Porting transfers your existing phone number from your current VoIP provider directly into Beside. Once complete, Beside becomes your provider for that number and all calls and texts run inside the Beside mobile app.
This article covers the specific steps, fees, and gotchas for the most common VoIP providers. For the general porting process and eligibility rules, see 📖 Port your number to Beside.
Not sure whether to port or use call forwarding instead? See 📖 Port your number vs set up call forwarding.
📌 Before you start, regardless of provider:
Keep your current account active until the port completes. Cancelling early is the most common reason ports fail.
Porting is initiated from the Beside mobile app: Settings → Phone Number → Configure Number → Port & Replace.
Quick reference
Use this table to check fees and required info before you start. Provider-specific instructions follow below.
Provider | Port-out fee | What you need |
Google Voice | $3 (waived if originally ported in) | 10-digit number + voicemail PIN |
Sideline | $19.99 (waived if originally ported in) | Account number + PIN from the app |
Grasshopper | None | Account number, PIN, billing address |
GoDaddy Conversations | None | CSR + PIN requested by email (1-3 business days) |
Other VoIP (TalkRoute, Weave, OpenPhone, etc.) | Varies | Account number + PIN from your provider |
⚠️ Toll-free numbers (8XX):
Toll-free numbers are portable to Beside.
After the port, outbound SMS does not work on toll-free numbers in Beside.
Inbound calls and SMS, plus outbound calls, work normally.
Google Voice
Google Voice is the most common VoIP number ported to Beside. For full step-by-step instructions, see 📖 Port your Google Voice number to Beside.
Quick summary
Unlock first. In voice.google.com go to Settings, then Account, then click Unlock next to your number.
$3 unlock fee. Waived if your number was originally ported into Google Voice from another carrier.
Account number is your 10-digit Google Voice number. PIN is your voicemail PIN.
📌 Most common failure: Forgetting to unlock the number before submitting the port request. Always check this first.
Google Voice support
Help center: support.google.com/voice
Port-out instructions (official): Transfer a Google Voice number to another carrier
Phone support: not available. Google Voice is supported through their help center only
Sideline
For Sideline's full official guide, see Sideline's port-out steps.
Get your account info from the Sideline app
In Sideline, go to Settings, then Number Porting, then Port-Out Number. Follow the prompts.
📌 Sideline port-out fee:
$19.99 charged through the App Store or Google Play.
Waived if your number was originally ported into Sideline.
After paying, Sideline provides your account number and PIN.
Save anything you want to keep before porting
⚠️ Sideline data does not transfer:
Calls, voicemails, and message history stay with Sideline.
Sideline cannot export this data after the fact.
Save anything important before starting the port.
Start the port in Beside
In the Beside mobile app, go to Settings → Phone Number → Configure Number → Port & Replace and choose Sideline. Enter the account number and PIN you received from Sideline.
Cancel your Sideline subscription separately
Porting does not cancel your Sideline subscription. Cancel via the App Store or Play Store after the port completes to avoid further charges.
Troubleshooting
🟡 Account number rejected as invalid: Try entering it with a "1" prefix. This is a known Sideline quirk and their own help center recommends it.
Sideline support
Help center: support.sideline.com
Email: [email protected]
Text support: 1-408-444-9124 (Monday to Saturday, 6am-6pm PST). Sideline does not offer real-time phone support.
Grasshopper
For Grasshopper's full official guide, see Grasshopper's port-out steps.
Get your Grasshopper account info
Account number: Grasshopper web portal, then Settings, then Account.
PIN: if not visible in the portal, contact Grasshopper support to retrieve it.
Billing address: must match what is on file with Grasshopper exactly.
📌 Extensions and IVR menus do not transfer: If your Grasshopper setup uses extensions or auto-attendant menus, you will need to set up Beside's equivalents after the port completes.
Start the port in Beside
In the Beside mobile app, go to Settings → Phone Number → Configure Number → Port & Replace and choose Grasshopper.
Keep Grasshopper active until the port completes
Grasshopper continues to bill until you cancel after the port. Do not cancel early. Cancelling before the port completes can cause it to fail.
Grasshopper support
Help center: support.grasshopper.com
Phone: 1-800-820-8210 (24/7)
Live chat: available through their website
GoDaddy Conversations (formerly SmartLine)
⚠️ GoDaddy port-out is email-based:
You must request your account info from GoDaddy by email before starting the port in Beside.
GoDaddy takes 1-3 business days to respond.
