Can I port a number from another carrier when I add a line?

Yes. During the Add a Line workflow in My Verizon Business, select Port Existing Number, enter the current number, the losing carrier's account number, and the account PIN. Verizon submits the port request to the other carrier. Keep the old line active until port completion — the losing carrier cancels it automatically once the transfer completes. Number portability is governed by FCC rules and typically completes within 1 business day for wireless-to-wireless transfers.

What is BYOD and how does it work in Add a Line?

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) lets employees activate their personal or existing phone on the new line instead of purchasing a device through Verizon. During Add a Line, choose BYOD, enter the device IMEI, and the portal checks compatibility against the Verizon network. Compatible devices receive a SIM or eSIM profile. BYOD reduces upfront cost and hardware management overhead. Most unlocked phones made after 2020 support Verizon 5G and LTE bands.

Add a Line — My Verizon Business Line Provisioning

The Add a Line workflow in My Verizon Business turns a new-hire phone request into a live, activated wireless line in roughly fifteen minutes. Administrators pick a plan tier, port an existing number or select a new one, assign the line to an employee profile, attach a device or enable BYOD, and choose when activation should begin — all without calling support or visiting a retail store.

Every Add a Line transaction inherits the employee's department, cost center, and role from the user profiles roster, so billing attribution and expense reporting stay correct from the first day. Porting requests submit electronically through the FCC-governed LNP (Local Number Portability) framework. BYOD checks run instantly against the network compatibility database before SIM shipment.

My Verizon Business Add a Line screen showing plan tier selector, number porting field, employee assignment dropdown, and device picker

Add a Line in My Verizon Business — AI Summary

New line provisioning completes in 10-15 minutes for a fresh Verizon number, 1-5 business days for ports
Three plan tiers: Business Unlimited Start, Plus, and Pro — selectable at provisioning and changeable later
Number options: pick from Verizon inventory, port from another carrier, or reserve vanity numbers
Employee assignment links the line to a profile with department, manager, and cost center metadata
Device options: purchase new through financing, lease, bring your own device (BYOD), or assign existing inventory
Activation timing: immediate, scheduled future date up to 30 days ahead, or trigger on SIM scan
LNP porting follows FCC wireless-to-wireless rules with 1-day median completion

Step 1 — Plan Tier Selection

Choose Business Unlimited Start, Plus, or Pro. The plan pooling feature lets multiple tiers live in the same shared data pool, so a field technician on Pro and a dispatcher on Start can still share the company allowance. Tier changes after activation take effect on the next billing cycle with prorated adjustment.

Step 2 — Number Source

Pick a new number from the Verizon inventory filtered by area code, or port an existing number from another wireless or landline carrier. Vanity numbers (repeating digits, spelling words) are available for a one-time fee. My Verizon Business reserves the selected number for 72 hours while the provision completes.

Step 3 — Employee Assignment

Link the new line to an existing employee profile or create a new one inline. The assignment inherits department, cost center, and manager, which feed expense reports and usage alert routing. Reassign to a different employee at any time through line swap.

Step 4 — Device Selection

Pick from Verizon's current device catalog (iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, ruggedized field devices), lease a device for 24-36 months, buy outright, or select BYOD to activate an existing compatible phone. Device cost appears on the first bill for purchases or as installments for financed devices.

Step 5 — BYOD Compatibility

Enter the IMEI of the employee's existing phone. My Verizon Business checks compatibility against the Verizon network (LTE bands, 5G support, CDMA/GSM requirements) and returns a pass/fail with reason codes. Compatible devices receive a physical SIM by mail or an eSIM QR code delivered to the employee's email within minutes.

Step 6 — Activation Timing

Activate immediately, schedule a future date up to 30 days ahead, or configure activation to trigger when the employee scans the SIM barcode on their phone. Scheduled activation suits new hires whose start date is known weeks in advance. Billing begins on activation date regardless of when the line was provisioned.

Feature	Business Unlimited Start	Business Unlimited Plus	Business Unlimited Pro
Monthly Price (per line, 5+ lines)	$30	$40	$55
Talk & Text	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
High-Speed Data	Unlimited (4G LTE)	Unlimited (5G Nationwide)	Unlimited (5G Ultra Wideband)
Mobile Hotspot	Not included	50 GB / month at 5G	100 GB / month at 5G UW
Network Prioritization	Standard	Premium during congestion	Highest priority tier
International Texting (Mexico/Canada)	Included	Included	Included
International Data (Mex/Can)	Not included	Included	Included
Mobile Security Suite	Not included	Included	Included
Cloud Storage	Not included	Not included	600 GB
Push-to-Talk Plus	Add-on	Add-on	Included
Best For	Office, occasional users	Sales, field techs	Power users, executives

Prices reflect typical 5+ line discounts; single-line and 2-4 line pricing higher. Taxes, regulatory fees, and device financing additional. Number portability governed by FCC LNP rules.

