Whether you're joining EE or leaving for another network, it's a straightforward process to keep your existing phone number.
If you're leaving EE to join another network, or if you're leaving another network in order to join EE, it's super easy to keep your current phone number.
All you'll need to do is to request a PAC Code. It's totally free and the entire process of transferring your phone number should normally take no longer than one working day.
For detailed instructions, please choose the option that best applies to you:
- I'm leaving EE and joining another network
Transfer your EE phone number onto a different mobile network. - I'm joining EE from another network
Transfer your phone number from another mobile network to EE. - I'm upgrading my EE phone or SIM card
Transfer your phone number from one EE account to another EE account.
Leaving EE For Another Network
If you're leaving EE to join another mobile network, you can take your phone number with you using a PAC Code from EE.
There are three ways to request an EE PAC Code:
- Online: You can get a PAC Code from EE by logging in to the My EE website. Once you've logged in, go to Menu > Account settings > Leave EE.
- By Text Message: You can get an EE PAC Code sent to you via SMS text message. Text PAC to 65075 to receive a PAC Code from EE.
- By Phone: You can get a PAC Code by calling EE. To do this, call them on 150 using your EE handset. Alternatively, dial 07953 966 250 from any other phone. You'll need to call during EE's opening hours (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 8am-6pm).
It's always free to get a PAC Code from EE, and it's your legal entitlement to be able to recieve one. If any cancellation fees apply to your EE contract, they should also tell you what this will be at the same time as sending you a PAC Code.
Once you have your EE PAC Code, you'll need to provide it to your new mobile network operator. For detailed instructions, please select your new mobile network from the following dropdown menu:
Don’t want to keep your EE phone number? You can request a STAC Code from EE instead.
EE STAC Code (Leave EE Without Keeping Your Number)
If you’d like to leave EE without keeping your current phone number, you’ll need to request an EE STAC Code rather than a PAC Code. There are three ways to get a STAC Code from EE:
- Online: You can get a STAC Code from EE by logging in to the My EE website. After logging in, go to Menu > Account settings > Leave EE.
- By Text Message: You can get an EE STAC Code sent to you via SMS text message. Text STAC to 75075 to receive a STAC Code from EE.
- By Phone: You can get a STAC Code by calling EE. Call them on 150 using your EE handset. Alternatively, dial 07953 966 250 from any other phone. You'll need to call during EE's opening hours (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 8am-6pm).
Once you’ve gotten your STAC Code, the rest of the process for joining your new mobile network remains the same. You can choose your new provider from the dropdown menu above for instructions on how to use your EE STAC Code.
Joining EE From Another Network
If you're joining EE from a different mobile network, you should ask your old mobile network to provide you with a PAC Code. The PAC Code will allow you to transfer your phone number to EE.
After getting a PAC Code from your old network, you should order your new phone or SIM card directly from EE's website. For more information, please select the type of tariff you're wanting to move to:
For a full list of the latest EE deals, please see this page on EE's website.
Get the Latest Deals from EE →
If you're buying your new EE plan through a reseller, tap on their logo for more information:
When Your New Phone Arrives...
Once your new phone or SIM card arrives from EE, switch it on and make sure everything's working correctly. If, for whatever reason, you need to return or change your handset or SIM card, it's best to do this before transferring your phone number.
Once you're happy to continue with the transfer, your PAC Code should be submitted through EE's online form. Alternatively, you can give the PAC Code to EE by calling 150 on your EE handset. You can also call 07953 966 250 from any other phone.
If your PAC Code is provided before 5.30pm, your phone number transfer will normally be scheduled for the next working day (Monday to Friday only, excluding English bank holidays). For PAC Codes submitted after the 5.30pm cut-off, you'll need to wait one extra working day for your number to be transferred.
Sometimes, you’ll be given the option to provide a PAC Code at the same time as when you order your new phone or SIM card. We’d typically recommend against providing your PAC Code at this stage. Instead, waiting for the new phone or SIM card to arrive from EE first will allow you to make sure it’s working correctly and will make the process of cancelling or returning much easier.
Upgrading Your Plan On EE
If you're simply upgrading to a newer handset or tariff, it's not necessary to get an EE PAC Code. You can simply upgrade via EE's website. For more information, please select the type of EE price plan you're planning to move to:
More Information
For more information, please see the EE website. You can also read our full guide to using a PAC Code. This answers a lot of frequently asked questions and provides some additional tips on transferring your phone number.
For discussion, please see the comments below on this page. They show other people's experiences using an EE PAC Code or moving their phone number from another network to EE.
Gary said:
Hi i have just got a new 12 pro and was previously with EE (still am for a month and a half), i purchased a VOXI sim card because of poor customer service.
I wanted to use my voxi sim until the change of number on the 15th of December, is this do able or will it not work until i have reached the date i rewuested my number to transfer to?
i wanted to duel sim it and ask EE to Esim my number and use the temporary number until it changes?
Ken replied:
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can still use your VOXI SIM card before you transfer your phone number over from EE. You’ll just be using it with the phone number that VOXI have assigned you. You can then use the PAC Code at a later date.
With regards to dual SIM, you can ask EE to transfer your plan onto an eSIM as you mention in your message. There’s more information here on how to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Gree said:
Hi Ken, I am about to sign up to a new deal provided by a third party, both this contract and my current one are with EE. EE have told me that to keep my current number I will have to request a PAC code, transfer it to another network, then repeat the process back to EE on the new phone/contract. This seems a little long-winded, is this the correct process, or is there an easier way?
Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Gree,
Thanks for your comment. Technically speaking, there’s no reason why EE couldn’t process this internally within their own systems. However, yes, it’s often the case they’ll ask you to port out to another network and then back in with a PAC Code. It’s a major faff but the reason for it is because they often have cheaper deals for new customers who join through a third-party retailer. Those deals are offered on the basis that they’re bringing new customers to the network and aren’t usually offered to existing EE customers. By porting out to another network and then rejoining as a new customer, you classify as a new EE customer rather than as an existing EE customer upgrading to a new plan.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Raymond Lee said:
My contract with EE ends on June 26, 2020. I have to give notice to EE on the 27th of May 2020. I wish to move to sky mobile. On what day do I text for a pac code and not incur any penalties.
Ken replied:
Hi Raymond,
Thanks for your comment. Ideally, I’d time your switch for the 26th June or for any time after that if you want to avoid an early exit fee from EE. With regards to obtaining your PAC Code, you can get one at any time without incurring any charges. It’s valid for 30 days once you request it, with exit charges only being triggered when you actually use the code to move to another network.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lianne said:
Hi,
I got my PAC code from EE put it into Three’s and chose today to switch…it hasn’t happened yet and it’s now 7.10pm – what time of day do numbers typically move across? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Lianne,
Your phone number should normally move over between 9am and 5pm. If it hasn’t, it’s possible the port might have been delayed. You should contact your new mobile network to enquire about this (so in this case, you should contact Three). You may also be eligible to receive porting delay compensation.
Ken
S said:
I was told by EE that I would need to do a triangle port as I was changing contracts using a third party provider – I’ve managed to do one change from EE to a new provider and I’m trying to switch back to EE – do I need a different PAC code? Is it of one time use only?
All help gratefully received
Ken replied:
Hi S,
I assume you’re porting out from EE to a different mobile network, and then porting from that network back in to EE? If so, then yes, you’ll need to obtain a new PAC Code from the other mobile network to move back to EE. You can simply follow the instructions in our PAC Code Finder form to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Andrew Taylor said:
Hi Ken
I ported my number from EE to Sky when I got my iPhone 11, my number works with calls but iMessage and FaceTime do not have my number as a choice – just the number that came with the sim when the phone was delivered. I’ve called Sky twice and they eventually told me to call Apple. Three call to the helpline and one visit to an Apple shop later, I’m no further forward. I’ve tried all the suggestions both Apple and Sky have made, do you have the fix?
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can resolve this issue by following the instructions here 🙂
Hope this helps,
Ken
graham said:
Hello – I started on Orange pay as you go back in 2001 with an old nokia 3310 – that phone became a nokia 1800 still on orange pay as you go and has now ended up on EE – same number all that time and a replacement SIM when the old one stopped working… always ‘pay as you go’. It’s an expensive year if it needs a top-up of £30!
The phone is used very infrequently and today I received a message from EE/BT amounting to ‘use it or lose it’. Fair enough.
That did prompt me to look at what EE charge and at 35p per min and 15p text, even though very low usage, your comparison chart on:
https://kenstechtips.com/index.php/compare-pay-as-you-go-networks
is making a switch to O2 look like better value.
I want to continue with the old phone as is but just change provider from EE to O2, but on your article about using PAC codes it says:
“After getting a PAC Code from your old network, the next step is ordering your new phone or SIM card from your new mobile network.”
Am I going to need a new SIM from O2 (is that even possible for such an old style phone!?) or should it be possible just to switch networks with existing phone and SIM?
Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Graham,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you’ll need to order a new SIM card from O2, which can slot inside your existing Nokia 1800 providing it isn’t locked to Orange/EE. You’ll be glad to know that it’s still possible to use standard-sized SIM cards (also known as Mini-SIM/2FF) – just make sure you pop it out at the outermost groove when your O2 SIM card arrives in the post. Once you’ve activated your O2 SIM card, you can use the PAC Code to move your phone number from EE to O2.
One thing that’s worth noting is you won’t be able to move your credit from EE to O2. For this reason, it might be worth waiting if you have a large balance on your EE SIM card – it’s best to try and use this up before moving to O2.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Georgina McKavanagh said:
Hi,
I’ve got my PAC code from three, but when I go through the transfer number over form on EE it says it’s wrong. I’ve quadruple checked it, and I know it’s right. I don’t understand why this would happen.
Ken replied:
Hi Georgina,
I believe your PAC Code from Three should start with HTG and be followed by six numbers (e.g. HTG 123 456). Is the PAC Code you have from Three in this format? If so, I’d consider getting in touch with EE Customer Services on 150 to let them know and to see if they’re able to accept this PAC Code for you.
Ken
SB said:
Hi,
I am currently on EE and my contract is coming to an end so I have decided to keep my phone and get myself into a sim only contract via plusnet.
My PAC code expires on 25th September.
I ordered my new SIM card yesterday via the Plusnet website and provided my PAC code. I have not received any further information about my order so I got in touch with their online chat help team. They said my order is “pending” and can’t tell me if I will have my SIM card by the deadline of 25th Sep.
I am trying to avoid being charged for a further month by EE, but now I don’t know what is going on. I thought Plusnet would manage to sort everything within a few days which is why I left it until yesterday to order my SIM card.
Do you know what might be going on?
Ken replied:
Hi SB,
Sadly, I don’t know what’s going on with the connection to Plusnet – this is something they’ll need to check on as it’s an account-specific issue. However, you shouldn’t need to worry about EE charging you for another full month (your final bill should be pro-rated based on the number of days you were connected to the EE network). Similarly, if your PAC Code expires on the 25th, you can request a new one from EE the same day.
Ken
Beth said:
Hi Ken,
My phone contract with EE has ended and I have got a PAC code as I would like to take out a contract with O2 and keep my old number. I have found a very good deal on mobiles.co.uk for a pay monthly contract with O2 however I am unsure how I can use my PAC code and keep my number if I am not buying from O2 directly?
Thanks for your help 🙂
Beth
Ken replied:
Hi Beth,
Thanks for your comment. You can follow the exact same instructions, except from that you’ll be ordering your mobile phone here from Mobiles.co.uk. Once your new O2 mobile phone arrives, you can submit your PAC Code here on the O2 website.
Alternatively, some retailers also allow you to submit a PAC Code during the order process. Typically, however, I’d advise waiting until after the new phone arrives so you can know you’ll definitely have access to it, you can make sure it works correctly, that you’re getting satisfactory coverage from O2, etc.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Roge said:
Hi I am transferring from EE to O2 gave my pac code to O2 I am now using my number on O2 and EE some texts text are going to EE & Some to O2.
It’s driving me mad what can I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Roge,
Are you still having problems with this? You’ll sometimes encounter this issue on the day of the phone number transfer but it should normally resolve itself fairly quickly after that. Alternatively, if the problem is on iMessage and FaceTime, follow the instructions here to fix it.
Ken
Misba said:
I have recently moved from EE to O2 and provided O2 with PAC code however O2 are refusing to transfer number as claiming contract been running for a couple of months and should have been completed within 30 days.
Just checked all O2 terms and conditions and nowhere does it state this. Also EE researched and said that should not be the case. So still waiting for O2 to sort issue?? Poor service from O2, should have never left EE
Ken replied:
Hi Misba,
Thanks for your comment, and sorry to hear about the issues using your PAC Code at O2. There shouldn’t be anything to stop you from using a PAC Code regardless of how many months you’ve already had your contract with O2 (i.e. it should be possible to use the PAC Code at any time). Were to able to get any further, getting O2 to accept your PAC Code?
Ken
Charlie said:
Hi, I’m going on holiday to Turkey and I want to be able to use my sim abroad so I’ve got a Voxi one. I’m currently with EE and I just want to use my Voxi sim for when I am in turkey, if I transfer my number from my EE sim to my Voxi one, am I then able, when back from turkey and done using the Voxi sim, go back to using my EE sim with the same number. Or is there another way to use my Voxi sim for holiday and then go back to my EE sim without losing or changing numbers and keeping everything like normal?
