By How to transfer & keep your phone number when switching to another mobile network: a step-by-step guide to using a PAC Code.
In the UK, it’s a straightforward process to transfer your phone number from one mobile network to another. This makes it easy to change mobile networks, whilst keeping the same phone number as before. It also ensures you won’t miss any incoming phone calls, and there’s no need to tell everyone a brand new number.
To move your phone number from one network to another, you’ll use something called a Porting Authorisation Code (or PAC Code for short). It normally takes one working day to transfer your phone number using a PAC Code and it’s always free to do so.
Step-By-Step Instructions: Transferring Your Phone Number
For a step-by-step guide on how to keep your current phone number, please select your current mobile network followed by the mobile network you’re planning to join:
PAC Code Finder
Find out how to move your phone number
Through the rest of this article, we’ll discuss the process for transferring your phone number in a little more detail. We’ll show you how to get a PAC Code from different mobile networks, and then how you can use the PAC Code on your new network. We’ll also discuss the validity and expiry of PAC Codes, before looking at some special cases (e.g. transferring your phone number within the same network).
Contents
What is a PAC Code?
In the UK, a PAC Code (or Porting Authorisation Code) is used to transfer your phone number from one mobile network to another.
There are three steps to transferring your phone number:
- Start by getting a PAC Code from your current mobile network. It takes less than a minute to get a PAC Code from your network, and there’s no need to speak to anyone on the phone. You can get your PAC Code either online or by text message – simply follow the instructions here for your network. There’s no cost and no obligation when getting a PAC Code.
- Order your new phone or SIM card. Once you have the PAC Code from your old network, you can order the new phone or SIM card from your new mobile network. To start with, you’ll be given a temporary phone number so you can make sure the service works correctly before transferring your phone number.
- Give the PAC Code to your new mobile network. Finally, you can give the PAC Code to your new network. Normally, you’ll be able to submit the PAC Code online. However, you can also give it to your new mobile network over the phone.
For step-by-step instructions on how to keep your phone number using a PAC Code, please select your current mobile network followed by the mobile network you’re planning to join:
If you don’t want to keep your phone number when changing mobile networks, you can request a STAC Code (Service Termination Authorisation Code) instead of a PAC Code. The form above will also help you to get a STAC Code from your network. Alternatively, you can use the standard cancellation process but an additional notice period fee may apply when you do this.
PUK Codes (Personal Unblocking Key Codes)
PAC Codes are sometimes confused with PUK Codes (Personal Unblocking Key Codes). However, the two codes serve totally different purposes. A PUK code is required if your handset becomes blocked (e.g. if you were to enter your PIN number incorrectly three times). When moving mobile networks, be sure to get a PAC Code instead of a PUK Code.
How Long Do Number Transfers Take?
Once you’ve given the PAC Code to your new network, you’ll need to wait one working day before the phone number is moved over (two working days if you submit the PAC Code late in the afternoon or evening).
Whilst you’re waiting for the transfer to take place, you’ll continue receiving a service from your old mobile network. This means you’ll still be able to receive incoming calls and texts whilst you wait.
On the day of the phone number transfer, you’ll momentarily lose coverage on both your old and new mobile networks. When this happens, you should restart the phone on your new network. That should complete the phone number transfer.
When Will The Number Transfer Take Place?
Phone number transfers normally take place on the next working day after you submit your PAC Code (or two working days if you submit the PAC Code late in the afternoon or evening).
It’s important to remember that phone number transfers will only take place on a working day. Transfers will not happen over the weekend or on English bank holidays. Therefore, assuming there are no bank holidays, the following table shows when you can expect the phone number transfer to take place:
| Day of Submitting PAC Code† | Day of Number Transfer |
|---|---|
| Saturday | Tuesday |
| Sunday | |
| Monday | |
| Tuesday | Wednesday |
| Wednesday | Thursday |
| Thursday | Friday |
| Friday | Monday |
† You’ll need to submit your PAC Code before the daily cut-off time (between 3pm and 5.30pm depending on your network). If the PAC Code is submitted after the daily cut-off time, you’ll need to wait an extra working day for the transfer to take place.
You will need to be in the UK on the day of the phone number transfer.
Getting a PAC Code
The first step to transferring your phone number is getting a PAC Code from your old mobile network. The PAC Code authorises the transfer of your phone number to another network. It’s nine-digits long and consists of three letters followed by six numbers (e.g. ABC 123 456).
You can normally get a PAC Code instantly from your mobile network, either using their website or app or by sending a text message as follows:
| Current Network | How to Get a PAC Code | |
|---|---|---|
 | Log in to the My BT website and go to Mobile > Thinking of leaving BT or text PAC to 65075 to get a BT PAC Code by SMS text message (see other options) | |
 | Log in to the My EE website and go to Menu > Account settings > Leave EE or text PAC to 65075 to get a EE PAC Code by SMS text message (see other options) | |
 | Log in to the My giffgaff website and go to My profiles & settings > Get a giffgaff PAC Code or text PAC to 65075 to get a giffgaff PAC Code by SMS text message (see other options) | |
 | Log in to the My O2 website and go to My details > Thinking of switching from O2? or text PAC to 65075 to get a O2 PAC Code by SMS text message (see other options) | |
 | Log in to your Sky Account and go to My Account > Mobile > My Number or text PAC followed by your date of birth (in DDMMYYYY format) to 65075 (see other options) | |
 | Log in to your My3 Account to get your Three PAC Code or text PAC followed by your date of birth (in DDMMYY format) to 65075 (see other options) | |
 | Log in to your Virgin Mobile Account to get your Virgin PAC Code or text PAC followed by your date of birth (in DD/MM/YYYY format) to 65075 (see other options) | |
 | Log in to the My Vodafone website and go to Account settings > Mobile switching or text PAC to 65075 to get a Vodafone PAC Code by SMS text message (see other options) | |
| Show contact details for more networks... (e.g. iD Mobile, Plusnet, Tesco & Smarty) | ||
If you’re requesting a PAC Code online or by text message, your mobile network is legally obliged to give it to you within 60 seconds of your request.
If you prefer, it’s also possible to get a PAC Code by calling your current mobile network. In this case, you should expect it to take substantially longer as your mobile network will normally try to persuade you to stay with them. It’s certainly a lot more hassle getting your PAC Code this way, but it can give you the opportunity to negotiate a deal with them.
Once issued, your PAC Code will be valid for 30 days. You should write it down, keeping it somewhere safe and secure (treat it like you would a password). There’s no need to separately cancel your mobile contract as this will be done automatically for you when the PAC Code is used.
If any early exit fees apply to your contract, you should be told about these when you request your PAC Code. Alternatively, you can text INFO to 85075 to find out what the early exit fees are for ending your contract.
Using a PAC Code
After you get a PAC Code from your old network, the next step is ordering the new phone or SIM card from your new mobile network. To do this, select the mobile network you’re planning to join:
| Please select the network you're moving to: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| | | |
| Other Popular Networks: BT Mobile, giffgaff, iD Mobile, Plusnet Mobile, Smarty, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, VOXI | |||
During the online order process, you’ll sometimes be given the option to use your PAC Code straight away. We normally recommend declining this option as it can complicate things (e.g. if you wish to cancel or return your plan during the cooling-off period, or if there’s a delay before your new phone or SIM card arrives).
Unless you choose to use the PAC Code straight away, your new phone or SIM card will initially be given a temporary phone number. This will allow you to spend a little bit of time to make sure everything works correctly before you submit the PAC Code and complete the number transfer process. It isn’t possible to reverse a phone number transfer once it has taken place.
How To Submit Your PAC Code
Once you’re happy to move your phone number over, you can provide the PAC Code to your new mobile network as follows:
| New Network | Contact Details for Providing a PAC Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Give your PAC Code to BT (bt.com) or call 150 from your BT handset / 0800 800 150 from another phone. See full contact details. | |
| Give your PAC Code to EE (ee.co.uk) or call 150 from your EE handset / 07953 966 250 from another phone. See full contact details. | |
| Give your PAC Code to giffgaff (giffgaff.com) The PAC Code must be submitted to giffgaff online. | |
| Give your PAC Code to O2 (o2.co.uk) or call 202 from your O2 Pay Monthly handset, 4445 from your O2 Pay As You Go handset from another phone: 0344 8090202 (Pay Monthly), 0344 8090222 PAYG). See full contact details. | |
| Give your PAC Code to Sky (sky.com) or call 03300 412 524 from your Sky handset / 03300 412 524 from another phone. See full contact details. | |
| Give your PAC Code to Three (three.co.uk) or call 333 from your Three handset / 0333 338 1001 from another phone. See full contact details. | |
| Give your PAC Code to Virgin (virginmedia.com) or call 789 from your Virgin handset / 0345 6000 789 from another phone. See full contact details. | |
| Give your PAC Code to Vodafone (vodafone.co.uk) or call 191 from your Vodafone handset / 03333 040 191 from another phone. See full contact details. | |
| Show contact details for more networks... (e.g. iD Mobile, Plusnet, Smarty, Tesco & VOXI) | ||
We wouldn’t recommend using your PAC Code if there’s still a chance you’ll want to cancel or return your new phone or SIM. This is because the number transfer process cannot be reversed once the PAC Code has been used.
PAC Code Validity & Expiry
Once issued, your PAC Code is valid for 30 days. For instance, if your PAC Code is issued on the 1st of November, it will expire on the 30th of November.
If your PAC Code isn’t used within the 30-day validity period, it will expire and nothing further will happen. The plan on your old mobile network will continue to run and you’ll still be charged for it, even if you’re no longer using it. If you still want to cancel your plan, you can use a different cancellation process such as the STAC Code or standard cancellation process.
If your PAC Code has already expired, you can get a new one if you’d still like to transfer your phone number to another network.
Special Cases
Transferring Within The Same Network
A PAC Code can only be used when you’re transferring a phone number between two different networks.
If you’re staying on the same mobile network but changing to a different phone or plan, it isn’t possible to use the PAC Code process. Instead, you should contact your mobile network directly to ask them to transfer your phone number to the new plan. You’ll need to provide them with details of both of your accounts.
| Please select your network and tariff type: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| | | |
| Other Popular Networks: BT Mobile, giffgaff, iD Mobile, Plusnet Mobile, Smarty, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile, Virgin Mobile, VOXI | |||
In some cases, mobile networks have been known to refuse a request to transfer your phone number to another plan on the same network. This will sometimes be the case if you’ve signed up on a ‘new customer’ deal, whereas the network would like to sell you an ‘upgrade’ instead (normally more expensive).
One potential workaround for this is to use a PAC Code to transfer your number to a different network (e.g. onto a Pay As You Go network such as giffgaff or ASDA Mobile). Once you’ve done that, you can always transfer your phone number back into the original network.
Transferring a Pay As You Go Number
You should follow the normal PAC Code process when transferring a Pay As You Go phone number.
However, one extra thing that’s worth being aware of is that you can’t transfer Pay As You Go credit from one mobile network to another. Any unused credit remaining on your old network will therefore be forfeited on the day of your phone number transfer. For this reason, it’s normally a good idea to use up your Pay As You Go credit before the phone number transfer.
If you have a large amount of money remaining on your Pay As You Go account, consider donating it to charity rather than spending it frivolously. You can donate unused credit by text message to charities like Cancer Research, the Red Cross and Save the Children. You can also check with your favourite charity to see whether they’re able to accept donations by text message.
Transferring Ownership Of Your Number
If you like, the PAC Code process can be used to transfer ownership of your phone number (e.g. to a friend or family member). This is because there is no requirement for the name on the old account and new account to be the same.
Please be aware of the possible privacy and security implications if you decide to transfer ownership of your phone number to someone else. This is because they might end up with access to your incoming phone calls and text messages (including verification codes from the bank, messages from friends, etc).
Cancelling Your Old Mobile Contract
If you’re using a PAC Code to transfer your phone number to another network, the account on your old mobile network will be closed automatically. This will happen when the PAC Code is used and when the phone number transfers to another network.
If you simply request a PAC Code but never actually use it, your account will remain open, even after the PAC Code expires. To cancel it, you’ll need to start the PAC Code process again, or you can follow the STAC Code or standard cancellation process:
- If you’re moving to another network but don’t want to keep your current phone number, follow the STAC Code (Service Termination Authorisation Code) process. You can get a STAC Code online in the same way you’d get a PAC Code, or you can text STAC to 75075. Once you have a STAC Code from your old network, you can use it in the same way you’d use a PAC Code.
- If you’re not moving to another network, follow the standard cancellation process. However, a 30-day notice period might apply for this on some Pay Monthly plans. It can therefore be advantageous to use the PAC Code or STAC Code process instead as the notice period will not apply for this.
Other Things To Know
There are several other things worth knowing about a PAC Code:
- You cannot swap phone numbers between two accounts. When you port your phone number onto another network, the original phone number on that SIM card is lost. Therefore, it isn’t possible to swap phone numbers between two mobile networks.
- You cannot transfer a phone number that has already been lost. For instance, if you’ve already cancelled your contract, or if your phone number has expired due to Pay As You Go inactivity. In both cases, the phone number will have already been lost and can therefore no longer be transferred elsewhere.
- Businesses can transfer up to 25 phone numbers using a PAC Code. Businesses can use a PAC Code to transfer up to 25 phone numbers from one mobile network to another. Larger businesses wanting to transfer more than 25 phone numbers should contact their account manager at the network instead to arrange a transfer.
- A different system exists for transferring landline phone numbers. A PAC Code can only be used for transferring mobile phone numbers in the UK (these are UK phone numbers starting with 07). If you’d like to transfer a landline number, see our guide to switching broadband or home phone provider.
Troubleshooting
Instant Messaging Apps
If you’re using an instant messaging app (e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Snapchat), your temporary phone number may continue to show even after you’ve used your PAC Code. To fix this, you should use the ‘number change’ feature that’s built into your messaging application:
- WhatsApp: Changing your phone number
- Facebook Messenger: Changing your phone number
- Snapchat: Setting your phone number
- WeChat: Change linked mobile network
- LINE: Changing your phone number
iMessage & FaceTime on iPhone
If you’re using an iPhone, you may experience problems with iMessage and FaceTime after transferring your phone number with a PAC Code.
If you’re moving your phone number to a new iPhone, you might see your temporary phone number continuing to show in iMessage and FaceTime. To resolve this, you’ll first need to disable iMessage and FaceTime (you can do this by going to Settings > Messages > iMessage and Settings > FaceTime on your iPhone). After doing this, go to Settings > Phone > My Number and enter your correct phone number there (this should be the phone number that you want to keep). You should then restart your iPhone, after which you can re-enable iMessage and FaceTime.
If you’re moving your phone number from an iPhone to a non-Apple device (e.g. Android), you may find that you stop receiving messages from people with an iPhone. To fix this, you’ll need to de-register your old iPhone from iMessage and FaceTime. If you still have access to your old iPhone, go to Settings > Messages > iMessage and switch it off. You should also go to Settings > FaceTime to turn FaceTime off. Alternatively, if you no longer have access to your iPhone, you can de-register iMessage through the Apple website.
Other Number Transfer Issues
If you have any other issues relating to your phone number transfer (e.g. if your phone number didn’t move over as planned, or if you’re having problems using your phone after the transfer), it’s the responsibility of your new mobile network to resolve this. You should contact their customer services team about the issue you’re having.
If your phone number transfer gets delayed for any reason, you may be eligible for compensation from your new provider.
One Time Passcodes
Once your phone number transfer is complete, you may be subject to some additional security checks when shopping or banking online. This extra security will last for a couple of days after your phone number transfer. It’s an anti-fraud mechanism that is designed to stop scammers from intercepting one-time passcodes (OTPs) to your mobile phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
| What is a PAC Code? | In the UK, a PAC Code (Porting Authorisation Code) is used to transfer your phone number from one mobile network to another. |
|---|---|
| How long does it take to transfer a phone number? | It normally takes one working day to transfer your phone number between mobile networks (two working days if you submit your PAC Code late in the afternoon or evening). You’ll continue receiving coverage from your old mobile network whilst you waiting so the downtime should be minimal. |
| How do I get a PAC Code? | You can get a PAC Code through your mobile network’s website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075. Once you’ve requested it, a PAC Code should be sent to you within 60 seconds. You can also get a PAC Code by calling your network, but this is likely to involve a lot more hassle. |
| What do I do with a PAC Code once I have it? | Once issued, your PAC Code will be valid for 30 days. You should give it to your new mobile network once you’re happy to move your phone number over. Find out how to use your PAC Code. |
| Does using a PAC Code automatically cancel my old plan? | Your old mobile plan is cancelled automatically once the PAC Code is used and once the phone number transfer is complete.
If you simply request a PAC Code but never actually use it, your old account will remain open, even after the PAC Code expires. |
| Can I transfer my phone number to the same network using a PAC Code? | No. It isn’t possible to use a PAC Code to transfer a phone number to the same network. Instead, you’ll need to contact your mobile network directly. Alternatively, you can always port out to a different network before porting your phone number back in. |
| How long is a PAC Code valid for? | Once issued, your PAC Code is valid for 30 days. For instance, if your PAC Code is issued on the 1st of November, it will expire on the 30th of November. |
| What happens if the PAC Code expires? | If your PAC Code isn’t used during the 30-day validity period, your plan will continue to run and you’ll continue being charged for it. You can either request a brand new PAC Code, or you can cancel your contract another way (e.g. using the STAC Code or standard cancellation process). |
| What is a STAC Code? | A STAC Code (Service Termination Authorisation Code) is used when you’re moving to another network but when you don’t want to keep your current phone number. You can get a STAC Code online in the same way you’d get a PAC Code, or you can text STAC to 75075. |
More Information
For a step-by-step guide that takes you through the process of transferring a mobile number, please use our PAC Code Finder.
Phil said:
Hi Ken
I’ve recently signed up to Smarty mobile. Now that I’m happy with how it’s all set up I’d like to do a couple of things.
I’m currently using a STAC to leave my old number with EE. It should terminate tomorrow. I have another number with O2 which I’d like to transfer to the Smarty sim with a PAC once the EE number it’s closed down. Is it possible (or would there be any objection from a network) to do the PAC once the STAC is completed?
Phil
Ken replied:
Hi Phil,
Many thanks for your comment. As far as I know, there shouldn’t be any problem using a PAC Code from O2, once the STAC code from EE has been actioned 🙂
Ken
Alan Taylor said:
Hi i’ve just gone threw this process as listed above, coming from Plusnet to Asda Mobile.
But its all gone south, im now 6 days into the port, the number has still not come over and the number from Asda has now been disconnect.
I’ve spoke to Asda technical people at Asda say Plusnet has not given them the right file, whatever that means
So i now find myself with my number on Plusnet has been disconnected, and my temporary number from Asda has also been disconnected.
The guy from Asda mobile assures me that my number wont be lost, but could another week or more to transfer over, apparently my number supposedly with plusnet is on an Orange account.
I took this account out with Plusnet back in 2017 but had know idea i was with Orange, and i had not renewed this contract since.
So my number port could take weeks, or maybe will never happen 🙁
Steve Sawyer said:
Hi Ken
Great site!
Would you be able to update the info related to the ‘transferring’ from a mobile network to that same network? For example, this used to be a real pain (port out and back in), but it looks like at least 1 network (Vodafone) has addressed this. I guess this now means an existing Vodafone customer can buy a third party Vodafone deal and ‘transfer’ their number: this is really useful as there are many good third party Vodafone deals, unlike say EE
Michael replied:
This allows Vodafone -> Lebara -> Vodafone again?
Is this now live for other networks like EE as well as Vodafone?
Suzy said:
How do I reverse my PAC code as I made a mistake and want to stay with old provider
Ken replied:
Hi Suzy,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no need to do anything in this situation: you can simply allow your PAC Code to expire without using it.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Clive said:
“Still in contract with Virgin Mobile? If so, you may need to pay an early exit fee on your bill from Virgin Mobile. To find out how much this would be, text INFO followed by your date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format to 87075.”
Hi Ken
the number above should be 85075.
Regards
Ken replied:
Hi Clive,
Great spot – thanks for letting me know! I have just fixed this now 🙂
Much appreciated,
Ken
Julia Pierce said:
Lebara say I have to lose my current number, when I upgrade to a special offer SIM with them ( Lebara to Lebara); I can’t port my number. Doesn’t sound right?
thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Julia,
Thanks for your comment. The special offer SIMs are for new customers only. One way to get around this is to port out to a different network (e.g. giffgaff) and then back in to Lebara. That way, you’ll be classified as a new customer 🙂
Ken
Richard said:
Hi, many thanks for your helpful website. I am currently on Three mobile and planning to port my number to Asda PAYG and immediately bring it back to three PAYG to benefit from roaming in the USA. The number may be ported when I’m travelling abroad. Will my number port across ok? (Three on their website says I should be in the country). Many thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Richard,
Great question! Normally, your mobile phone should be inside the UK on the day of the phone number transfer. Having said that, it did work once when I was abroad myself, so it may sometimes be fine (though I definitely wouldn’t rely on it working all the time).
Ken
Howard Marsh said:
I first came across Kens Tech Tips when I was investigating WiFi calling services from various providers.
I thought it would be useful to tell you what happened with my EE to Sky Mobile transfer.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S10e that I bought on a 2 year contract from EE starting in September 2019. I am an existing Sky customer so I already have an account with them.
My SIM only EE contract was about to expire so I telephoned 150 on Friday afternoon 5th August 2022 to tell them I want to leave, to request my PAC code and about unlocking my phone.
They immediately texted my PAC code, partially unlocked my phone and texted and emailed my 16 digit unlock code, the first 8 digits are the unlock code and the last 8 digits are the unfreeze code. There was a link in the email to a website that provided step by step instructions of how to unlock the phone. EE will not be charging me to unlock my phone.
At around noon on Saturday 6th August 2022 I contacted Sky Mobile to request a SIM card from them.
In their emails they provided links to websites that had step by step instructions on what to do.
My Sky SIM card arrived on Tuesday 9th August 2022 at 2pm. As recommended by EE I powered down my phone, inserted the new SIM card and then completed the unlock process which was instantaneous. I noticed that WiFi Calling was working with the new SIM.
After the phone was unlocked I then put the EE SIM back in the phone after powering down.
Next I activated my Sky SIM on their website and submitted my PAC Code on 9th August at around 4pm. You have to do this at the same time if you want to keep your number.
At noon the next day my number had transferred to Sky Mobile, Sky texted and emailed me to confirm. So my EE SIM card was still working at this point. As soon as I could I inserted the Sky SIM card and everything is working great.
Information from both companies was superb and it was really easy to simply follow their instructions.
Ken replied:
Hi Howard,
Thanks a lot for taking the time to share your experiences, and I’m really glad to see that your switch from EE to Sky Mobile worked so smoothly!
Ken
Andrew M said:
Bad experience with 3 recently. I wanted to port my old 3 number to my new 3 contract, I thought this would be easy and may even be quicker than the usual 1 -2 days to port from one network to another. How wrong I was! 3 cannot port a 3 contract number to another 3 contract, they insist that I change the ‘old’ contract into PAYG before they can port it, and guess what, that change to PAYG is going to take 30 days! I’m being penalised for staying with the same network provider!
NinjaGo replied:
Because it is two separate contracts on the same network so the rules of 30 days notice still applies even though you are on the same network. I know where you are coming from because it is a pain when all you want to do is port a number to the same network hence why they suggested to put your old contract on Pay and Go to port your number from that.
John said:
Hi
I wanted to double port to Three via o2 so i purchased PAYG O2 sik card and ported over my number to it and bow O2 says i have to wait for 28 days before porting out, i have never seen this mentioned anywhere this is really annoying as i want to port out from o2 back to three as a new customer
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. I’m not aware of any minimum amount of time before you’re able to port out. Have you tried texting PAC to 65075 on your O2 Pay As You Go SIM?
