Phone migration timeline
How a phone cutover works, step by step
Moving phones is mostly preparation. Here is each stage of a Texwan cutover, what happens in it and what you get at the end, so nothing is a surprise on the day.
The timeline
Six stages from inventory to handover
Stage 1
Inventory
We list every number, line, extension, ring group, voicemail box and auto attendant from your bill and the system itself. We also find what is plugged into a line that is not a phone: alarm panels, elevator phones, fax, gate entry and card terminals. Contract end dates go on the list too.
You get: Bill, contract and a walk-through of each site, on site or by video
Stage 2
Design
We write down the new call flows, the dial plan, the emergency address and location detail for each site, the voice network and failover design, and the toll-fraud policy. You approve the design before anything is ordered.
You get: A written design you sign off
Stage 3
Build and pre-configure
The hosted system or SIP trunks are built, and each phone is programmed with its extension and labeled with the user and site. Network gear is configured and tested before it ships.
You get: Phones and network gear arrive ready to plug in
Stage 4
Port scheduling
We submit the port requests with your authorization. The losing carrier confirms a date; that date is set by the carrier, so we plan the cutover window around it and tell you as soon as it is confirmed.
You get: A confirmed port date and a cutover window you approve
Stage 5
Cutover
On the day, the new system takes over. We test inbound and outbound calls on every number, call flows and voicemail, and confirm the emergency address records with the carrier’s test process. The old service is cancelled only after the tests pass.
You get: Signed-off test results for each site
Stage 6
Monitor and hand over
The new system and network are watched in our Ares RMM platform. You get the documentation: numbers, call flows, device list, emergency addresses and admin logins held in your company’s name.
You get: Documentation and portal access
How long it takes
What sets the timeline
There is no single answer, so we do not publish one. The quote includes a written timeline for your sites. The things that move it:
- Number porting. The losing carrier sets the port date. Simple ports are quicker than ones with many numbers, mismatched account details or numbers spread across carriers.
- Lines that are not phones. Alarm and elevator lines may need the alarm company or the building involved, and sometimes the local fire authority.
- Hardware. Phones and network gear need to be programmed and delivered, and international shipments clear customs first.
- Your calendar. We schedule the cutover window around your busy periods, not ours.
Multi-site
Cutting over more than one location
For several sites we start with one pilot location, fix anything the pilot turns up, then move the remaining sites in planned waves. Each wave uses the same tested build, so the tenth site goes like the second.
Questions
Cutover questions
Do we need to close during the cutover?
Usually not. Inbound calls follow the port, and we keep the old service in place until the new one is tested. We pick a window when call volume is low.
Will someone be on site?
Most cutovers are remote: phones arrive pre-configured and staff plug them in. Where cabling, a gateway for an older system or alarm lines are involved, we arrange on-site work and include it in the quote.
What if a port fails?
Calls stay on the old carrier until the port succeeds, because the old service is not cancelled until testing passes. We fix the rejection reason and resubmit.
Next step
Plan your cutover
Tell us how many sites and phones you have and what you run today. We reply within one business day with next steps.