Ken replied:
Hi Charlie,
Thanks for your comment. I definitely wouldn’t recommend going through the PAC Code process in this case! If you do so, it will automatically close the account on your old network (EE) – it sounds like this isn’t what you’d like to happen for a short term trip abroad.
Instead, I’d recommend using EE’s call forwarding feature to have the incoming calls forwarded to your VOXI number. You’ll need to make sure you leave your EE SIM card in the UK, or you’ll be charged international roaming rates for call forwarding in Turkey. Alternatively, you could leave a message on your voicemail letting people know your temporary phone number.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Wayne Ridley said:
My Ee contract is coming to an end and I need an upgrade. I contacted the upgrade department but they couldn’t match a deal (still with ee) but through a 3rd party. Will i be able to keep my number?
Ken replied:
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for your comment. I believe EE sometimes offer discounted deals through third-party retailers, but technically speaking, I think they’re designed for new customers to EE. For this reason, it might be necessary for you to port your phone number out to another network before porting it back in to EE. If you need to do this, you can order a free Pay As You Go SIM card from a different mobile network here.
Ken
Xiyue Zhuang said:
I’ve been trying to get a PAC code from EE via text, but every time I request it Three sends a PAC code to me instead even though I sent it using my EE number. This is just really stupid. Will I have to call them instead?
Ken replied:
Hi Xiyue,
That’s really strange! To confirm, you’re sending the text message using your EE SIM card as opposed to your Three SIM card? If so, I’m not sure why this might be happening. However, you can side-step this issue by requesting your PAC Code online from your EE account area.
Ken
John DUNN said:
Hi Ken, I have moved from EE to VOXI and transferred my number. VOXI has confirmed the port was successful but people on. EE can’t call or text me. I can call them and all other networks I know of seem fine both ways. How can I fix this?
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. It sounds like there might be a case of a “split port” here (where the records linking phone numbers to networks haven’t yet been updated yet on all mobile networks). If the problem doesn’t solve itself within one day of the phone number transfer happening, I’d recommend getting in touch with your new provider (in this case, VOXI) and asking them to take a look into this for you.
Ken
Keela said:
I currently have a personal EE contract but want to take my number to a Vodafone business contract, can I transfer from personal to business?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Keela,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, absolutely, you can move your phone number over from a consumer contract onto a business contract. There is no requirement for the new contract to be held in the same name as your original contract.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Casey said:
I have a contract with ee that’s still running. Iv now got a second one and a new phone still with ee. Will they still transfer the number to the new one even though il still owe money on the old one? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Casey,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, EE should still be able to transfer this phone number for you. However, it will trigger the closure of your old account and you’ll be sent a final bill with any applicable early termination fees.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Aimee said:
I requested my PAC code from EE and then filled out the necessary form for o2 to find out that EE had in fact, given me the WRONG PAC code, it wasn’t even a qualifying code which I was not aware of.
Ken replied:
Hi Aimee,
That sounds like poor form from EE. Did they give you a nine-digit code (three letters followed by six numbers), or was the code in a totally different format? Sometimes, they mistake it for a PUK code (Personal Unblocking Code) which serves a very different process from PAC Codes.
Ken
B said:
I want to transfer to ID from EE. I have sent a disconnection request to EE, so my contract will end once this final month is up. I have obtained the PAC code from EE, and I was told I have to use this within 28 days otherwise my contact with them will automatically restart and I’ll have to wait another month. However, I am currently abroad – so I want to buy an ID sim (a sim only monthly deal), use the PAC code to transfer my number to the ID sim, and only later put the sim in my phone once I return home. Is this possible, or would I have to put the new ID sim in my phone first to activate it or something, before using the PAC code?
Ken replied:
Hi B,
Thanks for your comment. You’re right in saying that a PAC Code is only valid for 30 days (which means you’ll need to give it to your new mobile network several days before this to ensure your phone number is moved over during this time). If it expires, you’ll need to request a new PAC Code from EE.
With regards to your iD Mobile SIM card, it should be possible to transfer the phone number to it providing it has been activated. However, I don’t know enough about the specifics of how iD Mobile works (e.g. whether the SIM cards are automatically activated, or whether it depends on you putting the SIM card in your phone first). This is probably something best answered by iD Mobile Customer Services!
Ken
ChrisB54 said:
I am currently with EE, but their upgrades are expensive. I could purchase the phone I require from mobile phones direct or another supplier, but the best deals are with EE, and as you know you can’t keep your number should you purchase one of these deals. However, the call handler at EE said that I could purchase a phone from a supplier with an appropriate EE deal, but then buy a cheap sim with another provider, using my PAC Code to keep my number. I should then obtain another PAC Code from my cheap sim provider in order to transfer back to EE to obtain my deal/tariff. How could I ensure that I get put on the EE tariff that I purchased?
Ken replied:
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your comment. I actually find it really frustrating regarding the policy that mobile networks have regarding transferring a phone number internally within their network. There’s actually no technical reason why EE couldn’t move your phone number directly within their network. It’s just the case that they don’t want to do this.
Essentially, the mobile networks offer discounted/subsidised deals through Mobile Phones Direct or similar retailers in order to attract new customers to their network (they also pay out a commission to that retailer). What they don’t want to do is to pay out the discount/commission to an upgrading customer who isn’t actually new to their network (hence the barriers they put in the way of you transferring your phone number).
There are generally two ways around this:
(1) If you get your issue escalated enough times within customer support, they’ll often “find a way” to move your phone number to that new contract. In practice, this can be a difficult and frustrating experience.
(2) You can order yourself a free Pay As You Go SIM card from any other network (e.g. from ASDA Mobile, giffgaff or similar). Use your EE PAC Code to transfer your phone number to that network. Once that’s happened, you can request a PAC Code again to move your phone number straight back over to EE.
Ken
sharon thackrah replied:
I have just been advised to do exactly what Ken has said, I have had to google it to make sure they have given me the correct information. The first person I spoke to on 150 said I just put the new sim in and my number will be there, I said and how does that happen ? Does my number think oooh look a shiny new sim lets move over to it :-/
Tamanna said:
Hey I tried to transfer my number since I moved from EE to VOXI and the pac code said it was successful and would change my number to my old one within 3 days but it’s been a week and it still hasn’t changed. I would like to know why it hasn’t transferred properly.
Ken replied:
Hi Tamanna,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered moving a phone number from EE to VOXI. In this case, you’ll need to contact VOXI Customer Services to find out why your phone number hasn’t transferred over correctly. The best way to reach them is via their website.
Ken
KATHRYN NORMAN said:
I have moved from ee to 02.applied to port my number on 9.3.19, I completed the required paperwork but so far my number has not been transferred to my 02 account. Very disappointed indeed.
Ken replied:
Hi Kathryn,
Sorry to hear about the issues you’ve encountered moving a phone number from EE to O2. As per the timescales listed here, I would have expected the phone number transfer to have taken place on Tuesday as you submitted your PAC to O2 on a Saturday. If your phone number still hasn’t transferred over, you should get in touch with your new network (O2) to enquire about it. It is their responsibility to process the phone number transfer for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jon said:
This is no longer true.
EE want me to buy a sim card from Vodafone or another network first, move my original number to that sim, then move the number across again to the new EE sim. Total waste of my time
Caren Thomas said:
Moving from EE to Lebara due to cost, don’t really want to leave EE as customer service is excellent, just trying to transfer my old number – first experience of Lebara – customer service shuts at 5.30 pm – seriously?
Ken replied:
Hi Caren,
Thanks for your comment. I’d probably agree with you that Lebara doesn’t have very good customer service. Is there a particular reason you’d like to move over to Lebara (e.g. for the international calls)? For most people, they tend not to be the cheapest option anyway (e.g. ASDA Mobile offers coverage from EE with better customer service and is normally comparable or even cheaper than Lebara).
Ken
Mike replied:
Login to your lebara account and use the link below – No need to call customer support.
https://mobile.lebara.com/gb/en/portin
Claire Derham said:
my partner is moving from ee to lebara does she have to turn phone off and on again to complete transfer thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Claire,
Yes, you’ll normally need to restart your handset when you lose coverage to complete the phone number transfer 🙂
Ken
Megan said:
If I have a new Vodafone phone in the UK but the old EE handset in the US, will the transfer still be successful?
Ken replied:
Hi Megan,
Thanks for your comment. It’s normally advised that both phones are in the UK if possible. However, in practice, I have found that there is a little bit of leniency around this. I believe it should probably be fine as long as your new Vodafone handset is inside the UK, though of course I cannot give a definitive answer for this!
Ken
alan said:
I have transferred to id from ee. I have today received a text saying my old number has transferred to id, but calls to that number are still going to my old phone. Please advise
Ken replied:
Hi Alan,
Many thanks for your comment. Is this problem now resolved? Sometimes, you may receive your confirmation message before the switch is complete, but typically this will be resolved by end of day (so at least by 6pm).
Ken
Andrea Palmer said:
Hi Ken I had a contract with EE when it ended I bought a new phone and got the Pac code from EE to pass to new SIM only provider plusnet. This worked fine without problems until 2 weeks ago when I was received a text from EE saying I had used all my data . I thought this was an error but a few hours later I was unable to use data. I rang plusnet and they still.don’t know why this has happened. EE can’t explain either. Tonight I requested my pac code from.plusnet to go to another provider but they said if I change now I still don’t be able to get data on a new SIM until this is resolved is this correct ?
Ken replied:
Hi Andrea,
I’m sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced with EE/Plusnet Mobile. This sounds like a fairly bizarre situation – if you were indeed connected & transferred over to Plusnet Mobile, then I would expect you to no longer receive anything from EE. One thing that might be worth noting is that EE & Plusnet are part of the same company (being two different brands within the BT Consumer group). Furthermore, up until a few years ago, Plusnet Mobile was actually part of EE (this was when they were called LIFE Mobile). It’s possible therefore that EE & Plusnet are sharing some of their backend systems, and something weird might be going on there (e.g. they’re treating you as an EE customer, even though you’re actually on Plusnet). This is something I haven’t heard of before, so you’ll probably need to chase up Plusnet Support directly on this for further investigation.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Anon said:
I’ve just got a pac code from EE as I’ve now joined O2. I currently work offshore where there is no signal and use WiFi for everything. I have an iPhone 6s on EE and have just received an iPhone 8 on O2, so when I give O2 the pac code, will all my iMessages stop coming to my current phone as my number will transfer or will they still come through as it’s through iTunes ?
Thanks
Anon
Ken replied:
Hi Anon,
Your iMessages will continue working as before, until you set up iMessage again on your new phone. If you’d like to get the messages on your new iPhone from O2, you should transfer your number using a PAC Code and then set up iMessage again.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Keith James said:
Hi I have moved from 3 to ee and transferred my number. Got PAC code from 3 gave it to ee. EE have transferred my number and sent me a text to say it is completed but the number is still live on 3. I can now use the same number on both networks. What has gone wrong ?
Ken replied:
Hi Keith,
Many thanks for your comment: this is a rather odd situation. What happens when you call through to the phone number (ideally, testing this from a different mobile network like O2 or Vodafone)? Does it connect to Three or EE? This shouldn’t normally happen, but usually it’s the responsibility of your new mobile network (so EE) to resolve problems with the port.
Ken
Anon said:
Hi, its 4 pm on thursday, I have just given 3 my PAC code to transfer my number from EE however, I leave the country tomorrow for 6 months at 11:30 am, will this cause problems with transferring my number?
Ken replied:
Hi Anon,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I don’t know what will happen in this case – typically, it’s recommended that you’re in the UK on the day of the phone number transfer. However, I’m not sure whether it will stop the number transfer working if you go abroad during that time. This is probably a question that’s best directed to Three (the mobile network you’re joining).
Safe travels,
Ken
Derek Smith said:
I am preparing to switch from Three to EE due to repeated network failure. If I obtain a PAC code from Three can I then cancel payments once the code has been given to EE or will this result in my loosing my existing number due to inactivity.
I should explain that my 24 monthly contract expired in October.
Ken replied:
Hi Derek,
Many thanks for your comment. There’s actually no need to separately cancel your contract with Three: it’ll be done for you automatically when your phone number moves to EE. It’s likely that a 30-day notice period applies on your Three SIM card, so they may charge you for up to another 30 days after you move your phone number over.
Ken
matt said:
Ive just tried porting my Number from EE over to VM and VM said they need to send me a new sim card with the number transferred onto it and it’ll take up to 5 days.
This doesn’t sound correct, surely just they port the number to the sim ive just got from them when i set up the account?
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
Thanks for your comment. Normally, most mobile networks should be able to transfer your phone number to an existing SIM card, so not quite sure why Vectone Mobile is unable to do this. Appreciate this doesn’t really help you in your situation, but it’s something worth checking with Vectone directly (or it’s possible things just work differently on their network).
Ken
sjaeagle5 said:
Hello,
If I want to arrange for my wife’s number to be ported from EE to Three but onto my existing Three account as an additional line (sim only contract), is this straightforward or would I encounter any difficulties due to the change of name, especially when filling out any online forms?