Ken
Dave said:
Something in the process has changed for securing a PAC code from Lycamobile.
I have been trying to get a PAC code from Lycamobile since Saturday 7th May 2022. Today is Tuesday 10th May 2022
1. No response to texting PAC to 65075 we tried two different phones it just does not work
2. No help from using the chat facility DeePak cannot provide a PAC code
3. You can no longer get a PAC code from logging into your account on the site you can only get a STAC code by using that method. No use if you want to keep your number
4. If you ring Lycamobile you are told (by Joe) the only way to get a PAC code is by text (which is not working in this case) or email. PAC’s are not given over the phone
5. I emailed on Sunday 8th May 2022 with all the information DeePak told me to provide
6. Received an email on Monday 9th May asking me several more damn fool questions to which I replied and I am still waiting.
Thimme Gowda said:
Hi,
Why it takes 5 days to activate Lebera sim? I requested on Friday and the chap at Lebera said it will be done on Tuesday,that is it due to weekend. I did pleaded with him to say I work for essential services but no help. Surely this is not right for the people who don’t have alternative phones.
Also I found male staff are not very helpful and arrogant.
Cheers
Michael Redfern said:
Virgin mobile unable to give me PAC code
Keeps telling me there is an error and can’t generate one.
This has gone on for several days,
Operators promise to call back but no one ever does.
I keep calling 789 they are always helpful but can’t resolve the problem.
Please help,
Stuart replied:
Same issue for me. Moving to another provider and want to take my number with me. Requested the PAC for my Virgin sim via website and by texting PAC + D.O.B. to 65075. Always get a message saying something has gone wrong. Phone 789 confirmed there was a technical issue and would escalate to IT and expect a response within a day. No further response. No clear how I can get this PAC code from Virgin Mobile even if it is a legal requirement for them to do so.
Norman said:
You have omitted to say that an account account has to be opened with 1p mobile before sending PAC. Unless I have missed something.
Congratulations on your wonderful site I have been a follower for years
John said:
I left ee got pac code joined id mobile 3 days ago they give me tempery number i provided them with the pac code the number i want to keep has transfered over but i want to leave after only 2 days the signals shockingly bad but my issue is when typing pac and my date birth to 65075 it keeps repeating type pac date birth and not giving me pac code and if i log in to my account the mobile number on my account is still the tempery one not mine and ive also rang the id mobile pac code request phone line when it asks for number i type in my number ive transfered and it says no number im worried if i type the tempery one in then the pac coddle they give me will be for that number not mine if you understand its bit of mess and there 100 percent online so cant phone real person ridicolous all i want to do is leave .
Steve said:
Texting to Plusnet on 65075 does not work. I get a reply that the msg is in an unexpected format. STAC and INFO via other numbers get the same error message. I suspect Plusnet want me to ring them so they can try and convince me not to leave.
Richard replied:
For some unknown reason Plusenet does not support ‘Short Codes’ therefore you’ll continue to get error message from that number and you’ll have to ring them. Short codes are used for a whole manner of things these days yet Plusnet don’t allow them. Fortunately I found out before I made the switch and went to a different provider and you may wish to do the same.
Sid said:
I’m concerned about the safeguards when transferring a number. Supposed someone who knew my phone number wanted to make my life very difficult.
1. They could buy a PAYG SIM, put it into an unregistered phone and therefore obtain a random phone number.
2. Then they could text their provider and get a PAC.
3. Next they could go onto my providers web site anonymously and use the PAC to transfer that random number to my account, thereby changing my phone number anonymously and removing my friends’/banks’/clients’ access to my my number.
As far as I can see, at no point is their any check that the owner of the number being changed has to confirm that they agree to the number change. Have I missed something here?
Ken replied:
Hi Sid,
Thanks for your comment. This is probably a question that’s better directed at Ofcom. However, I totally agree with you, and I had the same reservations when they implemented the “text to switch” system two years ago. Some mobile networks do have basic security checks in place before they issue you with a PAC Code (e.g. they require you to text your date of birth or something along with the PAC Code request) but nothing very stringent like they had before. Of course, the system has now been in operation for two years – I’m not aware of any widespread abuse or complaints, or whether there have been instances of phone numbers being ‘stolen’ this way (this is perhaps something that Ofcom might have a bit more data for).
Ken
Daniel said:
Hello Ken
Many thanks for your informative reply. It was very helpful.
Daniel
Jeff said:
Hi Ken,
I used your guide and have requested my STAC code by text but just to make you aware that you must type STAC then a space and then your 4 digit PIN number as well, not just STAC.
Thanks for the info though, very useful.
paul campbell said:
I’m having problems with my son’s pay as you go sim, he’s wanting a bundle plan that’ll give him plenty of data for him to watch YouTube and play games and go on other social media sites that all the youngsters are totally obsessed with these days.
My wife called Vodafone to get the best deals and find out information on what would be the best for my son. But when she called the operator was not interested and was no help at all and she ended up ending the call as she was more confused after speaking to however it was and couldn’t really understand what was being said to her……
So can you please advise me with the best deals that will allow my son to keep in touch with his friends and also allow him to access all the social media sites that all the youth these days use so he’s not left behind and then make our life unbearable and feel like it’s my fault that he’s hard done by and the worst perants ever lol….
Look forward for your response and hopefully with the best deals available. Thanks for your time, as I’m sure there will be other mum’s and dad’s out there with the same issues
Ken replied:
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment. Have you looked into getting a SIM card from VOXI? They’re a low-cost sub-brand of Vodafone offering endless social media data from £10/month and endless video data from £15/month, with no contract or credit check required. There’s more information in my VOXI review.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Ann-Marie said:
Hi,
How long after purchasing a new phone through a different provider can you give them your PAC code?
My contract on my current provider runs out on the 12th of may but I would like to order a new phone by the end of April. Can you keep the number they give you for 12 days before asking for your number to be transferred?
Ken replied:
Hi Ann-Marie,
Thanks for your comment. You can give your new provider the PAC Code whenever you like. So it’s absolutely fine to use the temporary phone number for 12 days before moving your existing phone number over. In reality, however, it might work out equivalent to just moving your phone number over straight away (as either way, you’ll be paying for 12 days usage on one of the plans and not using it during that time).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Rhian said:
Can anyone help.
We ported my daughter’s number a few days ago. She is receiving phone calls on that number but not texts.
What can we do.
when she sends texts they show the number Lebara gave not her ported number
Ken replied:
Hi Rhian,
Thanks for your comment. Is she using iMessage on an iPhone by any chance? If so, see the information here on how to resolve the issue.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Rhian said:
Can none help.
We ported my daughter’s number a few days ago. She is receiving phone calls on that number but not texts.
What can we do.
when she sends texts they show the number Lebara gave not her ported number
Ade said:
If I get a PAC or STAC code today from virgin mobile does it mean I have terminated the contract with them? Or I must provide it to order network provider before I am finally terminate my SIM only contract with them?
If I do a standard cancellation without moving my number to another network provider will I remain Pay As You Go subscriber on their network?
Is it possible to terminate Sim only contract I have with them I remain Pay As You Go subscriber on their network?
Hope to hear back from you soon.
Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Ade,
Thanks for your comment. Your contract will only be terminated when you actually use the PAC Code or STAC Code given to you by Virgin Mobile. If you’d like to remain a Pay As You Go customer rather than cancelling your service entirely, you should get in touch with their customer services team to request this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Katy Coyte said:
Wow, thanks Ken. Awesome information for the consumer who knows little about mobile phones. Thank you!
Kakas replied:
Hi Katy,you sound like a lovely lady.,I was just thinking exactly same thing. Very clear and usefull info.
Well done Ken.What a great bloke!!
HC said:
How long can I use a new phone for before using PAC code to transfer old number to new phone?
Ken replied:
Hi HC,
You can use the new phone for as long as you like – it will always be possible to transfer a phone number onto it with a PAC Code 🙂
Hope this helps,
Ken
HC replied:
This is fantastic. Thanks so much.
Phil said:
I had two numbers on ASDA Mobile while they were on EE and last year I ported them out to O2 where they are still connected. I’ve just found that ASDA Mobile are currently in the process of changing from EE to Vodafone. Do you have any ideas if this will affect my ported numbers?
Ken replied:
Hi Phil,
Thanks for your comment. This won’t affect your ported numbers as they’ve already moved over to O2.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Andrew Balls said:
I’ve been a fool and got a 02 SIM deal and used my pac code in the ordering process but when I got the 02 SIM realised the signal wa poor so I cancelled but the next day while the account was closed the number transfer gone though and now I think I’ve lost my number is there anything I can do
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
Sorry to hear about what has happened. The best thing to do would be to contact O2 customer services to see whether they’re able to retrieve the phone number for you. You can reach them on 0344 809 0202.
Ken
Suzy said:
Hello, this is a really helpful in-depth guide, thank you!
I purchased a payg sim for o2 and started my number transfer process (now complete) but while it was transferring found a good phone&contract deal on another network so bought that, thinking I could just request my pac code from o2 and transfer my old number over again.
O2 have told me they can’t issue a pac code unless I top up by £10 – this seems completely unreasonable for sending one text message. Are they legally obliged to provide me with a pac code whether or not I top up? Would like to be equipped with the facts before I challenge them further!
Many thanks for any help you can offer!
Ken replied:
Hi Suzy,
Thanks for your comment. As far as I know, O2 is still obliged to issue you with a PAC Code. Are you unable to get one through the normal process?
Ken
Olivia Tanbury said:
Hi Ken.
I have a PAYG Three ‘Data Reward’ SIM that I use intermittently as a GPS tracker, and one whose number is still active. However I wish now use the mobile number allocated on this PAYG SIM as my primary number, but when I initially registered my details of this SIM, I anonymised my name and date of birth, hence I do not have any record of these data (actually I did, but the device which had the info was subsequently stolen).
Since Three require the date of birth upon requesting a PAC, how should I proceed to obtain a PAC from Three ? The only info I know used to register this SIM with Three include: the first name and address.
Ken, I’d appreciate your advice on how to successfully request a PAC from Three.
P.S: I’ve been lurker on your website for many years, and it is without doubt an absolute gem of a resource for all things mobile-related !!
Ken replied:
Hi Olivia,
Thanks for your comment and for the kind words about the site! If you’re unable to get a PAC Code via the automated process (either using SMS or online using your My3 account), it should also be possible to get one from them over the phone. It’s possible they’ll give you more options for clearing security when you call them on the phone so this is probably your option of last resort if the two other methods don’t work.
Ken
Olivia Tanbury replied:
Hi Ken.
I really appreciate your response in helping me.
I initially tried the SMS method you described, but as expected, I was asked for the account holder’s date of birth. As previously stated, I don’t have the randomly generated DoB.
So I tried via My3. To my surprise, I was automatically logged in when I browsed to My3’s website (though only partially logged in, as changes to certain particulars, e.g., address, e-mail, required the input of the pasword).
As the browser’s cache and cookies were cleared, no residual My3 password data was stored in the browser, so I can only attribute the partial login due to Three’s SSO procedure recognising the SIM’s phone number/ICCID.
This partial access to certain parts of the My3 site eventually culminated in a successful request of the PAC via My3, and soon after notified by SMS.
For future reference, anyone wishing to request a PAC from Three, the direct link is:
https://www.three.co.uk/New_My3/My_details/Leave_Three/PortOut?requestType=PAC
Upon accessing the above link, the page will be redirected to My3’s home page. Re-pasting the above link in the same tab will duly issue the desired PAC (a referer issue).
My sincere thanks to you Ken for resolving my issue, which I had expected to be extremely convoluted and awkward for not having the anonymised DoB.
You most likely saved a few hours of my time for not having to be challenged by Three’s web chat and call operators, by not having to explain my circumstance.
I really appreciate the time and effort you engage with responding to not just my query, but the tens of thousands of others who request for advice/help via the comment section.
Ken, your site and you are truly an indispensible source of wisdom concerning all things mobile operator-related. For I am grateful and shall shout out your site from the White Cliffs of Dover, and from the summit of Ben Nevis, so all in the UK shall become to know of this spectacular site !!!!
Ken replied:
Hi Olivia,
Thank you for the kind words – this has absolutely made my day! I’m really pleased that the website was able to help you out 🙂
Thank you also for taking the time to write back with detailed instructions on how other people can solve this issue as well. Likewise, I am sure lots of other people will be exceptionally grateful for the details on how the solve the same issue.
Thanks again, and stay safe and have a nice Christmas break,
Ken
Jim said:
Hi Ken,
I wonder if you can help me!
I have two numbers on one account with virgin mobile and I would like to transfer one number to a new supplier! Can I just request a PAC code for one number and leave the other number on virgin mobile without the account closing?
Ken replied:
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I believe it should be possible to do this. The PAC Code is specific to the phone number so it shouldn’t affect the other number, even if they’re attached to the same account.
Ken
V said:
Good news, RE: Transferring Within The Same Network
I have been planning to do this as I wanted to join the ”new black Friday deal” within the same network. As I will need to use my current PAC Code to keep my number with a new different network to get around the restriction before i rejoin as you mentioned, I just found “Lebara” technically has “free sim without activation fee”, we can just choose Free sim+ 5 pounds, then use the promo code FIVE at the checkout. (not sure when the promo will end, and I found all of the other providers do need to top up at least 5 pounds to activate the new temporary number. I hope this helps people who are planning to transfer within the same network!
Mark said:
Hi Ken, I hope you’re doing well. Great site too btw. Is the PAC tied to the phone you message from? I’m hoping to get a new phone for my wife for Xmas as a surprise, but I’m wondering what the best way to go about doing this would be? Do I have to message from her phone to get all this info?
Kind regards,
Mark.
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment and doing well thank you! Yes, the PAC is tied to the phone you send the message from. Don’t worry, however, as she can always obtain a PAC Code at a later date and then transfer the phone number over herself when the new phone is set up. It only takes a minute to get a PAC and then it’s just one working day to move the phone number over, so no immediate rush!
Hope this helps,
Ken
Mark replied:
That’s great Ken, thank you very much. Do you know if I have to also give 30 days notice EVEN IF the contract is over?
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Yes, the 30 day notice period still applies even when you’re outside the minimum contract period. The PAC Code/STAC Code process does allow you to bypass this, however, which is a key benefit.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Mark replied:
Thanks again Ken. Much appreciated.
Julie said:
Hi there,
I have tried to request my PAC code from Vectone via texting 65075 with my DDMMYY about 10 times over the past week however each time I get a text back saying there was a ‘technical fault’ or just no reply whatsoever. I have then tried to call Customer Services (322 from my Vectone number) and it doesn’t even ring. It’s been about a week since I first tried and I’m still getting nowhere. What should I do and isn’t this a breach of legal requirement?!
Lee Barnett said:
Hi i wish to join ee through a third party can I bring my pac number over or is this option only available through EE kind regards Lee.
Ken replied:
Hi Lee,
Thanks for your comment. The option to bring your phone number over is open whether you join EE directly, or through a third party retailer. Simply follow the instructions from this form 🙂
Hope this helps,
Ken
Sreeni said:
Excellent tips Ken. Went through ok once got through to right BT department
Pauline said:
My Three sim only service has been unavailable for weeks, i get disconnected, suspended, unavailable try later…without my phone I have to communicate with Three on live chat (they are very good at hiding this on their website). After 10 hours over 3 days I got texted my PAC code (funnily when Three want to contact me my phone service works!), however now with the service unavailable I cannot text my PAC to my new provider! I feel like a prisoner.
Ken replied:
Hi Pauline,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no need to send any text messages from your Three SIM card once the PAC Code has been issued. You simply need to submit the PAC Code to your new provider online, or by calling their customer services.
Ken
Phil said:
Morning Ken, I’m loving your informative website. I hope I can ask this so you understand and without going on.
A mate of mine has a payg sim on a different network to mine with a tariff that is no longer offered, but those already on it can stay on it. He doesn’t want the sim or the number as he’s already signed up to a contract phone with a new number.
Am I able to port my own current number over to the sim off my friend, as it’s already been in use for a couple of years? Or does the sim I port to need to be recently activated? And do you know if it will wipe out the remaining credit or change the current tariff on the sim card?
Ken replied:
Hi Phil,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can port your phone number onto your friend’s SIM card to use. There’s no impact to the Pay As You Go credit or plan on the SIM card receiving the phone number (and absolutely fine that the SIM card has been used for some time already). You’ll lose any unused credit on your current SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
edward nelson said:
Have you any idea when Virgin will start issuing PAC numbers again ?
Ken replied:
Hi Edward,
I believe Virgin Mobile should still be issuing PAC Codes as normal. Are you having problems getting a PAC Code from them?
Ken
R said:
With a PAYG SIM when in this process do I top up with the new provider? Do I need to top up before I do the PAC transfer and if so will the credit be there once the number transfers? Or can I wait until the number is transferred? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi R,
Thanks for your comment. It’s entirely up to you when you top-up your new Pay As You Go SIM. Some providers (e.g. giffgaff) require you to top-up first before they activate your new SIM card. However, if there is no such requirement on your network, you can choose whether to do this before or after transferring your number. Any credit on your new Pay As You Go account when the number transfers over to it will still be there after the number transfer process completes.
Hope this helps,
Ken
R replied:
Ok thank you
Alex McK said:
This might have been covered already but if you are so minded and there are decent deals around, can you simply switch your pay as you go SIM number from network to network every month… or even every week? Admittedly might be quite a lot of work.
Great site by the way!
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Great question! There’s absolutely nothing stopping you from doing that if you so wanted! I agree, though, it’s probably a lot of work & hassle so I expect very few people will actually do it. Each time you switch networks, you’ll lose any unused credit on your account. You’ll also need to change the SIM card in your phone, and may need to reconfigure things like the mobile internet settings.
Ken
Michelle said:
I have my STAC code from Lebara – what do I do with it now. Is my account with them cancelled?
Ken replied:
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your comment. Not quite! You’ll need to give the STAC Code to your new provider in order to have your account closed at Lebara.
Ken
Jane Martin said:
Hi Ken,
I love your website – it’s really informative for someone like me who is not at all au fait with this kind of thing. I have a question I hoped you might answer. I have been with O2 PAYG for around 15 years (and had two fairly basic mobiles during that time) and recently got my first smartphone. The new mobile took a nano sim while my old basic mobile had a standard sim, so I did a sim swap in order to keep my number, still with O2. However, I’ve now decided to move network – my choice of new provider aided by another of your excellent webpages. Do you know if it is feasible in theory to still keep my original number when I move network, even though the phone is using a swapped sim, not the physical one with the original number? Many thanks in anticipation. Kind regards,
Jane
Ken replied:
Hi Jane,
Thanks for your comment. You can keep whichever phone number you’re currently using on O2 – it isn’t tied to a physical SIM card or anything like that 🙂 Simply request your PAC Code through the MyO2 website or app, or text PAC to 65075. That’ll get you a PAC Code for the phone number you’re currently using on O2.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jane Martin replied:
Hi Ken,
Thanks so much for your reply and the advice. Around a month ago I finally got around to making the switch to the new network. It was really simple. I am now paying a lot less on PAYG. Thanks again for replying to me, and for your excellent website.
Best wishes,
Jane
Courtney said:
Hi Ken,
I recently ordered a phone and sim from EE and while putting my details in it asked for the PAC code from my old network and so I provided it. I have the phone now and it works fine but my number from my previous network has not updated on the new phone. Do I need to wait for my number from the previous provider to update on this phone? Thanks I’m advance!
Ken replied:
Hi Courtney,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, there will be a little bit of a delay for your phone number to move over – see the expected timeframe of the transfer here. If you’re still having problems after this time, you’ll need to contact your new mobile network (so EE in this case).
Ken
Ivy said:
Hi there! I have been told tomorrow my old phone number will transfer to my new sim with Lebara,and the sim is already in my phone(already got my pac code and Lebara are doing the transfer as I speak). I have been told I need to switch off my phone between 16.00 and 18.00 tomorrow when I can switch my phone back on after this time – that is no probs BUT do I need to take the lebara sim out of my phone during this shut down time? I did ask the chatline,but they didn’t answer this question at all. Hoping you can help! I would presume I need to leave the new lebara sim in my phone in the shutdown time? If you can let me know? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Ivy,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no need to take the SIM card out of your phone – you can simply leave it in there.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ivy replied:
Thanks ken for replying.I haven’t replied until now as all of a sidden,66 messages(including yours) came through on my email address all at once today! I took the bull by the horns and left the sim in the phone – and yes,my old phone number transferred over to my new sim successfully! Thank you for yr help. Best wishes,Ivy
Claire said:
Hi, I requested my PAC code from Lyca mobile via text message because I was considering changing provider but had not definitely decided to do this. I received a text back from Lyca stating that
“pursuant to your request, the termination request with (my number) number has been registered”.
Does this mean that my number and account with Lyca has been cancelled? I don’t want to cancel it!
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Claire,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I’m not quite sure what this text message from Lycamobile means – however, your account should normally remain open until you action the PAC Code with your new network.
Ken
David Anderson said:
What a great resource this web site is. Wanted to change my partners expensive ee mob PAYG and found this amazing place to compare different deals. Settled on ASDA PAYG mob, good simple rates and no need for bundles.
Thanks Ken
Dale Hunter said:
I have a week before my contract with my current provider ends, I have given my new network the PAC code. Will my current contract end on the date it specifies and automatically swap to my new network?
Ken replied:
Hi Dale,
Your contract will end when the PAC Code is actioned. Unless you asked your new mobile network to delay actioning the PAC, you can expect the cancellation to follow the scheduled listed here.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Miri said:
So as soon as I inserted the new sim it said iMessage and FaceTime might be at cost or something alin he those lines. Does lebara charge extra for FaceTime and iMessage, is it now in plan ?
Ken replied:
Hi Miri,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no specific charge from Lebara Mobile for using iMessage or FaceTime – you’ll just need to pay the regular charges for using data on your phone. If you have a bundle or a SIM-only deal, the inclusive data allowance should cover your usage of these services.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Darren Lewis said:
Hi Ken,
I read that calls and texts can still be made and received up to the transfer, does this also apply to data, as I need to use my phone for Internet access.
I note that the PAC code received is to be provided to the new network, but by what method: call, text?
Thanks,
Darren
Ken replied:
Hi Darren,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, everything will continue to work until the phone number transfer takes place (including data as well as calling & texting). With regards to how you provide the PAC Code to your new network, this depends on which mobile network you’re joining. If you use the PAC Code Finder, it will tell you how to submit the PAC Code to your new network 🙂
Ken
Darren Lewis replied:
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the response. That’s answered my questions.
Cheers,
Darren
Annr said:
How long does it take to get PAC number. Have texted and had no reply
Ken replied:
Hi Annr,
You should get a PAC Code within 60 seconds of sending your text message. If you don’t, it might be worth trying it again or using your mobile network’s website or app to request one instead.
Ken
jonathan smith said:
my wife and I have contract with ee both phones on one contract with different numbers. I want my own contract with a different network but wish to retain my number If I request PAC code can I then move phone and leave her contract in place
Ken replied:
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, it should be possible to do this as the PAC Code only affects the specific phone number you request it for. The other line won’t be affected. You can get a PAC Code through the EE website or app, following the instructions here.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Alex said:
Sorry, a follow up question – can you port a Pay as you Go number onto a contract number/account?
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can move a phone number between any type of account. So it’s fine to transfer a Pay As You Go number onto a Pay Monthly contract.
Ken
Alex said:
Hi
It is possible to port more than once? I have ported a number from Three to Vodafone but now want to replace that with a new number. Can I still do this or are you only allowed to port one number onto your “account”?
