Step 1: Identifying a provisioning issue

Switched and dedicated toll-free numbers have inherent similarities. Either variety can die or lose its way during the process of being activated by your carrier. If a dedicated toll-free number is being migrated from another carrier, or is new and is slated to be activated, and the line suddenly fails, your first call is to the person at your carrier who handles your orders. You need to speak to this person first to determine whether the toll-free number has finished the provisioning process and whether the carrier sees it as active.

There are quite a few situations that can prevent a toll-free number from being activated. Until the number shows completed in your carrier's system, the customer service and troubleshooting people can't help you.

Remember Dedicated toll-free numbers must also be programmed in your PBX or phone system, especially if you use DNIS to route your inbound calls. If you made any upgrades to your phone system, the programming might have been lost. Check your phone system and confirm that all the routing is intact there before opening a ticket with your carrier. You might be able to find and resolve the problem yourself.

Tip When you establish that the problem might be a provisioning issue, you need to contact the provisioner. The provisioner can confirm whether the toll-free number is still in the provisioning process. If the problem turns out to be a provisioning issue, you will have to work through the issue with the provisioner's assistance.

If you can't get ahold of the provisioner, do leave that person a voicemail message that explains the situation. Make sure you remember to leave your contact information. Then open a trouble ticket with the carrier's customer care department. You should have your provisioner check into the toll-free number when he or she picks up the voicemail, because you might save a lot of time. After you contact the provisioner, head to "Step 2: Redialing your dedicated toll-free number."

If your toll-free number had already been activated and was passing traffic prior to the problem cropping up, you can proceed directly to Step 2, as well.