that populate, close out and come back into the platform — three new numbers populate when you try again. ## Port an existing number To bring an existing phone number from a prior service provider into Engage: 1. Contact FieldPulse using the chat feature in the bottom right corner of your screen, or email [support@fieldpulse.com](mailto:support@fieldpulse.com). 2. Complete the **Letter of Authorization (LOA)** FieldPulse provides. Your company is responsible for completing the LOA within a reasonable timeframe — porting time is measured from when the completed LOA is received. 3. FieldPulse handles the port with the carriers from there. **What to expect during a port:** * **Timeframe:** porting can take up to **30 days** from when FieldPulse receives your completed LOA. * **Service:** your number stays active with your old carrier until the port is finished, so you can still make and receive calls and texts as normal. * **Switching day:** there is a brief transition window (minutes to a few hours) when the number switches to Engage. During this rare window, the number may not be reachable from all networks, and some calls may briefly fail or go to voicemail. * **After completion:** the number is fully owned and serviced by the Engage network, and your old carrier automatically deactivates it. ## Settings reference | **Term** | **What it means** | | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Purchase Number** | The action in **Settings > Phone Numbers** that starts the purchase of a new local or toll-free Engage number. | | **Reserve Number** | Confirms your selected number and adds it to your Engage account. | | **Letter of Authorization (LOA)** | The signed document that authorizes FieldPulse to port your number from your old carrier. Porting time is measured from when the completed LOA is received. | | **Port handoff** | The brief final cutover window when the number switches to the Engage network; some calls may temporarily fail or go to voicemail. | ## FAQs ### Will my service be disrupted while my number is porting? No. Your phone number stays active and fully usable on your current carrier until the port is completed, so you keep making and receiving calls and texts as normal. ### What happens during the final transfer of the number? There is usually a brief transition window — minutes to a few hours — during the final cutover, known as the port handoff. During this rare period, the number may not be reachable from all networks, and some calls may temporarily fail or go to voicemail. ### What is the status of my number once the port is complete? After the port completes, the number is fully owned and serviced by Engage, and all calls and messages are handled by the Engage network. Your old carrier automatically deactivates the number. ### How long does the porting process take? Porting a phone number can take up to 30 days from when FieldPulse receives your completed Letter of Authorization (LOA). ## Related articles * [Engage Overview](/add-ons/engage/overview) * [Setting Up 10DLC Compliance Registration](/add-ons/engage/10dlc-compliance) * [Setting Up Call Routing](/add-ons/engage/call-routing) * [Phone Number Format (E.164) Details](/add-ons/engage/phone-number-format) Your setup is working when a purchased number appears under **Purchased Numbers** in **Settings > Phone Numbers** right after you reserve it — or, for a port, when the cutover completes and your calls and texts route through Engage. ## Related topics - [Engage Overview](/add-ons/engage/overview.md) - [Setting Up 10DLC Compliance Registration](/add-ons/engage/10dlc-compliance.md) - [Engage Phone System](/add-ons/engage/index.md) - [How to Block a Phone Number](/add-ons/engage/blocking-a-number.md)