Getting Started
To transfer your phone number to Shaw Mobile, your line must be active with your existing service provider. You can submit a port request when you activate service or through our Customer Care team if you already have active Shaw Mobile service.
To transfer your number, we’ll need the following information about the account for your current number. We suggest referencing the information on your current provider’s invoice to ensure accuracy:
- Your phone number
- Name of current service provider
- Account number
- Name of the account holder (as it appears on the invoice)
- Billing address (required if porting a landline phone number)
How Long Does it Take?
If all the information is correct, transferring a mobile number to Shaw Mobile will take 1-3 hours of the request being submitted. Transferring a landline number to Shaw Mobile will takes 3-5 working business days.
Once your line has ported over, we will send you a text message to confirm the process is complete.
While your port request is pending, you will be assigned a temporary phone number and will have access to all features/services included in your rate plan.
Note: As of November 3, 2020, for your security and protection, most carriers will send an SMS text message to confirm transferring your number to another provider. You'll need to keep your phone powered on, with your old service provider's SIM Card active to receive the SMS.
- Replying with YES will confirm your transfer request.
- If you reply with NO or fail to reply within the 90-minute confirmation window, then your number will not be transferred
- If you do not receive the SMS to confirm the transfer shortly after the request is sent, you will need to contact your previous provider within the 90-minute confirmation window to manually authorize the transfer.
Limitations to Porting
There are a few limitations to keep in mind when trying to transfer your number, including:
- If your service is no longer active with your previous provider or was cancelled before porting the requested number, the phone number cannot be transferred to Shaw Mobile.
- Your current phone number must have an area code that is located within Shaw Mobile coverage areas in Alberta and British Columbia.
- Phone numbers cannot port over from one area code to another.
Protecting your Number from Unauthorized Transfers
As of November 16, 2020 Port Protection as an account setting (which used to be added, by request only, to restrict requests to transfer your number out to another carrier) has been replaced with the SMS authorization process described above.
Using iMessage (Apple) or chat features (RCS on Android)
If you are porting your number, we recommend setting up iMessage and chat features after your number has successfully transferred over.
If you are also switching from an iPhone to an Android or vice versa, remember to deregister iMessage or disable chat features (RCS), respectively, to ensure your messaging service is not interrupted when changing devices.