If you have a new phone number but you don’t want to let go of your old one, How-To Geek suggests a smart solution: port the old one to Google Voice and keep both.
Maybe you switched carriers and got a new number or maybe you moved across the country and want to keep your old number as well as a new one. Whatever the case, you can port that old number to Google Voice and keep both. Calls to your old number will be forwarded to your new one. You can also tell Google Voice to forward text messages to your new phone number. When you reply, it’ll look like you’re texting from your Google Voice number.
Google charges a one-time fee of $20 to port over an old number and, of course, that number has to be active. In other words, you’ll want to port before you actually change your number.
How-To Geek offers a step-by-step guide on the process. In a nutshell, you’ll head to www.google.com/voice and accept the terms. From there, you should see a prompt that reads “I want to use my mobile number.” If not, you’ll navigate to Settings > Phones > “Change/Port.”
From there, type in the number you want to port, then verify that number. (to do this, Google will call you to confirm). From there, you’ll pay the $20, and once your payment is complete, you’re finished.
Google will also show you how to connect a new number to your Voice account when you’re ready to start forwarding. For the full list of instructions, head to How-To Geek’s full post below.
How (and Why) to Port Your Old Phone Number to Google Voice | How-To Geek
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