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Yes, it’s possible to port a phone number onto your account as many times as you like 🙂
Ken
Holly said:
Hi Ken, great article and hopefully will help us as a small business out! We currently hold a business account of 3 handsets/numbers with plan.com which is 5 months into the new contract. However, unfortunately our small limited business has had to go into liquidation and thus the contract is ending as this was a business account. Plan.com have informed us that they will not supply us with a PAC code for any of the numbers unless we stay with them on a personal account. Is this correct or do we have access to our numbers? We have set up 3 x personal accounts with EE/O2 however was hoping we could take the numbers with us! Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Holly,
Thanks for your comment. Your provider isn’t able to refuse you a PAC Code, but using one will trigger the termination of your contract (and therefore an early exit fee for the remainder of the contract). Obviously, if the business is going into liquidation, it may not be possible for them to receive the money which might be why they’re reluctant to do this. Of course, if you transfer the accounts over into your personal names, you’ll then be liable to pay the remainder of the contract yourself.
Ken
Adam said:
Hi Ken!
Thanks for all of the great advice on the articles. It has really helped! I am currently in my last month of contract with Vodafone and have found a deal with a third party website with Vodafone. Vodafone said that I would need to pay £6 for a disconnection fee if I request a PAC code a few days into June. From what I have read in your advice, to avoid the 30 day cancellation period, I would need to request a sim with a different company (which I have done), send that company my PAC code and then contact Vodafone again to send my PAC code back to them. Is that correct? Also, does it take a bit of time transferring my numbers e.g. from Vodafone to Asda and Asda back to Vodafone? In my experience, the last time I did this, it took ‘up to 24 hours’. Am I right in thinking that it would roughly take two days for the full switch to happen?
Thanks for your help, Ken!
Ken replied:
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your comment and very glad you’ve found the information on this website to be useful! You’re right: it’s possible to port out to another network and then back in to Vodafone. The timeframe for porting a number is listed here – you can normally expect it to take place on the next working day if you manage to submit it before the cut-off time. Therefore, like you said, it would take 1 working day for the phone number to move from Vodafone to ASDA, and then another 1 working day for it to move back to Vodafone. You should continue to have access to your phone number during the entirety of that time, although it’ll be through your ASDA SIM card for the one day in the middle of the transfer process.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Adam replied:
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the reply and answering my question. It certainly helps knowing that I’ll still be able to receive calls during this time of transferring! Thank you again for the help! You rock!
allan wiseman said:
do i need to give ee a months notice on payg
Ken replied:
Hi Allan,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no need to give any notice on EE Pay As You Go. You can simply stop using the service at any time, though of course, if you still have an active bundle on your account, you’ll have paid for it already so you may as well continue to use it!
Hope this helps,
Ken
Martin said:
Talking to 3 at the moment is impossible due to covid 19 the call centres are closed. They could be working from home doing calls, but they prefer to pay them the free taxpayers money (furlough) I guess… Great blog Ken – keep going with it, most helpful for many people.
I’m a new 3 mobile Broadband customer, still within the 30 day contract, about to expire at the end of the month. I applied to 3 for a STAC code to see how much it would cost me to leave to go to a cheaper provider and if they will apply early termination fees. I was quoted £48 if I used the code today, but they did not make it clear in the text msg if this included an early termination charge or not. (Monthly charge is £30) It also says in the contract and on my online account that I have to give them 30 days notice. Does this not apply to cancelling by STAC codes etc?? It’s a little confusing.
Ken replied:
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, it’s really unfortunate that it’s so difficult at the moment to get in touch with any of the networks.
With regards to using a STAC Code, this doesn’t make any difference to early termination fees but it does remove the 30-day notice period charge. For this reason, my understanding is that you’d only need to pay for the rest of the minimum contract term (i.e. until the end of the month). I’m not quite sure how that squares up against the £48 they’ve quoted you – only they’ll be able to explain the calculation to you I’m afraid 🙁
Ken
Dean replied:
The UK furlough scheme is not available for the vast majority of Three’s call centre staff as they are based in India. Very small numbers of retail staff/social media staff are working from home and are providing a level of service but it is minimal and more geared to new customers wanting advice on hardware and plans etc.
Zoey larkins said:
Hi ken, i was unsure how to cancel my plan and i.d sent me a stac code, i used that but really needed the pac code now i have read up more, can i still retrieve my old number on my new sim after using the stac code
Ken replied:
Hi Zoey,
Thanks for your comment. It’s best to get in touch with iD Mobile to see whether it’s still possible to recover your phone number. In general, it isn’t normally possible to get your phone number back once the account has been closed, but it might be a possibility if they’re still holding on to the phone number for you.
Ken
krzysztof said:
will the purchased data packet be lost after the number has been transferred to another operator?
Ken replied:
Hi Krzysztof,
Yes. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to transfer your allowances or credit to another network. Anything that you’ve purchased on your old mobile network but not yet used cannot be transferred over to your new network.
Ken
Jas said:
Hi Ken,
Do I use the PAC code on the last day of the phone contract that’s ending, also it ends on a Saturday.
Thanks in advance
Jas
Ken replied:
Hi Jas,
Thanks for your comment. It’s absolutely up to you when you decide to use it! You can use the PAC Code anytime after the end of your contract and you won’t incur any additional fees once the number has moved over. If you use it before the end of your contract, you’ll pay an early exit fee to cover the remaining length of your plan.
Ken
Joy said:
Can someone tell me how I send text message for pac code to 02 not sure how you do it. I’m changing to another mobile network. Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Joy,
Thanks for your comment. You can simply text PAC to 65075 to get your PAC Code for free, whichever mobile network you’re on.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Ryan said:
All I want to do is transfer my phone number from an old device to a new one. Both are on the three network. But due to the covid 19 situation I can’t get a hold of customer services to help me, and your app and website only seem to give options to change it from one network to another. I’m finding something so simple enfuriatingly frustrating.
andrew Miller replied:
Three told me to get a payg use the PAC code once done get the PAC code again and transfer back to three. transferring inside an operator is not easy.took BT 3 weeks last time. must be some stupid rule the eu have come up with.
Mick said:
Great service for transferring your number don’t take long I have used this service a couple of times highly recommended thanks
Doreen Andrews said:
I am leaving 02 because every month my bills are way over £90 I have friends on Vodafone paying only £20 to 30 a month bundles they cannot believe what mine is.
Joanna misiak said:
I have bought a vectone sim, I have bought a top up but can’t register the sim are as it doesn’t have a phone number anywhere and the *105# does nothing
I have now been on the phone waiting for 1 hour. I waited for an hour before this when the advisor hung up on me.
This is the worst customer services I have ever seen.
John said:
Why doe’s the “Bring my number to Three” Web Site Not work On The Weekends
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. I believe the website should work but number transfers will only take place on English working days. Are you having problems accessing the site at the weekend?
Ken
Daniel said:
Hi Ken,
Still got 6 month left from my contract with Three, however I’ve decided to leave and 3 days ago I requested to 85075 to find out the exact amount I will be charged and it was 318.86 GBP.
Today when I request it again, after just 2 days, the bill was 371.23GBP. I used the phone in the same way, based on my monthly allowance, no extra charges. Do you have any ideas what for!?
Best regards
Ken replied:
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your comment. That’s bizarre – I don’t know why the number has gone up. How much is your normal mobile phone bill on Three? You should only need to pay around 80% of the remaining monthly charges on your plan (calculated based on the remaining amount of time during your minimum contract length).
Ken
Terry Dumbrell said:
I have used a mobile number with BT for a long while – I want to keep the same number of course – I have renewed a contract with for my Mobile so how can I keep my number – all they are telling me is get a PAC code from your old supplier – well through EE – BT – are my old supplier –
Ken replied:
Hi Terry,
This wasn’t quite clear from your message, but are you simply upgrading from one BT Mobile plan to another? If so, they should move the phone number for you onto the new SIM card.
Ken
SR said:
It’s called a Port Authorisation Code, or PAC. Not PAC Code. They do not issue you with a Port Authorisation Code Code.
Ken replied:
Hi SR,
You’re absolutely right! However, lots of people decide to call it a PAC Code for clarity as this makes it super clear what we’re referring to. You are absolutely right in saying however it should technically just be called a PAC or a Porting Authorisation Code.
Ken
Susie said:
What happens where you’ve got more than one device on your contract please ? Do you have to phone EE to obtain the PAC codes in this instance ? Thanks 🙂
Ken replied:
Hi Susie,
I think it should still be possible to get a PAC Code from your EE account area. However, if you’re unable to do that, you can contact EE Customer Services on 150.
Hope this helps,
Ken
John Henderson said:
Hi, have texted virgin mobile twice to request my pac code with no response, what action can I take to make them respond
Bob Bolton said:
Hi, I have tried texting several times now using the format shown and each time it says it can’t send the message. Is this Virgin deliberately blocking transfer!
Grahame O'Connell replied:
Bob
I had exactly the same problem over a period of five days. I reported them to the industry Ombudsman and received a phone call fro someone in their corporate department apologising for the delay etc. A PAC was given to me over the phone.
I agree, its quite clearly a stalling tactic on their behalf and I received several messages asking If I wanted to discuss changing my package.
brendan said:
I did this and as usual nothing goes smooth.
The PAC code issued does not give the same number i have been using there is a digit missing at the beginning and nobody is telling me why
Hansel Ugbelase said:
How do i register an account with smarty?
Ken replied:
Hi Hansel,
You can order your new SIM card from Smarty & set up your account through this link.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Caroline Dwyer said:
My current giffgaff sim has died and so I cannot text, phone or email giffgaff to ask for my PAC number, please can you help and advise me. Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Caroline,
If you log in to the giffgaff website, it should be possible to get a replacement SIM card or to request your PAC Code there.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Paula said:
can I retrieve a ported number back from a new service provider, without cancelling the plan, instead to use the newly offered number they provided with the new plan
Ken replied:
Hi Paula,
I’m not quite sure I fully understand the question – are you trying to cancel the port of your number? If so, it may be possible to do this if your mobile network is yet to action it. However, if your phone number has already ported, the account on your old mobile network will close and it won’t be possible to reverse the transfer.
Ken
Jan Jones said:
I blocked my phone and was told to get my puk code from O2 , when entered number it still says blocked. You only get 3 times to enter correct code, what should I do? Just carry on and enter pac code next?
It’s driving me crazy! 🤯😬
Ken replied:
Hi Jan,
A PAC Code is totally different from a PUK code so I wouldn’t recommend entering this instead! I’d recommend getting in touch with O2 again to see if they’re able to re-issue you with the correct PUK Code.
Ken
John said:
Split with my girl,had a phone under her name,contract finished now,going over to gif gaff and want to keep my old number,but can’t get the PAC number because I don’t have details of the acount. What other ways can I get it??
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. You should be able to obtain a PAC Code by texting PAC to 65075. If this doesn’t work, it might be possible to access it through your online account login. Alternatively, if neither option works, it may be necessary to get the account owner to obtain it for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Arun Merum said:
I am using Lebara germany account. And my number along with 0 is 12 digits long. The form at “Lebara Mobile Website” is validating my number as wrong. What should I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Arun,
Thanks for your comment. Sadly, the PAC Code process can only be used to transfer UK-based mobile numbers (e.g. +44 7 numbers). It isn’t possible to use this with phone numbers in Germany.
Ken
Daniel Flaherty said:
Thanks for explaining everything so clear.
However I am concerned about what happens to all my contacts in my phone now as I don’t know if they are stored in the phone memory or on sim card.
Can you please advise me.
Many thanks.
Daniel Flaherty.
Ken replied:
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your comment. The contacts will be stored on your phone rather than on the SIM card. Therefore, you can change the SIM without losing access to your phone book.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Wendy pullin said:
I have a unheard voicemail on my phone when I transfered my no to new network how to I retrieve it
Ken replied:
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for your comment. Has your old account been closed? If so, it’s likely the voicemail message will now have been deleted. However, you can contact your old network to see whether it might still be possible to access this.
Ken
Fiona McCague said:
When keeping my old number and moving to a different network do I move the SIM card manually?
Ken replied:
Hi Fiona,
The phone number will move to the SIM card on your new network. You’ll then need to place the SIM card from your new mobile network in your phone to use it.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Fiona McCague replied:
Thanks Ken. The reason I asked is that I was told it would transfer around 4pm on Friday. I believe that THREE who I am transferring to will not be able to complete the transfer until Tuesday if it is sent on a Friday.
julio degoycoechea said:
hi there!
this is my dilema….while trying to adapt and old SIM card to fit in a new smartphone, I have ruined the card, I need a new SIM card at this point but with the old phone number on it…what do have to do…where can I have this new SIM card…the old one was from a network in Argentina called “Claro”…
Ken replied:
Hi Julio,
Thanks for your comment. You’ll need to contact your mobile network (so Claro in this case) to ask for a replacement SIM card. They should be able to arrange a replacement for you, with the same phone number and plan as before.
Hope this helps,
Ken
P Adams said:
The online route to get a code from EE no longer is valid due to them changing the website.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Could you let me know which link from EE is broken? I’ve had a quick look and I think it works correctly for me, though would love to fix this if there is a broken link somewhere.
Thanks,
Ken
Sahara El-Batal said:
Hi Ken,
Do I have to use my payg SIM for a particular amount of time before returning to we?
Ken replied:
Hi there,
There is no minimum amount of time you need to have spent on a mobile network before you’re able to request a new PAC Code and port your phone number to another network.
Ken
Pips said:
What a wealth of information on your site! Thank you very much for all the hard work you put into it.
Due to inactivity my EE number has been blocked (and the credit lost). When I called them I was told that there is a grace period of 30 days in which I can recover the number by activating a new sim from their store and then contacting their MNT team to reactivate the old number. This period will expire mid December and I was wondering whether instead of activating a new sim with EE I could request a pac code from them not to lose the number completely and go elsewhere. Thanks for any advice on this.
Ken replied:
Hi Pips,
Thank you for the kind words! That’s a good question – though unfortunately, I don’t have a very good answer to it. Typically, in order to get a PAC Code, you’ll need a SIM card that’s still active on the network. The argument here from EE might be that your SIM card is no longer active on their network, and the 30 day grace period they’re giving you is up to their own accord on an already inactive SIM. The best way to find out, I’m afraid, would be asking EE Customer Services if they’re able to do this for you.
Ken
Joe said:
Extremely useful and well-written article – thanks Ken!
I was wondering if you can in theory do the following, if you switch to a new network and change your mind after a few days? Request PAC from network A and port to network B. After a few days, decide to go back to A (hence request another PAC, this time from B).
So, can you make a PAC request fairly soon after you have just moved onto a network, or does a certain time have to elapse before that’s allowed?
Ken replied:
Hi Joe,
Thanks, and a very good question! No, there’s no time limit or any need to wait before you’re able to request a new PAC Code. So if you like, you could request a PAC Code on the same day you join a network. This loophole is sometimes used to people to access new customer deals (they simply port out to another network, and then back in to the original network as a new customer).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Joe replied:
Thanks Ken – much appreciated.
Elisha said:
Hello
When porting takes place, does the old network provider transfers personal details to the new network provider or it is just a number transfer without passing personal information.
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Elisha,
It’s just a simple transfer of the phone number, with no transfer of other personal information 🙂
Ken
Lisa Williams said:
How do I change my number over if my contract is finished?
Ken replied:
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your comment. You can just move your phone number over in the normal way – use our PAC Code Finder to get step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lisa Williams said:
Hi I just finished my contract from ee and would like to go tesco and I don’t know where to begin as my old phone is saying no signal how can I send my number over
Ken replied:
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your comment. You should be able to follow the instructions here to move your phone number from EE to Tesco Mobile.
Hope this helps,
Ken
MONICA said:
I’ve transferred my virgin number to three and awaiting confirmation, can I still use my phone with the temporary three number on my new sim until the transfer comes through. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Monica,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can use your temporary phone number from Three in the mean time whilst you wait for the number transfer to complete 🙂
Ken
Peter said:
Ken
Can the o2 sim card work on any 2g,3G, and 4g smart phone and non smart phone
As I read that this classic 123 SIM card payg can only work with 2g phones
Ken replied:
Hi Peter,
Yes, it’ll work with any smartphone or non-smartphone providing the device supports 2G, 3G or 4G.
Hope this helps,
Ken
jade hogan said:
how long will I lose coverage for while the switch is taking place??
Ken replied:
Hi Jade,
Thanks for your comment. You should only lose coverage momentarily. What happens is you’ll find that coverage disappears on your old SIM card/handset. You should then restart your phone with the SIM card from the new network and it will have the original phone number assigned to it.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Daniel Stan said:
Plusnet don’t obey the Ofcom’s directive. They don’t even let you send the text message to the short message to obtain the PAC code.
Naima said:
Hi so I recently lost my vectone Sim card and have unfortunately decided to switch carriers to Giffgaff however by me losing my VectoneSim card it has unfortunately meant that I have a different number however I would like to go back to my Giffgaff number if I am able to get my PAC code I have been calling numerous times a week and I have been put on hold which has led to me waiting for hours on end with no reply . If it doesn’t trouble you can I please get a reply ASAP and can I get my vectone pac code
Ken replied:
Hi Naima,
Thanks for your comment. Are you able to request a PAC Code from the Vectone Mobile website? This might offer a potential solution. Alternatively, is there a way to get a replacement SIM card from Vectone? If you’re able to get one, you should be able to request your PAC Code via text message.
Ken
Norman said:
Does Data have to be turn on to port
Ken replied:
Hi Norman,
Thanks for your comment. No, there’s no need for data to be switched on in order to port!
Ken
Norman watson replied:
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your answer to my question.
Brilliant service you offer.
Thanks again
Norman.
Hashena A Liza said:
I would like to change my new mobile number.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
It should be possible to do this by requesting a STAC Code from your old provider rather than a PAC Code. See the information here about cancelling and ending your old plan.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Gemma said:
Will a PAC code still work in the same way if transferring it from a consumer account to a business account?
Ken replied:
Hi Gemma,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, it will work the exact same way if you’re moving your phone number from a consumer onto a business account 🙂
Ken
RAY said:
Hi, I have an old Motorola V3 with the largest SIM card.
Whenever I needed more airtime I bought a voucher when I was shopping at Tesco`s.
I want to do the same with a new NANO SIM card?
I have my new Smart Phone and want to get a NANO SIM card for it but all I can find is contract SIM cards.
On my old phone I could buy airtime off whatever company I wanted to, I want to do the same with my new Smart Phone.
I want a UK NANO SIM card without a contract, where can I get one from?
Regards Ray.
Ken replied:
Hi Ray,
Thanks for your comment. You can see my guide to Pay As You Go SIM cards here – all of them will now come with a nano-sized SIM card so you can use it inside your new mobile phone. Alternatively, if you’d like to keep your current network, you can simply ask them to provide you with a replacement Nano SIM.
Hope this helps,
Ken
RAY replied:
Hello Ken, Asda don`t supply a NANO SIM card, it`s a triple and you just push out the card you need.
On my new Huawei smart phone, it says the new NANO SIM card is thinner, so the triple won`t work?
You need a separate NANO?
Also, I have been searching ASDA, as they are what I need, and I can`t find the one you are talking about, free pay as you go, it looks like they have bundles only and you have to buy a bundle no matter how small in price?
Regards Ray.
Ken replied:
Hi Ray,
Thanks for your comment. The Nano SIM is simply the innermost part of the Triple SIM – simply push it out and you’ll find that it fits inside your Huawei device. With regards to the bundles, there’s no obligation to buy a bundle every month. If you don’t buy a bundle, you’ll simply pay the standard Pay As You Go rates of 8p/minute, 4p/text and 5p/MB.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Susan said:
If I request a stac by accident can I get a pac after that? I wanted to keep my no.
Ken replied:
Hi Susan,
Yes, no problem at all! Just follow the instructions for requesting a PAC Code. The existing STAC Code will automatically be cancelled, and you’ll be sent a new PAC Code to replace it.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Susan replied:
Thanks Ken! Got sorted. My number is now being ported over 🙂
P mckenzie said:
I am changing from Talk Talk to O2. on my iPhone Tomorrow. they have my PAC no and my present no which I am keeping. By phone call today. At the moment I have a Talk Talk SIM card still in my phone. When do I remove it and insert the O2 SIM card. Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Thanks for your comment. You can keep the TalkTalk SIM card inside your iPhone until you lose coverage on that SIM. When that happens, it’s a sign to replace the SIM with your new one from O2.
Hope this helps!
Ken
P Mckenzie replied:
Yes thank you Ken. Very helpful All is ok. I am up and running again. Pam
steve said:
every time i enter all the phone numbers and pac code and enter it tells me theres an unknown error?
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Which company was your PAC Code obtained from? It might be worth double checking with them to make sure the PAC Code is correct, before submitting it again to your new network.
Ken
Tracy hill said:
Hi my number is on my work phone (transferred when I went on to work phone) I now want to transfer on to my private number but how do I do this so I keep my number and take it from work phone please ?
Ken replied:
Hi Tracy,
Thanks for your comment. Can you request a PAC Code from your work number, and then use this PAC Code to move the phone number to your own account?
Ken
Debbie Eccles said:
I joined virgin 2 days ago tv broadband & sim only mobile contract
I have my Pac code & I just cannot through on 789. I’ve been pressing redial. Since Friday …40 mins wS the longest wait
Regretting moving …how on earth can I retain my number if no one is available to take my Pac code? ?
Not very happy
Christine Smith said:
Pa code requested but been 7 days still not received. What is the problem
Ken replied:
Hi Christine,
Which mobile network are you trying to get a PAC Code from? They should be giving you a PAC Code within 60 seconds when you request it online or via SMS text message.
Ken
Yee Lim said:
Hi Ken,
You mentioned that transferring number needs to be within the UK. Say, I order a new SIM and I travel for 3 months. I’d requested the PAC beforehand. When my new SIM arrives, could I get my wife to tell the new network what the PAC is or does the old SIM has to be physically in the UK. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Yee,
Thanks for your comment. I believe your new SIM card will normally need to be inside the UK. This is because some updates need to be made to it – for instance, provisioning it with your new phone number after your PAC Code is used. This isn’t always possible when you’re travelling abroad due to the way international roaming works on different networks, etc. In practice, I have seen it working abroad a couple of times but your mileage may vary and this may not always work as required.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Adeebah said:
I’ve lost my phone which had a giffgaff number inside and I want that number back. How ever everything was logged on that phone like my giffgaff account and I can’t get into it.. is there any other way I can get my number back? Everything linked to that account I can’t log into
Ken replied:
Hi Adeebah,
Thanks for your comment. You can request a replacement SIM card as soon as you can get in to your giffgaff account. Would it be possible to do something like a password reset via email?
Ken
Lee Mcleod said:
Stupidly I’ve miss placed my SIM so ordered a new one want to keep the same number , can I do this ??
Ken replied:
Hi Lee,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can process this as a SIM card replacement through your mobile network. They’ll issue you with a new SIM card to replace the old SIM card which has been lost or stolen.
Ken
Julia said:
I have a pay as you go sim only on EE no contract involved. How do i get a pac code? Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Julia,
Thanks for your comment. You can request a PAC Code from EE in the normal way, as described on this page. Let me know if you encounter any problems following those steps?
Ken
Jamie said:
Hi,
EE now ask for the PAC or STAC number during their signup process. I have my PAC code but if I supply this during signup and the new SIM takes 3 business days to arrive (they quote this) but the number is ported ‘next business day’ won’t this leave me without service for potentially 2 days.
Anyone got advice on this? Will EE wait until I have their SIM before transferring?