Thanks
S
Ken replied:
Hi there,
This should be fairly straightforward and I shouldn’t envision any problems with it (just make sure you’re transferring the phone number onto a new line rather than onto an existing line!). There are no ownership name checks when using a PAC Code (see bullet point 3 here) so it’s no problem at all transferring to an account in your name.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Steve said:
Hi I have transferred from EE to 3 contract to SIM only and took my old number with me , everything has changed over to my old number after giving 3 PAC code , only problem is anyone with an iPhone is getting txts from my 3 temporary number and when they txt old number it’s only sending as a text message not iMessage ! Any ideas what’s wrong please
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your comment. I believe the information here should help you with regards to fixing iMessage/FaceTime?
Many thanks,
Ken
sue Evans replied:
I have a similar Problem- I don’t use iMessage but having moved from EE to three (iPhone to iPhone) all of my texts and some calls are showing as coming from the temporary number not my number that I have PAC coded across (and is working on my new iPhone for incoming calls) what can I do to solve this? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Sue,
I’d recommend following the instructions here, which will resolve the phone number issue for FaceTime and iMessage (may apply when you’re contacting other people who also have an iPhone).
If you’re experiencing this problem on normal phone calls and SMS text messages, then this is something your new mobile network (Three) can look into for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Stephen said:
Hi Ken.
My wife & I live in Australia and we both have pay as you go SIMs with EE for when we’re in the UK.
What we do is leave an amount in each phone’s account and before we arrive in the UK we top-up (if necessary) and purchase a 20 pound “Everything Pack” for the period that we’re in the UK. Every few months we turn the phones in here in Australia and send an SMS just to keep the accounts alive.
What we’ve found is that the area we tend to spend the most time in has some serious dead-spots for the EE network and would like to change to the O2 network which has very good coverage for the area we’re in.
Is there a way we can move our pay as you go services to O2 (keeping the same numbers) and what would you suggest as a substitute for the EE “Everything Pack” that we usually purchase?
Cheers,
Steve
Ken replied:
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, of course, you can easily move your Pay As You Go service over to another mobile network whilst keeping the same number you already as. The only limitation is you won’t be able to transfer Pay As You Go credit, so you’ll need to use this up before moving to another network.
To move your phone number from EE to O2, you can following the instructions on this page the next time you’re in the UK. On O2 Pay As You Go, you can buy a Big Bundle which is their equivalent to EE’s Everything Packs (e.g. you can get 750 minutes, 2000 texts and 2GB data for £15/month). If you’d like coverage from O2, it may also be worth investigating giffgaff (they’ll give you the exact same coverage as O2 but with slightly lower prices).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Stephen replied:
Ken,
appreciate the response, thank you.
One further question, does the credit on your O2 pay-as-you-go account have an expiry date after which time the phone number ceases to operate? As mentioned in my initial inquiry, we turn our phones on here in Australia and send an SMS just to show EE we’re still active.
Cheers,
Steve
Ken replied:
Hi Stephen,
No worries at all – glad to be able to help out!
There’s more information here on the topic of credit expiry. If you have a Big Bundle, the allowances will obviously expire after one month. However, if it’s just Pay As You Go credit, there’s no expiry providing you use your SIM card at least once every six months (this is the same as the policy on EE).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Stephen replied:
Hi Ken.
just a follow question on porting from EE to O2.
If after getting a PAC code, would it be easier to go into an O2 store and do the porting over the counter?
Cheers,
Steve
Ken replied:
Hi Stephen,
It shouldn’t make any difference whether you submit the PAC Code to O2 via their online form, by calling customer services or in-person at their store. It all goes into the same system, and the transfer still happens on the next working day. Personally, I’d probably do it online for convenience (it’s possible if you go in to the store, they’ll just submit your PAC Code through the same online form!).
Hope this helps,
Ken
A said:
I’ve already ended my contract with EE and have joined three HOW do I get my PAC code from EE
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Unfortunately, it’s no longer possible to obtain a PAC Code from EE once your account has been closed. If your account was closed without a PAC Code being actioned, it’s likely the phone number has now been lost. If you like, however, you could contact EE using the details here to ask them whether they’re able to restore your number.
Ken
Andy said:
I’m moving four numbers to Plus who have just entered the mobile business. I know they’re a subsiduary of BT who also own EE. We can only get reasonable reception at home with EE/Orange and Vodafone. Two of the numbers are currently with Orange who tell me that porting the numbers to Plus won’t be a problem, and I have PAC codes for them. The other two numbers I’m transferring are with EE who say that I won’t be able to port directly to Plus as a PAC code won’t work as it’s a transfer EE to EE. The went on to tell me that I would have to port them to another provider then to Plus. Does this sound right, and if so which intermediate provider would you suggest we move them to? Thanks for your help. Andy
Ken replied:
Hi Andy,
I believe the team at EE are mistaken about this, and there shouldn’t be any problems transferring your phone number from EE to Plusnet Mobile. Therefore, I’d simply recommend submitting your EE PAC Code as normal to the guys at Plusnet Mobile.
Ken
Andy replied:
Many thanks Ken. I’ll give it a go.
Rich replied:
Andy, did you manage to port your EE number to Plusnet without any hassle? I’m looking at doing the same thing…
Andy replied:
Yes, the transfer went OK, although it was a little slow. I expected that given that Plusnet is a new mobile provider and comments on their forum suggested it would take a bit of time. My move was just before Christmas, so I’d allowed a bit of extra time for it to happen before the end of the notice period, so it wasn’t a problem. I’m just so glad to be away from Orange and EE with their absence of customer service, and every opportunity taken to get money off you.
Rich replied:
I was offered a good deal with Plusnet, then when I called EE to get the PAC code from my PAYG cell (I’ve been abroad so transferred to a PAYG to keep the number I’ve had for years). They offered me a better deal over the phone, so I took it. Their sim card arrived in 2 days and the transfer of the number took another day and a half. Very quick so I was pleased. Always a bit of a shame having to do that to get a better deal, but that’s commerce I guess! Plusnet took the first payment but they said they will reimburse it asap. Both parties were friendly and helpful.
Jodie said:
Hi,
I already have a contract with EE but had to take out a new one rather than upgrade as they couldn’t offer me the same deal. EE say they cannot internally transfer my number so I have ported it onto Vodafone, I tried to call Vodafone once the transfer was complete, to be told I have to be with Vodafone for 7 working days before they will give me my new PAC – does this sound correct please?
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Jodie,
I’m not aware of any reason why Vodafone shouldn’t be able to issue you with a PAC Code immediately. I’d recommend trying to get a PAC Code from them again and if they’re still asking you to wait, you can make the request in writing or you can lodge a formal complaint with them.
Ken
Claire replied:
Hi ken,
I’ve had the same problem with EE not letting me keep my number after taking new EE contract through 3rd party. I got the PAC & my number ported to a Vodafone PAYG & this happened yesterday. However now I’ve asked Vodafone for my PAC in order to go to back to EE & they are saying they can’t issue me one at this time & to retry in 48 hours. Is this normal or should I be able to obtain PAC immediately after, I’m keen to get my number back on to my contract phone. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Claire,
Many thanks for your comment. I’m not aware of any reasons why Vodafone shouldn’t be able to issue you with a new PAC Code immediately. This might be due to a technical issue on their end, or alternatively it could be a technical limitation of their system.
Ken
Lee said:
Hello,
I’ve just ported over from EE to Vodafone last night. All seems well and good in the fact that I can send and receive calls and messages to friends fine. My issue appears to be with other things needing my number. I used to have whatsapp installed on my own devices, so want it again for the same number. Whatsapp never sends me a verification SMS or call regardless how many times I try it. I’ve rebooted the phone many times, installed the app numerous times. I’m now on iPhone and I’ve confirmed the message, FaceTime and phone settings all have this number. I thought it was a whatsapp issue, but I’ve just tried installing my tsb banking app, that too needs to make a call to authenticate the device, but the call never comes through? As mentioned I can receive and make calls.
Any ideas?
Ta,
Lee
Ken replied:
Hi Lee,
It sounds to me like there might have been a problem transferring your phone number over to Vodafone. My recommendation would be to contact Vodafone Customer Services on 191 – they should be able to look into this for you.
Ken
Andy said:
Hiya,
I am looking at getting a new contract with another provider as my current one is a little pants.
I am wondering if I was to take a contract with BT now, and then in Dec I cancel my EE one and ask for my PAC could I still transfer it to my BT.
Cheers
Andy
Ken replied:
Hi Andy,
Yes, of course 🙂 You can sign up to BT Mobile now and you can transfer your phone number over to them whenever you like (so you could continue using EE until December, at which point you move the phone number over to BT Mobile).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Helen A. said:
I just tried to move from Orange to EE and it eventually turned out that the transfer of my phone number was going to take take 6 days during which time I could not use my number for incoming calls. First it did not go through automatically, then a day later I phoned and was told it would be re-requested and would go through in a further 24 hours or so. The next day I contacted EE by chat to confirm and was definitely told it would go through at midnight that night. It didn’t. The next day, a Saturday, I was told it would not go through until midnight before Tuesday morning. I have cancelled my contract, under cooling off rules and am looking for another deal.
J kettle said:
My mum just transferred from EE to Vodafone at a car phone warehouse shop so they took her PAC code and transferred data from her old phone to a new iPhone e 5s. Problem is she has No Service . Tried turning phone off and on but still no joy . Oddly The old phone from EE still works . Any help would be appreciated
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Thanks for your comment. It sounds like the new device on Vodafone might not currently be activated. I’d probably recommend double-checking this directly with the Carphone Warehouse (ideally switch it on in the store and make sure it’s working when you’re there).
Ken
J kettle replied:
Thank you . We went back to Carphone warehouse ! You were right the phone hadn’t been activated . We were told there was a glitch in the system and that everything should be up and running in 2-3 days !
Schinds21 said:
Hi
I joined Vodafone and then realised they were a nightmare after a week and decided to return to EE. I arranged to return the phone and they said they would issue the PAC code once they had received the phone. A day after I returned the phone my service was ended from Vodafone before they issued my PAC code. I called them immediately and after 2 hours on the phone I had no answers and no PAC code. Have I lost my number (that I’ve had for 20+ years for good??? 😭😱
Ken replied:
Hi there,
It’s the responsibility of Vodafone to issue you with a PAC Code, so unfortunately you’ll need to continue chasing them up for this 🙁 If you’re having continual problems getting this, I’d recommend making a formal complaint in writing to Vodafone. This should hopefully help to escalate the issue, and should hopefully help you with recovering the phone number.
Ken
kathy replied:
But if they cut off my line can they still issue a PAC code. You replied to Thom below me that – Unfortunately, if the account has already been disconnected without a PAC Code being actioned, it’s likely your phone number has now permanently been lost – does that apply in my case too?
Ken replied:
Hi Kathy,
Yes, you’re right. Normally, if an account has been closed without a PAC Code being actioned, you can assume that the phone number has been permanently lost. In your case, unfortunately, it’s also probable this applies. I’d certainly double-check with Vodafone directly however and I’d also make a formal complaint in writing to see if there’s a way for them to get it back for you.
Ken
AmyGG said:
Hi Ken,
I joined Three 8 days ago, and my number from EE ported across 4 days ago. Since porting I have experienced extremely bad network service. I decided to go back to EE so ordered a new SIM from them with the intention of porting my number back from Three to EE.
I called Three and said I wanted to cancel within my cooling off period (which ends 19 October) and get a PAC. They said that I firstly had to cancel, and only AFTER my line had been cancelled would they issue my PAC in approx 2 working days.
The waiting time for my PAC and the 1 day turnaround for EE to apply it to my new SIM means that I would not have access to my number for 3 or more days. Is this the correct process, or should Three be able to issue my PAC before I cancel? Is there any workaround to minimise the outage time?
Thank you for your advice.
Ken replied:
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your comment. Typically, your mobile network is able to issue a PAC Code at any time and you’ll continue receiving coverage on the old network until your number moves over. If the account is cancelled without a PAC Code being used, the phone number will typically be lost (so that’s why a PAC Code should be requested in advance of the account being closed).
With regards to cancelling your contract during the initial cooling-off period, I’d have thought the process would be similar to this. Saying that, I’ve never actually tried this myself so unfortunately I’m unable to advise about this 🙁 Sorry!
Ken
AmyGG replied:
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your reply. I ended up speaking with Three via their chat help, and they were able to provide me with my PAC straight away. I have now transferred my number to EE. Hopefully I will not get any surprise cancellation bills through from Three…
Jess said:
Hi Ken,
I want to move from my current contract with EE to a giffgaff SIM only deal. I’ve got the new SIM and have obtained a PAC code, but EE told me I have to give a month’s notice when I end my contract. My usage resets on the 2nd of the month. If I active the PAC code now, do you know if I’ll still be charged by EE for October?
Thank you!
Ken replied:
Hi Jess,
Thanks for your comment. You’re liable to pay 30 days worth of charges from the moment when you tell EE you’d like to leave their network. So for example, if you give them notice on September 16th, you’ll need to continue paying until October 16th. This is regardless of when your phone number gets ported over to giffgaff. So if you’d like to get the most of your EE contract, you could continue using it for the time being and you could then port your number over to giffgaff in the second-week of October.
On your final bill, EE will charge you a pro-rated amount. So it doesn’t really make a difference when your allowances refresh (you’ll just be charged for part of the final month).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jack said:
I am going to transfer to EE, very soon after I get my 1000 points so I can buy a reward then transfer after. But I am leaving because of there coverage, firstly EE has much better 4G coverage.
