Number porting is the process of transferring an active phone number from one service provider to another, often done by businesses for various reasons such as switching providers or scaling into new markets. The time it takes to port a number can vary depending on factors like number type, complexity of request, and country/region involved. Generally, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Automation can help speed up the process by reducing manual tasks, increasing efficiency, and streamlining information verification. Bandwidth's number porting API provides a programmatic way to automate the porting process, allowing for real-time insights and reduced human errors.