Switching from O2 to Vodafone? It's a straightforward process to keep your existing phone number.

Step 1: Get a PAC Code from O2

If you’d like to move your phone number from O2 to Vodafone, the first step is getting your Porting Authorisation Code (or PAC Code) from O2.

There are three ways to get a PAC Code from O2:

  1. Online: You can get a PAC Code from O2 by logging in to the My O2 website. Once you've logged in, go to My details > Thinking of switching from O2?.
  2. By Text Message: You can get an O2 PAC Code sent to you via SMS text message. Text PAC to 65075 to receive a PAC Code from O2.
  3. By Phone: You can get a PAC Code by calling O2. To do this, call them on:
    • For O2 Pay Monthly, dial 202 (or 0344 8090202 from any other phone)
    • For O2 Pay As You Go, dial 4445 (or 0344 8090222 from any other phone)
    You'll need to call during O2's opening hours (Monday-Friday 8am-9pm, Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 8am-6pm).

Here are some key things to know:

  • The PAC Code from O2 should consist of six numbers with TEL at the start (e.g. TEL 123 456).
  • Your PAC Code is valid for 30 days. If you don't use it during this time, the PAC Code will expire and you'll need to request a new one.
  • You shouldn't close your account at O2: it'll be closed automatically when your phone number is transferred to Vodafone.

Still in contract with O2? If so, you may need to pay an early exit fee on your bill from O2. To find out how much this would be, text INFO to 85075.

Don’t want to keep your O2 phone number? You can switch to Vodafone without taking your phone number with you. If you'd like to do this, get a STAC Code from O2 instead.

O2 STAC Code (Leave O2 Without Keeping Your Number)

If you’d like to leave O2 without keeping your phone number, you’ll need to request a STAC Code rather than a PAC Code. There are three ways to get a STAC Code from O2:

  1. Online: You can get a STAC Code from O2 by logging in to the My O2 website. After logging in, go to My details > Thinking of switching from O2?.
  2. By Text Message: You can get an O2 STAC Code sent to you via SMS text message. Text STAC to 75075 to receive a STAC Code from O2.
  3. By Phone: You can get a STAC Code by calling O2. Call them on:
    • For O2 Pay Monthly, dial 202 (or 0344 8090202 from any other phone)
    • For O2 Pay As You Go, dial 4445 (or 0344 8090222 from any other phone)
    You'll need to call during O2's opening hours (Monday-Friday 8am-9pm, Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 8am-6pm).

Once you’ve gotten your STAC Code from O2, the rest of the process for joining Vodafone remains the same.

Step 2: Order your new phone or SIM card from Vodafone's website

You should now order your new phone or SIM card using the Vodafone website. Please select the type of tariff you're intending to move to:

If you're looking for a SIM card from Vodafone, the following deals from £7/month are currently most popular:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly Cost
(may rise during contract)
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited6GB£7.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£8.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited50GB£10.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited150GB£25.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
6 months half price
24 months

For a full list of available tariffs and the latest Vodafone deals, please refer to this page on Vodafone's website.

Alternatively, if you're getting your Vodafone plan from a reseller, tap on their logo for more information:

Vodafone will assign you with a temporary phone number during the transition process. This will allow you to test out the service before you finally transfer your phone number to Vodafone.

Step 3: Give the PAC Code to Vodafone

Once your new phone or SIM card arrives from Vodafone, switch it on and make sure everything's working properly. If, for whatever reason, you need to return or change the handset or SIM card, it's best to do this before transferring your phone number.

Once you're happy to continue with the phone number transfer, contact Vodafone and provide them with your PAC Code from O2.

Your PAC Code should be entered on Vodafone's online form. Alternatively, you can give the PAC Code to Vodafone by calling 191 on your Vodafone handset. You can also call 03333 040 191 from any other phone.

If you have a STAC Code from O2 rather than a PAC Code, this can be provided to Vodafone in the exact same way.

Providing your PAC Code to Vodafone
The PAC Code should be submitted through a form on Vodafone's website.

Remember:

  • You must provide the PAC Code to Vodafone within 30 days of it being issued by O2. If the PAC Code has already expired, you'll need to return to step 1 and request a new PAC Code from O2.
  • O2 Pay As You Go customers: Try to use up your remaining credit as it can't be transferred to Vodafone.

Step 4: Phone Number Transferred (Next Working Day)

As long as you've submitted your PAC Code to Vodafone before 5pm, your phone number transfer will normally be scheduled for the next working day (Monday to Friday only, excluding English bank holidays). After 5pm, you'll need to wait one extra working day for your number to be transferred.