This made me angry, I bought a £20 Big Value Bundle it said I have been granted with 4GB UK data, unlimited texts and 500 minutes in the text, but on the My Vodafone app it said I had unlimited data. So I used around 3.5GB data then 5 days later I got a text, you have 510mb of data left to use in 25 days. I chatted with them online once then they started this rubbish about buying another data pack and I’m like you made a mistake in the app then they said give me the Vodafone account details. The problem is I wasn’t registered for an account! They kept saying I was when I didn’t create a Vodafone account and I might as well start afresh with EE.
Laura Fewtrell said:
I transferred my number from EE to Vodafone but I have changed my mind about staying with them, rang up for a PAC code but I’ve been told I have to wait 30 days before I can get one. Not happy. Other providers can do this straight away – why can’t Vodafone??!
Catherine replied:
Hi Laura, I’ve just been through the same thing – incredibly rude customer service person on the phone, I asked to speak to his supervisor and was told the same thing, which is an outright lie. I used to work in mobile phones and this is against Ofcom regs. I asked him to forward me the relevant T&C’s by email where it stated you have to wait 30days, he said he had (still haven’t received them – surprise!) and he hung up on me. I then spent another 30mins in webchat, threatened them with the ombudsman and was eventually told a PAC has been issued. Not received it yet but if I haven’t got it in the next two hours as per Ofcom regs will be issuing complaint. I also contacted via Twitter. Hopefully you can get yours resolved too.
Amanda replied:
Now having the exact same issue with vodafone and wondering if any of you ladies managed to get a resolution to this or is ofcom the route to go down?
Catherine replied:
Hi Amanda, I did get a resolution within a few days. But it was convoluted – bear with me!
Around 24hrs after the webchat advisor said she’d issued a PAC I still hadn’t received it, so I called customer services yet again to voice my displeasure. Made it very clear how annoyed I was and that I was going to report to the communications ombudsman (if you end up needing to go this route, all the how to info is here: https://www.ombudsman-services.org/communications.html). I was told that it was actually a technical problem, which I initially took with a big pinch of salt – she told me I needed to wait a week for the system to be able to process it (still, better than the 30 days I was initially told).
Then, I did a bit of online research and found a guy who was having a similar problem getting a PAC issued. He fixed it by registering for an online Vodafone account and then re-requesting his PAC. So that’s what I did too as I figured it was at least worth a shot. If you don’t have an online vodafone account you can register for one here, it’s free: https://www.vodafone.co.uk/myvodafone/faces/oracle/webcenter/portalapp/pagehierarchy/Page1.jspx#%40%3F_adf.ctrl-state%3D197wqi8wq5_40). Anyway, I waited another day, and this time I think I contacted them via webchat again, and they were able to issue it instantly – the PAC was texted straight to my phone while I was literally still talking to them.
So the answer is that yes, I got my problem resolved within 3 or 4 days with a lot of haranguing. But I also registered for an online account once I found out that might have had something to do with it, and then re-requested the PAC – so maybe that was also part of the problem. I don’t know whether they were just initially bullshitting and finally gave in or whether there was a system error code preventing people who haven’t registered online being issued with PACs, but if you haven’t already registered, do it, because it costs nothing and at least there’s a chance that might fix it. Failing that go to the Ombudsman. Hope you get it resolved, they were distinctly unpleasant to deal with!
Jack Hutchinson said:
Hi Ken really glad I found this website it’s really excellent!
I am currently on EE but living in Northern Ireland my signal indoors is awful!
I am planning on moving to 3 because of their InTouch wifi SMS and calling app do you have any experience with this app and is it any good? If it is usable it would be a lifesaver.
Also have you heard about EE doing away with an unlock fee this summer uswitch have mentioned it but I haven’t heard of it anywhere else!
Ken replied:
Hi Jack,
Thank you for the kind words and really glad to know the website has been useful! I’m afraid I haven’t had much first-hand experience using the inTouch application so I’d have to refer you to other forums for this!
With regards to unlocking fees, the government’s digital economy bill recently proposed an end for “charges to unlock phones at the end of contracts across major mobile phone providers”. No word yet on when or whether this will be implemented, but it’s possible it could encourage EE to scrap the unlocking fees earlier.
Ken
Kevin Wragg replied:
If you are with EE and have a mobile phone that supports WiFI calling than EE has this as standard and unlike 3, doesnt need an app to make and receive calls via wifi. Most iPhones and many Samsung support wifi calling
Grace said:
Hello Ken,
I obtained a PAC code to transfer from Vodafone to EE over the weekend. I called the number and gave the code and phone number I wanted to transfer over.
I was informed that on Tuesday 10th May (yesterday) the transfer would happen between 12 noon and midnight. That’s exactly what happened. The process started at around 12 noon but I could not receive calls until midnight.
This is probably not very interesting news to anybody experienced with this. It is the first time I have completed this process and I wanted to leave a comment for inexperienced people such as myself who are doing this for the first time.
Thanks for the tech tips!
Regards
Grace
julie replied:
Very helpful to me, Thanks.
I gave my PAC code to EE to transfer from Vodaphone. Also given a transfer day. All went well though it was very hard waiting and resisting trying old phone.
Prior to transfer I moved all contacts, ringtones and pictures to new phone. Transfer day 7.30a.m. I got a text on old phone saying welcome to EE ….switch off an on again… I had a slight panic that they might have transferred the wrong way round, so looked on internet and found this chat. Ignored text and left both phones on table I did not turn phone off. 9.00 text again from EE on old phone saying thank you for requesting to transfer your number… (from this time calls were going to old phone and no call service on new, (I had no credit on old phone so I did not try to make any calls on it) 12.45 message on new phone saying existing number transfer to EE now complete.
old phone still shows contact list and old messages but better safe then sorry ….
Good luck.
Gemma Hyde said:
Hi,
I have swapped my number to EE from Vodafone and my contract with Vodafone ends in July.. I was just going to pay off the rest of the contract and let it end but now it’s saying that I haven’t paid a bill and I can’t pay online or ring Vodafone because I’m now with EE, what do I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Gemma,
Thanks for your comment. I presume you used a PAC Code to move your phone number from Vodafone to EE? If so, your Vodafone account would have been closed automatically when you used the PAC Code and you would have been charged an early termination fee for the remaining months on the contract. They should have produced a final bill with these charges: if you didn’t it might be worth calling Vodafone Customer Services on 03333 040 191 and enquiring about what has happened to your account.
Hope this helps,
Ken
John said:
On 31 March I took my wife’s new unlocked iPhone to an EE shop to arrange a move from Sim Only Orange to a similar EE deal with a same number transfer.
The paperwork, ID check were completed and the new Sim installed in around twenty minutes.
By 1600 on 1 April the number transfer to the new phone was complete.
Excellent service.
Surprizzo said:
Hello Ken,
My EE contract it’s ending and I move to Three. I already gave that PAC code to Three to move my old number. It’s three days from now and my number it’s still not move :/ Why?
Ken replied:
Hi Surprizzo,
Has it already gone past the date on which Three promised your phone number would be transferred to their network? If so, you can check up on the status of the port by calling 333 on your Three handset.
Hope this helps,
Ken
rov said:
Hi..i have moved from three to EE…however they told me I could not get a pac code because it has been more than 30days since my account has been terminated…my account was terminated last december…is there any way i can get my old number back please as I really need it…all my vyber contacts are sync with it
Ken replied:
Hi Rov,
Thanks for your comment. I’m really sorry but unfortunately there’s no way of recovering a phone number once the account has been closed 🙁 Typically, you should move the number to a Pay As You Go deal if you want to keep it active, or you should move it to a different mobile network before closing the old account.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,
Ken
Victoria Jones said:
Hi Ken
I apologise for picking up on an old threat, but you seem to be so knowledgeable so I am hoping that you can help my confusion!
I am out of contract on O2 and would like to get a new phone/contract with EE.
My question is whether it is necessary to have an overlap of a full month with both contracts running in order to keep my number?
This seems to be the case from what I have read, because I seem to have to request my PAC from O2 and provide that to EE before I can terminate my contract with O2. This would mean that for one month, I will have to pay almost £40 to O2 for the one month’s termination notice, in addition to £35 for the new contract with EE.
Is there any way to avoid this duplicate cost that you know of? I really want to keep my number, but feel hesitant in having to pay £40 to do it!
Many thanks in advance
Victoria
Ken replied:
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for your comment. On your current contract from EE, you need to provide 30 days notice before leaving the network. There are two ways you’re able to minimise the overlap between your old and new contracts:
1) You can ask for a PAC Code today and you can start your contract with O2 in about 2 or 3 weeks time (this is to minimise the 30 day overlap). You can then give your PAC Code to O2 once the contract there has started. In general, I wouldn’t choose to leave it too close to the end of the 30 days (the reason being you’ll probably want to test out things on O2 before moving your number over e.g. in case the coverage on their service isn’t exactly what you’re expecting… it’s much easier to cancel your O2 contract if you haven’t yet moved your number over).
2) You can give EE some advance notice about the date on which you’d like to end your current contract. You can then time the start of your new O2 contract about one or two weeks before your EE contract ends. You’ll need to obtain and use a PAC Code before your contract on EE ends.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Hawwa Haide said:
Hi Ken
ID mobile seems to have lost my number during porting in process !!!! 5th November !!!
Nightmare situation! I have had my number over 10 years and changed networks several times with no problems transferring my number. The PAC code from ee was not accepted on ID website when I first tried it in October so ee sent me another PAC code a couple of weeks later and I had same problem with it not being accepted. I therefore decided to wait until end of November to try again (as I was in contract with ee until 4th December) However my ee network stopped working on 4th November and ee told me that the new provider had in ported my number. I called ID 7777 on 6th November to confirm when number will be up and running and they said they would send a ‘ticket’ to tech dept and contact me to confirm.
I have called customer services 7777 on numerous occasions and been into carphone warehouse and also completed 2 complaint forms on their web site. NOTHING has happened I still have not got my number back and I have been promised that I will get a call from management but they have not been in touch.
This is big problem for me as so many people in business and personal contacts have my old number. PLEASE ADVISE
Tim said:
Hi Ken,
I recently got a new phone/contract with EE. EE didn’t let me transfer my number internally, so I got a sim card from Life Mobile so I could transfer my old number out, and then back into EE onto my new phone. I have successfully transferred my number onto the Life sim card, however, Life have just said that they have to wait 30 days to generate a PAC. They said that I can only transfer my number once every 30 days. Can you confirm is this is correct? I thought they were obligated to send me a PAC within two days of my request.
Thanks,
Tim
Ken replied:
Hi Tim,
Thanks for your comment. With LIFE Mobile, one complication is you’re on a 30-day contract. What this means is you need to give them 30 days notice when cancelling your contract & moving to another network. I think this is probably what they’re talking about here?
In general, I would normally recommend you transfer your phone number out to a Pay As You Go SIM card (that way, you don’t have the added complications of a 30-day contract).
Ken
John L replied:
Life Mobile is owned by EE & when I ported my number from TPO who also use the EE network the PAC process has to be done manually & can take a lot longer.
I suggest you contact the Life Mobile porting team & ask for their help.
Frank said:
Hi Ken,
I am currently with EE but I can’t get the upgrade I want. Therefore, can I transfer my number out to a Vodafone payg (for example) and then transfer it back again from that new sim to the new EE contract? Also, so you know if Vodafone charge to release a PAC code on a payg sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Frank,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, it should be possible to transfer your phone number out to Vodafone, and then back to a new EE contract. There’s no charge to get a PAC Code from Vodafone.
Ken
Steve said:
Hi, I’m with EE and I thought I upgraded with car phone warehouse but apparently the offer was as a new customer not an upgrade so they have issued me a new number. I really need to keep my old number so is there anyway I can keep my old number and move it to my new contract? I don’t want 2 contracts. There both on EE?
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your comment. There are three things I would recommend doing in this instance:
1) Go back to the Carphone Warehouse and ask them if they can offer you the same deal as an upgrade (they should really have asked you if you were an existing EE customer: CPW do actually provide the option of EE upgrades). It might be the case they can change your deal from a new customer to upgrade.
2) Call up EE Customer Services on 150 and ask them to transfer your phone number over to the new account. Often, they’ll refuse to do this at first (the reason being they need to pay a ‘new customer’ commission when you’ve only stayed as an existing customer). If you persevere and speak to the manager, you will sometimes be able to get them to transfer your number over (it’s totally feasible and is technically quite trivial for them to do).
3) As a last resort, you can always transfer your phone number to another network and then immediately back in to the new account at EE. It’s a bit of extra hassle to do this, so I’d try to avoid this if you’re able to do one of the above.
Hope this helps,
Ken
sam said:
Hi,
I have given EE my PAC from Vodafone around 2 hours ago (it was before 5.30) but both my sim cards have network. I thought once the PAC is given, both sims will lose network immediately?
Ken replied:
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your comment. Your PAC Code will actually be actioned on the next working day (so you’ll continue to receive coverage on both devices and your number should move over some time tomorrow).