Ken replied:
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I’d personally wait for the new SIM card to arrive first. That would also give you the opportunity to return it, without porting complications (e.g. if it didn’t work properly or if you weren’t satisfied with the coverage in your area on the SIM card).
Ken
Jamie replied:
Thanks Ken,
I’ve got one further question. I pay in advance for airtime, do you know if any remaining airtime is refunded when my number switches? So if I pay a month in advance on the 1st of the month and my number switches on the 2nd are my current provider obliged to refund me the remaining 29 days?
Great site by the way.
Ken replied:
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for the very kind words! Are you on a Pay Monthly contract? If so, then yes, you’ll be refunded for the days that you didn’t use in the final month. Details can be found in your final bill (most networks will issue you with a refund automatically, but some of them might require you to call up to ask for your refund). If you’re on Pay As You Go, top-ups are non-refundable and will not be returned to you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Yvonne white said:
New iPhone XR was meant to change today as used poached code 2 days ago. But still no service.
Ken replied:
Hi Yvonne,
If your phone number transfer has been delayed, it’s worth getting in touch with your new mobile network to check on the status. I believe, as of July 2019, your network should also offer you “reasonable compensation” for a delay in porting that takes more than one working day.
Ken
Rajinder Jhanji said:
What if my existing network is reluctant to give me the pac code?
Ken replied:
Hi Rajinder,
They’re legally obliged to give you a PAC Code, as per Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement. Are you still experiencing problems getting your PAC Code? If so, I’d consider putting a formal complaint in writing to them and reminding them of their legal obligations.
Ken
Stephen Hawley said:
Received ‘Your message isn’t recognised’ from TalkTalk after texting PAC to 65075.
Looks like they haven’t heard about the new process, bless them.
Ken replied:
Hi Stephen,
It’s a shame that they’re not following the new process! Given they’re in the midst of closing down anyway, it’s possible they’ve just decided that it isn’t worth following the new rules.
Ken
Stephen Hawley replied:
Yes but the best it was the text message went on to say … If you want a PAC code text PAC to 65075, if you want a STAC code etc etc!!!
Tina Bran said:
Hi there bt in my boyfriend name no long with him I just want to take my number with me
Ken replied:
Hi Tina,
Thanks for your comment. Typically, it’s the account holder that needs to request the PAC Code. You’ll therefore need to ask him to do this for you. Alternatively, if you have access to the SIM card, it might be possible for you to request it via text message.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Andy said:
is their any ofcom/ofgem laws that state a 10 day pac code release period for 80 business user mobile contracts moving to a new provider?
Ken replied:
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your comment. I believe the requirement is currently for business customers to get a PAC Code within 2 working days of their request. See clause 7.30 of the General Conditions of Entitlement here. Has your network provided any guidance on why they’ll only be able to provide it in 10 days?
Ken
Claire Hill said:
Hi
I am leaving EE and had requested a PAC code which I received and I have now transferred to my new provider. The changeover was requested yesterday and it happened today and my new phone is now using my previous EE number.
However I still seem to be receiving my messages and calls on my old EE phone? I was informed once my PAC code had been transferred that my EE account would be cancelled/closed.
Do I need to do anything else?
Ken replied:
Hi Claire,
Thanks for your comment. Is this problem still persisting or has it now been resolved? On the day of the phone number transfer, there is sometimes a bit of overlap between the two networks. However, it usually clears up by the end of the day and then your account on EE should then automatically be closed.
Ken
Paula said:
Do you get a new number until your old number kicks in and how long does that take?
Ken replied:
Hi Paula,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you’ll be given a temporary phone number when you sign up your new mobile network. This will allow you to make sure everything works as expected. Once you’re sure that’s the case, you can simply provide your PAC Code to your new network and your phone number transfer should then take place on the next working day.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Mandy said:
I dont want to transfer my number so how do I get a new one from my new voxi sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Mandy,
Thanks for your comment. You’ll be assigned a new phone number automatically when you order your SIM card from VOXI.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Timothy Page said:
Getting my old mobile number back was relatively painless, although the shop had some issues getting to the form at the time it seems, after getting that sorted it got transfered with very little fuss and quickly.
unfortunatly the number thats supposed to just give you the pac number did not do so and just linked the account system for tesco mobile, possibly because it was on a family plan? At any rate we eventualy got a hold of it and the change was relatively painless.
Maria said:
What happens if I get my pac code, then my new sim comes and I kinda like that number…and don’t want to use my pac code, do I just request a stac code and it cancels out the pack code?!
Ken replied:
Hi Maria,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can just change your PAC Code into a STAC Code. Just follow the instructions for requesting a STAC Code from your old network, and use this in place of your PAC Code.
Hope this helps,
Ken
paul meredith said:
this is a joke it is supposed to be easy to get a PAK code (send a txt)
no way to do it from the app,online logged into to the account.
When you phone 4455 PAK code is not an option
Tesco mobile seems to be breaking the new Ofcom rules !!!
Marc Steven Braithwaite said:
I need a pac code I am joining sky my sky sim number is 89***removed***9 can you send me information. On how it works do I I give sky the pac code and they will do it
Ken replied:
Hi Marc,
Thanks for your comment. Which mobile network are you on at the moment? You can find step-by-step instructions here on how to move your phone number to Sky Mobile.
Ken
Danny Bothick said:
Hello hope you can help me i’ve lost my sim card and ordered a new one but I want to keep old number
Ken replied:
Hi Danny,
Thanks for your comment. When you order a replacement SIM card from your mobile network, they should automatically transfer your existing phone number to it (get in touch with the customer services team if they don’t do this). A PAC Code is only needed when you move from one mobile network to another, so it isn’t necessary for you to go through this process 🙂
Ken
Jenkins said:
This is getting farcical. Tried texting 65075 for pac but delivery failed. So went to web site, this page, where it tells me to call 202. Called 202 and I got 3 options none of which tell me how to get my PAC.
Looks like O2 are determined to make it as difficult as possible for you to leave.
Hope OFCOM monitor this page!
Scott said:
I wish to remain using my number for EE and stay in service and have changed hand device.
I wish to unlock my old phone provided by EE so as to give it to my daughter on a pay as you go sim card from Vodafone, please can you advise?
Ken replied:
Hi Scott,
Many thanks for your comment. There’s information on this page about how to unlock your handset from EE. To keep your existing phone number, you’ll just need to put your existing SIM Card in your new mobile phone (as the phone number is linked to the SIM card rather than the handset). Your daughter can simply place her Vodafone SIM card inside the mobile phone and it will have the new phone number.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jordi said:
Hi Ken!
I love this article, super helpful. I am moving from 3 to EE, I have no cancellation fees, but they require 30 days cancellation. If I do it through PAC number, will they charge only what I used until the date number was changed to EE? Or since they have the 30 days policy they will charge the whole month since I requested the PAC ?
Ken replied:
Hi Jordi,
Thanks for your comment. At present, most companies will charge you for your 30-day notice period. Therefore, if you were to request a PAC Code on the 1st July, you would be liable to pay your bill until the 31st July (this is regardless of when your phone number actually moves over). For many people, this means there is a period of time where you’re paying two bills (both the old contract along with the new one). It’s something that I know Ofcom (the UK’s telecommunications regulator) is looking into changing, but sadly, this is how it works at the moment 🙁 You can minimise the overlap by scheduling your transfer towards the end of your 30-day notice period.
Ken
Alex said:
My sim only contract ends on 27/06/19 with Three, I have contacted them today to get my pac code to switch to a different network, they have said I must wait until 27/06/19 when they will then switch me to a PAYG contract and I don’t have to do a 30 day notice period.. they will then issue me a pac code. I have asked for them to email me a copy of my contract as surely if my contract is ending and I am fully paid up I should be able to get it now and not need to give 30 days notice. But they are refusing to send me a copy of contract too. Are they in the right?
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Thanks for your comment. Three are legally obliged to issue you with a PAC Code, even whilst you’re in the minimum term of your contract. You should remind them of their legal obligations under Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement!
Ken
christa buttolph said:
How do we text to switch
Ken replied:
Hi Christa,
Thanks for your comment. The mobile networks are only legally obliged to offer “text to switch” from the 1st July 2019. We’ll update this page in due course to make sure it reflects the latest information on how to request a PAC Code.
Hope this helps!
Ken
christa buttolph said:
I’ve asked talk talk 7 times for pac code they keep saying there’s problem giving me one yet they are closing there mobile side down. What can I do.
Ken replied:
Hi Christa,
Thanks for your comment. TalkTalk are legally obliged to provide you with a PAC Code within 2 hours of your request. Have they given you a reason as to why they aren’t able to issue you with one?
Ken
Krusa said:
Hi i have a pay as you go sim, however i have recently got a pay monthly sim can i transfer my pay as you go sim number onto the pay monthly sim and how
Ken replied:
Hi Krusa,
Thanks for your comment. Are you staying on the same mobile network? If so, you can get in touch with their customer services team to request this (a PAC Code is only necessary when moving from one mobile network to another). If you’re changing mobile networks, you can use a PAC Code in order to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Nigel said:
Orange just cut off my number without telling me, I’ve had the same number for 20 years and it’s unbelievable, I phoned them up from a landline obviously and they just said sorry your number is now lost in the system and can’t be restored…..
I had this once before but they managed to reinstate the number but this time said they can’t.
Terrible service, I have had to spend days changing various security details on various accounts which had this number not to mention losing contact with clients etc.
Garry Mcphee said:
Hi I’m trying to get a Pac code off virgin so I can use my phone as I’m having problems with virgin and my account I need my mobile but also need my number as it’s my work that I need it for I have phone up virgin and was told by someone so rude that I can’t have it and then hung up is there any way that I can get the Pac code without calling virgin many thanks Garry
Ken replied:
Hi Garry,
Thanks for your comment. At the moment, the only way to obtain a PAC Code is by calling your mobile network. From the 1st July 2019, however, text-to-switch will be in operation. This will make it possible to obtain a PAC Code by sending a short text message.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Simon said:
Hello, Ken. I was wondering if I could still use data from my goodybags instead of pay-as-you-go stuff.
Ken replied:
Hi Simon,
Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure I 100% understand your question. However, if you have an active giffgaff goodybag on your account, you should be able to use the data from it rather than Pay As You Go rates?
Ken
Wendy said:
Just want to know how to transfer my old/current O2 phone number to my new Tesco Mobile phone. Rather worried that I won’t be able to as I found out that Tesco Mobile use O2 or something.
Can someone help me?
Ken replied:
Hi Wendy,
Thanks for your comment. You can move your phone number from O2 to Tesco Mobile by following the normal PAC code process. The fact that they both use O2 for coverage doesn’t make a difference to this process!
Ken
Owain said:
If you do not change you PAC number once requested, talkmobile will still charge you irrespective if you told them to cancel the account and even though your device may be inactive they will still charge you every month, months by month and scam you with no refunds.
Ken replied:
Hi Owain,
Sadly, the default outcome if you request a PAC Code and then decide not to use it within the 30-day validity period is the existing contract will continue to run as before. In many ways, this is actually a positive for the consumer as it means you can try and negotiate the price you pay (asking for a PAC Code when you do this) but then there’s no obligation to actually leave if they call your bluff and they offer you a PAC Code rather than a discount.
In some cases, this actually causes some confusion if you had just wanted to end the contract without moving your phone number elsewhere. If you had wanted to do this, the PAC Code process shouldn’t have been followed – instead, the 30-day notice period should just have been served and your contract should be ended automatically after that period.
If you believe Talkmobile didn’t act properly on your instructions (e.g. by issuing you with a PAC Code when you had just wanted to end the contract), it might be worth making a formal complaint in writing to them. This will allow you to dispute the money they’ve charged you.
Ken
Alex Vanselow said:
Trying to get a PAC code from Vodafone and again experiencing the service that make me want to switch providers. Called 191, long cue was called back 25 minutes later, did all the identity checks and was told there is a technical problem with their system that is not issuing PAC codes to call again later. Really ?
Muhammad khan said:
I have experienced very bad customer service from Vecton mobile. They don’t bother and understand customer needs . My account has been suspended for last one week but unfortunately they don’t bother to discuss and I try tried to contact them several occasions but no one picks up the phone. There are no customer support and service at all . I was no the phone for hours but no response. Now I wants my puk code but it’s quite impressive to getting it because no one pick up phone.
MP said:
Hi
Moving out of a network and back in again quickly to change deal through a third party provider and get Cashback … is there a minimum time limit?
Ken replied:
Hi MP,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no minimum amount of time you’ll need to have left a mobile network before you’re able to port your phone number back in. With regards to the cashback, however, there might be additional conditions so it’s worth double checking this before you buy.
Hope this helps,
Ken
F Minogue said:
Hi, I changed from EE to Vodafone and used the website to change from my temporary number to my old number. Although on my iphone under “Names, email address and phone number” it says my old number is working, my messages are still going through under the temporary number. What do I do?
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Thanks for your comment. See the information here on using iMessage and FaceTime after porting your phone number with a PAC Code. Hopefully this should help to resolve the problems you’re having!
Ken
G Thain said:
24h RUBBISH! Just been told by Voxi three and a half days!
Keying said:
Hi,
I tried to transfer my number to giffgaff but it shows an error with PAC Code:
Oops. There was a problem with your PAC code. Please try again later.
The PAC code do not expire until 12 June, why can’t it be processed?
Ken replied:
Hi Keying,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced inputting a PAC Code at giffgaff. Unfortunately, it’s likely you’ll need to flag this with giffgaff’s support team (e.g. using their online support) to get a bit more info about it.
Sorry I can’t be of any more help!
Ken
Jay said:
I been trying to get Pac code form vector mobile but keeps saying I need to put money on phone to get one ????
Ken replied:
Hi Jay,
Thanks for your comment. It shouldn’t be necessary to have money on your account to get a PAC Code issued. However, there might be a per-minute charge when you get in touch with them (which might require you to have money on your account). You can side-step this by using a different phone to call Vectone (e.g. borrowing someone else’s phone or using a landline instead).
Ken
Mark Perry said:
I tried to move from O2 for pay as you go, 4445 is chargable, but I’m moving provider so I have no credit. I then called from my home phone, entered the code sent to my o2 mobile, then I was told my security details couldn’t be found and was then transferred to a phone line that was closed! Why on earth can’t we just request a pac code via automated service, or through my O2? Seems like you just want to make it hard as possible to transfer away. Your company is a joke!
Andy said:
If you are PAYG and simply want support, without giving three any additional business, they are terrible. I bought a new phone that needs a nano sim, whereas my existing three sim is micro only. It is very difficult to get a nano sim and have my old number transferred to it. There is nothing on the website that allows you to do this simple operation – you need to go to a three shop (I don’t have one nearby) to arrange this…
Hatun Soruklu said:
I had 2 contracts with Virgin and I cancelled one of them yesterday due to their price increase from £9 to £12 while in a contract. Their service is terrible. Always there is some kind of issue with either internet or phone line. My other contract ends in Dec and cant wait to leave them. As yesterday 14th May just about whole country had issues with their internet and phone line as well as text messaging. Simply my both mobiles were dead from 10am until evening.I moved to 3. Lets see what they are like. At least they wouldn’t increase the price 30% while in a contract.
Simon norley said:
If i leave and get a PaC code, then dont use it but still leave. Then 18months later get a bill to terminate because you didnt use your PAC code but still left but used no service..can i be legally bound to pay this bill?
Ken replied:
Hi Simon,
Thanks for your comment. Essentially, there are two ways to cancel your contract: you can either use a PAC Code to move your phone number to another network, or you can contact your mobile network directly and ask them to cancel the contract. Typically, you’ll actually need to use the PAC Code to move your phone number to another network in order to cancel your old contract through the PAC Code route. If you haven’t used it after 30 days, the PAC Code is cancelled and it’s assumed you no longer want to move.
With regards to the question you asked, this is unfortunately something you’ll need to dispute with your network. Part of it would rely on whether they cancelled the contract as per your request. For instance, if you had explicitly asked them to cancel your contract (rather than simply issuing you with a PAC Code), it could be argued that they didn’t follow your instructions correctly. Evidence of non-use of the service would also back this up.
Ken
John said:
Today I applied to Tesco Mobile to request a Porting Authorisation Code and was refused point blank to be given one.
No explanation given, just take it or leave it.
I may add I am on a P.A.Y.G. tariff.
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Many thanks for your comment. Tesco Mobile are legally obliged to give you a PAC Code, unless one of the reasons listed here applies. It might be worth reminding them of their obligations, and asking them to give you a reason if they aren’t able to issue you with a PAC Code.
Hope this helps,
Ken
John replied:
Thanks for help.
Not one to give up, I had a “Chat” with Tesco Mobile.
No hassle was given a code there and then.
Dave said:
I tried to request a PAC code from vodaphone only to be told I needed my sim card so they could send me a code number to give them so they could proceed with the Pac code, I told them I no longer have the sim as i have already gone to another phone company and have activated the card to start to use my phone and number as soon as but I am wanting my old number but they said the only way they could start to give me a Pac code is for them to send code to my original sim.
My question is Ken would there be another way they could give me a Pac code.
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Dave,
Thanks for your comment. It sounds like Vodafone are trying to put you through a security check to make sure the phone number belongs to you. This is an important step for security and privacy, and as such, I don’t think there is any way around it (unless you’re able to pass the security check another way).
Ken
Daley said:
Hi, I lost my sim and reported it as lost but then found it days later. My account is suspended, I cant get access to reactivate. I have bought a new sim and would like to transfer my old number. Can anyone help
Ken replied:
Hi Daley,
Which mobile network are you on? The best thing to do would be to contact their customer services team (either from your new SIM or from a different number). They should be able to arrange this for you 🙂
Ken
Marite said:
How many numbers are a PAC code?
Ken replied:
Hi Marite,
A PAC Code should consist of three letters followed by six numbers (e.g. ABC 123 456).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Oleg said:
Thanks for this extensive and useful information!
Ron bate said:
Absolute shambles, first I was cut off while talking to an operative, then when I called again I was put onto my own voice mail. I simply want my PAC number so as to keep my current number as I am entitled to do.
Harini said:
I got an email that my number has transferred but it still says no service at the top left corner. I’ve tried turning my phone on and off and I’ve removed the SIM card and put it back in but it still says no service. I need help
Ken replied:
Hi Harini,
Thanks for your comment. Which mobile network are you transferring your phone number into? I’d recommend reaching out to their customer services team directly as this sounds like an account-specific issue that they’ll need to look into.
Ken
Imran said:
Hi so I lost my sim and I need to get back to it how would I do that I know the number and stuff but I can’t transfer back to the old sim because I lost the sim
Ken replied:
Hi Imran,
Thanks for your comment. Your mobile network should be able to send you a replacement SIM card for the one you’ve lost. The phone number would be reassigned to the new SIM card for you.
Ken
Sean said:
Bit of a strange one. My son had a sim only deal with virgin but couldn’t pass teh credit check to get an upgrade. If decided to take a contract out with him on Virgin also. Can he keep his old number?
Ken replied:
Hi Sean,
Yes, if you wanted, you could take out a contract on his behalf and it would be possible for him to transfer his phone number to it. However, as this won’t be processed as a normal upgrade, it may sometimes be necessary to transfer your phone number out to another network before transferring it back in. I’d recommend double-checking with Virgin Mobile Customer Services in advance to see what the best way of achieving this would be.
Ken
Ken
Alex Chan said:
I have asked three to get a Pac code, they said in 2 hours I can get it, but I haven’t get it . I phone three again they said need to cancel the old Pac code and order a new Pac code
Tamata said:
Okay so would this be the same process if my SIM card is damaged and I want to keep my current number?
Ken replied:
Hi Tamata,
Thanks for your comment. No, there’s no need to follow this process if you’re not changing mobile networks. As you want to keep your existing price plan on the same mobile network, you can simply contact your mobile network operator to ask for a replacement SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
M umar said:
More then 1 month trying to contact customer service to port out my number from freedom pop but still no way cos their phone always on auto reply no otherway to find to port out my number. I’m in Worest condition cos of their service
Attila said:
How is it free to request the PAC code while they charge 9p per call and that is the only way to request it?
Ken replied:
Hi Atilla,
Thanks for your comment. There should be a way to contact your mobile network without paying any more than the standard UK landline rate. Could you let me know which network you’re trying to obtain a PAC Code from?
Thanks,
Ken
Steph said:
Hi Ken,
Great blog and very helpful. Quick question for you – I’ve recently relocated to the US and want to get the PAC code from o2 so I can move to 3 – chance to keep my number for when I visit home/move back. I’m being told they can only do this if the sim card is in the UK. Is this accurate?
Thanks in advance.
Ken replied:
Hi Steph,
Thanks for your comment. I do believe your new SIM card should normally be in the UK and connected to a UK network (as opposed to roaming). Saying that, I’m afraid I don’t know enough about the specifics of this and what would happen if you were abroad whilst the phone number moves – sorry about that!
Ken
Gurjit Singh said:
Hi, I had a message 40 mins ago to say that my old number had been successfully transferred but when I ring the number a message says it is an incorrect number !
Ken replied:
Hi Gurjit,
Thanks for your comment. On the day of the transfer, there could be a brief period where the phone number hasn’t yet fully moved over to your new network. If the problem persists, I’d recommend getting in touch with your new mobile network who should be able to take a look into this for you.
Ken
Mr Liam J Cairns said:
It’d be helpful if you made it clear above which are the correct options to select when you call the 0345 number. Think that’s doable?
Ken replied:
Hi Liam,
Thanks for the feedback and agreed this would be a great addition! The main issue here is that menu options change quite frequently, so it would be difficult for us to consistently maintain an up-to-date list of these options. Also, the options may differ depending on the type of tariff somebody has (e.g. consumer VS business, Pay Monthly VS Pay As You Go, etc). For this reason, it’s probably still “best” for everyone to listen to the options and to make sure they pick the right option for them. I will consider this for the future however if there’s a way we can make it useful and accurate.
Thanks again,
Ken
Pamela Lealand said:
I am about to supply my pac code number to change to Sky mobile will I need to get my fone unlocked?
Ken replied:
Hi Pamela,
Thanks for your comment. Are you using a Sky Mobile SIM card in your existing smartphone? If so, you may need to unlock it before it will accept the SIM card from Sky.
If you’re using the Sky Mobile SIM card in a new mobile phone (e.g. one that you’ve purchased from Sky or on a SIM-free basis), it isn’t necessary to unlock your current smartphone.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Carol Roberts said:
I am having huge problems with Virgin. My mobile service has been cut off and no one will answer my calls. Several times I have waited on my landline for over 30 minutes each time. I have asked for my PAC, which I know is my legal right, but virgin cut me off and now I am unable to get through. I have tried to call virgin again this morning but can’t get through.
I have a disabled family member with whom I need to maintain contact – she only has a mobile phone, no landline.
How can I get my PAC code if no one at virgin will take my calls?
Ken replied:
Hi Carol,
I’m very sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced getting in touch with Virgin Media. I’m extremely surprised about this and would have expected Virgin to be a lot better at picking up phone calls! Fingers crossed you’ll be able to get through to them soon.
Ken
Divine said:
Hi Ken
Such useful information & easy to follow. Thank you.
One question please
Am planning moving to sim only from my current
provider O2. Already have PAC & after getting the
new sim from new provider who’s actually using
O2 mask, shall activate new sim & transfer my
current number by providing the PAC & then wait
I think for day for the transfer to complete with the
provider. Once I get confirmation that am ready
to go, shall remove old sim & insert in new sim.
Question
Will all my data – contacts, apps, photos & videos
as well as all instant messaging on whatsapp &
iMessage/message be available on my phone
as not sure if some info are stored on the sim while
others are stored on the phone.
Do I need to do a restore once am on the new sim?
