Most practices want to keep the phone number their patients already know. You can bring that number into Aesthetix CRM through a process called porting.
Aesthetix CRM provides phone and SMS service through our telephony partner, Twilio. Once your number is ported, it works inside Aesthetix CRM for calling, texting, call tracking, call recording, and all of your automations, including missed call text back and appointment reminders.
Your team does not submit the port request directly. You complete one form, and our team handles the submission, carrier follow-up, and configuration on your behalf.
This is the most important decision to make before porting your main practice number, because it determines how your front desk answers calls on day one.
When someone calls your Aesthetix CRM number, the call can either:
Be answered in the Aesthetix CRM desktop or mobile app, or
Forward to your existing phone line (recommended for most practices)
Most practices choose to forward to their existing phone system because they want a physical handset at the front desk. Aesthetix CRM is a VOIP service delivered through an internet connected device, so we do not provide physical desk phones. If you prefer to answer in the app, a quality headset and a reliable internet connection are strongly recommended.
If the number you are porting is your primary practice number, please confirm your answering plan with your Onboarding Manager or Client Success Manager before the port is submitted.
There are two paths, and the form will route you to the right one.
Port applies when your number is currently with an outside provider. This includes traditional carriers such as AT&T, Spectrum, or Verizon, and VOIP providers such as RingCentral, Dialpad, Google Voice, or Grasshopper. Most practices fall into this category.
Transfer applies when your number is already hosted on Twilio under a different account. Transfers move much faster than ports, often within a few days.
If you are not sure which applies, submit the form anyway and tell us who currently bills you for the number. We will confirm the correct path.
Start here:
https://forms.aesthetixcrm.com/t/n65K1LMjsAus
Please submit one form per request. If you are moving several numbers from the same provider and the same account, they can be listed together on a single form.
Have these items ready before you open the form. Missing or mismatched information is the number one cause of port rejections.
A recent billing statement. Carriers use billing documents to prove you own the number. Please provide your most recent monthly bill showing the phone number and the account name. If your provider does not issue a bill, a purchase receipt for the number or a screenshot of your provider account portal showing the number will usually work.
The phone number or numbers you want to move. Please also tell us whether each one is a landline, a toll-free number, or a wireless number, since these follow different carrier processes.
Your account number with your current provider.
Your transfer PIN. Some providers issue a PIN specifically for porting. If your provider does not use one, the last four digits of the account holder's Social Security number may be required instead. Please only submit this through the secure form linked above. Never send it by email, text, or chat.
Important: the account name, service address, and account number on the form must match your current provider's records exactly. Even a small difference, such as a suite number or a business name that was updated after the account was opened, will cause the carrier to reject the request.
After your form is submitted, we will send you an invoice for the port.
The fee is $150 per phone number, unless your agreement specifies otherwise. This covers the carrier submission, documentation handling, follow-up on any rejections, and configuration of the number in your account once it arrives.
Your port is submitted once the invoice is settled, so please watch for it. Delays in paying the invoice will delay the port date.
Once your form is complete and the invoice is handled, our team submits the port request on your behalf.
Submitting the request automatically triggers an email to the contact you listed on the form asking them to electronically sign a Letter of Authorization (LOA). The LOA is the document that gives the carrier permission to release your number to us. Nothing moves forward until it is signed.
Two things to watch for:
The person you list as the contact on the form should be someone who can sign on behalf of the practice. Ideally this is the same person or entity listed as the account holder with your current provider.
The LOA email can land in spam or in a shared inbox nobody checks. If you have not seen it within a business day of submitting your form, let your Onboarding Manager or Client Success Manager know.
You will receive a confirmation once the request has been submitted to the carrier.
During onboarding, your Onboarding Manager owns this process. After go-live, your Client Success Manager owns it.
Porting timelines are set by the carriers, not by Aesthetix CRM. Typical ranges:
Fewer than 50 numbers: usually 5 to 11 days from submission.
50 or more numbers: usually 1 to 6 weeks.
SMS activation: text messaging can take up to 3 additional business days after the port date to become active, because every carrier has to update its routing records.
Timelines can extend if a carrier temporarily rejects the request, which is common and usually resolved by correcting one detail and resubmitting.
Please do not cancel service with your current provider until the port is complete. Cancelling early releases the number back to the carrier and it can be lost permanently.
No action is needed from you while a port is in progress. We monitor the status and will let you know when a port date is confirmed.
If you are in onboarding, we intentionally schedule your port to line up with your go-live date. This is deliberate. It prevents an in-use number from moving before your account, workflows, and A2P registration are ready to receive calls and texts.
If your number is already hosted on Twilio and needs a transfer rather than a port, please make sure your voice, SMS, and A2P registration are set up before requesting the transfer, since transfers can complete very quickly.
Once the number lands in Aesthetix CRM, our team registers it to your A2P campaign, registers caller ID under your practice name, and configures call routing according to the answering plan you confirmed earlier.
Your practice retains ownership of your phone number for as long as you are with us, and after.
Aesthetix CRM does not retain ownership or control of your number. If you ever choose to move to a different provider, you can port your number away at any time, and we will cooperate fully and provide any information your new provider needs.
If you need it, we can provide signed documentation confirming your ownership of the number. Many practices request this for their records or to satisfy a new provider. Just ask your Client Success Manager.
If you are moving to a new provider, please begin the porting process 30 to 45 days before your intended end date with Aesthetix CRM. It is your responsibility to initiate and manage the port with your new provider, and starting late can result in a service interruption or, in some cases, loss of the number.
The Letter of Authorization was never e-signed, or was signed by someone who is not the account holder of record.
The account name on the request does not match the current provider's records.
The service address on file with the losing carrier is outdated.
The billing statement is too old, or does not clearly show the number being ported.
The account number or transfer PIN is incorrect.
The account has a pending change, such as a recent address update or a partial cancellation, which freezes porting.
There is an outstanding balance with the current provider.
The number was already cancelled and released.
Is there a cost to port my number? Yes. The fee is $150 per phone number unless your agreement specifies otherwise. You will receive an invoice after you submit the form.
Do I need to prepare a Letter of Authorization in advance? No. Do not upload one with your form. The LOA is generated automatically when we submit your port request, and it arrives by email for electronic signature.
Can I keep using my number while the port is in progress? Yes. Your number keeps working with your current provider right up until the port date. There is no downtime in normal circumstances.
Can I port a wireless or mobile number? Usually yes, though wireless numbers follow a different carrier process and typically require an account number and PIN from the mobile provider.
Can I port a toll-free number? Yes. Toll-free numbers can be ported, and after they arrive they go through toll-free verification before they can send text messages.
What if I only want to port some of my numbers? That is fine. Many practices port their main published number and keep other lines where they are. Just list the specific numbers on the form.
Will my number keep my current caller ID name? We register your caller ID name under your practice name once the number arrives. Carrier databases can take time to update, so allow a few weeks for the name to display consistently.
What happens to my old voicemail? Voicemail does not port. Any greetings or saved messages stay with your old provider, so please save anything you want to keep before the port date.
Can I add a number I have not ported yet to my account in the meantime? Yes. We can provision a new number for you to use while a port is pending.
During onboarding: your Onboarding Manager.
After go-live: your Client Success Manager for planning and timing, or Aesthetix CRM Support for a technical issue with a number already in your account.
Related reading: Understanding Caller ID and Call Authentication: CNAM + SHAKEN/STIR at https://help.aesthetixcrm.com/en/articles/1237-understanding-caller-id-and-call-authentication-cnam-shakenstir
