You don’t have to give up your phone number when you end your cell phone contract, or move from where your landline is located.

Google Voice can save you.

  • Sign up for a free Google Voice account at www.google.com/voice.
  • You will need to sign in with your Gmail / Google account.
  • Select ‘I want to use my mobile number’

  • Enter your mobile number

  • If Google can’t use your mobile number as your Google Voice number, you can still get a Google Voicemail number that forwards your voicemail to your gmail. (An awesome feature.)
  • If it CAN, then select ‘Port your Number.’

  • Follow the instructions to cancel your current mobile contract (which MAY trigger fees from your carrier, depending on your plan)

  • Pay your twenty bucks, and BOOM! You’ve got a permanent number at Google Voice, for good.

There are some serious advantages to porting your number with Google Voice.

  • You own your number for good.
  • Any calls to this number can be forwarded to any other phone number you specify.
  • Any voicemails left at this number are transcribed and sent to your Gmail account (also known as Visual Voice Mail) for no extra cost.

FINAL CAVEAT: Check with your cell phone carrier before completing this process – you may trigger an early cancellation fee if you back out of your contract.