Phone Number Parking: What It is & How It Works

Phone number parking is the process of temporarily storing a phone number without paying for an active service plan. Whether you’re taking a break for a certain time or switching carriers, it ensures you don’t lose your number. The phone number remains registered to you, though disconnected from the physical line. It can be reactivated later when you need it.

Phone number parking works by transferring your number from your current provider to a parking service, which holds the number temporarily when it’s not in active use. Upon your request, the parking service sends a porting request to your current carrier, before reserving it to hold. Once parked, your number remains active until you choose to reactivate or port your number to another provider.

1. Initiation: The number parking service sends a porting request to your current provider.
2. Validation: Your current carrier verifies the information to confirm your identity and ensure the account is ready to transfer.
   • During this stage, the carrier checks for:
   • Any unpaid balances
   • Contract obligations or device payments
   • The accuracy of the account details
3. Database Update: Once approved, your number is updated in the national telecommunications database. Its routing is then switched from your previous carrier’s network to the VoIP network of the parking service provider.
4. Ownership Secured: After the transfer, the number is registered under the parking service. It stays active and reserved for you until you decide to transfer it to another provider or use it again.

People “park” their number when switching carriers, traveling abroad, during seasonal breaks, or for business transitions.

• To Switch Carriers: Parking your number ensures you don’t lose it while transitioning between service providers.
• While Traveling Abroad: It lets you keep your number active without paying for a full mobile plan while you're overseas.
• For Seasonal Use: Number parking allows you to hold numbers during certain times, such as a vacation or seasonal business campaign.
• For Business Transitions: You can maintain a business number during office or system changes to ensure customers can still reach you.
• To Keep Number Ownership: It allows you to protect your number from being recycled and reassigned to another individual during an inactive period.

To park your phone number, select a reliable parking service, check your number parking eligibility, and then request porting. Once transferred, cancel your old service and configure the account settings with your new provider.

First, select a reliable parking provider like NumberBarn, Park My Phone, or VoIPLy. Before making your choice, consider factors like pricing, contract terms, supported number types (local, toll-free, mobile), porting process, and customer support quality.

Visit the service’s website to confirm your number is eligible for porting. To do so, you’ll need to provide your current account number and PIN/password. Ensure all information is accurate to avoid any potential issues later.

Submit a porting request to the parking service. You may need to sign a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to grant permission for the transfer. Do not cancel your old service yet; your number must remain active for porting.

The parking service handles the porting request with your old carrier. Transfers usually take 2–5 business days, with mobile numbers often completing faster than landlines.

Once confirmed that your number is successfully parked, contact your old carrier to cancel your plan.

Log in to your parking account and complete the setup. You may also configure features like custom voicemail or call forwarding, if it's available.

When you’re parking your number, avoid common mistakes like ignoring carrier restrictions, deactivating the service before porting completes, overlooking reactivation steps, and skipping backups of important messages or voicemail.  

1. Overlooking Carrier Restrictions: Some carriers have specific rules or fees that can create issues when porting your number. Make sure to review your carrier’s policies before starting the process.
2. Deactivating the Account Early: Canceling your old service early, without completing the number porting, can result in losing access to your number. Proceed to deactivate your old service only after the successful number transfer.
3. Overlooking Reactivation Steps: Some providers require you to follow specific steps or timelines to retrieve your parked number. If you’re unaware of these conditions, you risk losing access to the number or facing added fees. Always review the reactivation process before choosing a provider.
4. Failing to Back Up Voicemails or Messages: Before porting your number, save any important voicemails or messages, as they may not carry over to the new service.

When someone calls a parked phone number, the call may be routed to voicemail, forwarded to another number, or play a pre-recorded message, depending on the settings configured by the number owner.

• Pre-recorded Message: Callers may hear a message informing them that the number is temporarily out of service or that it is being parked for the time being.
• Call Forwarding: Some parking services offer call forwarding. When activated, the call can be forwarded to another active number.
• Voicemail: Calls can also be directed to voicemail, where the caller can leave a message.
• No Response: Callers may simply hear a disconnected tone or nothing at all if no options are set up.

To reactivate a parked phone number, contact the provider currently holding your number and request reactivation. If you’re switching to a new carrier, you'll need to initiate a port-out request. If returning to your old carrier, they can help restore service without the number porting process.

The provider will guide you through the steps, which may include confirming your identity and providing your new carrier’s account details. Once the transfer is approved, your number will be reconnected and ready for use.

Phone number parking is a simple way to retain your number, whether you’re switching carriers, traveling, or temporarily pausing your service. It lets you preserve ownership without paying for an active line, keeping your number secure and ready for future use.

However, most parking services charge monthly fees just to keep the number idle, without offering real functionality.

Instead, porting your number to a VoIP provider like Calilio offers far better value. You can retain your number without the cost of a traditional mobile plan while still being able to use it whenever you need. Make calls, send and receive SMS, and access voicemail at any time. And if you want the number to stay silent, you can simply block incoming calls or forward them to another line, giving you complete control over how your number is managed.

Port your phone number to Calilio today!