BTW am on iPhone 7 Plus
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi there,
From your message, I believe you’re keeping the same phone as before but just changing the SIM card inside it? If so, then yes, all of your personal data will still be there on the phone after you change the SIM card. Nowadays, smartphones do not store any personal data directly on the SIM card so there’s nothing to worry about here (in the past, it was only some very old feature phones that would store your phone book & contacts on the SIM).
Ken
Eka said:
I am writing and calling for a lycamobile for a month. they do not answer the phone. I want to get the PAC code.
It is unbearable
Robert Smith said:
That was so easily explained, and to set up, thank you
Gen said:
I have a little Nokia PAYG phone and 6 months ago Virgin offered me a great deal paying monthly which has been more than sufficient for my use. I have recently bought a new Nokia PAYG phone, simply as the old one was about done. My question is how do I remain on the same Virgin deal, keep the same phone number on my new phone, also what to do about the SIms? Do I fit the old sim in the new phone? I have not done anything yet, just in case it’s the wrong thing.
Ken replied:
Hi Gen,
Thanks for your comment. It should be possible just to insert your SIM card into the new phone. It would keep the same phone number, price plan, etc. If it requires a different sized SIM card, see our guide to changing your SIM card size.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Andrew said:
I had a contract with tpo mobile who have now gone into administration. They had emailed me a pac code to transfer my number to a new supplier, unfortunately I was abroad at the time and was unable to do this until I returned to the UK. When I have now tried to transfer it the pac code no longer works. I have had the number for around 12 years, I use it for my business and it linked to all my accounts so it is very important for me to keep that number. Does anyone know what will now happen to that number and is there any way I can obtain it?
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
I am so sorry to hear that you’ve been affected by the TPO Mobile closure. Unfortunately, your best call of action probably now needs to be getting in touch with TPO’s administrators to see if they can offer you a new PAC Code (I believe you can email them on tpo@duffandphelps.com). I hope they’ll be able to recover the phone number for you.
Ken
Matt Mason said:
Trying to get a PAC code to keep my old orange number, change to EE. Phone says SIM is invalid. Called number to get PAC. (From my Spanish handset) Entered my old number. Told it’s not correct when it is. Tried twice without success.
I only use the UK phone on orange for 2 weeks a year.. seems the SIM is now expired. Advice please. Matt Mason.
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
Many thanks for your comment. Are you trying to transfer a Spanish phone number (+34) to a UK SIM card? If so, this unfortunately isn’t possible: you can only transfer UK mobile numbers (beginning with +44 7) using a PAC Code.
If you’re moving from Orange UK to EE, you can do this through EE customer services without the need to use a PAC Code.
Ken
Sue Bartholomew said:
Hi, I had a message 40 mins ago to say that my old number had been successfully transferred but when I ring the number a message says it is an incorrect number !
Ken replied:
Hi Sue,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered transferring your phone number. In this case, you’ll need to contact your new mobile network to ask them to investigate the issue. As this is an account-specific query, only they will have access to the information required to diagnose the issue.
Ken
andrew rowland said:
Why won’t virgin give me my pac code, basically refusing to do so?
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
As per Ofcom’s General Conditions of Entitlement, Virgin are legally obliged to give you a PAC Code unless one of the following reasons is the case (e.g. because you haven’t been able to complete a security check for the account, or because the account has already been closed). You should ask Virgin why they aren’t able to issue you with a PAC Code, and can make a formal complaint in writing against them if they’re still refusing to do this.
Ken
Danielle said:
Hi Ken,
I am moving to Sweden next week. I have cancelled my EE monthly contract, which will expire in roughly 3 weeks time. I have bought a Three pay as you go SIM to transfer my current phone number to, so I can continue to use the same number when I come back to the UK for visits.
My question is, will it be okay for me to set up the Three SIM when I am in Sweden? Or do you need to be in your home country? I am not going to be back in the UK for a few months and don’t want to lose my current EE number.
I hope this makes sense! Thanks for all of your amazing advice, so helpful!
Ken replied:
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for your comment and “god lycka” with the move to Sweden 🙂
Regarding your Three Pay As You Go SIM card, the good news is you can continue to use this at no extra charge whilst over in Sweden (allowing you to continue receiving calls on your UK number, calling back to the UK, etc).
If possible, I’d strongly recommend activating the SIM card whilst you’re still in the UK (i.e. putting it into a phone and then topping it up with some credit). This is because Three will sometimes flag up SIM cards that have never actually been used in the UK. Once your SIM card is active, you can move the phone number over whenever you like. For simplicity, however, you may prefer to get it all done before you go (e.g. scheduling the transfer for 1 or 2 day before you go).
Ken
Shahbaz Ahmed said:
How many digits is the 3 pac code?
Ken replied:
Hi Shahbaz,
It should be three letters followed by six numbers.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Martin said:
Why oh why can you not get a PAC code online through your account login. It should be compulsory that this channel be available. Vodafone, for example, use 2 Factor Authentication just to let you view your own bill – very sensible security precaution. Given that they have the security infrastructure in place, I see no reason why I should not also be able to get my PAC this way. In fact, they shouldbe requiredto issue it by default automatically 30 days prior to contract term. If you don’t choose to use it, the contract just rolls on anyway.
Of course I do know the reason – they want to put you through their ‘persuasion’ process first, make it like you don’t really want to leave, make it like Hotel California.
That’s fine – they could email me their best offer with the default 30 day PAC. But no, they would rather that the date just slipped by and I didn’t notice the uptick in the monthly payment…
Ken replied:
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your comment. You make a really good point, and I totally agree with you. Like you said, the reason they normally require you to contact them by phone is because it gives them a good opportunity to keep you as a customer. The good news, however, is that things are changing from July 2019. Upcoming Ofcom legislation from that date means it’ll be possible to request a PAC Code hassle-free via text message. The issue of double-charging for overlapping contracts will also be resolved. A thoroughly sensible piece of legislation if you ask me!
Ken
lynda masters said:
I only found out about TPO by text from them on Friday the 22nd! No email or letter. As a previous person has said their call centre is closed. I tried Saturday morning. I have sent a message via their website as I want to a PAC code before Tuesday. I’m hoping they will get back to me tomorrow
( Monday) My question is what can I do if they don’t? As I understand it they should provide one but as they are going into administration what rights do I have to keep my existing number. Hope you can help. Lynda
Dayna Simpson said:
Im on a contract under my dads name and im looking to change, however he’s making it difficult for other reasons, can i get this pac code without getting him to do so?
Ken replied:
Hi Dayna,
Thanks for your comment. Sadly, only the bill payer/account owner is able to request the PAC Code for you. This is due to security reasons so that the phone number can not be “stolen” and the phone calls & text messages intercepted.
Ken
John Nuttall said:
I’ve been forced to leave TPO due to their problems and I’ve gone over to Smarty, however I use my phone for my business and my number is on my website and my business cards as well as 11 years trading using same number. I’ve entered my PAC code and yesterday my current number stopped working and my phone is now using the SMARTY number off my new sim. I’m used to there being around 30 mins where my old number stopped working but this is now 18 hours without my phone working from my old number. What do I need to do? Should I resubmit the PAC code and try again or wait.
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Sorry to hear that you’ve been affected by TPO Mobile going into administration. The best thing to do would be to get in touch with Smarty’s online support ASAP. You can do this by visiting their help centre, and contacting them through that (e.g. using the live chat that pops up in the bottom right corner of the page). They should be able to look into this for you, and can figure out the status of your phone number transfer. I would probably avoid waiting further myself, given the short amount of time that TPO has given customers to move off their network.
Ken
Andrew replied:
I too have a TPO number, however I have been informed by SMARTY that the porting delay is due to TPO failing to provide all the information to move the number to SMARTY.
“We’re working with them to get the issue resolved, and you’ll get an email when the transfer completes – if the issue isn’t fixed within three business days, we’ll contact you with an update.”
What information is being transferred here?
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
I’m really sorry to hear about the delays you’ve experienced to porting. Out of curiosity, was this resolved in time in the end, or are TPO still failing to provide all the information?
Ken
Matt replied:
Common problem/std response from a very tardy Smarty Customer support team. Do you know what would happen if I have already put in a request to move to Smarty from TPO – but as no longer trusting them – I have also requested my number is transferred to a temporary O2 sim…
Nothing now for over a week. Have I lost my number that I have carried for 20 years….
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
Sadly, it’s difficult to know 🙁 Unfortunately, I’m not sure what the current status is of old TPO phone numbers. Are you still getting coverage on the TPO SIM card, or is it now dead?
Normally, responsibility for completing the transfer belongs to your new mobile network (i.e. Smarty or O2). It’s up to them to liaise with your old network to get this sorted, albeit, I’m not sure what they’re able to do if TPO isn’t responding. I should have thought that a large number of people will be transferring from TPO to Smarty (since Smarty were the recommended network) so it’s probably more likely they’ll have some more recent contact with TPO on the matter.
Ken
Maisha siddika said:
I am not a pay as you go or monthly for o2 will they still give a Pac code
Ken replied:
Hi Maisha,
Thanks for your comment. What type of tariff do you have from O2? If you have a mobile phone number with them, they should provide you with a PAC Code. However, I’m not sure what other type of tariff there is besides from Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go!
Ken
Win said:
TPO mobile goes into administration on 23rd. Did not know anything about this until I saw it in the paper yesterday. I am trying to contact them to get my PAC code but their number is dead and any emails won’t go. Can you help me as I need to keep my number and get another operator ASAP. I pay monthly.
Ken replied:
Hi Win,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been caught up in TPO Mobile going into administration. I believe they have been issuing PAC Codes to all customers automatically, via a letter in the post or an e-mail in your inbox. According to their website, this should arrive by Monday 18th February – if not, you’re encouraged to get in touch with them via this form on their website.
Ken
Scott Pringle said:
I was only giving a 6 digit PAC Number from O2 not the 9 you have said please advise
Ken replied:
Hi Scott,
It might be worth asking O2 to issue you with your PAC Code again. It should be three letters followed by six numbers e.g. in the format ABC 123 456.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Carol Farrell said:
I’ve just received my new sky sim and would like to activate it, I would like to use my old number when my contract is up. Can I activate my sky sim now and change to my old number at the end of this month when they give me a pac code.
Ken replied:
Hi Carol,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can activate your Sky Mobile SIM card today with the temporary phone number that Sky have assigned to you. You can then transfer your phone number over whenever you’re ready (e.g. at the end of the month). With regards to your old provider, I’d suggest getting your PAC Code sooner rather than later as they often require you to give advance notice of ending a contract. Your PAC Code is valid for 30 days, so you can still use your PAC Code as planned at the end of the month.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Clare said:
I have taken a new contract out with a new network provider instead of upgrading with my current provider.
Can I give my new provider a PAC code when I give notice in 3 weeks to my current provider? This is because if I cancel early and use the PAC code I’ll be charged for doing this.
In other words is there any time limit on giving a PAC code? Does it have to be when you receive your new handset etc?
Ken replied:
Hi Clare,
Thanks for your comment. You can ask for a PAC Code at any time, which will last for a period of 30 days. Your current contract will end on the date when you actually use your PAC Code to move your phone number to another network, and any early exit fees will be calculated from that date. For this reason, it’s fine to request your PAC Code today and to wait 3 weeks before you actually use it.
With regards to the best time to request your PAC Code, it’s normally best to do this straight away if you’ve made the decision. Most mobile networks require you to give 30 days notice of ending your contract. In practice, this means they can charge you for another 30 days of usage after you request your PAC Code. Therefore, if you’d like to move network in 3 weeks time, I’d recommend requesting your PAC Code today to avoid having to pay for another 30 days of usage.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ron said:
Do You lose your data when you switch? Lets say you had 3gb active before switching
Ken replied:
Hi Ron,
Thanks for your comment.
On the mobile network that you’re porting your phone number out of, you’ll lose all unused allowances and Pay As You Go credit. For instance, if you had 3GB of unused data, that would also be lost. Your account will be closed automatically when you use the PAC Code.
On the mobile network that you’re porting your phone number into, your price plan will not be affected and you’ll continue to have the same allowances as before. So if you still had 3GB remaining in the current month, it would still be available for you to use.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Kumkuma said:
Hi, what menu should I go on to request my PAC code (in the 7777 mobile number) is it the “leaving iD” menu or a different one?
Ken replied:
Hi Kumkuma,
Yes – you should choose the “leaving iD” option. This should take you through to the relevant person who can issue you with a PAC Code.
Ken
Emma said:
I have given notice on my contract with EE. It will end on 4th Feb 2019 – is it possible to get the PAC code or as I’ve already stated I want to close the account, is that no longer possible?
Ken replied:
Hi Emma,
Thanks for your comment. It should still be possible to get a PAC Code for your phone number, providing your account hasn’t yet been closed. You can contact EE Customer Services on 150 to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Monty de la Guerra said:
It’s really very frustrating not to be able to register on the app. There is a tick by the number we are porting in, then there seems to be some problem with our surname or date of birth? I have read all the online comments but nothing works. Bit disappointed…
Ken replied:
Hi Monty,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’re experiencing. Which mobile network are you trying to port your phone number into? If you’re not able to get anywhere with the app, it might be worth contacting customer services so they can put it in manually for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Keith Stainer said:
How do I get my PAC code without phoning 0800 or 150 numbers as the delay in waiting on hold is unacceptable and not compatible with my working hours.
Ken replied:
Hi Keith,
Thanks for your comment. Sadly, most mobile networks still require you to call them on the phone in order to request a PAC Code. I agree this is a little frustrating, though it should change in the middle of the year when Ofcom introduces text-to-switch legislation. For the time being, however, calling is the only way to request a PAC Code from most mobile networks (especially as you’ll normally need to go through a security check).
Sorry about that!
Ken
Deborah Luff said:
Hello,
I have a family sim package (4 in total) we are moving to bt mobile. Do I need a PAC for each number or just the one PAC to do all four.
Thank you
Deborah
Ken replied:
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for your comment. There are actually two ways for BT to do this: they could put all four numbers on the same PAC Code or they could issue you with four PAC Codes (one for each number). Most typically, I think they’ll normally do the latter as lots of mobile networks only accept port-ins one number at a time. It also gives you a bit of added flexibility (e.g. different numbers could go to different mobile networks or plans).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Deborah replied:
Thank you very much, I found your reply very helpful, Deborah
Kerry said:
If I’m taking a contract out how long after can I use my pac code to change my number to my old one
Ken replied:
Hi Kerry,
Thanks for your comment. You can use the PAC Code as soon as your new contract begins. I’d normally recommend spending a few hours to make sure everything works properly on your new phone or SIM card, before going ahead and asking to move your phone number over.
Ken
sandeep said:
Hi
When I am trying to get PAC code from Lyea , service is not available on SMS or email. We need to call customer care representative which is chargable. As per instruction it should be free.
Please make this service free and also available on sms.
Ken replied:
Hi Sandeep,
Sadly, many mobile networks including Lycamobile only allow you to get a PAC Code by phone (this will change next year when Ofcom introduces the ‘text to switch’ legislation). For the time being, you’ll need to contact Lycamobile by phone. This number should be included within your minutes allowance as it’s a London-based geographical number (020).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ron replied:
A very good, helpful blog!
My two queries…
Is there any limit on how many times you can port your number between different networks?
Secondly, I want to port my number from Three to o2 but if I find I don’t like o2 can I port my number back to the original network?
Thanks in advance
Ken replied:
Hi Ron,
Thanks for your comment.
1) No, there’s no limit on how many times you can port your phone number between mobile networks.
2) Yes, of course, you can always transfer your phone number back to the original network if you don’t like the service offered by your new provider.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Lisa Roshdy replied:
I contacted Three Mobile by phone on 17/12/18. After many phone calls to them, I still not have received my PAC code. It’s so frustrating. I have my new phone, can I use it with new SIM card until I receive the code?
Lisa
Ken replied:
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your comment. What has led to the delay in getting a PAC Code from Three? It should normally be a fairly straightforward process, and they’re legally obliged to provide you with the PAC Code within two hours of your request.
Regarding your new phone and SIM card, yes, you can use this as much as you like before finally moving your phone number to over to it.
Ken
Lisa Roshdy replied:
Hi, Three said that they had technical issues. They eventually gave me my PAC code by changing my phone to PAYG and then issuing a pac code which I received in 5 minutes. They didn’t charge me for last bill for inconvenience. I am now using my new phone with new company, thanks for your advice, Lisa.
Jay said:
Advised three I was leaving, got issued a PAC code. Then told that leaving doesn’t mean leaving, and that I would have to phone back on to leave? Why not tell the truth 30 days ago, why lie, why cheat why be dishonest to your customers?
Inga said:
Hello, have Pay as Y go with O2, going to get a 24 month contract O2 in car phone warehouse. I can save my current number with O2 without PAC. But is it possible to save Balance I have now? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Inga,
Thanks for your comment. There’s more information here about what happens to your Pay As You Go credit. You should enquire with O2 to see whether you’d be eligible to transfer the balance onto your Pay Monthly SIM. If not then you’ll unfortunately need to use it up before moving over!
Ken
Neil Beaumont said:
I followed Ken’s simple advice and it really works. Ring O2 on the number Ken has provided; it’s so much simpler than trying to navigate O2’s website and impossible on-line form. Even in the week before Christmas waiting times were reasonable.
Rick said:
This is a very useful blog. I want to move from a rolling monthly Sim-only contract to a similar contract with another provider. If I use the PAC code is there a danger I will be billed by both the receiving (iD mobile) and releasing (Plusnet) providers over the same period during the transition? Does it depend on what date I make the switch? I have read the terms and conditions of my contract with Plusnet but I can’t work it out.
Ken replied:
Hi Rick,
Thanks for your comment. You’re right: the issue of overlapping contracts where you’re billed twice is still a problem (in fact, Ofcom is currently legislating to try and reduce the problem). How it currently works is you’ll need to give 30 days notice if you want to end a contract on your old provider. For the purposes of calculating this date, it will normally be the date on which you request your PAC Code. For instance, if you gave notice on the 1st December, they could charge you up until the 31st December (or an early termination fee to that regard).
In order to avoid the issue of overlapping contracts, it’s recommended you start your new contract as close as possible to the end date of the notice (the 31st December in this case). Of course, I wouldn’t leave it too late as you’ll need some buffer time for testing your new SIM, transferring your phone number over, etc.
Ken
Rick replied:
Thanks for the response. Following your comment I called Plusnet to activate my 30 day notice period. Interestingly they said my notice would be confirmed by email but I didn’t receive an email so I am going to call again tomorrow to chase for it.
I will apply for my new phone a week before my notice period ends. That way there shouldn’t be too much of a crossover period and I can live without a phone for a few days if need be.
Rick replied:
I called to give my 30 day notice to Plusnet yesterday and the advisor said okay and that confirmation of my cancellation would be sent via email. I didn’t receive an email so I called again this morning. The advisor said my cancellation notice period would not commence until I had activated a PAC code. Is this right? Doesnt that mean I can only activate the cancellation period if I start a new contract elsewhere? What if I’m leaving the country and don’t need another UK SIM? I’m rather dissatisfied with PLUSNET on this matter and not sure they are telling the truth
Ken replied:
Hi Rick,
As far as I know, the 30-day notice period should begin when you request your PAC Code as this is when you’re giving notice to them that you want to end your contract & move to another network.
If you were leaving the UK and didn’t want to move your phone number elsewhere, it would normally be processed as a straight cancellation (you’d pay for another 30 days, and would receive service up until the end of that period or an early termination fee to that regard).
Ken
Tim R said:
Hi there,
We have no coverage in our house on any network. We were on Talk Talk, but have switched to ID and have asked ID to port our number. Will they be able to do it even though the phone will be indoors and won’t have a signal? Or, to put it another way, does a phone have to have a signal for a number port to work?
Thanks in advance
Ken replied:
Hi Tim,
No, it shouldn’t be necessary for your iD Mobile handset to be connected to the network when your phone number moves over. Hopefully, the coverage will be better on your new mobile network, but if not, your handset will need to connect to your new mobile network to complete the phone number transfer.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Tim R replied:
That was a big help Ken, thank you.
Elle said:
Hi,
Do you know if the old sim (the number you’re keeping/transferring over) needs to be in a phone that’s switched on during the day of the changeover or is it enough to just keep your new phone/sim switched on?
I accidentally flushed my old phone/sim (Virgin) down the toilet and my new phone is locked to a different network (O2).
Thanks in advance!
Ken replied:
Hi Elle,
Thanks for your comment. I don’t think there’s any need for your old SIM card to be inside a handset/connected to the network whilst you’re phone number transfers over.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Elle replied:
Thanks for the speedy response Ken! 🙂
Terry said:
I have asked for my PAC code from Vodafone but they say it can’t be done as my contract ended yesterday and the number has now gone. I was initially told I had to wait until my contract finnished before they could give me the code. Absolutely appalling customer service.
Ken replied:
Hi Terry,
Sorry to hear about the awful experience you’ve had with Vodafone, which has led to the cancellation and deletion of your phone number. It sounds like they’ve messed up hugely, and followed the process for closing your account without generating a PAC Code. I’d strongly recommend putting a formal complaint in writing to them – the faster this is escalated, the better chance you’ll have of recovering your number.
Ken
Jea said:
If I ask to pic number before my current contract expiry date, is there any penalty for the early leaving ?
Ken replied:
Hi Jea,
Thanks for your comment. There is no charge or penalty for requesting your PAC Code. There might, however, be an early exit fee when you come to use your PAC Code if it’s used before the end of your contract.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Gillian Jenkins said:
My ex partner cancelled my phone. Now I am being told I cannot transfer my number to a pay as you go sim
Ken replied:
Hi Gillian,
I’m really sorry to hear about this. Sadly, the mobile phone networks will normally only deal with the bill payer for the account (regardless of whether they’re the person actually using the phone). Therefore, if the bill for your old phone was paid for by your ex-partner, this would be the reason why the instruction to close it was accepted by the mobile network. It might be worth discussing this with your mobile network or the Citizens Advice Bureau to see whether it’s possible to somehow restore your number.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help,
Ken
Abu Mohamed said:
Hi Ken
I am starting to use a pay as you go plan from three. Is there a minimum period before which I can ask for a pac number to switch to another operator?
Thanks in advance
Ken replied:
Hi Abu,
Thanks for your comment. There is no minimum period before you can ask for a PAC Code – you can do this whenever you’d like to transfer your phone number elsewhere.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Abu replied:
Hi Ken
This answer is spot on. Many thanks for your reply.
Abu
Marouane said:
I was waiting fo coustmer service to answer me half hour then when I asked them I need my PaC Code he asked my why I told him I whant to moove to three then he was close the line
BARRY WHITE said:
If a PAC code is requested from a mobile registered at one address and transferred to another network provider for the same user at a different address, does an address link happen on credit file agencies like experian?
Ken replied:
Hi Barry,
Many thanks for your comment. An address link won’t appear on your credit file as a result of using a PAC Code. You are free to transfer your phone number into an account in someone else’s name or address, without any restrictions or a link being made on your credit record.
Hope this helps!
Ken
John said:
Hi,
My wifes contract is up with another network and I was going to get her a phone for christmas on o2. Would I still be able to swap her current number over in December if I purchased the phone now in October?
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can move the phone number over at any time 🙂 So absolutely fine to order the phone today and then to transfer her phone number over in December!
Ken
Emma Stanton said:
The PAC code may be free, but I should like to know exactly what I’ve been charged £75 for, when my phone was paid for in full on 11th Feb 2018 and I had no outstanding payments.
Excluding the cost of the phone, my contract was on £15 a month, so this seems rather steep!
