Can I Keep My Phone Number if I Switch Carriers
Find out how to switch to your new provider
Getting a new phone is exciting. Having a new phone number, however, can be a chip of a chore.
For starters, y'all'll probably need to text anybody in your address volume to tell them you've got a new number. Unless you lot regularly cull your contacts list, this will almost certainly get you a few replies from people y'all hoped yous'd lost bear upon with.
The good news is you can avert all that hassle by transferring your existing number to your new phone. This is chosen porting your mobile number.
To keep your mobile number and transfer it to another network, you demand to request what'due south called a Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) from your old provider and so let your new provider know the code. They will and so schedule the switch.
Read on for a stride-by-pace guide to keeping your mobile number and how to apply a PAC lawmaking.
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How practise I transfer my mobile number?
1. Telephone call or text your current provider to request a mobile PAC lawmaking
A PAC code should be given to you lot immediately over the phone or within two hours by text. This time frame is stipulated by the telecommunications regulator. And so if you don't go it, you've got cause to mutter.
To forbid someone stealing your number, networks will want to verify your identity. And so expect to be asked some questions and take the relevant information to-manus that'll help you to answer quickly.
PAC codes are normally made up of nine digits and volition exist valid for 30 days. If time runs out earlier you've had a chance to utilise the code you were supplied with, you'll need to request a new PAC from your existing mobile provider.
Calls to networks to get your PAC code are charged at standard rates.
If the above seems like a flake of a hassle and you only desire a clean switch without having to speak to your existing provider, new government regulations have made the whole procedure a lot easier.
Text to Switch is elementary. All you need to do is text PAC to 65075 and you'll go your code directly abroad, you don't even have to make a phone call.
Want to find out more than? Check out our handy Text to Switch guide.
ii. Contact your new network and give them the PAC code
When you provide your PAC lawmaking to a new network, the cancellation process will brainstorm automatically with your old network.
Once your new network has the lawmaking, information technology will arrive touch with the network you're leaving to tell them about the number transfer and will schedule the switch.
This will normally be for the next working twenty-four hour period. In the interim, proceed your sometime SIM card in your telephone so you can go along to employ information technology to brand calls and ship texts.
If a weekend gets in the mode, the process of porting your number may take longer.
But past and big, if you supply a carrier with a PAC Lawmaking on Friday, Sabbatum or Sunday, yous can await the number transfer to be completed on the following Tuesday.
3. Check the SIM works in your telephone and the new number has ported beyond
To do this, just place the SIM in your handset and make a phone call. Or ask someone to requite you a band.
Alternatively, if yous're not fussed about keeping your telephone number and desire to switch with a fresh start, text 75075 and you'll get your Service Termination Authorisation Code (STAC). This ends your contract and leaves you free to switch to a new provider.
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Contact numbers to become your PAC lawmaking from your network
Text to switch isn't for everyone. Then if you lot'd rather speak to your provider on the phone, you tin e'er give them a phone call. We've included a range of options, depending on whether yous're ringing from a landline, your mobile phone or from overseas.
Yous can as well get information near switching networks, and Text to Switch, past texting 85075.
Get your PAC code from EE
-
Call 150 from an EE mobile phone
-
Call 079 5396 6250 from any other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC code from Three
- Call 333 from a Three telephone
- Telephone call 033 3338 1001 from any other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC code from O2
- Call 202 from an O2 telephone
- Phone call 034 4809 0222 from any other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC lawmaking from Virgin Mobile
- Call 789 from a Virgin Mobile phone
- Phone call 034 5600 0789 from whatever other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC code from Vodafone
- Phone call 191 from a Vodafone phone
- Call 033 3304 0191 from any other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC lawmaking from BT Mobile
- Call 150 from a BT Mobile phone
- Call 0800 800 150 from any other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC code from Plusnet Mobile
- Phone call 500 from a Plusnet Mobile telephone
- Telephone call 080 0013 2632 from whatever other phone (mobile or landline)
Become your PAC code from ID Mobile
- Call 7777 from an ID Mobile phone
- Call 033 3003 7777 from whatever other phone (mobile or landline)
Become your PAC code from Tesco Mobile
- Call 4455 from a Tesco Mobile phone
- Phone call 034 5301 4455 from whatever other phone (mobile or landline)
Get your PAC code from Sky Mobile
- Call 033 0041 2639 from Heaven Mobiles, phones registered to other networks and landlines
Become your PAC code from giffgaff
giffgaff doesn't operate customer back up helplines. However, you can become a PAC code from giffgaff by mailing them using giffgaff's contact form.