On the day of the transfer, you'll momentarily lose coverage on both mobile networks. When this happens, restart your handset on Vodafone. You should find that the Vodafone phone or SIM card will now associated with your original phone number.

  • If you see an error message (e.g. "SIM card registration failed"), this means it's time to restart your phone.
  • Once the phone number has been transferred to Vodafone, your account on O2 will automatically be closed. You'll receive a final bill from O2 for any outstanding charges.

Get the Latest Deals from Vodafone →

Any Other Questions?

In case of any problems during the transfer of your phone number, you should contact your new mobile network (Vodafone) with details of the problem.

If you have any other questions on using a PAC Code, please see my in-depth guide to transferring your phone number between networks. You can also read the comments below from other visitors to this website.

← Full Article: "PAC Codes - How to transfer your mobile number when switching networks"

Your Comments 1,963 so far

We'd love to hear your comments on transferring a phone number from O2 to Vodafone. The comments below are from people who've made the same transfer. You can add your own comments here.

To view all 1963 comments about transferring a phone number, please visit the main PAC Code article.

  • Loraine Mottershead said:

    I have bought my new phone from Vodafone am leaving O2. I have got the pac code but I want to tell O2 I’m leaving – how do I do that

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Loraine,
      Thanks for your comment. There’s no additional need to tell O2 that you’re leaving their network – simply asking for a PAC Code and using it provides your notice for leaving O2.
      Hope this helps,
      Ken

  • mark wilson said:

    I have 2 phones, one on Vodafone, 1 year in and 1 on O2, contract has lapsed, so free to end.

    Trouble is my O2 phone number is my primary number, so the question is can I port this number to my 2 year Vodafone contract phone as my primary number ?, replacing the Vodafone number mid contract ?

  • Lorraine said:

    Hi I transferred from 02 to vodaphone today and although I can send & receive texts, I cannot receive calls! Very frustrating please help!

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Lorraine,
      Sorry to hear about the problems after transferring your phone number from O2 to Vodafone. It’s very strange you’re able to receive incoming text messages but not incoming phone calls (normally, if there’s a problem with the porting, both things should be affected at the same time). Either way, your best bet would probably be to talk to Vodafone Customer Services – you can reach them on 191 (or 03333 040 191 from a non-Vodafone handset).
      Ken

  • Liam said:

    Hi I’m having the same issue as a couple of people on the comments.
    The transfer from 02 to vodafone, my phone can dial out but nobody can dial me or text me, the transfer date was today but I’m without full service on my old 02 SIM and on my new Vodafone sim, I’ve called Vodafone several times to be promised different things and told different stories but as yet I’m still without a useful phone. Do you know if keeping the phone switched off is useful as one Vodafone representative told me it was my fault for having the phone on . . . I’d never been told to switch it off

  • Paula said:

    Hi ken we are trying to change our phone from O2 to vodafone and can ring out but not getting any texts or incoming calls they’ve said they will send text to how to solve it lol when u can’t get texts funny is there something you’ve got to do with your phone when it’s been switched over. We’ve got a iPhone 6 plus, many thanks.

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Paula,
      Thanks for your comment. On the day of the transfer, it’s fairly normal for this to happen (it means Vodafone has already updated your number on their network but O2 are still to release it). If you’re still having this problem after the scheduled number transfer date, you’ll need to contact Vodafone Customer Services (dial 191 from your Vodafone handset) – they should be able to investigate this for you.
      Ken

  • Jem said:

    Hi Ken, I ported my very nice number from O2 to Vodafone mid Jan. Since I have not been able to receive any calls from any other provider or landline other than vodafone and no texts except from Vodafone. It has been very difficult 8 weeks with what amounts to a zero service. I am able to text and dial out and my nice number is shown as the caller, it just dosent work the other way. I have been in almost daily contact with vodafone to get them to resolve the issue, they havent I just go from one tech to another and empty promises that it will be resolved. I can hardly believe that this is a strange and never been encountered problem in the whole of the world. I have come to end of tether and have complained to Ombudsman. Thats the background. If I should go down the route of severing my contract and requesting my PAC number is it likely I would have the same problem with another provider…. has my number/code been scrambled!

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Jem,

      I’m really sorry to hear your experiences about transferring a phone number from O2 to Vodafone. It’s a rare problem as most PAC Code transfers happen without any issue. Was your phone number originally issued by O2 or was it issued by another company? Your phone number will come from the block of numbers issued to your first mobile network (see the full list on OFCOM’s website). For instance: 07734 is O2, 07735 is Three, 07741 is Vodafone, etc. Then, somewhere along the line, there’ll be a database of phone numbers transferred to a different mobile network. For instance, the database might say that 07734 555 555 is now on Vodafone rather than O2. The problem with your incoming calls & text messages likely originates from that database.