Hope this helps,
Ken
jonny said:
Hi. I have a contact with EE for my wifes phone (contract has since expired so I have no early settlement charges to pay).We intend to transfer this to three. However am I able to transfer both the number and change the ownership of the account at the same time, so the new contract will be correctly ordered and registered from three in my wife name? Many Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Jonny,
Thanks for your comment. You can indeed transfer the phone number to an account that’s in someone else’s name (there are no ownership name checks during the PAC Code process). You just need to make sure the new account at Three is set up in your wife’s name.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Dariusz said:
Hi if is possible to move my number from ee to Vodafone then from Vodafone back to ee??
Ken replied:
Hi Dariusz,
There is no limit on how many times you’re able to transfer your phone number between networks. It’s also possible to transfer your phone number back to the same network. Hence, the scenario you suggested is most definitely possible!
Ken
Helen said:
I am sending this on behalf of my husband as he has no phone usage following a 3 week mess by Vodafone. 4 trips to the store endless phone calls and after 3 weeks decided to leave Vodafone. Now you can’t even get that right he gave his PAC to EE and nothing has changed and guess what it’s Vodafones fault! You are completely incompetent and the worst customer service I have ever encountered. So it will be 4 weeks on Wednesday without a phone. This is ridiculous and we are both very angry with Vodafone and all the time you have wasted.
Ken replied:
Hi Helen,
Thanks for your comment and sorry to hear about the problems with Vodafone. Unfortunately, I’m a third-party blogger so I can’t reply on behalf of Vodafone. I would, however, strongly recommend you make a formal complaint in writing to Vodafone. This should help to escalate the issue and will hopefully get it resolved a bit faster.
Best wishes,
Ken
Jess said:
I missed a payment on my 02 contract and they seemed to have terminated it, I went online to sort it out and the website says that my account for that phone/number is no longer there, which also means I can’t pay that bill. I wanted to move to EE but keep my number, but if 02 don’t have that account anymore is there any way of doing this?
I fear if I phone the customer services and get through to an advisor, I will get an earful about not paying the latest bill, despite them giving me no way to actually pay it (I can’t pay a bill if the account is no longer there)
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Jess,
Thanks for your comment. In this situation, I’d really recommend giving a call to O2 Customer Service (dial 0344 809 0202 from a landline if you aren’t able to use your O2 mobile). The important thing is getting up-to-date with payments as soon as possible so you’re then able to take your phone number to EE.
Ken
Rooi said:
Hi, I’m wondering if you can advise me. I’m wanting to move my number from vodafone to ee. My current number is in a family members name as they took the contract out for me. I’m now wanting it to be in my name. If they get the pac code would I be able to give it to ee even though it will now be my name on the contract?
Thanks for any advice.
Ken replied:
Hi Rooi,
Thanks for your comment. You can indeed transfer the phone number to a new account registered under a different name (see point #3 in my other things to know). There’ll be no ownership name checks when giving the PAC Code to EE.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Judith said:
Hello
I am currently on EE but am looking to go ahead with a new EE deal through Carphone Warehouse. My 24m contract with EE will be up in a few weeks when I will then change to Carphone Warehouse. Can I keep the same number? EE are saying no but Carphone warehouse saying yes because it is classified as an upgrade even though I am not currently with them.
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Judith,
You will be able to keep your existing number when upgrading your plan via the Carphone Warehouse. Obviously, EE would prefer you upgrade directly via them (it saves them from paying a commission to the Carphone Warehouse).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Emma replied:
Hi Ken – this is what I am having to do too however my situation is a bit more complicated. The bank account details, address and email is all in my name however the actual owner of the phone is my dad from when I was a teen. My dad has requested the pac number for me as they can only deal with him on that and I have purchased a giffgaff pay as you go sim card to transfer over to because I have had this number for at least 10 years and don’t want to lose it.
Once I am on GiffGaff I am going to request a pac code from them and transfer it back to my new EE contract that I bought through Carphone warehouse. Do you know if there’s a required amount of time you have to be with a new provider before transferring back to EE?
The new contract with EE is in my name so will my dads name be written off from the number as soon as I transfer to GiffGaff?
Thanks
Emma
Ken replied:
Hi Emma,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no minimum amount of time you’ll need to be on giffgaff before you transfer your number out (you can do it almost immediately on the next working day after porting your number in). There also isn’t any ownership name checking when moving your number between networks, so yes: you can move it to a giffgaff account that’s held in your own name. The phone number will then become your property.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Gemma said:
I tried to transfer my number from 02 to EE on Friday 7th august, it was after 17.30pm so I new I would have to wait until Tuesday’ish for it to switch. The problem is it still hasn’t changed over. I have tried turning both phones on and off, tried turning my iMessage and FaceTime off and on again to see if they helped but nope still nothing….
Any help or suggestions would Be great.
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Gemma,
Your best bet is to call EE Customer Services on 150. They should hopefully be able to give you an update on this changeover.
Ken
Samuel said:
Hi, I just transferred my old number from orange to my new ee sim, both pay as you go, the swap hasnt happened yet as it apparently takes a few days. My question is: as the new sim had 10 pounds prepaid credit and a particular deal on it already, will I lose the credit and the deal when my old number replaces the temporary one? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Samuel,
Thanks for your comment. Normally, with a cross-network transfer, you lose your credit only on the network you’re leaving (the PAYG credit on your new SIM card will still be there after your transfer). With an internal transfer (e.g. going from Orange to EE), there isn’t a set rule for what would happen. For this reason, I would probably clarify directly with EE customer services (dial 150 from your EE handset). My guess is they should probably combine the PAYG credit from both accounts (in my experience, this is what other networks will typically do).
Hope this helps,
Ken
James replied:
I’ve just done this transferring a virgin mobile number to a sainsburys mobile sim. I had credit and a bundle on the sainsburys sim but lost them when the number transferred. I’m dealing with their customer service at the moment trying to get it resolved since I’m pretty sure I should keep that credit.
Agnes said:
Hi.
I transferred my existing number from O2 to EE.the men from O2 who was given me my PAC Code told that my new phone must be unlocked.Is that true?
Ken replied:
Hi Agne,
Thanks for your comment. It depends on how you’re planning to use the EE network. If you’ve bought a new handset from EE, it’s not necessary for that phone to be unlocked (it will work straight away on the EE network). If you’re planning to use an EE SIM card in your existing O2 handset, you’ll need to make sure your handset is unlocked. For more information, see my guide on mobile phone unlocking as well as the articles on unlocking an iPhone and unlocking a Samsung Galaxy.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Julia said:
I have an Iphone 4S on EE which is on a sim only contract (30 days). I want to upgrade to an Iphone 6 but with EE direct the price is really high. I’ve sourced another deal through a third party so the phone will come with a new number. I want to stay with EE and I want to keep my number. At the moment you cannot port numbers within the same network. Someone has suggested I buy a pay n go on another network – import my current number onto it, then when I get the Iphone 6 on EE, I import my number back to that. Is that possible to do?
Ken replied:
Hi Julia,
Thanks for your comment. If EE is refusing to move your phone number to the new account, you can indeed it port it out to another network before porting it back later to EE (you can order a free Pay As You Go SIM card for this purpose).
Ken
Hayley said:
Hi, I informed EE that I was leaving and requested by pac code which they sent in the post. Before I had even used the code EE charged my account £36 for requesting the code and giving them my 30 days notice.
When I had originally contacted EE they never informed me of this charge and then went on to say that it was because I had requested the pac code I had to pay for it.
After discussions with them they finally agreed to refund me the money as at no point was I informed of this charge.
I wasn’t in a contract with them and on the bill it said penalty charge??????
I am now worried that although i am receiving texts and phonecalls on my new O2 phone, my old phone is still able to call out as I have tested it and I don’t want them to charge me for it.
EE is a nightmare!!!!!
I’m still waiting for the refund so watch this space as to whether I will have to call them again!!
Thanks for the info though it has helped.
tao palmer said:
Hi Ken,Am currently with T-mobile on a contract thats just finished.Decided to upgrade my phone & found the best deal was on the internet.New phone arrived yesterday & I phoned T-mobile to ask for my PAC code & this was duly given to me.This morning phoned my new provider EE & was advised as T-mobile & EE are now essentially 1 in the same EE are NOT able to accept the PAC so I m stuck with the new number,however they advised I could go & buy a SIM only deal & give my PAC code to the new supplier ( say O2) then after a month cancel & ask for the new PAC & then & only then will EE be able to accept this PAC & move my old number to my newish phone.Seems a long winded way ,not to say expensive(1 month will be paying twice ) route to follow,is what I ve been told correct?
Ken replied:
Hi Tao,
Thanks for your comment. I believe it should still be possible to use a PAC Code to move your number from T-Mobile to EE. For more information, take a look at the comments on this page (they’re from other readers who’ve also transferred from T-Mobile to EE).
Ken
Jessica Wilkinson said:
Hi does anybody know how I change a number from EE pay as you go to EE pay monthly ive added my dad as a sharer on my account but he wants to keep his old EE pay as you go number
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your comment. Phone number transfers within the same network are handled internally without the use of a PAC Code. To transfer the phone number onto the new Pay Monthly SIM card, you should call EE Customer Services on 150.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Sue said:
Hi, I had to move from Orange PAYG to EE PAYG to be able to swap my micro sim to a nano sim. Was assured my old number and credit would be transferred across. 48 hours later my old number has been ported but not my credit! Have been in touch with the local EE shop and was told to give it time. How long should it take?
Ken replied:
Hi Sue,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, the transfer of credit from Orange to EE is an internal process within the EE network. For this reason, I wouldn’t know how long the process is expected to take. The best way of checking will be to call EE Customer Services on 150.
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
Ken
Rob West said:
Hi Ken, thanks for this very useful information! I have now received a Pac code from EE as, I am temporarily transferring my number away from them while creating a shared contract with EE with my daughters phone. This will save a considerable amount of money as the second sim (costing £8/month) has unlimited calls and texts, but shares data with the other phone.
EE would not allow me to either swap numbers between myself and my daughter, nor could I keep my number when acquiring a new shared sim. The only way therefore I is to transfer my number to another network (I chose Tesco ‘pay as you go’) and then will port it back once I receive my EE shared sim. Ee did say that Tesco may not allow me the PAC number immediately as their policy (EE’s) only allows customers their number after a 3 month period. Is that the general rule or is it just EE being akward? They say it was put into their policy to prevent old customers getting the better deals as new customers tended to get! I will update you as to my progress..
Ken replied:
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your comment and do please keep me updated about your situation!
With regards to your questions: there’s actually no technical reason why EE isn’t able to swap your phone number internally. It’s simply a business process i.e. so they don’t need to offer new customer discounts to upgrading customers and so they don’t need to pay any sales commission related to a new contract. This is why they ask you to port your number out and then back in at a later date (technically, you’d actually leave the network and then re-join as a new customer). In reality, I have heard of certain situations where a mobile network has done number transfers internally (though it normally requires a lot of persistence with the customer support line).
With regards to a PAC Code from Tesco, you should be able to get this immediately. Tesco needs to adhere to their legal requirements to give you a PAC Code – they can’t force you to stay on the network for a certain time. With regards to EE’s 3-month policy, it’s the first time I’ve heard about this! For this reason, I wouldn’t be able to tell you if the policy actually exists. If it does, it’ll certainly be a case of EE being awkward!
Ken
Samantha said:
Hi
I have a Vodafone contract but I want to transfer the number to an EE pay as u go sim. Is this possible? I don’t mind keeping the contract with Vodafone and having a new number with them but I would like that particular number on a EE pay as you go sim if that makes sense?
Kind regards
Sam
Ken replied:
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for your comment. It’s possible to transfer a phone number from Vodafone to EE. However, your old contract at Vodafone will normally be closed when you transfer the number out. If you want to keep the contract on Vodafone but with a brand new phone number, you’ll need to ask Vodafone Customer Services to see whether they’re able to do this for you.
Ken
jason said:
im having difficulty in the supposed easy migration to ee from orange ,firstly i got e-mail saying a new sim would arrive in 2days ,NO sim arrived in 8 days , rang customer service told then ,and that i already had a new unused paygo EE sim ,they said no problem ignore the one that has gone astray and give them the new EE sim phone number and theyll transfer my orange number to it and it could take 24hr, 38 hours later my number is still on my orange sim but they’ve transfer my credit to the EE sims temporary number,so now i carnt even call customer service to speak to them ,im under impression they’ve messed it up ,and just transferring my credit ? Why on earth would i want such when ive had the orange number over 10 years! 🙁
Craig said:
Hi Ken
I’m really struggling with this so hope you can help. I was an orange customer and my contract expired a couple of weeks ago and I changed to a sim only contract and kept the same phone (iPhone 4). However my phone number is still the temporary phone number and has not changed to my old original number that I want to keep. I’ve been in contact with EE technical support a lot to no avail, have tried resetting all the settings, changing the number to my original number within settings, turning off iMessage, FaceTime etc. however the phone number still reverts to the temporary number. Any tips you can provide would be great.
Ken replied:
Hi Craig,
Thanks for your comment. Are phone calls and text messages still showing the temporary phone number or is the problem restricted to only iMessage and FaceTime?
If phone calls and text messages are showing the temporary phone number, it means EE are still yet to transfer your number to the new SIM card. You’ll need to contact EE Customer Services on 150 to get your phone number transferred to the new SIM card.
If the temporary phone number only shows on iMessage and FaceTime, see the info here on how to update it.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Craig replied:
Thanks Ken, turns out EE hadn’t linked my number to the SIM card. All resolved now after a helpful call to their customer service.