VOXI
VOXI is aimed at under 30s. So it's no surprise that you can but contact the network via Twitter, spider web chat and Facebook Messenger. To get your PAC code, head to VOXI's contact page.
SMARTY
SMARTY doesn't have any client service helplines. To get your PAC lawmaking, log into your SMARTY business relationship.
Lebara
Band 5588 from your Lebara mobile. Rates are charged at 19p per call.
Ring 020 7031 0791 from all other networks or from your landline.
Ecotalk
Ring 033 3800 5500 from any UK mobile or landline.
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Common questions when transferring your mobile telephone number
Even so got some queries about keeping your phone number? Nosotros field some of the most frequently asked questions in this section.
Will I lose service?
The porting procedure is designed to minimise the time y'all'll be without a service.
After you've supplied your new network with the PAC lawmaking, your old number will remain active. That means y'all'll notwithstanding receive calls and texts.
When the number transfer is actually beingness done, still, your service may get down for a very brusque time. It's commonly a few minutes.
When that happens, information technology should merely be a case of turning off and restarting your handset for total service to return.
Tin I transfer a disconnected number?
You cannot transfer disconnected numbers, so do not abolish your existing contract if y'all wish to port your mobile number.
What happens if my PAC lawmaking expires?
In the event that you don't get around to using your PAC code within the 30-day deadline for usage, there's nothing to worry near.
Simply you will have to contact the network you're leaving to request another PAC code, which you can then apply to transfer your number.
How practice I transfer my apps, music and games to my new phone?
If you've read the walkthrough above, yous'll now know what y'all've got to do to port your existing number to the network you're joining.
Just, of class, when buying a new phone you're probably going to transfer all your apps, games, movies, music and settings from your old phone too.
That'll hateful making a back-up of your current phone, and so setting up your new telephone using the back-up.
To aid you, we talk y'all through the procedure with our one-stop guides:
- Backing upwards information from an iPhone.
- Backing upwards information from an Android telephone
How do I transfer my contacts to my new phone?
Inputting hundreds of contact details into a new phone is no-one'due south idea of fun.
To make certain that's not a plight that affects you, it'southward critical that you back up your contacts that are on your sometime SIM earlier you outset using your new i.
The kickoff step is to check whether your contacts are saved on your SIM or on your telephone.
The sure burn style to exercise this is to simply accept your SIM out. If y'all tin still see your contacts, it means they're saved on your phone. Tin't see them? That means they're on the SIM.
Assuming they're saved on the phone that you lot'll no longer be using, you'll need to dorsum them up. We'd recommend using a deject storage service. Or, if you've got an Android telephone, yous might be able to utilise a microSD carte.
In the upshot that they're stored on the phone and you're keeping your old telephone and only switching to a new SIM only deal on a new network, you don't need to exercise anything. Only input the new SIM in your phone and your contacts will be there.
If they're stored on your SIM, you'll demand to transfer them then they're stored on your telephone.
This is easy enough to do. Just head to the settings section of your handset and you should find an option to 'copy contacts' or 'import contacts'.
I've heard I can request my PAC code by text message. Is that right?
Information technology is. Every bit we mentioned earlier, equally of 1st July 2019, you tin request your PAC code just by sending a text message to 65075.
The telecoms regulator has introduced the 'Text to Switch' system with the intention of streamlining the switching process.
The key advantage is that you'll no longer have to phone your provider and speak to a sales rep from the network you lot're leaving, whose task information technology is to persuade y'all to stay.
Need some more than help switching network? You'll find lots of easy-to-follow, crystal-clear advice on our guide to irresolute network.
Porting your mobile number when ownership online
If you are buying your new mobile online, you should still be able to port your mobile number using the following elementary steps:
- Request your PAC code from your existing network and make a note of it.
- Select a mobile handset and network tariff combination that suits you lot and order online.
- You will exist sent your phone once y'all have passed whatsoever necessary credit checks.
- Get continued by following the instructions that come with your new mobile.
- Once connected, you will have a temporary mobile number.
- Contact your new network or service provider quoting your temporary number, the number you wish to Port and the PAC provided by your onetime network.
- Your existing number will then be transferred inside a few working days, sometimes even the next working day.
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"The mobile renew on both occasions I've placed my club. From placing my order to irresolute networks and collecting my phone has been less than 24 hours and once again it'southward been cheaper for the verbal aforementioned service offered from Three and Vodaphone do themselves. Highly recommend never had a problem and it's very quick, cheaper and hassle free."
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Source: https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/porting-your-mobile-phone-number/
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