LOA Meaning: Letter of Authorization Defined

A Letter of Authorization (LOA)—sometimes called a Letter of Agency—is a formal document that gives a service provider permission to act on your behalf. If you’re switching phone service providers or moving your communications to an internet-based phone system like Ooma, an LOA is an essential part of the process.

This guide explains the LOA meaning, why it matters, how it works, and what information is required to complete one, plus some of your common questions about LOAs.

What is an LOA?

A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is a legal document that grants a business permission to initiate, manage, or transfer services on your behalf. In the telecom world, an LOA is most commonly used when you want to port your existing business phone numbers from one carrier to another.

Put simply, it’s the document that confirms you are authorizing your new provider—such as Ooma—to request the release and transfer of your phone numbers.

Why is my new phone company asking for an LOA?

They need your OK to gain access to private customer information from your current phone service provider. Think of the LOA as a permission slip that allows the two companies to transfer your information back and forth. This is especially important if you want to keep your phone number and transfer (or port) it to the new provider.

Why is an LOA required?

Legally, you must formally declare when a third party can act on your behalf to make things easier, like transferring your number to a new phone provider. The earliest recorded example of an LOA is a 1925 Spanish document granting certain liberties.

LOA’s basically ensure protections with the following clauses:

1. Only authorized parties can make changes.
2. Carriers follow federal regulations.
3. The transfer process moves faster.

Your account contains personal information that could be sensitive, so a document like an LOA is essential to making sure you’re protected from a third party, like a communications company, ensuring they handle your information with care.

Who prepares the letter of authorization?

Generally, your new service provider will give you a form to fill out. Some companies, like Ooma, make it easy for you with an online form. It will ask for your name, address and phone number, as well as your current carrier’s name, business phone number and your account number. Make sure the info you enter on the form matches the information on file with your current phone company.

How an LOA works when switching to Ooma

Ooma makes the LOA process easy! Here’s how it goes:

1. Submit your LOA.
2. Ooma contacts your current provider.
3. Your numbers are ported.
4. You begin using Ooma.

Is an LOA legally binding?

Yes—an LOA is a legally binding document.

When don’t you need an LOA?

You don’t need an LOA when activating new numbers or adding new lines.

Do companies have a deadline to respond to a letter of agency?

The Code of Federal Regulations states that a telecommunications carrier must submit a preferred carrier change order on behalf of a subscriber within 60 days of receiving a letter of agency.

The good news is that the transfer of your account will probably happen in a few days, not two months. Keep your original service open until your new provider lets you know that the transfer is complete. Otherwise, you risk losing your old phone number. That’s because once an account is closed, your old provider can release your phone number to the pool of available numbers.

What’s a Letter of Agency?

A Letter of Agency is just a Letter of Authorization by a different name. The terms are interchangeable and mean the same thing.

Do LOAs need to be notarized?

No. You won’t have to track down a notary public to witness the signing of your letter of authorization.

Can Ooma port a phone number without an LOA?

No. Ooma needs your letter of authorization to contact your current phone service carrier and confirm your identity and phone number.

Ready to switch phone service providers?

If you are researching new phone carriers, consider Ooma before you make a final decision. Ooma has affordable plans for home phones, as well as business phone plans that include more than 100 features. Both are super easy to set up—just unbox, plug in and start calling!