Emily said:
Hi Ken, I’m having trouble transferring my number from Life Mobile to EE. Life Mobile was the Phones4u network that hangs off EE. I’ve used a pac code and ported over but can only send calls/messages, not receive them plus imessaging doesn’t work. The EE shop said I could port over from Life. Have spent an hour talking to EE tech support who checked my iPhone5 settings and the settings their end. Also went to their non-customer facing tech support (another level up the tech tree) and still no joy. Any advice much much appreciated. Emily
Ken replied:
Hi Emily,
Thanks for your comment. You’ll need to check with EE as to why you’re unable to receive incoming text messages (it’s something they’ll need to fix on their end). With regards to iMessage, you may need to set it up again with your new phone number. To do this, go to Settings > Messages and turn off iMessage. You may also need to do this for FaceTime. Once you’ve done that, go to Settings > Phone > My Number. Update the phone number there and make sure its correct. Finally, you should restart your handset and enable iMessage and FaceTime once again. That should hopefully solve the problems your having.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Emily replied:
Thanks Ken, back up and running – what a relief! Wish you worked at EE!
jim drewett said:
Hi Im still on tmobile but fancied the samsung s6 but wasnt near my upgrade (I know I got to pay up Tmobile) so i purchased from Direct mobiles now apparently I failed to click I was with tmobile when purchasing a EE contract now im being told I have to get a virgin pay as you go sim get a PAC code from tmobile transfer over to the pay as you go then when thats transferred get the PAC code from virgin then contact EE to transfer over
Thats what I think was said!! is there any other way around this
Thanks
Jim
Ken replied:
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your comment. You’ve signed up with EE as a new customer on Direct Mobiles (EE are obviously a little unhappy as they need to pay a commission to Direct Mobiles for every new customer referred to their network). It’s for this reason they would have preferred you to upgrade an existing customer on their network. You’re being asked to transfer off the network and then back onto it as it would make EE’s numbers look a lot better (they’d be able to record this as a new customer acquisition).
In reality, it shouldn’t be necessary to actually do this when moving from T-Mobile onto EE. It’s possible to submit the T-Mobile PAC Code directly to EE to move your number. For more information, take a look at the comments on this page: many of them are from other readers who’ve made the same move. By the way, don’t forget you’ll need to pay an early termination fee when ending your current contract.
Ken
sheila Brack said:
Hi I chose to up grade my phone 1month before my early up grade was due.This was due to the hand set failing.I was informed by Orange I could not upgrade.I there for requested a PAC code as needed to sort new handset.I was also wanting to move to EE . After some considerable and distressing wrangling passed from pillar to poseventuality got a Pac code that was 4 days ago. MY number still has not been transferred and my Orange acct on line is still live showing no change. Please can you help as I have a new phone I can’t use.
Ken replied:
Hi Sheila,
Has your new plan started at EE and have you given them the PAC Code from Orange? If so, you should be able to contact EE Customer Services to enquire about the progress of your phone number transfer. If not, you’ll need to make sure the PAC Code has been submitted to EE directly. The schedule for phone number transfers can be found in this table.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Vicky said:
Hi Ken,
I have been to an EE store early this afternoon and transferred over from and Orange contract to EE. They rung and got my PAC code for me and input that to the new contract to swap my number over. But I’m still waiting for the number to transfer.
Are there any tips/tricks to make the process quicker?
Many thanks,
Vicky
Ken replied:
Hi Vicky,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, there’s no way to speed up the process of transferring your phone number – it can only happen as per the schedule listed here. As the PAC Code transfer request was actioned on a Sunday, you should expect the phone number to be transferred some time on Tuesday.
Ken
Vicky replied:
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your reply. Also, I keep getting different answers- which phone should I be using until the number transfers?
The old phone which has the number I’m transferring or the new phone which has a temporary number until it’s replaced with my number?
Thanks for your help.
Ken replied:
Hi Vicky,
You’re welcome to use either of the handsets: both of them will continue to work. Personally, I would try to use the new contract as much as possible (it’s worth doing this so if there are any problems with the handset or network, you’ll be able to spot them early). If you decide to make an outgoing phone call, consider using your old handset on Orange (so as not to confuse people when they get a call from your temporary number on EE!).
Ken
Jayne said:
Hi Ken, I recently signed a contract with EE for the new iPhone 6 – I was with Three using a iPhone 4s. As the iPhone 4s was a hand me down, I had a great deal with Three for £15/month as I didn’t have to pay for the handset. I bought this with Carphone Warehouse and am now thinking of cancelling my contract (within the allowed 14 days which carphone warehouse are honouring). When I closed my account with Three last Wed, I gave 30 days notice but immediately requested my PAC code which I gave to EE and I’m all set up.
However, if I cancel the contract with EE I was told that I will lose my current number which I have had for 15 years! Obviously I do not want to do this and was wondering if you perhaps knew of a way to transfer my number back to Three without my having to lose it? Thanks in advance for any insight you may have.
Ken replied:
Hi Jayne,
Thanks for your comment. Do accept my apologies as I think I’ve failed to understand your question! I believe you’ve just succeeded in moving a phone number from Three to EE. The contract on Three was closed when you moved to EE.
Are you now wanting to cancel the EE contract and to go back to Three on your old tariff? Or is this simply a question about what happens to your phone number in 24 months time when the EE contract ends?
Many thanks,
Ken
Jayne replied:
Sorry I didn’t make myself clear. I am able to cancel the contract with EE (within the next 4 days). The downside to doing this as they are saying I would lose my mobile number which obviously I do not want to happen. So if I went back to Three, is there any way I can get out of this contract and still keep my old number?
Hope that clarifies?
Ken replied:
Hi Jayne,
You’ll be able to keep the phone number providing you’re able to get a PAC Code from EE. I’d have thought this should still be possible or are they imposing other conditions (e.g. not allowing you to get a PAC Code if you cancel the contract during the cooling off period)?
Ken
Angela said:
Hello Ken, I have a t mobile monthly sim only contract but want to start a new phone contact with a third party through EE as it’s cheaper than upgrading through t mobile. I have got a PAC code, can I transfer my number to the new contract
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Angela,
Thanks for your comment. It certainly shouldn’t be a problem moving your phone number from T-Mobile to EE. I recommend having a look at the comments on this page for some experiences from other users transferring their phone number from T-Mobile to EE.
Ken
Russ and Jill said:
Hello – thanks for all the grreat info on your site.
I am an Orange customer just out of contrcat. I have been offered an upgrade by Orange to EE – but I have found a better price for the exat same deal through a third party supplier.
I have told Orange this, but they have said they cannot match it. (can you believe that !)
Orange have issued me with my PAC code, and I am going for this deal with third party supplier. But I will technically be a ‘new’ customer to EE. So will I still be able to use my PAC code somehow to leave Orange, but Join EE as a new customer (theough a third party supplier) and still use my PAC code to carry my number over.
Thanks for any insight you may have
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Yep – it shouldn’t be a problem to use your PAC code when moving a phone number from Orange to EE. You can see the experience of other website readers here 🙂
Ken
Bernard said:
I’ve just ordered a new phone contract for my wife on EE, she is an existing orange customer so I was under the impression she should be able to port her number. I have been told that EE took over t-mobiles billing wing/infrastructure (or something like that) so transferring an old t-mobile number to a new (not upgraded) EE contract would not work but it is possible between Orange and EE, they have since told her that she cannot transfer her number as Orange are part of EE. Could you confirm this, am trying to get all my info together before I phone them up!
Ken replied:
Hi Bernard,
Thanks for your comment. It is possible to transfer your phone number directly from Orange over to EE. You can see the comments listed on this page for a sample of experiences from other EE customers.
Hope this helps.
Ken
Bernard replied:
Hi Ken, thanks for your reply, everything has gone surprisingly smoothly, transferring an old Orange number to a new EE account is just the same as transferring numbers between other companies, i believe it is when you transfer between an old T-Mobile number and a new EE account you have trouble as EE took on the T-Mobile accounting devision.
June Forrester said:
Your advice and step by step instructions appear to be very simple and straightforward. However I failed miserably this morning to transfer the Pac code to Talkmobile. I took out a monthly contract on 27 Feb. I contacted EE on the 1 March and received a Pac code within a couple of hours. This morning I contacted Talkmobile. They took my mobile number. It took a while for them to realise that I was transferring from EE to Talkmobile. I informed them clearly that I had the Pac code; they didn’t ask me for this but did say that I should have been given another number to enable me to go through this process. Carphone Warehouse provided me with no other number and lead me to believe that I needed a Pac code only then to pass it on to Talkmobile. I’m really not sure what else to do other than visit the store at some point in the week to ask them for help.
Darah said:
Hi ken
I have read your article and its very helpful. But I have one question , what happens if I’m on pay monthly of talk mobile and want to go to EE on pay monthly as well. Would I have to cancel my current contract or what.
Ken replied:
Hi Darah,
Thanks for your comment. You can follow the instructions provided on this page to move your number from Talkmobile to EE. To answer your question: yes, the contract on Talkmobile will be cancelled automatically when you transfer your number over to EE.
Ken
paul said:
I ordered my sim only contract over a week ago, I had the sim the next day with the “temp number ” but my old number has still not transferred from my orange to ee sim, its been over a week
Ken replied:
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment. Have you had any luck getting the number moved over? If not, it’s probably worth giving EE a prod (you can contact them for free by dialling 150 on your EE handset).
Ken
Abiodun said:
Hi Ken,
My mother passed away a few weeks ago and my contract was in her name. I am trying to leave EE to join 3 as they seem to have cheaper deals however I still want to keep my number.
EE will not release my PAC Code as the contract is not in my name however the customer service team advised me to transfer the contract into my name and then request for a Pac code once I am the owner.
The issue is that if I leave EE now and cancel both lines, they will erase any outstanding money my mother owes however if I want to keep my number, I will have to transfer the contract into my name meaning that I have to pay the cost of cancelling a 24 month contract before it has ended.
How would I be able to get the PAC code for my number before leaving EE? (and not being charged after transferring the contract into my name)
Ken replied:
Hi Abiodun,
I’m very sorry to hear about the situation: my thoughts are with you and your family.
In regards to your question, I can kind of understand where EE are coming from: typically they have something called an early termination fee when you need to leave a mobile contract early. There are certain situations where they’re able to waive the fee (e.g. in the case of the account owner’s death). If you were to first transfer the contract into your own name, they would no longer be able to waive the fee under this rule.
My initial thoughts are simply to lodge your request in writing with EE. I suspect this is something which really needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Hence, make a written request through the online form here. If they aren’t able to solve the situation, my other thought is to see whether they’re able to move the number over to Pay As You Go (this will wipe out any charges remaining on the contract; you’ll then subsequently be able to transfer the number elsewhere.
Ken
agne said:
Hello. I have a vodafone pay per month, but I want to change network ee to pay per month. Is it possible to change the network? thank you very much for your response!
Ken replied:
Hi Agne,
Indeed, it is! Take a look at the guide here for step-by-step instructions on moving your phone number from Vodafone to EE.
Hope this helps,
Ken
theresa ajanlekoko said:
hello i got a new phone that is locked to ee but, the sim card i use is three which is on contact, i was wondering if i get the pac code will it transfer my three number to the ee sim i ordered and keep my contract the same.
Ken replied:
Hi Theresa,
Thanks for your comment. You can use a PAC Code to transfer your phone number from Three to EE. However, please be aware that this will bring your contract at Three to an end (you might need to pay an early termination fee if there are any months remaining on your contract). After switching your phone number over, you’ll have a contract on EE with all of the associated allowances (the allowances on your EE contract may differ from those on the old contract from Three).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Steve said:
Hi there,
I am transferring my number to EE from O2 but it is for an iPhone 5. Will the PAC Code allow this or do I need to unlock the iPhone? I seem to remember that iPhones lock to the first network they are on unless you unlock them through apple. Please help.
Thanks
Steve
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your comment. A PAC Code only allows you to transfer a phone number from O2 to EE. It won’t unlock your iPhone automatically: you’ll need to do this as a separate process. There’s more information to be found on this page: the good news is it’s free to unlock an iPhone for O2 Pay Monthly customers and it shouldn’t take more than 72 hours.
Ken
Giulia said:
Hi Ken,
I have got a quick question for you. I am changing network from a pay as you go Talkmobile sim to a pay as you go EE sim. I have received the EE sim and I was going to try it in my phone and then to let them know the PAC code so they can transfer my old number.
I have read in your very useful article that on the day of transfer there might be some disruption of the service. I would like to know if I can keep the old Talkmobile sim in my phone until it is deactivated and that means that the transfer has happened to the EE sim, or once I have tried the EE sim in my Iphone it is better not to take it out anymore and wait until the old number is re-confirmed.
Basically I’d like to be able to use my Talkmobile sim till the very end so I don’t have to use a different number for just 24 hours, but does the transfer happen if the EE is not active in my phone?
Ken replied:
Hi Giulia,
Thanks for your comment and for your very good question! You can indeed put the Talkmobile SIM card back into your handset (in fact, I normally recommend people to do this). You’ll continue to receive incoming calls & text messages on the Talkmobile SIM card until the day of the transfer where you’ll lose signal on your Talkmobile SIM card (you could lose the signal any time on the transfer day). Once the signal has disappeared on your Talkmobile SIM card, you can change the SIM card for the one from EE. You should find that incoming calls and text messages then appear on the EE SIM card.
