How to Transfer Landline to Cell Phone: Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Are you wondering how to move your landline number to your cell phone? It is a question on a lot of people's minds lately. Many are making the switch to make their lives simpler, save a little money, and use the better features on the phone they already carry everywhere.

Why Move Your Landline to a Cell Phone#

Does your home phone feel like a dusty old toy from a long time ago? If you think it is time for a change, you are not alone. More and more people are moving their old landline number over to their smartphone. When you look at the reasons why, they make a lot of sense.

The biggest reason is that it is just easier. Having one phone number for everything makes life simpler. You will not have to check two different voicemails or wonder which number a doctor's office or old friend has. All your calls, texts, and messages are in one place right in your pocket. This is a big deal, especially if you run a small business from home.

Cut Costs and Gain Modern Features#

Let's be honest, saving money is a huge plus. Paying for both a landline and a cell phone means you get two different bills every month. Getting rid of that landline service removes a whole bill. This can easily save you hundreds of dollars each year.

Besides saving money, you get to use a bunch of features that most old landlines cannot offer.

Visual Voicemail: You can see a list of your messages and choose which one to listen to. You do not have to listen to them in order.
Smarter Spam Blocking: New smartphones are really good at finding and blocking annoying robocalls before your phone even rings.
Total Mobility: Your number is not stuck at your house anymore. You can take your calls anywhere, whether you are at the grocery store, on vacation, or just in your backyard.

This change away from home phones shows a big shift in how we all talk to each other. The number of homes with a landline has dropped a lot over the last 20 years. To give you an idea, about 90% of U.S. households had a landline in the early 2000s. That number fell to around 50% by the mid-2010s as cell phones became more popular. As a Harvard study on communication trends explains, our cell phones have become the main hub of our daily lives.

So, you are ready to get rid of the cord and bring your landline number to the mobile world. Great! But before you start, you have a big choice to make. You can either forward your calls or port your number.

Think of it like this:

Call forwarding is like telling the post office to send your mail to a temporary address. Your original phone service stays active, but your calls are sent to your cell phone. It is flexible and you can change it back.
Number porting is like moving for good. You are packing up your phone number and permanently transferring it to a new cell phone company. Once it is done, your old landline service is gone forever.

This is all about making your life simpler and making sure you never miss an important call, no matter where you are.

The main goal is to put everything onto the one device you always have with you, your smartphone.

The Case for Call Forwarding#

When does just forwarding your calls make the most sense? This is your best choice if you are not quite ready to say goodbye to your landline service completely.

It is perfect for a few situations:

Testing it out: Are you not sure if a mobile-only life is for you? Forward your calls for a month or two and see how it feels.
Temporary situations: Maybe you are working from a different place for a few months, taking a long vacation, or staying with family. Forwarding keeps you connected without making a permanent change.
Business needs: If you run a small business from home, you can forward calls to your cell phone to make sure you are always available, even when you are not at home.

Remember, with forwarding, you are still paying for your landline service and your mobile plan. To get more control over this, you can learn about conditional call forwarding. This lets you set rules for when calls are sent to your cell, like when your landline is busy or you do not answer.

The Case for Number Porting#

If you are 100% sure you are done with your landline for good, then moving your number is the answer. This is for anyone who wants to have fewer bills and put all their communication on one phone.

Porting is the final step. It is a permanent decision where you move your number to your cell phone company. This automatically cancels your old landline account. It is the best choice if you want to keep the same number that your friends, family, and coworkers have known for years, but you want the freedom of a cell phone.

Call Forwarding vs Number Porting At a Glance#

Are you still not sure? This table shows the key differences to help you decide which way is right for you.

Feature	Call Forwarding	Number Porting (Moving Your Number)
Commitment	Low & you can change it back	High & Permanent
Landline Service	Stays active (you keep paying the bill)	Canceled automatically after the move
Best For	Temporary needs, testing, or flexible setups	Permanently switching to a mobile-only life
Speed & Simplicity	Usually quick to set up and turn off	Can take several days; a one-time process
Number Ownership	Stays with the landline company	Moves to your new mobile company
Cost	Pay for both landline and mobile service	Pay for mobile service only

In the end, both options get your landline calls to your cell phone. Your choice depends on whether you need a short-term fix or a long-term, permanent solution.