Ken replied:
Hi Emma,
I’m really sorry to hear about the unexpected charges you’ve incurred. Is it possible you might have incurred an early termination fee? It sounds unlikely you’d have had a £75 charge based on the information you provided, but it’s worth double-checking with your mobile network to get a final itemised bill. This should detail all of the final charges, then allowing you to dispute those charges if necessary.
Ken
Ben Johnson said:
Good afternoon,
I followed the guidelines to ‘keeping my number’ on Saturday am. It said on the app that my PAC code was successful, however, it’s now Tuesday and still not switched to my new phone. Any ideas/suggestions. I don’t want EE to charge me. My PAC code expiry is the 14th so i’d given it plenty of time.
Anyway, any help would be great received.
Ben
Ken replied:
Hi Ben,
Thanks for your comment. Are you still experiencing the problem described in your message? Typically, your phone number will transfer over on a Tuesday if you provide your PAC Code on a Saturday. This could happen pretty much any time that day (so going right through into Tuesday evening).
If you’re still experiencing this issue by Wednesday morning, I’d recommend getting in touch with your new mobile network to get a status update on the transfer.
Ken
Dave H said:
Great guide Ken…. Thanks
Alex Elliott said:
I have a Question. I recently canceled my tesco mobile contract and my number was moved to a PAYG deal, on the same sim. I then called tesco and said that i would like a PAC code. I was told that the PAYG Sim card was not “Fully activated” and that i need to top up a minimum of £10 to activate it. then the £10 would be lost when i transfer my Number. Is this Legal? It is technically charging me for a PAC code, which is not legal. Some help would be Greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Alex
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure what the letter of the law is here… it definitely sounds like a bit of a grey area. However, having said that, I’d have thought that Tesco Mobile should be able to issue you with a PAC Code given that you were previously a Pay Monthly customer and used their service on this basis (so I would certainly try and dispute this charge).
Worst case, you can top-up your account with £10 to “activate” it if Tesco won’t budge (either use it for one month or donate the credit to charity to make sure it doesn’t go to waste).
Ken
Angela briggs said:
I rang I’d moble yesterday for my Pac code they said I had to take out another traff costing me 3.99 for one month and when lwant to the bank today they had taken £11.50 out please could you help me thankyou
Ken replied:
Hi Angela,
Sorry to hear about the billing issues you’ve encountered (I presume this is with iD Mobile rather than another mobile network)? Unfortunately, you’ll need to get in touch with iD Mobile directly on 7777 (or 0333 003 7777 from any other phone) and ask them to take a look into this for you. I’m just an independent blogger so I’m not able to answer account-specific queries, though my guess is they either haven’t changed your tariff just yet, or it was too late to update your Direct Debit payment (in which case, they should refund the money to you or apply it as a credit to your account).
Ken
Anthony said:
Hi Ken,
Plenty of great tips on here, thanks!
I moved to Three from O2 recently and want to cancel within the 14 day cooling off as it hasn’t worked out; any guidance with the process of porting my number out from Three and applying the 14 day cancellation? Normally the PAC being used would create cancellation, but if I want to cancel within the 14 days will they still let me use a PAC?
Ken replied:
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for your comment. In this case, I would definitely speak to Three about wanting to cancel your contract within the 14 days, and moving your phone number elsewhere with a PAC Code. They should be able to advise, and should allow you to move your phone number out as part of the cancellation.
Ken
Lorelle said:
Hi I’ve just bought my own phone as I’m a student and I want to keep my old phone number, but my old iPhone my parents pay for and I am not on good terms with them is there another way to transfer my number?
Ken replied:
Hi Lorelle,
Many thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, your PAC Code will need to be requested by the account holder. In this case, it’s likely that your parents will need to request your PAC Code for you, as they’ll need to undergo a security check to get it.
Ken
William Auld said:
I am a PM customer of O2. I pay £10 per month. My question is, my balance with O2 is £19.87 so if I transfer to Sky Mobile just before the next payment is due will O2 automatically refund me the £19.87 or do I need to ask for this to be refunded?
Ken replied:
Hi Will,
Great question! There’s more information here about O2’s process for final bill refunds. As your refund is less than £20, I believe you’ll need to contact O2 to request for it to be sent.
Hope this helps,
Ken
John H R-S said:
An absolute nightmare. Could hardly hear or understand the operators.
Number will be transferred but I was advised that I would have to go to an O2 store to pay for the PAYG. Also advised that I could not do it on line.
I asked for a top up card to be sent to me. Again, go to an O2 shop.
That means that I have to drive 20 miles each way, pay parking and probably be told I needed to do something else.
Totally fed up.
Vlad said:
Hi Ken so i need ordered new sim card before transfer my number?
Ken replied:
Hi Vlad,
Yes – you’ll need to order your new SIM card first. When it arrives, it will initially have a temporary phone number assigned to it. You’ll then be able to use your PAC Code to complete the phone number transfer.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Terry Medcraft said:
How do i transfer my contacts details and photographs to my new smarty sim card
Ken replied:
Hi Terry,
I assume you’re keeping the same handset, but just changing the SIM card inside it? If so, there’s no need to transfer your phone book or photos as they’re stored on the handset itself rather than on the SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Tony saltonstall said:
Brilliant…for once a simple reading and easy advice, non obstructive website that gave me all I needed to know…many thanks
Mark Anslow said:
Contacted Tesco last week to get my PAC as i am transferring to a new provider, Tesco text me my PAC and i forwarded it to a new provider. After waiting 5 days the new provider informed me that the PAC is not valid, i have contacted Tesco twice and have told me that it is valid and refuse to issue me a new PAC, have now got to wait until 6/10/2018 before they will issue me a new PAC.
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment. This is a really weird situation. What normally happens is that Tesco Mobile creates the PAC Code on their end and uploads it into a central database. Your new mobile network checks the exact same database to make sure the PAC Code is valid, but in this case, it seems like there has been a breakdown of communication somewhere along the line. This isn’t a situation that I typically encounter, and the only thing I can suggest is to double check all of the information being passed between the parties.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help,
Ken
Andy. said:
Hi thanks for the reply. Tesco were insistent that there would be a 3 day delay before we could get a pac code. They said they had to update or correct their address data. Perhaps it is related to the final bill as you say. I suspect it may be just their unnecessary bureaucracy.
I have a conspiracy theory that there is a secret database that attaches addresses to mobile phone numbers.
DC said:
As always plain non-tech instructions from Ken. I used him to find out about a getting a temporary Sim in the USA. First port of call in the future.
David said:
Hi Ken. I have requested my PAC code which runs out at the end of August. My contract with 3 terminated on the 11 August I was told that I would have to pay line rental up until the end of August even if I use my PAC code before then. Is this right? I want to switch networks after my contract expiry date but before the PAC runs out
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, most UK Pay Monthly networks have a 30-day notice period on their Pay Monthly contracts. This starts from the day you tell your mobile network you’d like to end your contract (of which requesting a PAC Code is considered to be a form of “notice”). In your case, this means it’s likely you’ll need to continue paying for your contract until around the 9th September (assuming you requested your PAC Code on the 11th August). You can transfer your phone number out to another network any time before that, but you’ll be charged an early termination fee covering usage between that date and the 11th September.
This is a practice that very much frustrates me, and it has also been flagged by Ofcom (the UK’s telecommunications regulator). They’re currently legislating to stop “overlapping contracts” which causes many people to may for two contracts at the same time. For the time being, however, it’s still allowed and the only way to really stop it from happening is to request your PAC Code 30 days in advance.
Ken
David Downey replied:
Thanks for for the reply Ken. Very useful and yes very frustrating.
Andrew Prince said:
Why does the old network need to know your address before they can provide a PAC code? My address has changed since i bought a Tesco phone and they insist on knowing my new address.
My new postcode does not show the correct address on their database so I now have to wait 3 days for them to update their address database before they will issue a PAC code. It all seems unnecessary.
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
Your address isn’t normally a requirement for a PAC Code. However, there are two other things that might be coming into play in this case:
(1) The requirement to successfully go through security checks when requesting a PAC Code
(2) The ability for Tesco to send you your final bill, to update credit records, etc.
I shouldn’t have thought an address change would delay the process of them being able to give you a PAC Code, unless for some reason it freezes your account in their system or something.
Ken
Adel Little said:
Straightforward????? Really! I’ve had nothing but problems trying to get a PAC code from Tesco’s so I can keep my same mobile number with a new provider. They said they couldn’t find my name on their records. I said my mother bought the mobile from Tesco’s as a gift for me. They said Oh well if your mother bought the mobile then we can’t give the the PAC code for security reasons. Absolutely ridiculous.
Ken replied:
Hi Adel,
Unfortunately, it can sometimes be a bit of a faff getting PAC Codes for a Pay As You Go number as they’re typically not registered. If you were able to get pass the security checks (e.g. using your mother’s details), then you should receive the PAC Code from Tesco Mobile without any further problems.
Ken
Jessica said:
I did my PAC code on Saturday and my number has still not been changed over? I’m
Ken replied:
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your comment. If you submitted your PAC Code on a Saturday, I would normally expect the phone number to be transferred sometime on Tuesday. If it hasn’t transferred over by now, it might be worth getting in touch with your new mobile network to see when this is now expected to happen.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Pat Dobbin said:
Hi Ken, I’ve been trying to switch two phones from a o2 Business account to Sky mobile o2 gave me one PAC number for both phones and they say thats all I need, but sky said I need 2 Pac numbers one for each phone !!
Who’s Telling Porkies ?
Ken replied:
Hi Pat,
Thanks for your comment. It is actually possible to have up to 25 phone numbers attached to one PAC Code. So in this case, O2 are correct, but it’s possible that Sky are unfamiliar with the process as they tend not to have as many business customers on their network. I think it should be possible to transfer them both onto Sky Mobile by providing the same PAC Code for both numbers.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Bogdan said:
Hello! I am trying to get my PAC number from Lycamobile, but they keep on delaying me because it’s a “fancy number”. It’s been over 1 week since I have requested it. Any advice on how to proceed? They are holding me hostage to their network
Ken replied:
Hi Bogdan,
I’m really sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced getting a PAC Code from Lycamobile. It is a legal requirement for them to provide it to you within 2 hours of your request, so I’d recommend pushing them on this. If you’re still not able to get anywhere with them, I’d then recommend making a formal complaint in writing to them.
Ken
Sally said:
Thank you so much for clarifying exactly what I needed to do wrt swapping SIMS in and out when keeping my old number – moving from Vectone to GiffGaff. I’ve activated the shift now (PAC No). So let’s see if Vectone does its bit. Very, very grateful for this website and appreciate all the work you put in.
Helen said:
My Sony z3 suddenly stopped accepting texts from my husband. All other services worked fine but despite several calls to virgin I was unable to resolve the issue. I wondered if it was linked to a new SIM they had recently sent me as an upgrade.
I kept my phone but decided to change SIM card and provider to gift gaff. This seemed to be a good decision as I transferred my number without a problem and my phone worked fine for a couple of months.
Suddenly my phone stopped receiving calls or texts from anyone except my husband. Gift gaff have a limited helpline and suggested I change the SIM which I did. No difference.
I decide maybe my phone is faulty so I change my phone to Huawei and provider to ID. There now seems to be a problem porting my number…it’s taking 6 days and they are stalling me. I can make calls and send texts but not receive either.
Do you think there is a link between any or all of these events and could you suggest a way forward? Thanks. Helen
Ken replied:
Hi Helen,
Many thanks for your comment. It sounds like there might have been issue somewhere with transferring your phone number – this doesn’t sound like the way it should normally work. Responsibility for solving the problem lies with your new provider, so that’s probably going to be iD Mobile based on what you’ve said in your message. Where applicable, they should correspond with Virgin Mobile and giffgaff and part of your number has is “stuck” somewhere else in the system.
Ken
David said:
Thanks for your helpful guide.
Do you know if a UK pac code is any use moving abroad? I am relocating to Japan and my UK provider, EE, has suggested that would work.
Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Many thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, a PAC Code can’t be used to transfer your phone number to a SIM card based outside the UK. Therefore, you won’t be able to bring your UK phone number to a mobile plan in Japan.
Sorry about that!
Ken
David replied:
Thanks Ken. I rather suspected as much!
David
Helen replied:
Thanks Ken
Wendy Jones said:
Thank you so much for your reply. I have ported my number from Virgin Mobile to Giffgaff with a new phone, and my old phone does have access to wifi so I now understand why I can access apps like Facebook with my old phone even without a sim.
I really appreciate the help you have given me so promptly. I was worried that something had gone wrong with the transfer of my number but am now reassured that all is ok.
Many thanks.
PRAJAKTA MAHAJAN said:
I want to change my network and for that I will need PAC code and to get that code it asking me to top up. why should I top up if I don’t want to use your service anymore this is ridiculous. Just to get that code I am wasting my time and they want me to top up, can’t you even provide free customer helpline number? or can you send my PAC code by email?
which will make life easier for everyone.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Which mobile network are you trying to get a PAC Code from? As far as I know, most networks now provide a free-to-call number, and you shouldn’t need to have a balance on your account to qualify for a PAC Code which is your legal entitlement.
Ken
Clive Thorp said:
Really helpful articles.
I have just stopped my BT landline and am buying a home mobile for infrequent home use, keeping my BT business phone and broadband and wished to know which mobile provider to use. Your articles are incredibly useful, informative and clear
Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Clive,
Really glad to know the content was helpful!
Thanks again for getting in touch,
Ken
Wasim Abbas said:
I have been with this company for years. Now their service is pathetic. I can’t receive my texts most of the time and even calls sometimes.
I called them to get PAC, after waiting for 30 minutes someone attended the call. After all the security questions, they asked me to tell them the number i dialed two months back ending with 11. My mobile doesn’t store that many logs to answer this question.
Treating your customers in such a bad way is really disappointing. I would write to offcomm to ban such a cheat companies.
Malik said:
I have been trying to get in touch with Vectone customer service for over a month now.
Because I am working I give a call around my lunch break which is in the afternoon and I am on hold for around 45 mins with no luck getting through. I have also tried around 6pm and i am just waiting for over an hour with no luck. I dont have the time minutes or credit (depending on what I call from) to waste waiting on like to get through every single day for nearly 30 days. I have tried this constantly as I no longer have an interest with vectone as I have regular occurring problems with vectone regarding not being able to call out, signal issues, data issues etc. Not one month have I had a package that gave me no problems so I have started using another sim with Giffgaff who’s service and signal and packages work way better for me. But everyone has my vectone number so I want to transfer that over as I am having to switch some to see any messages etc.
I just want a way to get a Pac code to transfer over my number I don’t have it in me as it is frustrating now to keep on calling and wasting my time. All I require is a simple 3 min conversation with someone to obtain a Pac code.
I would appreciate it if you could provide me with an email so me to get in touch with someone who can get that sent to me straight away or if someone can call me back because this is just becoming a joke now.
You won’t let me be a happy customer and you won’t let me leave in peace. There’s no winning with your services at all. I am disappointed and very frustrated with your level of service and ridiculous waiting times where it feels like there s only one person working within the business.
If someone could contact me very soon that would be amazing or if an email could be provided that would also help. As well as this if you are able to help me with either of the 2 informations coukd you please provide me with a turn around time.
Sally replied:
I just sent a message to Vectone on their website using their Contact form asking for my PAC No straight away. It turned up in a text within an hour. I think that, legally, they have to provide it within 2 hrs.
Before this I’d tried every way to contact them – Facebook, email, landline, 322 with no response. I also sent the same message ‘PAC No straight way’ through Facebook messenger – got an auto reply. So I’m not sure which worked.
I also sent a complaint through Resolver.
Good luck
Susan Wheatley said:
Hi, I was wanting to transfer to ID, I have a Blackberry curve 9300 3G phone and it is not on your list can I still use ID?
Ken replied:
Hi Susan,
Many thanks for your comment. I believe the BlackBerry Curve 9300 requires something called BlackBerry Internet Service, which as far as I know is not available on iD Mobile. Some of the larger networks might still continue to offer this as a service, but as this has been deprecated on newer handsets, you may find there is only a limited selection of networks and tariffs.
Ken
Susan Wheatley replied:
Hi Ken, thanks but I was thinking I do not need to use the internet on my Blackberry I just use it as a phone and to text, would ID mobile work in it just to do that do you know?
Ken replied:
Hi Susan,
I believe it should be possible to use that handset on iD Mobile, for calling and texting. The only BlackBerrys you’ll have a problem with are the old 2G-only devices, but I believe your handset is 3G-enabled.
Ken
Susan Wheatley replied:
Hi Ken, thank you for your help, my Blackberry is a 3G so will try the ID mobile now just wasn’t sure and your advice has sorted it, thank you again
Christine brailsford said:
Can you send me a orange SIM card with free evening calls I don’t like ee it is a crap net work
Ken replied:
Hi Christine,
Thanks for your comment. Sadly, it isn’t possible to join Orange as a new customer any more – the only way to continue using it is if you’re an existing customer with an active account. Are there any other Pay As You Go networks that might be suitable for your usage?
Ken
Fayyaz said:
Vectone Customer Services not answering the call. I am trying the number from a week for many hours everyday. like 4-6 hours
Kevin said:
Hi Ken,
I currently have a company phone on EE. I need a PAC code to swap my number to Vodafone but my company would still want to use my original phone as it is in contract still. Can EE reassign a new number to the original phone and let the contract continue to be active?
Ken replied:
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your comment. I believe it should be possible for EE to arrange this, but it’s something your company will need to request through their EE account manager.
Ken
Remedios Fernandes said:
After providing Pac to new network my old number if I dial it says cannot be recognise
Please check the number and new vectone number still works
Ken replied:
Hi Remedios,
Thanks for your comment. I’m sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered transferring your phone number. In this case, the best thing to do is to contact the mobile network you’ve just joined – it’ll be their responsibility to investigate and resolve the problem for you.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Remedios Fernandes replied:
Hi
Everyday Iam trying to contact customer service team of vectone but they keep me holding the call for more then the hour and then disconnecting the call without even answering what else to do then please advise
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Remedios,
I’m very sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced getting in contact with Vectone Mobile. Unfortunately, however, they’re the only people who can issue you with a PAC Code in this instance. If you continue to experience problems getting in touch with them, I suggest making a formal complaint in writing to Vectone Mobile (and potentially escalating this to the relevant ombudsman as well, along with dropping a note to Ofcom about it).
Ken
Sarah said:
Hi,
I am moving to American next month and I was wondering if I’d be able to request a PAC code from the company I am with now to transfer it onto a USA sim when I am over there?
Ken replied:
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your comment. Sadly, it isn’t possible to transfer a UK mobile number onto a US SIM card. Sorry about that!
Ken
Alec Rattray said:
I plan on moving company tomorrow if I phone to get my pac code now. Will I have it in time for tomorrow when I switch
Ken replied:
Hi Alec,
Many thanks for your comment. Your mobile phone company should issue you with a PAC Code within two hours of your request. However, it normally takes 1-2 working days for your new mobile company to actually process the transfer. Given that no phone number transfers take place at the weekend, you’re probably looking at Tuesday at the earliest for your phone number to move over.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Tracey said:
Took me 5 attempts and a total of 9 hours to get my PAC codes from O2. Both phones at the end of their contracts. I’m not happy.
David Carey said:
My number transferred ok but my wife,step son and friend who are on 3 can’t get through to sky mobile it goes back to 3 and I can answer what do I do
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced moving a phone number from Three to Sky Mobile. In case of any problems after the phone number transfer, you’ll normally need to get in touch with your new mobile network (so Sky Mobile in this case).
Ken
Michael Lindsay said:
Can one transfer a landline number from Talktalk to BT, once the T/T account is in the process of closing. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Michael,
As you’re transferring a landline phone number, the process will be different to transferring a mobile phone number. You should contact your new provider (BT) to ask them to transfer the landline number.
Ken
Natalie said:
My new O2 is arriving tonight and I go on holiday tomorrow morning. Is it best to wait until I’m home to give in my PAC and switch numbers?
Ken replied:
Hi Natalie,
Given you’ll be out of the country, yes, it probably does make sense to wait until you get back before switching your phone number over.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Andy Brown said:
Hi, is it possible to activate a sim then port a number over, say a week later. It’s just to get use of the phone and allow a contract to expire
Ken replied:
Hi Andy,
Yes – you can decide to move the phone number over at any time. Indeed, I’d normally suggest waiting at least a few days or a week, so you can make sure everything’s working correctly on the new network (i.e. that you’re getting the coverage you expect).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Carl said:
Question. Looking to upgrade from a very old phone to a very new one, (finally have a use for the extra features and battery is going), however my old phone is so ancient i can’t get stuff like pictures off it except via texting it somwhere, (Motorola C550 if you must know).
I want to check to see if i can safely use the new number the new phone will come with for a period before swapping the number over. Or will texting stuff from the old phone to the new one lock the number?
Ken replied:
Hi Carl,
Yes – no problem at all using the new phone before you transfer the phone number over to it.
Ken
Malcolm Fitzell said:
I was with ID Mobile who have gone into liquidation (in Ireland at any rate, where I live). Unfortunately I failed to port my number to another mobile network provider within the stated time limit, as I was overseas. I have now opened an account with Eir (Eircom) but they say they cannot port my number because of this, so it looks like I will have to use the number they have given me. Is there any way around this so that I can keep my old number?
Ken replied:
Hi Malcolm,
Sorry to hear about the loss of your phone number from iD Mobile Ireland. Unfortunately, the system for transferring mobile phone numbers is very different in the Republic of Ireland & the UK. As such, this is probably something you’ll need to take up with the local regulators in your country (or iD Mobile Ireland if you’re still able to contact them), to see whether they’re able to recover your number.
Ken
Pete said:
I don’t have a Vectone sim and am unlikely to get one after reading the feedback on TrustPilot.
Hina said:
Hi I want to change my network from vectone to other network but my call is not getting through to get pac code.i am very disappointed with there customer services no one attends the call they take ages..please help me with this
Ken replied:
Hi Hina,
Unfortunately, this is a third-party website so there isn’t very much I can do to help in your specific situation except from re-iterating the contact details for Vectone (322 from your Vectone handset, or 020 7179 0134 from any other phone). Truthfully, I have heard multiple pieces of feedback about poor customer service on Vectone, but sadly they’re the only people who’ll be able to issue you with a PAC Code. If you’re still struggling to get a PAC for a whatever reason, it might be worth lodging an official complaint with them to try and get this escalated.
Ken
John said:
Hi
I used my PAC code given to me by Talktalk and switched to another provider. My question is this, does the handing of the code to your new provider tantamount to ending that contract, or do you have to pay for the number twice if the old provider says you have to give 30 days notice when the contract has ended. What is the legal position ?
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Many thanks for your comment. The requesting of your PAC Code counts as giving notice to your provider, so you’ll typically need to pay for another 30 days from the date you request your PAC Code. Depending on when you start your new contract, this means there could be up to 30 days overlap between the two. I believe Ofcom (the UK’s regulator for telecommunication services) is trying to legislate to stop this, but for the time being, this information still applies.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Richard Briden said:
Many say that you cannot transfer a ‘Pay As You Go’ mobile phone number, but from what you say you can transfer it to ‘Pay Monthly’ or ‘SIM Only’ contract with another provider.
I am assuming what they meant was that you cannot transfer a ‘Pay As You Go’ mobile phone number to ‘Pay As You Go’ with another provider, or can you do this as well?
Ken replied:
Hi Richard,
You can transfer a phone number between any type of account – so it’s perfectly fine moving your phone number from one PAYG tariff to another. Is there something in the above article which is unclear or is causing confusion? If so, do please let me know and I’ll try to clarify it.
Ken
Coralie said:
Hello Steve,
I have changed my number but it does not work totaly.