N.B. If you bought a new SIM-free iPhone from the Carphone Warehouse or another third-party retailer, please read the article here first as it could cause complications for your setup.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Mark said:
Hi, I recently transferred my account from EE to Three using a PAC code. Now when I log-in to the EE website and attempt to pay my final bill, it says number is invalid and refuses to log me in. How do I pay my final bill of £32 if EE doesn’t recognise me anymore??
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment. Have you tried logging in without your mobile number (there’s a small link where you’re able to do this underneath the normal box for logging in). If you still aren’t able to access your account, the chances are they may have closed your online account. It’s probably worth contacting EE Customer Services (dial 07953 966 250 from your Three handset) and paying your bill with one of the methods listed here.
Ken
Laura said:
Hi.
I upgraded my phone 3 days ago from Orange to EE (from a Samsung Galaxy S3 to an Apple iPhone 6). I was told that by simply turning the phone on, it would only take my number 20 minutes to transfer over and yet it still hasn’t. I’ve tried turning it on and off several times as well.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Laura
Ken replied:
Hi Laura,
Thanks for your comment. As you’ve progressed the number transfer as an internal upgrade from Orange to EE, the information relating to PAC Codes won’t be applicable in your current circumstances. Nevertheless, I’d expect your number transfer to happen on a working day (there could also be delays due to Christmas office closures, etc). If your number is still yet to move from Orange to EE, I’d recommend calling customer services on 150. They’ll be able to give you an update on the transfer.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Caroline said:
My number has been ported from orange to ee but not my £39 credit! What can I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Caroline,
Thanks for your comment. Did you proceed the number transfer using a PAC Code or did you upgrade directly through an EE upgrade? In general, it’s not possible to transfer Pay As You Go credit between two networks (see this section of the article above). This would be the case if you did a PAC Code transfer. However, if you upgraded directly through EE, they should have transferred the Pay As You Go credit to your new account for you. If they didn’t, you can call EE Customer Services on 150 and ask them what happened to the credit on your account.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Freya said:
Hi,
So it’s been 3 working days since I paid to end my contract on EE and opened up a new one on Vodafone. I went from an iPhone 4 to a 6, it still hasn’t worked and all of my texts are going through to my old SIM and they have not transferred my number. It says on my iPhone 6 that I have no service and I have turned it off many times,
Please help,
Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Freya,
Sorry to hear about your problems transferring a phone number from EE to Vodafone. Assuming you’ve already provided the EE PAC Code to Vodafone, the best thing to do is to call Vodafone Customer Services on 03333 040 191 (you can also dial the 191 shortcode if you’re using a Vodafone handset). Vodafone should be able to give you an update on the progress of your transfer and why it’s taking so much longer than normal.
Ken
Sly said:
Hi. I just asked about my PAC code from O2 as want to move to Orange network. I have found in a meantime that this will not be the best idea, and EE itself will be a better option to take. May I use the same PAC code for a different network than what I told O2 it was for (in fact the same as Orange is a part of EE)? It’s going to be the same kind of monthly pay as you go…
Ken replied:
Hi Sly,
Once you have the PAC Code, it’s possible to use it to move to any network (hence you could use it for EE or for any other network). Start by ordering your new phone or SIM card directly from EE’s website. Once you have the new phone or SIM card, enter your PAC Code through this online form. If you have any further queries about EE Pay As You Go, you can take a look at my review of the offer.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Warwick said:
I requested a pac code to change my number accords to ee from Vodafone now I have same telephone number on Vodafone sim and ee but I can call out from both ee and receive calls on Vodafone sim so now I have to Carry two phones around. It’s been 2 days now turning phones on and off any ideas please
Ken replied:
Hi Warwick,
Sorry to hear about your problems transferring a phone number from Vodafone to EE (if it helps, other people have the same exact problem – you can see the comments here for more information). In this case, it sounds as if the phone number is still yet to be moved over from Vodafone to EE. Once the number transfer has actually gone through, your Vodafone SIM card should become inactive. Meanwhile, EE has already updated your caller ID number despite the transfer not actually having happened. The best thing to do would be to give EE Customer Services a call on 150. They should be able to update you on the progress of the phone number transfer and can give you an estimated time for the transfer to be complete.
Ken
Ted said:
Hi Ken,
I’ve currently got a problem transferring my number from Vodafone to EE. I got the PAC code from Vodafone and passed this to EE when I took out a new contract with a new phone in one of their shops on 10/10/14. I was told in the shop that my number would port across to EE on Mon 13/10.
When I checked out the phone at home, there was no service. I lost my service on Vodafone on 13/10 but never got a service on EE.
I have contacted EE a number of times since, but each time been told the porting has not gone through fully, but got stuck initialising?? I have also been told my problem has been escalated each time but still I am without any service, 11 days since taking out the contract.
Is there any hope of this getting resolved or is it better to cut my losses and forget about keeping my old number?
Regards
Ted
Ken replied:
Hi Ted,
Sorry to hear about your problems transferring a phone number from Vodafone to EE. It’s shocking that they’ve left you without service for 9 days already – even after the number has been transferred. I have a sneaking suspicion that this actually isn’t a problem with the PAC Code (otherwise your EE SIM card would still work but with the temporary number EE originally gave you). It might be worth going into an EE store and asking them to check if there’s a problem with the SIM card. I’d also lodge a complaint with EE – this should hopefully get the issue escalated and will hopefully lead to a faster resolution.
Best of luck,
Ken
Ez said:
I have just upgraded from Orange to ee. I am able to make calls n send messages etc but some of the messages I send don’t show my number, they show the number that was initially in the phone!! I have changed the number to my number in settings n when I make a call it shows as my number, it’s just these odd few texts that show as a different number (the number originally in this phone. I’m totally confused!!
Ken replied:
Hi Ez,
The best thing to do would be to give EE a call on 150 – let them know your caller ID is still displaying a old number from before your number transfer. They should be able to resolve this problem for you!
Ken
Russ said:
Afternoon, I have just obtained my PAC code from Vodafone and my line goes dead on Friday but im not using my PAC code until Saturday when I take out a new contract with EE. Do you know if my PAC code will still work after the line is dead or not. I’m not leaving Vodafone on friendly terms and they are cancelling my contract with immediate effect.
If any one can help me on this that would be great.
Ken replied:
Hi Russ,
If your account at Vodafone gets closed before the transfer, the phone number will be lost and you won’t be able to transfer it to another network. My recommendation would be to use your PAC Code as soon as possible – if you submit the PAC to EE today then your number should be transferred over tomorrow. If it’s not possible to do this, you may need to ask Vodafone to extend your line rental for a couple of days. This will give you a little more time to have your number moved over.
Best of luck,
Ken
Laura said:
Hi,
I was an Orange customer and upgraded on Thursday to EE with the same number. I was told as Orange is part of the EE Group that I wouldn’t need a pac code.
The upgrade went through fine. My services started on Thursday with EE and then on Friday at 7.30pm all services were lost.
When I called EE they advised me that my number had been ported to someone else.
A pac code was provided to someone else for my number. Consequently, they now have my mobile number and I have no mobile number at all!
Orange and EE keep saying they have never seen this before. I have been told I have to go back to Orange and then try to go back to EE again as per my upgrade which could take a further week!
In the meantime, I have no number and someone else is getting all my calls and messages etc.!
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks,
Laura
Ken replied:
Hi Laura,
It sounds as if this is a massive mess-up on the part of EE: there are implications both in terms of disruption to your service and also in terms of your data security and privacy. My immediate thoughts are to lodge a formal complaint with EE – ideally you should do this in writing using the online form. This should help to escalate your issue to a higher level. There should also be someone assigned to dealing with this issue.
I hope the issue will get resolved as quickly as possible. Please do keep me updated on any progress from EE (or if you have any further questions about the same issue).
Many thanks,
Ken
mac said:
Hi,I have question about pac code which I receive from3 last Thursday , because i want to move to EE but later I think that was bad idea and I would like come back again to 3 and cancel my pac code .What do you think is any chance cancel pac code and become again customer 3 with my old number?
Ken replied:
Hi Mac,
Thanks for your comment. My advice would be to contact EE Customer Services as a matter of urgency – ask them to cancel the transfer of your phone number. If they aren’t able to do this (e.g. if the number has already been moved over), your only option would be to move the number back to Three (this may involve signing up once again on Three). You can contact EE by calling 150 from your EE handset or 07953 966 250 from any other device.
Hope this helps!
Ken
mac replied:
hi ,thanks for reply on my question ,but I would like explain you that I still didn’t move to EE and use my pac code from three.
Ken replied:
Hi Mac,
Ah, apologies for misunderstanding your question! If you haven’t yet given the PAC Code to EE, there’s no further action required on your part. The PAC Code will automatically expire after 30 days and your contract on Three will continue as before. It’ll be just as if you hadn’t requested the PAC Code in the first place. If you later decide you actually want to change network, you can request a new PAC Code from Three at any time.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Amir Shahzad said:
I have just come out of a 24 month contract with T-Mobile
I asked for a PAC CODE but was put through to the loyalty team who offered a 4G SIM Only deal. The SIM card had a temporary number.
I called 150 and told them my T-Mobile number had not migrated across as promised.
They tried to do it but couldn’t – they said there was a problem with the SIM and that I needed to get a replacement.
I got the replacement SIM card and now my phone says no service.
I have contacted customers services who can’t explain why the old number has not migrated and who have escalated the issue upwards.
I still haven’t heard anything back and haven’t been given a time frame for the resolution of the problem.
This really is very poor considering EE AND T-MOBILE are part of the same group of companies…
I’m really unhappy and would like to leave EE due to their incompetence in not being able to migrate my number from T-Mobile to EE and upgrade my plan
Therese said:
Hi, my partner changed from Lyca to EE a year ago. Problem is, when he has incoming calls, caller hear a message ‘this number is not in your price plan allowances please visit our site for more information’ and then the call will go through. A lot of people will hang up and he will never receive the call. He has contacted Lyca and EE but none will take the responsibility for this error. What can he do? Regards Therese
Ken replied:
Hi Therese,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, there’s no way to stop this message from being played when people call the number. The reason for this is because the number was originally issued by Lycamobile and still belongs to the Lycamobile block (see the spreadsheet here for a list of mobile numbering blocks and which network the numbers are assigned to). As a guide to reading the table, the SABC and D/DE are the first five digits following the zero in your phone number. For instance, if your phone number was 07123 456 789 then the SABC is 7123 and the D/DE is 4. The only solution I’m currently aware of would be getting a new phone number issued by EE. It is a massive pain but as long as you keep the number from Lycamobile, the message will play at the start of your calls.
Ken
Geraint said:
Hi Ken
i have done all of thisnd my number ha gone to vodafone, however it is still working on ee, my texts come through to that as well? does it matter that i have iphone 5 and now iphone 6?
Ken replied:
Hi Geraint,
Thanks for your comment. It sounds as if the number transfer still hasn’t taken place (I’d wait until the end of the working day, then I’d call Vodafone if the problem doesn’t resolve itself). The caller ID on your new network (Vodafone, in this case) can sometimes be updated before the transfer actually happens. It doesn’t actually mean calls & texts will be routed to that SIM card. Once the number has finally transferred from EE to Vodafone, calls and texts should then arrive on your new Vodafone iPhone.
Hope this helps and enjoy your iPhone 6!
Ken
Amy booker said:
Hi Ken!
I have paid to end my contact early with ee and taken out a new contract with Vodafone.
I got a pac code from ee which I gave to Vodafone when I took
Out my new contract and the number transfer should be taking place today.
I have lost service from my ee number but I’m still on the temporary number that Vodafone gave me on my new phone.
I lost service on my ee phone around 3.30 so should the old number now be active on my Vodafone contract or has something gone wrong?
Ken replied:
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your comment. You should normally lose service on the EE SIM card at the same time as Vodafone changing the phone number on your new SIM card. However, in some cases, there could be a short delay before this happens. I’d recommend restarting your Vodafone handset and seeing if it registers with the new phone number. If the problem persists then I’d call Vodafone Customer Services to enquire about the problem (dial 191 from your Vodafone handset).
Ken
Sunita said:
Hi
I am orange network customer.on the 1st of September I called customer services and told the lady there that I was due for an upgrade she put me through to the loyalty team who offered a 4GEE sim only deal and was told it would be a like for like deal as I was on orange. BUT not the case. Since the 1st of September ive been without the use of my phone. I received my 4GEE sim on the 5th of September but the number was different and not as promised the deal was also different from the one I was quoted. So again no use of the phone as phone was saying no service. I called back ee and explained this to them on Monday the 8th of September I got so annoyed and asked to reverse migrate to orange as before. On Wednesday the 10th of September I recieve a text message on my temporary number saying that my “upgrade and price plan has been reversed back to orange and that my number will be moving back on the 11th of September”.
This has not been the case at all I’m still without the use of my phone to date. I have been on the phone to orange daily twice a day. It’s costing me a lot of money as I’m using the landline. And all I am told is that it takes a bit of time for this process! HOW MUCH LONGER!!!
One extremely frustrated customer.
Please advise.