My Verizon Business port request form showing account number, PIN, and billing address fields validated against losing carrier

Porting an Existing Number to Verizon

When Add a Line asks for the number source, choose Port Existing Number. The form requests the number being ported, the losing carrier's account number, the account PIN or transfer password, the billing address on file, and the account holder's name. My Verizon Business submits the port request to the losing carrier through the NPAC (Number Portability Administration Center) database. Wireless-to-wireless ports typically complete in 1 business day; ports from landline providers or VoIP services can take 3-5 business days.

During the port window, the old line remains active. The employee can make and receive calls normally. When the port completes, service cuts over to Verizon within a few hours, and the old carrier auto-cancels the losing account. Port rejections occur when the account info doesn't match — typos in the account number or wrong PIN are the most common causes. Verizon returns the rejection code and guidance for resubmission.

BYOD IMEI compatibility checker in My Verizon Business returning green-check result for unlocked iPhone 14

BYOD Activation Flow

BYOD saves hardware cost when the employee already owns a compatible phone. The IMEI compatibility check evaluates LTE band support, 5G support (Nationwide and/or Ultra Wideband), eSIM capability, and network technology (most modern phones support the LTE bands Verizon operates on). The result appears within seconds with a green check for compatible devices or a reason code for incompatibilities — common reasons include carrier-locked devices still under another carrier's contract or phones missing critical bands.

For compatible phones, administrators choose between a physical SIM shipped to the employee's address (arrives in 2 business days via standard shipping) or an eSIM QR code delivered by email within minutes. eSIM activation is preferred for modern iPhones and Android devices that support it because it eliminates shipping delay and lets the employee activate during the provisioning call. The employee scans the QR code with the phone's camera, follows the setup prompts, and the line comes online.

Create the Employee Profile First

Spending thirty seconds to create the user profile before clicking Add a Line means the line inherits department, manager, and cost center automatically. Lines provisioned without a profile end up attributed to the administrator, which creates cleanup work at month-end when expense reports run and the line appears against the wrong cost center.

Schedule for Start Date, Not Hire Date

For new hires whose start date is 2+ weeks out, schedule the line activation for the day before their start date. This lets you complete the provision when the HR system updates (usually hire-date signing) while ensuring the employee doesn't receive a working phone — and start incurring charges — weeks before they can use it. Scheduled activation also surfaces any port delays well before the employee needs the number.

Use BYOD Only When Compatibility is Confirmed

Running the IMEI compatibility check before promising the employee BYOD prevents awkward reversals. Devices that fail compatibility typically need replacement, which means the employee faces either an unexpected personal-phone purchase or a delay while you provision a company device. Ask for the IMEI during the offer letter process so compatibility issues surface before the employee's first day.

Document the Port Authorization

Keep a copy of the port authorization email or signed port-out letter from the employee. The FCC requires consent for a number transfer, and the losing carrier can dispute the port if consent can't be demonstrated. Storing the authorization in the employee's user profile for seven years matches standard telecom record-retention practice and simplifies any future dispute.

Add a Line in Under Fifteen Minutes

The Add a Line workflow in My Verizon Business replaces store visits, support calls, and paperwork with a six-step form. Administrators provision new-hire lines, port numbers, and activate BYOD devices from the portal or the My Biz app. Explore related modules: user profiles, device upgrade, line swap, and international roaming.

How long does adding a new line take in My Verizon Business?

A brand-new Verizon number activates in 10-15 minutes. Porting an existing number takes 1 business day for wireless-to-wireless, 3-5 business days for landline or VoIP ports. Scheduled activations hold until the chosen date, then activate within 15 minutes of that date's start.

Which plan tier should I pick when I add a line?

Business Unlimited Start for occasional office users, Plus for sales and field employees who tether or stream, Pro for executives and power users who need 5G Ultra Wideband plus bundled mobile security. Tier changes after activation are allowed.

Can I port a number from another carrier?

Yes. During Add a Line, choose Port Existing Number and provide the number, losing carrier account number, PIN, and billing address. Wireless-to-wireless ports finish in ~1 business day; landline and VoIP take 3-5. FCC LNP rules protect your right to keep your number.

What is BYOD and how does it work?

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) activates an existing compatible phone on the new line. Enter the IMEI in Add a Line, pass the compatibility check, then receive a physical SIM or eSIM QR code. Saves the upfront cost of a new device. See device upgrade if you also want to refresh later.

Can I schedule line activation for a future date?

Yes. Schedule up to 30 days ahead, useful for aligning with a new hire's start date or a billing cycle cutover. Billing begins on the activation date. Cancel scheduled activations any time before the date arrives. Usage and usage alerts begin at activation.