My friends can call me on my old number but when I call, it is the temporary number that appears on their side??!!!
Thanks for your help
Ken replied:
Hi Coralie,
Many thanks for your comment. Are you using an iPhone with iMessage or Facetime? If so, you’ll need to follow the instructions here. If you’re having a problem with regular phone calls and text messages, you’ll need to contact your mobile network to ask them to resolve it.
Hope this helps,
Ken
G Ruppersberg said:
This is the most frustrating thing to do as I have been unable to contact Sky on the number provided. It goes straight to engaged before you have even started. Truthfully wish I had not changed over now as the service is appalling. I have been with Vodaphone for years with no problems. All I want to do is provide the PAC code . The number they provide is 0330 041 4136 so if there is another number we need it would be nice to have that so that i can use the phone
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. It appears that Sky may have updated their phone number – from what I’ve been ascertain here, it’s now 03300 412 524. Could you try this new number and let me know if it works a bit better?
Ken
GZ Ruppersberg replied:
Hello Ken
It took far too long to sort this problem out and it has now been resolved however still experiencing issues with the messaging service. Do you have a particular number to dial in to voicemail?
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi there,
You can access voicemail on Sky Mobile by dialling 759 on your Sky Mobile handset.
Ken
Sajid Butt said:
Hi,
I’m on a SIM only deal with a provider using EE network. They’ve gone awol and have not taken payment for a few months. I want to go to another provider but I can’t get hold my existing one…their phone line is dead, they don’t respond to emails sent. Their service went down for a weeks for no reason over the Christmas break and then suddenly it was active again. I’ve requested a PAC code but they’re not responding. What can I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Sajid,
Thanks for your comment, and I’m really sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered. May I ask which provider you’ve had a problem with? I’m not aware of any providers that have shut down recently, except from Tello (which uses coverage from Three). In general, however, you’ll need to find a way to get contact with that network in order to obtain a PAC Code and transfer your phone number elsewhere. You can also escalate this to the ombudsman if they’re not responding to you, though if they’ve already shut down, it might be difficult to get very much further there.
Ken
Carl said:
Hi Ken, I notice better deals for new time EE customers, could I therefore requests a PAC code from EE (now out of contract), assign to another network on a free pay as you go, then almost immediately request a PAC code to go back to EE? If this is allowed, how long would I need to wait, in their a minimum amount of time in which a PAC code can’t be transferred.
Ken replied:
Hi Carl,
Absolutely, you can do this! It’s a bit of a hoo-ha having to port out and back in, but as you say, it will sometimes allow you to get exclusive “new customer” deals. There is no minimum amount of time you need to have held an account before you’re able to port your number back out of it again.
Ken
Terry said:
Hi Ken,
After reading an article at https://theantisocialengineer.com/2016/05/04/sim-swap-fraud-porting-your-digital-life-in-minutes/ I am worried about the possibility of fraud, given that I want to buy a memorable number from a third party. Are you aware of any improvements in security among mobile providers (e.g. the worst offender in that article, Three) that would stop a fraudster from bypassing security measures so easily to steal a memorable number using a PAC?
Thanks,
Terry
Ken replied:
Hi Terry,
Many thanks for your comment about this very important issue. I agree: SIM Swap fraud is definitely a huge worry, but unfortunately I think it can only be solved by security improvements at the mobile network operator. It might be worth contacting your mobile network to see if they’re able to add any enhanced security to your account (i.e. additional steps that would need to be taken in order for you to authorise yourself and to go through security with the mobile network). Unfortunately, I don’t think there is any documentation out there on the account security provisions available at each network.
Ken
Lisa said:
I want to transfer my number to my husbands SIM card that is halfway through the contract, is this possible or do pac codes only work on new contracts?
Ken replied:
Hi Lisa,
Absolutely – you should be able to do this 🙂 It’s possible to transfer in to your SIM card, regardless of whether it’s at the start or end of your deal.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Bridget said:
Hi I was with vodaphobe and without my knowledge they move my account to onecom which I am not happy about as they keep calling me to renew contact and when I have requested to go back to Vodaphone they said they would send me a form vIa email which never came – Feed up I have moved to EE and they said they cannot give me a PAC number until I fill out a form which they will email – but I suspect they will not – I have been into Vodaphone store but they can do nothing and can’t access my account as it is under Onecom…. help!
Ken replied:
Hi Bridget,
I’m really sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced on Vodafone. Are you able to shed any more light on why they’ve transferred you to Onecom? I can find multiple other instances of this being done e.g. here, here and here so there appear to be lots of other people in the same situation with you.
To answer your question directly, you’ll unfortunately now need to liaise with Onecom to obtain your PAC Code (why you should need to deal with them as opposed to Vodafone is another, and IMO, a bigger question). If they make it unreasonably difficult for you to do this, I recommend lodging a formal complaint in writing to both Onecom and Vodafone, which should hopefully help to expedite the process and move it along.
Good luck and please do keep me updated regarding Onecom.
Ken
S H said:
Is there only one PAC code per network, to transfer several numbers to a different network?
I want to transfer my number, my mom’s and my sister to giffgaff because vectone doesn’t live up to the expectations.
Ken replied:
Hi SH,
Many thanks for your comment. It’s typically one PAC Code per phone number, so you’ll need to request a separate code for each number you want to transfer. The only exception to this is for business contracts with more than one number, but I expect this probably doesn’t apply to you!
Ken
Carlos Batista said:
I am trying to move a BT phone to another BT number but won’t let me , it keeps telling me there’s a problem and I need to phone them . I have used the pac Number they gave me but it won’t work , I even tried without the pac number but won’t let me either .
Ken replied:
Hi Carlos,
Many thanks for your comment. It isn’t actually necessary to use a PAC Code here as you’re simply moving a phone number within the same network. Instead, it’s something that BT will need to process internally for you – you can reach them on 150 to ask them to do this.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Philip Goatly said:
This is my experience – I am going to send the details to my MP and ask that my problem is submitted to the House of Commons communications committee.
Mobile phone companies are required by regulation to give a user of their network a PAC code if requested. This PAC code should be given within two days.
I quote the regulations
“For individual or small business customers wanting to port no more than 25 mobile numbers, the PAC should be despatched within two working days of your request. Some providers may provide you with a PAC immediately over the phone; others may issue it by post, email or SMS.
I have been trying to get a PAC code from Virgin Media since Monday.
I have received a string of excuses.
The number you are asking a PAC code for is being transferred to a new database (Monday)
We are sending you a new sim to correct a problem with the phone and until you get the sim we cannot issue a PAC code ** The SIM was sent on the 16th of Dec. and has not arrived yet!!!! My wifes phone was unable to receive incoming calls or texts for a week . I called customer services and they said if they sent me a new SIM it would solve the problem -(Thursday last week) The SIM still hasn’t arrived but my wife’s phone has started receiving calls and texts without any intervention. I didn’t ask for the SIM card they offered it.
We will have to close your account first and then issue a PAC code – this will not allow me to port the number – which is the whole point of a PAC code.
This evening (Thursday) I received the excuse 1, above again.
It does not take very long to update a database if those doing the work are in anyway competent. . I know I worked in IT for 35 years and was a designer of databases in 1974 before most people knew what a database was.
There is absolutely no reason why Virgin cannot issue a PAC code because a SIM is in transit – anyway if the SIM gets lost in the post what happens then?
I am getting the feeling the Virgin Mobile is being deliberately obstructive by not honouring my request for a PAC code. I would therefore ask you to inform your staff of the regulations re PAC codes.
The more they upset me the more likely I am to cancel all my Virgin Media services and look at other providers!
I hope this can be sorted this out – Virgin staff do not seem to be able to let me transfer the phone to another network, and retain the number – which is my right.
Virgin are awful and their attitude is verging on the criminal – Virgin on the criminal?
Mark said:
Hi All,
Is it possible to transfer a number between different contracts within the same provider? I’ve been told I need to get a PAYG and use that to hop out and back in to the provider across the contracts…
Cheers, M.
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, technically speaking, it is possible for a mobile network to move your phone number internally from one contract to another. However, the networks often refuse to do this as they would rather process it as an “upgrade” rather giving you a “new customer” contract (along with all the associated commissions, etc).
With some perseverance, it is normally possible to get them to do this. However, some people decide to bypass all the hassle by hopping out to another provider on PAYG, and then re-joining again as a new customer on their existing network.
Ken
Mark replied:
Thanks Ken,
I’ve initiated the PAC bounce, from BT > O2 > BT, fingers crossed…
This is as a result operators preferring to give new customers cracking benefits but not reward existing loyal customers, forcing people to do what I am doing simply to gain the reward. There should be law forcing operators to offer existing customers out of contract the same deals as new. BT guys wouldn’t entertain me, offer any discount, or match the reward, forcing me to do the ‘PAC Bounce’ dance – which they suggested..! But all worth it for 2x£80 reward cards 😉 on their £12/mo 6GB deal (2xSIMS).
I guess it helps their metrics.
Happy New Year to you and all, Mark.
Oxana Iroaia said:
Hi.
I’m like leaving from vectone mobile to other provider,but my customer service don’t me response by phone and by email.
What I’m need doing.
Many thanks
mahim replied:
just recently switched my number from vectone and surprisingly it wasnt too painful and they didnt make any funny or odd excuses as to why i couldnt have it, the hardest part is contacting customer services and getting a reply over the phone as it took me no less than 5 attempts of a minimum of 30 minutes only to be cut off for no apparent reason, my advice is persist and eventually you will get what you want!
Ray said:
my mobile no transferred from t mobile to lebara yrs ago- pay as you go – the credit expired and as I only make few calls I could see the phone still allowed this; however on 3-9-17 Lebara retrieved my no and after 2.5 mths communication I have it back working on Lebara however they have now suspended service to my phone no and I require a PAC no to shift to another network where there is a cheap unexpired Pay as you go tarriff – Three springs to mind as I intend using internet but I don’t think they allow tethering – any ideas please?
Ken replied:
Hi Ray,
Many thanks for your comment. You might find it interesting to read my article on Pay As You Go inactivity, as well as PAYG rates and tethering policies. Hopefully they should help you to find the best tariff for you 🙂
Ken
Max Stone said:
For VOXI I can see that you have Vodafone linked for transferring the number on the website, although VOXI is indeed powered by Vodafone, the correct form to use is within the online account at voxi.co.uk and the customer is also able to choose a transfer date 🙂
Ken replied:
Hi Max,
Thank you for the heads up about this! I’ve just amended it with the proper link for VOXI’s form.
Thanks again,
Ken
Odette said:
My mum lives in Portugal and has a sim only pay as you go with Lycra.
She wants to change provider to EE and we have a new sim only contract.
We asked Lycra (Portugal) for a PAC number so that she can keep her number but they didn’t know what we were talking about and said there are no PAC numbers.
Can you get a PAC number from Lycra Portugal?
Ken replied:
Hi Odette,
Many thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, the PAC Code process only works for UK-based phone numbers (so most phone numbers that look like with +44 7xxx xxx xxx). You can’t transfer a Portuguese mobile number onto a UK-based network, which is why they’re probably a little confused!
Hope this helps,
Ken
Arnie Palmer said:
Will I need a Network Unlock Code (NUC)?
Ken replied:
Hi Arnie,
A Network Unlock Code (NUC) is required to unlock your handset, so may be required if you want to use your existing handset on another network. However, this is a different process to transferring your phone number between networks, which only requires you to obtain a PAC Code and not a NUC Code.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lianne Hunter said:
Hello.
I called ID a few days ago to request a new PAC code as I am changing my phone and network. After 40 minutes of trying to convince me to stay, my baby boy woke up so I had to hang up.
Staying with ID is not an option, regardless of offers etc so I called today and entered the 4 digit pin code, the same as my first call, but it wasn’t accepted. How do you suggest that I get through to ID and simply get my PAC code in as short and hassle free time as possible?
Ken replied:
Hi Lianne,
I’m really sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced getting a PAC Code from iD Mobile. If you’re not able to provide the 4-digit PIN code, it should be possible for them to authenticate you another way (e.g. by asking you some questions about your account). Would it be possible to talk to an agent and do this?
Ken
Kim said:
i requested my pac code, then had a charge of £5.13 added to my bill on the same day. why is this?
Steve Hughes said:
Having requested transfer of my old number to a new network with a PAC code can I put my old sim back in and continue use my old number until the fatigue transfer?
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Yes – you can continue using your old SIM card until the phone number transfer actually completes. Once it does, you’ll lose coverage on your old SIM card and you’ll need to switch it over to your new SIM.
Ken
Anita Louden said:
Virgin refuse to give me Pac code they are saying I owe money for phone that I got in April that after 3weeks switched it self off & never came back on after many attempts to get them to replace handset I looked on interw& this is a common problem with sonyxperua its November now &still no further forward all I want is my number I took from o2 originally
Ken replied:
Hi Anita,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered obtaining a PAC Code from Virgin Mobile. Unfortunately, I can’t comment regarding the disputed bill with Virgin – this is something you’ll need to chase up with them directly. However, it’s worth pointing out, they aren’t legally allowed to use this as a reason to refuse you a PAC Code. More information here on your legal entitlement to a PAC Code.
Ken
Eric said:
When you port an existing mobile number to a new SIM card, do you retain the SIM Number, SIM PIN code and PUK from the new SIM card or does the new provider give you new numbers?
Ken replied:
Hi Eric,
The PAC Code will only move your phone number over – the SIM card number, PIN and PUK code will not be changed.
Hope this helps,
Ken
brian burt said:
if your phone is not in your name how can you receive your PAC number
Ken replied:
Hi Brian,
Many thanks for your comment. Only the account holder will be able to obtain a PAC number for the account (they’ll need to undergo security checks when requesting the PAC). However, once the PAC Code has been obtained, it’s possible for anyone to use it. Therefore, you could easily transfer the phone number onto an account owned by someone else.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Irene Burke said:
I’ve just ported out from ID mobile to Three, and ID Mobile have invoiced me for a “porting charge”. I’ve never heard of this, does anyone know if I have to pay it?
Ken replied:
Hi Irene,
Many thanks for your comment. iD Mobile shouldn’t be charging you for a PAC Code. However, they’re within their rights to charge an early termination fee to cover the 30 days after you give notice to end your contract (so my guess is this is what the charge reflects). Saying that, it’s worth double-checking with them directly as to what the charge is for and how it was calculated.
Ken
Kim replied:
i had this too.
my contract ended in november (2 year contract) i got my pac on 10/11 (date charge was added, then used the pac 3 days later. last bill came in with line rental credit plus porting charge
Rebecca said:
Hi Ken,
I’m already with O2 but it was in my mother’s name so I opened a new O2 contract. The store didn’t tell me that I would lose my number. Is there a way to get it back?
Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi Rebecca,
Many thanks for your comment. If the old account under your mother’s name is still open, it may be possible for O2 to transfer the phone number to your new account. This is something you should you check directly with O2 Customer Services – you can reach them by dialling 202 from your O2 handset.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Dave C said:
Is the Lebara 0870 contact number correct? It’s a premium rate number.
Ken replied:
Hi Dave,
Thank you for the heads up about this. It looks like Lebara Mobile has an updated phone number (020 3059 0304) so I’ll update this in the article above. Thanks again for letting me know about this!
Ken
Khari said:
I received a message saying everything went through with transferring my number. I restarted my phone and I can’t call anybody
Ken replied:
Hi Khari,
Thanks for your comment, and sorry to hear about the problems you’re experiencing with your mobile network. In this case, you’ll need to contact the customer services department of your new mobile network, and ask them to investigate the issue for you. This is because it’s an account-specific issue, and requires further investigation from your mobile network’s tech team.
Sorry I couldn’t be of any more help!
Ken
Peter said:
Hi, I activated today my new received SIM card after purchasing online a sim only monthly plan. My old contract with different provider is going to finish 5 weeks later, is it possible to transfer the number to Three not right away but first after 4-5 weeks?
Thanks
Peter
Ken replied:
Hi Peter,
Many thanks for your comment. Absolutely: you can decide to transfer the phone number whenever you like (so in 5 weeks time is absolutely fine). It’s worth noting however that your PAC Code is only valid for 30 days, so if more than 30 days pass then you’ll need to request a new one.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Mike said:
Hi Ken
Any thoughts on the following from 1pmobile t&c?
9b2
You may not be able to transfer the telephone number(s) you have been using on our Service to another provider
4h
It is unlikely, but we may need to change your voicemail number, mobile phone number or any other number from time to time, or to use a different network or carrier. We will let you know if this is going to affect you.
Does this mean that if I buy a “gold” number from them, they can steal it back?
Ken replied:
Hi Mike,
Many thanks for your comment. My guess is that 1pMobile have just put this clause in place in order to protect themselves, as clause 11c of the terms and conditions states the following with regards to them giving you a PAC Code:
In the UK, I don’t think we technically “own” our phone numbers – we’re simply given the right to use it by Ofcom & the mobile networks. These rights can sometimes be amended, like in the past when phone numbers have changed (e.g. London changing from the 0171 and 0181 area codes to 020). I recommend you check directly with 1pMobile to get their full interpretation of the T&C, but my belief is you should still be able to transfer your gold number elsewhere.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ken replied:
As an aside, the 07434 “gold numbers” assigned by 1pMobile actually come from a block of phone numbers assigned by Ofcom to EE (see the 07 numbers allocation here).
Ken
Catherine said:
Hi, I have a valid PAC code from EE as I have cancelled my contract. I want to transfer that number to my work phone, which I have had for about 4 months – is this possible? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Catherine,
Many thanks for your comment. Absolutely, yes, you can follow the PAC Code process to transfer your personal phone number to a work handset. However, you may need to see if your company will allow you to do this. Also, you should be aware that your company will then “own” your phone number (so in theory, it becomes their property and they don’t need to give the phone number back to you when you leave the company).
Ken
Zaki said:
Can u give three ur PAC code on last day of it expiry date which in my case will be Sunday
All that because I’m still waiting for my new sim from three
Thank u
Ken replied:
Hi Zaki,
Many thanks for your comment. Your PAC Code is valid for 30 days from issue and must be actioned within that 30-day period. Therefore, it wouldn’t be possible to give the PAC Code to Three on the final day of validity (as by the time Three tries to action the PAC Code as per the timetable here, it would have expired already). If your PAC Code has expired however, you can of course request a new one which will have another 30 days of validity.
Hope this helps,
Ken
David Milkins said:
Three refuse to give it over the phone, state wil send it,l take 48hrs, but still no code ? This was after they ended my cobtract fir no valid reason.
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve encountered retrieving a PAC Code from Three. It’s potentially worth reminding them of their legal obligations to provide you with a PAC Code within two hours of your request.
Ken
Adam Clifford said:
This is perhaps one of the most informative sites with the most effective recommended actions I’ve ever come across.Thank you,Ken.My ongoing headache optimally resolved.
Trisha said:
Please can anyone assist. I have ported my number from Lycamoblie to another mobile service provider. Will my monthly bundle top-up be cancelled by Lycamoblie as I am unable to cancel this on my phone as the Lycamoblie Sim will no longer register a network. Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Trisha,
Many thanks for your comment. Yes, unfortunately, once your phone number is ported out to another network, your account will be closed and you’ll lose any remaining credit or bundle allowances. Typically, we’d recommend trying to use up your remaining PAYG credit before transferring your phone number over.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Donna said:
Hey
I got an iPhone SE with Id when it arrive I applied to keep my old number by using keep my number on the Id website and I was wondering how long will it take until my old number is transferred onto my new sim please
Ken replied:
Hi Donna,
Many thanks for your comment. After you give your PAC Code to iD Mobile, your phone number transfer will normally complete on the next working day. You can see the table here for more information.
Hope this helps,
Ken
JAY said:
Hi Ken,
Can I request a PAC code on a pay as you go sim even if i am with them for under a week?
Ken replied:
Hi Jay,
Many thanks for your comment. There is no minimum amount of time you’ll need to have been a customer before you’re able to request a PAC Code from your mobile network.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Bruce Davies said:
Hi Ken
When on contract and phone is “upgraded” to a newer version are the PAC codes the same for each phone , or does each phone have it’s own PAC code.
Reason for asking, is I want to give my old phone to my daughter but set her up with another provider.
Thanks for your help
Regards
Bruce
Ken replied:
Hi Bruce,
Many thanks for your comment. PAC Codes are tied to an account/phone number rather than to the handset itself. Similarly, the phone number is tied to the SIM card rather than the actual handset. Therefore, it should be possible for her just to insert her SIM card into the iPhone (assuming it’s unlocked). This means there is no requirement to obtain a PAC Code.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jg said:
Hi if I owe O2 money can they refuse to give me the PAC code? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Jg,
This is not a valid reason for O2 to refuse you a PAC Code (see the information on your legal entitlements for more information). You are always entitled to move your phone number to another network, but of course, O2 may continue to pursue disputed monies through other methods.
Ken
Jg replied:
Thank you Ken :0) x
jan said:
I’m in the process of trying to transfer my mobile number over from O2 to TPO and having a nightmare as my number seems to be lost somewhere in between and TPO have no clue as to what they are doing I am ringing them every day and getting nowhere there customer service is none existent and so I’m now stuck.
Ken replied:
Hi Jan,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve had moving a phone number from O2 to TPO Mobile. In the case of a phone number transfer, it’s your new mobile network that is responsible for the switch. Therefore, you’ll need to liaise with TPO to resolve this. Without wanting to be the bearer of bad news, the general feedback I’ve had is pretty negative regarding TPO Customer Services. I’d therefore possibly recommend looking at an alternative network, if haven’t yet passed that stage of no return.
Ken
Pete said:
Hi Ken, having just bought my first smart phone and planning on using sim only (i.e no contract) is it possible to keep the same number whilst also using two SIM cards – a nano SIM card for my new smartphone whilst still using my old handset and it’s SIM card – effectively the same number for 2 phones.
My reasoning behind this is I will want to have the ability to use the old phone and great battery life one week whilst needing internet access using a smart phone the next.
Many regards.
Pete
Ken replied:
Hi Pete,
Many thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, in the UK, it’s not possible to have the same phone number on two SIM cards. Rather, you can only have one SIM card for each account/phone number, so your best solution would probably be to choose a nano-SIM and then to use a relevant SIM card adapter for your older handset.
As an aside, I’ve seen the “multiple SIMs for one phone number” working before in Thailand so it is technically possible to achieve this. I suppose there isn’t the same amount of demand for it here, hence why no UK network offers the service.
Ken
Ken
Wayne said:
Hi,
I have gone through the steps and received a text from Virgin on Wednesday to say transfer would be completed that day, now Friday evening and still no transfer. The strange thing is though that calling out to my landline on either sim shows the call is coming from the number i am trying to port. But incoming calls only come through my original provider sim. I’ve been on the phone all day to Virgin and they have been massively unhelpful saying they are working on it. Have you ever heard of this and are you able to give me any advice please?
Ken replied:
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for your comment. This is an issue known as a ‘split port’: essentially, it means your phone number hasn’t yet moved over to the new mobile network (hence, why calls are still being received on your old mobile network SIM). With regards to phone calls out of your new Virgin Media SIM card, the phone number that displays to others has been updated already but the actual phone number registered to the SIM card hasn’t yet been updated (you can think of Caller ID as the return-to address on the back of an envelope… it doesn’t necessarily need to be the actual number on the SIM card).
As usual, responsibility for resolving port issues is with your new provider, so you’ll need to liaise with Virgin to get this resolved.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Ken
Wayne replied:
Thanks Ken and apologies for my late response. I have only just spotted your reply as went straight into junk email. Your reply however was very helpful.