Plan ahead. Do not start the port in Beside until you have GoDaddy's email response in hand.
GoDaddy retired SmartLine and migrated all customers to GoDaddy Conversations. Both port the same way. The exact steps differ slightly between local numbers and toll-free numbers.
Porting a local number from GoDaddy
Step 1 - Email GoDaddy to request your CSR and port-out PIN
Send an email to [email protected]:
From: the email address listed on your GoDaddy account profile. Emails from any other address will be rejected to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Body: include the GoDaddy Conversations number you want to port out.
📌 Don't know which email is on your profile? Sign in at account.godaddy.com to check, or contact GoDaddy support.
GoDaddy will respond in 1-3 business days with your port-out PIN and the Customer Service Record (CSR). Both are needed to submit your port to Beside.
Step 2 - Make sure your GoDaddy account has no outstanding balance
GoDaddy will not release a number if there is an outstanding balance on your account. Check your billing before starting the port.
Step 3 - Start the port in Beside
Once you have the PIN and CSR from GoDaddy, in the Beside mobile app go to Settings → Phone Number → Configure Number → Port & Replace and choose GoDaddy. Enter the info from GoDaddy's email.
Porting a toll-free number from GoDaddy
Toll-free numbers use a different process. No PIN is required, only the CSR.
Email [email protected] from the address on your GoDaddy profile and request a Customer Service Record (CSR) for your toll-free number.
Once you receive the CSR from GoDaddy, start the port in Beside.
Troubleshooting
If your number ports back to GoDaddy after the port appears to complete, this usually means one of two things:
The port was rejected by GoDaddy (often due to outstanding balance or info mismatch) and the number reverted automatically.
Your GoDaddy Conversations subscription expired during the port window and the number was reclaimed.
What to do:
Sign in to GoDaddy and confirm your Conversations subscription is still active and the number is still listed.
Contact GoDaddy support if needed.
Once confirmed, restart the port from Beside with the corrected info.
📌 Beside cannot reactivate a number on GoDaddy's side:
If the number reverted to GoDaddy, only GoDaddy can put it back in your account.
GoDaddy does not have visibility on the status of port-outs. Beside support can update you on the port status from our side.
GoDaddy support
Help center: godaddy.com/help
Port-out instructions (official): Port my GoDaddy Conversations number to a different carrier
Port-out email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-480-505-8877 (24/7)
Live chat: available through godaddy.com/help
Other VoIP providers
For VoIP providers not listed above (TalkRoute, Weave, OpenPhone, Dialpad, RingCentral, and others), the standard process applies. You will need:
Your account number
Your account PIN or password
The exact billing name and address on the account
Contact your provider's support if you cannot find these in their portal. Then start the port in the Beside mobile app: Settings → Phone Number → Configure Number → Port & Replace and choose your provider, or "Other" if not listed.
Our team will review your request and follow up via in-app chat if anything is missing.
After your port completes
Once you receive a notification that your port is complete, follow the steps in 📖 What to do after porting your number.
FAQ
Can I port my number back to Google Voice later if I change my mind?
Can I port my number back to Google Voice later if I change my mind?
It depends. Google Voice often refuses port-in requests for numbers currently classified as VoIP, which includes numbers ported from Beside. The workaround:
Port the number from Beside to a mobile carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.).
Once the number is back on a mobile carrier, request a port from that carrier into Google Voice.
This adds time and cost. If keeping the option to return to Google Voice matters to you, factor this in before porting to Beside.
Can I port a Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile number?
Can I port a Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile number?
Yes, but it will cancel your mobile data plan. Beside does not provide mobile data, so porting a carrier number means your data service with that carrier will be terminated. If you need to keep your data plan, use call forwarding instead.
How long does a VoIP port typically take?
How long does a VoIP port typically take?
Most VoIP ports complete in under 1 week. Some can take up to 2 weeks depending on the provider. GoDaddy adds an extra 1-3 business days at the start because of their email-based process.
Do my voicemails, messages, and call history transfer to Beside?
Do my voicemails, messages, and call history transfer to Beside?
No. Voicemails, message history, and call logs stay with your previous provider and cannot be transferred to Beside. If you want to keep this data, save it before starting the port.
My provider isn't listed in the porting flow. What do I do?
My provider isn't listed in the porting flow. What do I do?
Choose "Other" in the porting flow and enter your account info. Our team will review the request and reach out via in-app chat if anything is missing.