Why was my port rejected?

Understanding rejections

There is a common misconception that BrightPBX rejects the port. That is not the case — it is the customer’s current provider who rejects it. We are simply relaying their rejection to you.

Below is a list of standard rejection reasons and tips to address them. If you need more clarity, ask your customer to contact their current provider to find out why the port was rejected. We cannot ask for more details on your behalf, because we do not own the phone number — only its owner can obtain them.

Standard reasons

Reason	What it means
Address mismatch	The address provided for the number does not match the service address on the customer’s account.
Name mismatch	Generally only on business ports. The business name on the request must exactly match the name on the account.
Missing reseller	If the number was provided by a reseller, that reseller must be named in the Reseller Name field on the port request.
Pending order	Another change is already in progress on the customer’s account — an address change, a service change, or a disconnect request.
TN not active	The number is out of service and cannot be ported, usually because the provider suspended the account or the customer cancelled the number.
Account suspended	Usually for non-payment.
MRA (More Recent Authorization)	A more recent request for service reached the losing carrier — the customer may have chosen another provider, or decided to stay put.
Stranded services	The main number (the PILOT or BTN) is being ported, but other lines or reserved numbers on the account would be left stranded.

More on stranded services

This is arguably the most frustrating rejection, as it requires some detective work. It happens frequently with business numbers that have older services, hunt groups, or traditional fixed circuits, where the customer does not always know every number associated with their account.

The number cannot be ported until all associated numbers on that account are accounted for, and direction for each phone number — as well as the circuit — is outlined on the order, for example port or disconnect.

Resellers usually get a reseller or ILEC/CLEC distinction here: ILECs (Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers) typically own the infrastructure, while CLECs (Competitive Local Exchange Carriers) establish local network interconnection with them. Both sell numbers to resellers.

Mobile port rejections

Mobile orders follow different rules from landlines. The most frequent rejections are incorrect or missing account numbers, and no response to the authorization SMS.

Reason	How to avoid it
Account number is required	Account numbers are always required on mobile orders. Get a copy of your customer’s invoice and include it in the request — our system will require it.
IMEI required	If your client does not receive invoices because they use a pay-as-you-go phone, they must provide the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), found on the back of the battery cover.
2FA not authorized / no response to authorization SMS	Mobile carriers require the customer to confirm the port by text.