Letter of Authorization (LOA)

This glossary was last updated on Aug. 30, 2024.

What is an LOA?

LOA means “Letter of Authorization,” or “Letter of Agency.” 

A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is a legal document that lets service providers and carriers port your phone numbers and telephony services from their old providers. In other words, LOAs help ensure your telephone numbers aren’t moving between carriers without permission from the authorized end user, (aka you). Think of it as a permission slip.

Because LOAs allow your new provider port numbers, they include critical information needed to transfer numbers. Traditionally, LOAs were paper documents that required an actual signature. However, the industry currently supports LOAs which may be generated from a variety of electronic and verbal methods.

When do you need an LOA?

When you switch to a new carrier, they need an LOA to access and transfer your information away from your old provider. 

Do LOAs have a deadline?

After you’ve submitted your LOA, carriers must submit a preferred carrier exchange within 60 days. However, most carriers will likely act on your request within a few days.

How Bandwidth is involved with LOAs

Bandwidth requires its customers to obtain an LOA for all port-in orders. While Bandwidth may not require that an LOA be included when submitting a port in order, we do require that our customers can provide an LOA to us when requested.

Terms related to LOA

• Local Number Portability (LNP)
• Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC)
• Port Order Number (PON)