      Either way, Vodafone is the responsible party which should resolve this issue. I hope the issue can be solved promptly for you, with the involvement of the ombudsman. Please do get in touch and let me know how you get on with Vodafone.

      Ken

  • Aidan said:

    Hello, I have currently switched from a blackberry from o2 to a HTC one on vodafone, I transferred my number using a PAC code, I was told to turn my new phone off from the times between 11am and 4pm today, I turned on my new HTC one on at half past 4 and I am receiving no signal, I hope you can offer advise

  • micheal said:

    i have a business contract with vodafone that has been up and running for a month now but i am slightly concerned that the people who had my o2 payg number are still using it is there any way i can get the calls diverted from that number to my contract as i dont keep all the one off business numbers on my phone as there are just to many numbers?!

  • anna said:

    I am switching number from O2 sim to vodaphone
    they said i should turn off phone at 11am and turn it on at 4pm and the vodafone sim should have carried over my previous number

    it is now 8.30 and it still doesn't ring when i ring it and it says 'no service'

    ANY ADVICE? THANKS

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Anna,

      When you call your number, does it still go to your old phone? The switchover may have been delayed or something – from personal experience I find that it usually happens overnight.

      Ken

  • Justian said:

    Hi,
    just in the prosses of getting a business phone but would like the number of my personal phone to be the business number, so it would just be a case of swapping the numbers around. I still have 15 months on contract with O2 on my personal phone, asking for a PAC code would they require me to cancel the O2 contract.

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Justian,

      You should talk to O2 Customer Services about your request – switching phone numbers between two O2 accounts is outside the PAC Code system. This is only for number transfers between different networks.

      Ken

      • Justian replied:

        Hi Ken,
        I probably wasn't that clear with my explanation. I was switching my(current) O2 Number to my(new) Voda phone, which I would need a PAC code for. I was just wondering wether requesting a PAC Code the contract would have to be cancelled, even though I would still want to keep the O2 contract, but with tthe new Voda phone number.

        • Ken replied:

          Hi Justian,

          I don't think the PAC Code legislation specifies anything along these lines… the best thing to do is to speak to O2 Customer Services and see whether it's possible to arrange. Do let us know what they say!

          Ken

  • Oliver said:

    I currently have a O2 pay monthly that I want to cancel but keep the number. I also have an existing vodafone contract that I want to transfer the O2 number to. Is this possible and what would it involve?

  • billy said:

    can someone help!!???
    i requested my pac code form 02 to take over from my dads old contract on vodafone. i received the code and gave it to vodafone, and my contract with 02 terminated. I put my vodafone sim in my phone but its coming up saying 'invalid sim card'. why is this? im now stuck with no phone. any info very much appreciated .

  • Nick said:

    Hi Ken

    I am buying a new iPhone 4 from vodafone, but keeping my existing iPhone 3 on 02 for my son to use however I'd like to transfer the existing iPhone 3 number that I use for work to the iPhone 4 and get a new number for the iPhone 3

    Is this possible?

    TIA nick

      • Nick replied:

        Many thanks for that Ken, but I forgot to mention that the 02 contract is still live for a few months yet. How would thatvwork?

        • Ken replied:

          Good question… you want to keep the O2 contract going but you want to transfer the contract onto a new number whilst swapping your existing number to Vodafone? I don't know about that… I think O2 Customer Services might be your best bet here. Sorry, I don't know the answer to that one!

          By the way, have a look through my iPhone comparison tool (launched yesterday evening)… there are a few Vodafone deals there which aren't available through the main Vodafone website. They might interest you 🙂

          Ken

  • Rob said:

    Hi

    I’m in the process of dropping O2 because of their 500MB cap. I plan to get a Voda £20/mth iPhone SIM, cut it down to MicroSIM size and put it in the iPhone 4.

    Voda ask you for the PAC code when you’re placing the order. Is this likely to cause me some downtime between them activating the code and me receiving / using the SIM?

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Rob,

      I’m not sure. If Vodafone start the porting process before you recieve your new phone/SIM there is the possibility your number could be transferred over to the new SIM whilst that SIM is still in the post. I’d give them a call and enquire.

      Cheers

      Ken

    • keona replied:

      my boyfriend is experiencing problems transfering from o2. the reason hes moving was the free phone he wanted. he gave them his pac coes and is still waiting 4 days later for his number to transfer, he has now been left without a phone he can use. good luck

Leave a Reply