Getting Your Landline Calls on Your Cell Phone#

So, you are ready to send your landline calls to your cell phone. Great choice! Think of it like putting a temporary mail forward on your house. Your landline number stays active, but the calls find you wherever you are. This is the perfect way to get some mobile freedom without giving up that number you have had for years.

Most landline companies, especially the old ones, use a simple system for this called "star codes." These are quick little codes you type into your landline phone to turn features on or off. The magic number you are looking for is usually *72.

Here is how it usually works:

First, pick up your landline phone and wait for the dial tone.
Next, press *72. You should hear a new dial tone.
Now, dial the full 10-digit cell phone number you want your calls sent to.
Some companies might ask you to press the pound key (#) to finish, but not all of them do.
You will probably hear a confirmation beep or a short message letting you know it worked.

I always suggest doing a quick test. Just have a friend or family member call your landline. If their call shows up on your cell, you are all set.

Instructions for Major Phone Companies#

While *72 is a very common code, sometimes the exact steps can be a little different for each company. Let's look at the process for a few of the big ones.

AT&T Landline#

For people with an AT&T landline, the process is simple. Just lift the phone, press *72, and when you hear the dial tone, type in the 10-digit number you are forwarding to. A quick sound will let you know it is active. That is it!

Verizon Landline#

Verizon's process is almost the same. Pick up your phone, dial *72, and then the cell phone number. You might hear a different kind of dial tone, often a "stutter" sound. That is Verizon's way of telling you the feature is on.

Xfinity Voice (from Comcast)#

Xfinity makes it just as simple. Grab your home phone, dial *72, and enter the other phone number when you are told to. They also make it very easy to turn it off. Just dial *73 when you want to stop forwarding.

Expert Tip: Do not forget the "off" switch! For almost any company that uses *72 to turn on forwarding, the code *73 is what you will use to turn it off. Just dial *73 from your landline, listen for the confirmation, and your calls will start ringing at home again.

Knowing When to Switch It Off#

Remember, this kind of call forwarding is best as a temporary fix. Did you set it up before you went on vacation? Make sure dialing *73 is one of the first things you do when you get back. If you do not, your home phone will stay silent.

If you find that you are always keeping call forwarding on and your landline phone is just collecting dust, that is a clear sign. It might be time to think about a more permanent change. For a deeper look, you can explore this guide on how to set up call forwarding and see what other options are out there. It could help you decide if you are ready to make the full switch from landline to cell.

The Complete Guide to Porting Your Landline Number#

If you have realized that call forwarding is just a temporary fix, then you are ready for the main event. This is permanently moving your landline number to your cell phone. This process is called number porting. The easiest way to think about it is packing up your phone number and giving it a new home on your mobile phone.

Once the move is done, your old landline service is turned off for good. This is the way to go if you want to keep your number but are tired of paying for a home phone you barely use. It is a clean break that makes your life and your bills simpler.

First, Gather Your Information#

Before you start the process with your new cell phone company, you need to do a little homework. Your new company needs some specific details to ask for the number from your old landline company. It is like needing the right key to open a secure lock.

To make this go smoothly, get these details ready:

Your Full Name: Make sure it is exactly how it is written on your landline bill. No nicknames.
Your Service Address: The physical address where the landline is right now.
Your Landline Account Number: This is very important. You can almost always find it on a recent paper bill or by logging into your online account.
A Transfer PIN: This is a big one. Some landline companies require a special PIN for security. You will probably need to call them and ask for a "port-out PIN" or "transfer PIN." Do not just use your regular account password or PIN.

Having this information ready before you start will save you a lot of time and stop common problems. It proves to the new company that you are the real owner of the number.

The Most Important Rule of Porting#

If you only remember one thing from this guide, make it this. This is the biggest mistake I see people make when they transfer a landline to a cell phone.

Do not, under any circumstances, cancel your old landline service before the move is 100% complete.

If you cancel the service first, your phone number gets released. It is no longer yours to move, and you could lose it forever. Your new cell phone company will cancel it for you as part of the moving process. Once they tell you the number is working on your cell, your old account will be closed automatically.

I know it is tempting to cut that cord yourself, but be patient and let the companies handle the final step.

The Porting Process: What to Expect#

Once you have given your information to your new cell phone company, they start the transfer request. Moving a landline number is more complicated than moving a cell number, so it takes longer. You should expect the process to take anywhere from 3 to 10 business days.