Ken replied:
Hi Sunita,
I’m very sorry to hear about the problematic migration from your old Orange plan to a new tariff from EE. Quite frankly, it’s totally unacceptable that EE have left you without the use of your phone for a period of 17 days. In this case, I would strongly recommend you make an official complaint via EE’s website. This will escalate the issue to a higher level and should help you in getting your phone service back. They might also be able to compensate you for the loss of service during the botched migration.
Good luck,
Ken
Lynne said:
I have a rolling goodybag with giffgaff, and am looking to switch to EE. My query is, is there a time scale within which I have to port my current number to EE? If I have my EE contract for say a month, can I then port my giffgaff number after that time or will EE not accept it?
Ken replied:
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for your comment. You can port your number to EE at any time you like (it’s totally fine if you’ve already had the contract for a month). This guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lynne replied:
Thank you for the clarification.
Peter said:
Hi Ken,
I’m currently at the end of a pay monthly contract with Orange (EE) and I’ve requested my PAC code (my contract end date has passed but I’m still in the 30 day’s notice period) and I’ve requested my PAC code as I couldn’t find any good upgrade deals. I found a brilliant deal on a website for a pay monthly contract with EE, I would like to keep my current number but I’ve read from various sources that it’s not possible to port a number from a monthly contract to another pay monthly contract on the same network. Is this the case? And is there nothing else I can do to keep my number while taking out a new contract with a new account?
Ken replied:
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. As an Orange customer, you can upgrade to EE without using a PAC code (EE will simply process this as an internal upgrade within their network). If the same deal isn’t available to customers who are upgrading, it could then be worth asking Customer Services if they can match the deal you’ve seen for new customers.
If it’s not possible for them to match the deal for new customers, you can of course sign up as a new customer via the EE website. Using the details of your new account, you can then provide your Orange PAC Code to EE via this online form. I haven’t got other examples exactly for your situation, but there are a couple for people moving from T-Mobile to EE.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Mike Bullock said:
This has been horrendous and still isn’t sorted.
I was with Orange pay as you go and had £9.97 credit. This was transferred from my account within 12 hours of subscribing to a new pay monthly contract so I couldn’t use my phone. The SIM card arrived 4 days later with a pac code from orange. I followed the instructions and entered my details online to move my old number over. The following day I could only make outgoing calls, after 3 calls to the technical team and another 4 days the issue still isn’t resolved. A new sim is on the way which could take another 3-5 days.
Great 10 days without a phone isn’t funny and there is still no guarantee of it working.
EE’s phone transfer sucks and I wouldn’t recommend EE. Perhaps I should cancel the contract.
Zhoumei said:
Hi Ken!
I’m currently in the process of doing this from Vodafone to EE, however there is an issue going on. It was supposed to be transferred over the next day however it’s been a bit of a problem. I can call out with the phone number that’s been transferred from Vodafone, but I cannot send texts or receive calls. Any idea whats happening?
Ken replied:
Hi Zhoumei,
Sorry to hear about your problems transferring a phone number from Vodafone to EE. If you’re able to call out using your phone number but incoming calls still go to the old network, then the transfer of your phone number is still yet to be finished. I’d recommend rebooting your handset occasionally throughout the number transfer day – this will sometimes iron out any problems on your phone. If you’re still having problems at the end of the working day, the best thing to do would be to call EE Customer Services (dial 150 free from your EE handset). As to why you’re unable to send text messages from your phone, this is a little bizarre as you’ve already managed to make an outgoing phone call. If rebooting your handset doesn’t make a difference then EE Customer Services would probably again be the best bet!
Ken
Mark said:
Hi Ken,
Great post. Very informative. Quick Q though.
I’m switching to Three from EE and getting a new iPhone. I’ve got the PAC code. From previous experiences, once the phone is set up with a sim card, the phone incorporates the mobile number for iMessage etc. So when the PAC code is done – ie the number is switched to my new iPhone – do I need to ‘tell’ the iPhone or does it do it all automatically?
Kind regards and thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
You’re right – iMessage, Whatsapp, etc. will stay continue to stay registered to temporary number. There’s a fix for this: see this comment lower down in the page.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Dovile said:
Hello,
I have got my pac code and filled form online. I am switching from Vodafone to EE. Aaaaand nothing happened. I have filled that form once again 2 days ago and still nothing happened. I havent got any message. Also I have been trying to switch mobile phone off and on again. Still nothing. I am not sure what to do.
Ken replied:
Hey Dovile,
Thanks for your comment. It’s strange that nothing has happened since submitting your PAC Code to EE. Have you received any messages from them confirming they’ve processed the PAC Code? It might be worth giving them a call (dial 150 from your EE handset) and checking with Customer Services on the status of your transfer.
Ken
PAT said:
Can anyone help?
I’ve recently come out of a 24 month contract with T-mobile which I then changed to PAYG. I soon realised that my monthly usage (although relatively low) wasn’t cost effective as PAYG. I currently have just over £1.00 credit on this phone – an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S2.
I started looking at monthly deals and just over a week ago, signed up or another 24 month contract with EE. Apparently I cannot transfer my T-mobile number to EE even though they are on the same network.
It was suggested that I get a third party SIM, e.g. Vodafone (which is not part of the EE network) and transfer the old T-mobile number to Vodafone, and one this is done requested a PAC code from Vodafone to transfer the ‘new’ (but original T-mobile number) to EE. Hopefully does this make sense? What happens to my old T-mobile SIM? Can I request a new number for that or is it just ‘tough’ with any remaining credit being forfeited?
Can anyone come up with a better scenario?
Regards.
PAYG Pat
Ken replied:
Hi Pat,
As a T-Mobile customer moving to EE, the recommended thing to do is to upgrade directly to EE. In your case, you’ve signed up as a new customer on EE which means using a PAC Code to move your number over.
Have you tried obtaining the PAC from T-Mobile and submitting it to EE via this online form? After doing this, the number transfer should be processed just like any other. It might be easier to do this than going via Customer Services (customer services may insist it can’t be done as they’d prefer you to upgrade rather than to sign up as a new customer).
Ken
Pat replied:
Thanks very much Ken for your prompt response – I sure wish that you I got the same response from ALL of the customer services people I have spoken to over the past few days. I have wasted so much time trying to get this resolved. The only reason I did not ‘upgrade’ from T-Mobile to EE is that the same deal cost over £2.00 per month more (for 24 months). So…… I’ve completed the form (many thanks for the link) and I now wait to see what happens tomorrow. Hopefully by 17:30, my ‘old’ telephone number will be on my ‘new’ phone and I will no longer keep receiving calls for a Ms Donoghue!
Now all I need to do is try to ensure that I get all my contacts exported safely.
PS. Why to service centres which are so very obviously based in India insist that there staff adopt ‘English’ names, i.e. I’ve recently spoken with Sharon, Peter and Mark – who speak very poor English – very fast! (rant over).
PAT replied:
Yay – filled in the form as suggested. A few hours later got a text message from EE stating that there was a problem and to call them on 150. Ages later (as they were so busy), I managed to get through to a customer services lady who took ages to check my T-Mobile account and my EE account and then said that she could do the transfer for me. So before thanking her and saying goodbye, I check that the tranfer will take place before 17:30 today (Wednesday) – ‘yes’ she says.
Woke up this morning to discover that my T-mobile SIM no longer works (only lost £0.89p) and very pleased to say that my new ‘EE’ phone now has my ‘old’ mobile number. Woo-hoo – only took 12 days and I would have been none the wiser had I not stumbled upon your web site so THANK YOU very much!
Ken replied:
Woo hoo – congratulations Pat and glad to know the phone number transferred successfully! Hope you enjoy using your phone on EE and thanks again for keeping us updated about how the transfer went!
Ken
mudpie said:
Hi,
Love your site – great advice and help.
I want to change from my pay as you go (Vodaphone) to an EE iphone contract. There is a great deal with EE which unfortunately ends on 31st July. I am trying to use up my credit on my old phone (don’t want to waste it!!!) If I go and sign up for the deal on the the 31st can I wait a while to transfer my number so as to use up my credit?
Thank you in advance
Ken replied:
Hi mudpie,
Thanks for the kind words and for leaving us a comment! Yep, of course, it’s no problem at all to sign up with EE today and to transfer your number over at a later point (e.g. after you’ve used up remaining credit on Vodafone). The process for transferring your number can be seen on this page – with step 3 (providing your PAC Code to EE), you should only do this when you want your number transferred over (you’ll lose any remaining Vodafone credit here at this stage).
Hope this helps!
Ken
mudpie replied:
Thank you for the info Ken, really helpful.
Lauren said:
Hi Ken,
I’m moving from EE to 3. I bought a SIM only plan from 3 and I am currently on pay-as-you-go on EE. Everything I’ve read so far on keeping my number when switching networks talks about ‘both’ devices. I only have the one handset so should I leave my EE sim card in and wait for it to stop working then put my 3 card in? Or should I use my temporary 3 number in the mean time and wait for that to stop working and then restart it?
Ken replied:
Hi Lauren,
Please accept my apologies! When writing, we often assume there’s two different handsets (an old one and new one). In many cases, its actually the same handset (only the network & SIM card is changing). I hope this didn’t cause too much confusion!
To answer your question, you have the option of using either SIM card until the transfer takes place. If you’d like to continue receiving calls & texts on your existing phone number, I would recommend continuing to use your EE SIM card. Be sure to keep the 3 SIM card somewhere convenient (you’ll need to change the SIM cards over as soon as the number transfer takes place).
It’s also possible to use your Three SIM immediately. In this case, you’ll be using a temporary number until the transfer takes place. It’s not necessarily a problem but you’ll miss calls & texts sent to your number.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Tony said:
I have recently signed-up for a contract for an iPhone 5S at Phones4U. I wanted to retain my existing T-Mobile PAYG number and the best coverage option was offered by EE 4G.
However, the P4U salesperson told me I could not transfer a T-M number directly to EE, because they are “effectively the same provider” and that if I wanted to retain my number, I would either have to transfer it first to a ‘third party’ SIM and then transfer it again to EE, or choose another (3G) provider.
In the event I chose another provider, although I have not yet effected the transfer. But, having now researched this on your website, the advice I was given seems somewhat dubious.
Can you clarify the position, please?
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your comment. As you mentioned, T-Mobile and EE are essentially the same company (T-Mobile is a 3G-only brand whereas EE also provides 4G coverage). As part of the push towards 4G, EE has tried to encourage T-Mobile customers to upgrade to 4GEE. This is normally done as an upgrade within the network (there’s no need to use a PAC Code). In your situation, you were looking to sign up as a new customer on 4GEE and to port your old number from T-Mobile. Though I haven’t tried it, I believe a PAC Code would also do the job in this situation (e.g. you can still use a PAC code though it’s not totally necessary). A PAC Code is still required to transfer your number from Orange to T-Mobile.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Farzana said:
I am currently trying to transfer my EE number from one contract to another as I was unable to upgrade my original contract. EE have come back and said they can’t do that and I have to transfer my number to another contract before I can then use it on my new EE contract. LAME!
Andy replied:
Me too. How did you get on?
Nigel Brown said:
Hi,
Just switching from T mobile to EE, and have simply turned off my old phone, and left on my new one, as advised by EE.
The new phone does have a number in it, ( although not my number ) and I can make calls, although no mobile network.
Is this normal, and will my existing number transfer automatically within a few hours or so ?
Any help appreciated !
Ken replied:
Hi Nigel,
Thanks for your comment. It’s really odd that this has happened: especially as you’re upgrading from T-Mobile to EE (technically, both are now the same network). If the problem doesn’t resolve itself within a couple of hours, I’d recommend calling EE customer services on 150. Do keep us updated on how you get on!
Ken
Wendy said:
I bought a new phone and my current provider is O2 and wanted to change my number to EE so phoned O2 got the PAC code phoned EE this was on a Saturday afternoon who told me the phone transfer would take place Tuesday so Tuesday came and nothing had changed over, I phoned them Wednesday midday and the customer service put me through to a technition who said he would do the transfer manually and to turn both phones off and within 3 to 4 hours everything would be working correctly, well it wasn’t. I phoned them back 5 hours later and customer services told me that it had taken place and I was phoning from my old O2 number (I as using my new phone) this seemed strange as my old O2 phone was still working. I can phone out on my new phone with my O2 number and text but when people phone me it connects to my old phone ,and text, both phones are using the same number, after many hours of frustrating phone calls to EE nothing had changed, please help
Jim said:
Good morning Ken, Great article btw extremely helpful. I am in the process of migrating 4 of our business phones from o2 to EE via carphone warehouse. I was contacted by Carphone warehouse this morning telling me our main number (the bosses num for 20+ years) is not supported by EE as it is an “0777” number, and we need to change it? I then contacted EE direct and they seem to think all they need is a PAC code and any number is fine, my question is have you heard of this problem before? and what one of these companies is likely to be telling me porkies?
Jim
Ken replied:
Hi Jim,
Thanks for getting in touch. As far as I’m aware, there is no reason why EE couldn’t support a number beginning with 0777. If you take a look at this link (it’s the OFCOM database for mobile numbering), you’ll see that numbers beginning with 0777 are just normal mobile numbers like any other. Indeed, Orange (now part of EE) was even assigned the 07772, 07773 and 07779 number ranges for their own customers. Given this, I believe I believe it’s highly unlikely that EE would have any problems using an 0777 phone number.
Ken