Your new company should tell you how it is going. During this waiting time, your landline will keep working like it always has. Then, one day, you will get a message that the move is complete. At that moment, your landline will stop working, and all calls to that number will start ringing on your cell phone.

You are not the only one making this change. This is part of a huge shift in how we talk to each other. As of 2024, an estimated 71.7% of American adults now live in homes with only wireless phone service. That is a big jump from just 27.9% back in 2010. You can learn more about this trend and find other interesting landline phone statistics from ChamberofCommerce.org.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them#

Even when you plan well, sometimes transferring a landline to a cell phone has a problem. It happens, and the good news is that most of the fixes are simple. Let's walk through the most common problems and how to solve them without getting frustrated.

Call Forwarding Isn't Working#

This is probably the most common issue people have. You have followed the steps, dialed *72, typed in your cell number, and... nothing. Calls to your old landline just ring and ring, but your cell phone stays silent.

Most of the time, this is a simple typo. It is very easy to type a number wrong. The best first step is to start over. First, dial *73 to turn off any forwarding that is on. Then, very carefully, try the process again with *72 and your full 10-digit cell phone number.

The Porting Process Gets Stuck#

A more frustrating problem is when you are trying to permanently move your number and the whole thing stops. Moving a number should only take a few days. But if a week or more goes by with no news, there is probably an issue.

This almost always happens because the information you gave was wrong. Your name, address, and account number must exactly match what is on your current landline bill. I mean exactly. Something as small as "St." instead of "Street" can cause the system to reject the request.

Check Your Details: Get your most recent landline bill. Compare every single detail, line by line, with the information you gave your new cell phone company.
Call Your New Company: If you see a mistake, call your new company's support team. They can fix the information and send the request again for you.
Ask for the Rejection Reason: If everything looks right to you, ask the new company for the specific reason the move was rejected by your old company. This will tell you exactly what needs to be fixed.

The desire to leave landlines for mobile phones is not new. This trend was growing years ago, especially with different age groups. In fact, research from 2006 showed that while 23% of all landline users were thinking about going mobile-only, younger people were way ahead. A full 40% of people aged 18 to 29 said they were likely to make the switch, compared to just 19% of people over 30. You can see more on these early communication changes in the full report from Pew Research Center.

What If My Number Can't Be Ported?#

In rare cases, you might get the bad news that your number cannot be moved. This usually happens when your landline is with a very small, local phone company that does not have agreements with your cell phone company.

Do not worry, you still have a couple of good options. One clever trick is to first move the number to a middle-man internet phone service, as they often have more agreements. Then you can move it from that service to your cell phone.

Another option is to just keep the landline active and use conditional call forwarding as a permanent solution. For more ideas on how to handle tricky situations like this, take a look at our other guides in the call forwarding section.

Frequently Asked Questions#

It is normal to have a few questions before you move your landline to a cell phone. Taking this step is a big change, so I have gathered some of the most common questions I hear. The goal is to make sure you feel sure of your decision before you make the switch.

How Long Does The Porting Process Usually Take?#

This is probably the most common question I get, and for a good reason. Moving a landline number is different from a simple cell-to-cell move. You should expect the process to take anywhere from 3 to 10 business days. The work happening behind the scenes is just more complicated, so you need to be a little patient.

Here is the most important piece of advice. Do not, under any circumstances, cancel your old landline service too early. Wait until your new cell phone company tells you that the move is complete. They will let you know when it is safe to cut the cord.

What Happens To My Old Landline Voicemails?#

Unfortunately, they are gone for good. When you move your number, any voicemails saved on your old landline service are deleted forever. They do not move with your number to your new cell phone.

My pro-tip? Before you even start the moving process, go through all your saved messages. Write down any important details or phone numbers. Once the move is complete, you will be starting fresh with your cell phone's voicemail system.

Think of it as a fresh start, but make sure you are ready to lose access to those old messages forever.

Can Every Landline Number Be Transferred?#

In my experience, almost all of them can. It is very rare to find a landline number that cannot be moved to a mobile phone. The only exceptions I have seen are with very small, local phone companies.

The good news is you will not be left wondering. Your new cell phone company will check if your number can be moved as one of the very first steps. They can run a quick check to confirm before you agree to anything. This gives you a clear yes or no right away, so you know if you can go forward with your plan to transfer your landline to a cell phone.

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