I finally got sorted but I am very disappointed in Virgin’s customer service as felt I was fobbed off repeatedly until my 8th or 9th call where I finally found someone who both knew how to help and took ownership for the issue. He not only resolved the issue but committed to calling me back each shift until he m knew I was satisfied.
What I didn’t realise until this weekend is that whilst incoming and outgoing calls are routing properly Virgin are still unable to find my account by the porter number nor does the automated system recognise it so I can’t access my account details. It will be another call for me at some point this week to raise another issue.
Ken replied:
Hi Wayne,
Thanks for taking the time to update me on this! I’m glad to hear that things were resolved in the end, though obviously the news about Virgin’s customer service is a huge disappointment. Fingers crossed things will work a bit more smoothly in the future, once the issue with accessing your account has been resolved.
Ken
John said:
Hi, i buy another smart phone and i need nano sim but i want to keep same phone number. I take the new sim but i don’t no to change the number. Can you help me with some instruction? Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Many thanks for your comment. As you simply want to change the size of your existing SIM card, there’s no need to obtain a PAC Code first. For more information, please see my guide to changing the size of your SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
kerry said:
Hi, I recently received my pac code for my vodaphone handset, I still have a contract time left with them but am unhappy with the charges and general coverage in my area. I have a talk talk sim and want to port my number to them, I believe they use the vodaphone network for their own and that the sim should work if placed in the handset. My question is this, with outstanding amounts and termination fees, I was going to make a payment arrangement with them to pay that off, can they restrict the phone or number once I am using talk mobile sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Kerry,
Thanks for your comment. My first question is whether it makes sense to move from Vodafone to TalkTalk due to poor coverage you’re experiencing. As you said, they both use the same network coverage provider, with TalkTalk also not having access to Vodafone’s 4G network. If anything, a move to TalkTalk Mobile will give you the same or slightly worse coverage than on Vodafone.
To answer your questions about early termination fees, have a look at my in-depth article here. You should negotiate a suitable arrangement for payments to Vodafone. However, they are not able to hold your phone number hostage as part of this process.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Joel said:
Hi, my mum just bought a sim only 12 month contract to put in my brothers old phone and everything is fine. However, she did receive a PAC code that she wants to use to transfer her old number to this new Sim/phone, her contract on her old provider ends April 2nd, nearly a month away. With this said, is it possible to use the PAC code now – or should she wait until her old contract ends? Thanks for your time
Ken replied:
Hi Joel,
Thanks for your comment. Your mum can decide to use her PAC Code at any time (so you can either use it now, or you can wait until the end of the month). However, as her previous contract ends on the 2nd April, she’ll need to continue paying for that contract until then (her final bill will contain a early termination fee for the period between the account being closed and the 2nd April).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Notwarlal said:
Hi Ken, I just want to know, Is it possible to get PAC code for EE or O2 or whatever operator in UK Pay As You Go user ?
Notwarlal replied:
And another question, I have old t mobile sim. The sim is already deactivated by t mobile. Is that possible to reactivate the old t mobile sim ????
Ken replied:
Hi Notwarlal,
Thanks for your comment. Yes, you can get a PAC Code for any UK mobile network – you just need to follow the instructions listed here.
With regards to your old T-Mobile SIM card, it unfortunately won’t be possible to get a PAC Code for it now. A condition of being able to get a PAC Code is your account must still be open and your phone number must still be live (in this case, it sounds like the account has already been closed).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Notwarlal replied:
Thank you very much Ken.
Michael Gillingham replied:
Hi Ken I have brought a number off of a company it’s on gif gaff they told me to register the pac number with my service provider 3 uk
3 uk have Acknowledge this and said it will be done within 48 hours The company I brought the number from can they stop the transfer as I’ve paid them for the number and pac code
Regards
Michael
Ken replied:
Hi Michael,
Many thanks for your comment. The phone number on your old mobile network must still be active on the day when you transfer it over to your new network. So in theory, I think this is probably a yes, though realistically speaking it’s probably unlikely to happen.
Ken
Tony said:
Hi
Could I ask, 2 weeks ago I gave 30 days notice to terminate my EE phone contrast. Today I phoned EE to ask for a PAC code. They now say that in order to obtain a PAC Code I must again give 30 days notice starting from today I’E the day they gave me the PAC Code over the phone. Why should I give a second 30 day notice just to obtain a PAC code. Are they right. I have asked them if they were correct but how I understand it I could give my 30 day notice and then request a PAC number at any time before the 30 day expireary date. Please am I correct
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your comment and a very good question! Unfortunately, I’m not a lawyer so I wouldn’t be able to give you a legal interpretation of this. However, common sense would dictate to me that you wouldn’t need to give the 30-days notice again (after all, you’ve already requested it and getting a PAC Code doesn’t really change this). My recommendation would be to simply maintain a copy of your correspondence (especially anything that relates to you having given notice 2 weeks ago). If EE later tries to charge you for those 2 weeks, I’d then dispute those charges with them via customer service or via their complaints channel.
Ken
Tony replied:
Thank you very much Ken. Your answer was very clear and to the point. I am now aware that I was incorrect and will move on accordingly. Kind regards. Tony
Melissa replied:
You’re supposed to be made aware at point of cancellation about the PAC code. If you didn’t request the PAC code at point of cancellation, then yes, you will have to give an additional 30 days notice as you’re essentially changing your mind about keeping the number, therefore changing your mind about the nature of the cancellation. Just like if you changed an order for receiving products, there may be a delay in you getting them.
George said:
Just thought I’d share my experience of obtaining a PAC from talkmobile. First I tried phoning and had to play 20 questions about why I was leaving before being transferred to the correct PAC code department, where I was mysteriously cut off. When I tried their online webchat I was again given the run around in spite of persistantly asking for a PAC. They then eventually said I couldn’t have a code unless I gave notice to close my account, something which I had assumed you shouldn’t do until you actually had the PAC. I had to play it their way of course to get my PAC after about an hour of “bat and ball” trying to persuade me not to leave. A very frustrating experience.
This contrasts to t-mobile when I transferred a few years ago, it took 30 seconds to issue a PAC with no sales pressure or trying to avoid issuing it.
About time OFCOM handed the whole transfer number deal over to the new provider to sort out.
Neil said:
I have kept my number for many years and switched between a number of networks.
I’d now like to switch back to bt who I think I was with 10 years ago – can I take my number back with me? Is there away of checking?
Ken replied:
Hi Neil,
Thanks for your comment. There’s absolutely no problem at all transferring your phone number back to the original network (it’s exactly the same process as transferring it to any other network).
With regards to transferring your phone number to BT Mobile, in reality, you’ll probably find this is actually a different mobile network to the one you were previously on! If you were originally on BT Cellnet, you’ll find that network became O2 in 2002 (it’s now owned by Telefonica which is a Spanish multi-national). There was also previously a BT Business Mobile service that used coverage from Vodafone. The current BT Mobile service is part of EE (a rival network to O2 aka the old BT Cellnet!).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Gerry Nicholson said:
Ken,
all I can say is THANK YOU!!
After trawling the net via Apple, o2, three and many more I finally found your site and it is amazing!
It gives clear, step by step helpful instructions. You’d put Apple to shame!
Thank you so much. I shall certainly be spreading the word.
Nmj replied:
I agree! Ken’s site provides such good informative and helpful information. Keep up the good work Ken!
Col said:
Ken, can you explain what happens when you PAC port a number multiple times?
My number started off a very long time ago with Mercury one2one, who then became T-Mobile, and eventually EE.
I used a PAC code to port from T-Mobile to O2, then when they started the giffgaff MVNO I used a PAC to go from O2 to giffgaff.
I’m now thinking of joining PlusNet, which are an MVNO on EE.
So if I use a PAC code, will all my calls get routed from EE to O2 to giffgaff and then to PlusNet? Will porting back around to the network the number originated from cause any problems?
Thanks 🙂
Ken replied:
Hi Col,
Thanks for your comment. There is no issue porting a phone number multiple times: rather, your phone call will only be routed from the original mobile network that issued the number to the mobile network you’re currently on. So in your case, your incoming phone calls would be routed from EE/T-Mobile directly to Plusnet (no need to go through O2, giffgaff or any other network).
If you’re interested in a bit more background, Ofcom has a long document here about how it all works (this is 112 pages so not the most riveting Christmas read, but section 2 has all the info you need). Also there’s a list here showing which mobile area codes are assigned to each network (presumably your phone number range will be listed here under EE).
Hope this helps!
Ken
Col replied:
Fantastic, thanks Ken 🙂
Hugh said:
Hi Ken thanks for all the info. Two things still slightly unclear to me…
1. What is the diff between a Free Sim Card and a PAYG card ? Aren’t they both free, the diff is just bundle vs traditional PAYG . At least that is what I thought I learned from your pages.
2. I use my iPhone 4s lightly, currently have £10pm virgin package, and will go to ASDA I think. I think my initial top up will last way beyond a month, possibly several. But, not sure as looking at my mobile usage, somehow I used 1.2gb of data in the last 30 days which astounded me. Calls and texts in last month were 20 hours call and ? texts a sits not totted up at least on iOS 8 which I’m on. I notice though that .37gb was on System Services. Unclear if this is a tot up of all the apps I use like safari, spotify, YouTube, mail, but even if it was in addition to those apps, it still doesn’t add up close to 1.2gb, so I’m at a loss.
Anyway I think I’ll give it a go and switch to ASDA. I lie, I have one more question. I have recently found a sim data card for my iPad Air1 Cell which for about £25 gives me 2 years worth of data. Excellent! Question is, why can’t I use, somehow, my iPad as a phone with a mob number just like my iPhone ?
Thanks again, Hugh
Ken replied:
Hi Hugh,
Thanks for your comment! To answer your questions in order:
1. Normally, they actually refer to the exact same thing. On my article about free pay as you go SIM cards, “free” refers to the fact there is no upfront charge for the SIM card itself. In contrast, if you buy the SIM card in store, you’ll often pay between 50p and £5. At some airports, you’ll even pay £10 for the SIM card (and that doesn’t come with any money on it!).
The two types of Pay As You Go are traditional PAYG and monthly PAYG bundles (you can click through to the relevant articles to find out a bit more).
2. Interesting! It’s possible the 0.37GB (370MB) is due to background app updates and push notifications (this is data your phone will consume even if you aren’t actively doing anything on it). It does sound like a fairly high figure, however, so might be worth double checking the setting on your phone.
3. You talked about using your 2-year mobile broadband SIM card inside your handset. In theory, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to do this from technical perspective. However, it’s worth checking how much data you have on that SIM and also the terms & conditions that are attached to it. Finally, mobile broadband SIM cards tend not to have call and text functionality which obviously is a fairly key feature for your mobile phone!
Ken
Hugh replied:
Hi Ken thanks for the reply, very kind of you. I was also sort of thinking though, why can’t I buy a ‘normal’ phone SIM (ie say the one already in my 4s) and use it in my IPad so my iPad becomes a phone if I want it to ? Have Apple deliberately omitted a phone function so I have to own an iPhone ? If so, I wouldn’t be surprised, but what would be a good way round it ?
Cheers again, Hugh
Ken replied:
Hi Hugh,
There are really two things in play here:
1) The mobile networks often like to segment their products into two different types of tariff: the first being a normal mobile phone plan (with inclusive minutes, texts & data), the second being a mobile broadband plan (only with data and nothing else). In theory, there’s no real difference between the two except from inclusive allowances and pricing (though sometimes the T&C will place restrictions on the devices you can use, and sometimes phone calls are blocked on a mobile broadband tariff).
2) Technically, there’s no reason why a tablet like the iPad couldn’t make and receive phone calls like a normal mobile phone. In fact, there are many 7-inch tablets that can make a phone call (for instance, Samsung used to support this on many of their Galaxy Tab devices). With regards to the iPad, Apple probably just thought people would look a bit silly holding it up to their head for a phone call! It’s also missing certain bits of hardware (e.g. the speaker at the top of a phone where you’d normally be listening to a call).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Hugh replied:
Hi Ken, I was thinking really that eg an IPad could just be used as a tabletop phone device, like a speakerphone, like people sometimes do with their phones. But I’m a bit cynical I suppose, I tend to think Apple would rather sell more units of iPhones and IPads than key the phone functionality cross over. Just wanted to confirm what you thought about that. Since on an iPad there is no built in phone, what do people use most for said tabletop speakerphone use…Skype, Facetime, or something ? It would just be simpler if I could use a normal mob number for this type of thing. Cheers Hugh
Ken replied:
Hi Hugh,
Definitely agreed that this would be a nice feature (worth suggesting it to Apple perhaps!). I know Samsung used to offer this on a couple of their tablets, so it might be worth investigating some of those as well if you’re interested in this feature.
Ken
Dale Gray said:
Hi Ken
Thank you for producing such a useful website with lots of relevant links and supportive information.
I used your site twice now to see at a glance the steps needed to switch mobile phone networks.
Much appreciated.
Louise said:
Dear Ken,
This is a brilliant article. I have been struggling to understand the ins and outs regarding mobile phone contract and coverage. Thanks very much for putting together such detailed information whilst remaining so concise.
Louise
Thom said:
Through my employer I signed up for a 2 year deal via an MVNO which resold 3 packages. The contract had ended and they disconnected me without notice. They said they issued a PAC code but I didn’t receive it. Now they’ve disconnected me and the PAC code they issued has expired is there anyway to get my PAC code reissued to get my number back?
Ken replied:
Hi Thom,
Sorry to hear about the problems transferring a phone number from your old network. 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. Saying that, it’s worth double-checking this by giving your old mobile network a call and seeing if they’ve held on to your old phone number temporarily.
Ken
Mark crocker said:
Do i need to wait for my contract end date before i can use my pac code with another mobile provider. I gave 30 days notice yesterday ( 21/10/16) . My contrct end date is 07/11/16.
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment. Once you have your PAC Code, you’ll be able to use it at any time. However, depending on your mobile network & the details of your contract, you may still continue to be charged by your old network for a period of 30 days after you gave the notice to them.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Phil said:
Hi Ken, love the informative website. I’ve had a look, but can’t see an answer, I don’t know if you’ve answered it anywhere. If I’m with a virtual operator, do I still need a PAC to go to the network which that virtual operator runs on? (For example, moving from Asda Mobile to EE or from Tesco Mobile to O2)
Ken replied:
Hi Phil,
Thanks for your comment. Yes: you’ll still need a PAC Code when moving to another network using the same coverage provider (so you would need a PAC Code going from ASDA to EE, and going from Tesco to O2). This is because you’re actually transferring your phone number into the service provider’s system as opposed to the coverage provider’s system.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Paul said:
Hi Ken, I’ve been on the Three network for years, and requested a PAC from them 4 days ago (2 working days). No sign of a PAC within 1 hour or two! This morning I had a text to say it would be another 7 working days: A total of TWO WEEKS! How can I get them to act? The contact number listed on sites such as this does not work. Only 333 from a mobile – which is fully automated.
Ken replied:
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment. I also did this recently and requested a PAC Code from Three: they promised to send it by text message but nothing arrived and I finally had to call them up to get the PAC Code on the phone. You should be able to contact Three Customer Services on 333. Alternatively, if you’re using a landline or a handset on another network, you can call them on 0333 338 1001. Assuming it’s already been generated, they’ll be able to give you the PAC Code immediately on the phone.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Paul replied:
Hi Ken,
I could find no way to speak to anyone on 333, but visited my local Three shop, where assistant typed in an option including a ‘7’ which was not listed. It took about 20 mins, and three repeat requests for security info, but I was eventually given PAC while on phone. Changeover now sorted! Thanks.
Andy said:
Hi, Just a quick question on the process for the day the PAC is triggered and the number is ported.
Should you leave the original SIM in the phone (the one you are porting from) or the new SIM in the phone (the one you are porting your number too).
I have heard conflicting advice on this with some people saying you should leave the old SIM in place until it stops working then replace with new SIM, whilst others say you should run with the new SIM in the phone as it needs to be active for the switch to occur.
I was planning on leaving my old SIM in the phone until it deactivates (thus letting me keep getting calls/texts on my number) and then putting the new SIM into the phone which i figured would then start up with my number activated on it.
Is this a reasonable approach?
Ken replied:
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your comment. My personal recommendation would be to keep the original SIM card inside the handset (as you suggested in your message). On the day of the transfer, you’ll lose coverage on the old SIM card – at that point you can switch it over to the new SIM card. As you say, doing it this way around will ensure you always have access to incoming calls and text messages on the number.
There’s no need for the new SIM card to have coverage when the transfer occurs. It must be an “active” SIM card that you’re transferring your phone number to, but only in the sense that your account has been set-up and that the SIM card hasn’t been blacklisted for another reason (e.g. if the SIM card was reported lost or stolen).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Marylyn said:
dear giffgaff,
I come from Singapore and would like to retain my Singaporean number, as I’ll be here for four months. I currently already have a giffgaff SIM and have been using it. However, I would like to go back to using my old number as this would be useful for online transactions and so on. Is there a way to do this? Many thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Marylyn,
Thanks for your comment. This is actually an unofficial website maintained by Ken Lo (so I’m not a representative of giffgaff) but I can try and answer the question for you anyway.
Unfortunately, it’s possible to transfer a UK-based mobile number over to giffgaff. It isn’t possible to transfer your Singaporean number. It might be worth having a look to see if there are any call-forwarding services available in Singapore. Alternatively, you could roam on your Singaporean SIM card whilst you’re here in the UK (if you’re just using it to receive text messages I presume there should be no charge for this service).
Ken
GaT said:
Thanks, very useful & helpful :-). If I remember, will return to say how it all went.
El Kapitan said:
Hi,
I have requested a PAC code from three.
Will I be charged for 30days once I use the pac code or just for the days I used the contract?
Ken replied:
Hi there,
I believe your final bill will cover 30 days of usage from the date when you obtained your PAC Code. This is regardless of when your phone number actually transfers over.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Sanj said:
I had already transferred my number from TPO to Life Mobile a couple of months ago, and I wanted to transfer my wife’s number to them as well.
About 3 weeks ago we got the LIFE sim and the PAC code from TPO. We were told it would take about 5 days for the transfer. So on a Tuesday we give LIFE the pac code, and on Friday the TPO sim goes off. The new LIFE sim is put in the phone so that the old number can get transferred.
When mine was done, the number transferred within hours of the old one switching off, however with my wife’s number, it has been 2 weeks and the number still has not been transferred.
We have called numerous times, and made complaints. First they say there was a backlog, then they said that process is done in France and there was a public holiday, then they said they don’t know.
My wife is the main carer for an elderly relative and she relies on having her original number. She gets calls from nurses, doctors, and other carers. This has caused a lot of stress and issues because she cannot be contacted. At first we thought the number would change so we didn’t supply the nurses with our temporary number. They too have enough to deal with.
Surely in this day and age where, transactions are instant, why would it take 2 weeks (and still not done) to migrate some numbers from one IT system into another? There should not be a 2 week backlog.
We can’t even redirect calls to another number because the original is not recognized.
Is there any way to get here original number back.
Ken replied:
Hi Sanj,
Sorry to hear about the problems transferring your phone number from TPO to LIFE Mobile. I’m really not sure what has gone wrong here, but it’s now the responsibility of LIFE Mobile to process your phone number transfer. I’d recommend making a complaint to them in writing as this may help to expedite the solution of your problem.
Good luck,
Ken
ChrisK replied:
The porting problems here seems to be a Life Mobile problem that’s becoming clear is affecting a lot of punters.
My personal experience of porting a number was 5 days from start to finish porting from Delight to Life but I was reading on Digital Spy this month of someone having their number taking a month to transfer.
I though in my case the problem was that Delight piggy backs on the EE network as does Life but I’ve seen so many cases of porting problem with Life they surely are doing something wrong in their porting process.
Porting problem besides the Life Mobile network once all the porting is done is a first class service and just to add their customer services department when you ring them talk in perfectly clear English and that’s worth 5 stars in my book nowadays.
Nelgrd said:
Hi i understand that postoffice mobile are closing down. They are doing the decent thing and returning unused credit although you do have to request this on the website.
Steve said:
Hi, I am a PAYG customer with TPO, on the 14/07/16 I lost service, the customer service team are saying this is due to the network being upgraded to 4G and unfortunatly some customer have lost service the issue is being looked into by there network provider, and engineers are working to resolve.
TPO are migrating to 4G on the 27/07/16 do you think there will be any chance of getting my old number back once the migration has taken place?
TPO are unable to offer me a PAC code as my number is showing out of service, is there any other way I can get my old number back?
They have sent me a 4G sim to activate using the sim/swap process but this fails to work.
Any guidance/help you can offer would be very much appreciated.
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Sorry to hear about your problems with TPO Mobile. Unfortunately, only TPO will be able to help you out with this. Sorry – I really wish I could do more but I don’t have access to the account information only they’d be able to access! It would be their responsibility to transition your service over to the new TPO service running on coverage from Three.
Ken
steve replied:
Hi Ken, thanks for getting back to me, It has now been 3 weeks since the loss of my number despite calls and emails to TPO can’t say I’m making any progress, they have sent me a new sim card and transfered my old credit plus £25 ( have’nt tried it yet as bought a Tesco sim).
I’m desperate to get my old number number back but TPO are saying they are working with their partner to try to recover the number hence cannot issue me with a PAC code.
Is their any other course of action I can take? I would email their CEO if I could find his address..
I don’t think OFCOM will deal, perhaps the Press…any idea’s Help.
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
It might be worth sending your message on to marketing@tpouk.com. This is an email address they’ve previously provided to readers of this website, which I believe bypasses the normal channels and goes directly to the team. The other option is you could make a formal complaint in writing e.g. to Ofcom, via Resolver.co.uk, etc.
Really hope this issue gets solved for you soon,
Ken
steve replied:
Ken thank you for your suggestions, I have just sent an email to marketing@tpouk.com, with copies of all the emails sent If this does’nt work I’ll try Ofcom via resolver.
I will keep you posted
Thanks again.
Lewis Clifford said:
Hi,
I have been contacting EE over the course of today to try and obtain 2x PAC codes. Thus far I have not been successful:
3 calls to them
2x 25p charge to be transferred to a Customer Service member
1x disconnected when asked to be transferred to the relevant department
1x left on hold (after 5 mins) when told was being transferred
I’m obviously unhappy, but my question is:
Is EE customers service poor OR
Have I just been unlucky OR
Do you know that EE has a policy of not giving out PAC codes?
Matt said:
Hi Ken,
My partner and I will be moving to a shared contract, with two new phones.
I am out of contract but she has 7 months left on her sim only deal.
We both want to take our numbers over to the new phones but we don’t want to lose her data allowance on her current contract (I will use this on our ipad). Is it possible to transfer her number across without losing this allowance? ie will she get a new number for the old sim if she takes her number with her to the new phone?
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
Thanks for your comment. Ordinarily, your account will be closed when you transfer the phone number outwards with a PAC Code. Therefore, the answer is probably an unfortunate no. Saying that, however, if your partner is simply moving from one EE contract to another there’s no actual need for her to use a PAC Code. If this is the case, I’d probably speak with EE Customer Services on 150 as they might be able to arrange something for you (e.g. moving her old plan to another phone or adding the data to your new plan).
Hope this helps,
Ken
ELISA said:
Hello joined voda fone as I moved to Italy
But couldn’t stay out there for various reasons but before leaving I’ve been with 02 for years best company ever .
So I bought a new hand set and got contract bundle pay monthly
All great I asked to change my number ..so went into the store .they done it
Yesterday but my old number hasn’t come threw yet onto my new phone .
It’s 2days today …. How long does it normally take …. Thankyou .👌🏼🤗
Ken replied:
Hi Elisa,
Your new mobile network should have given you an expected timeframe for the phone number transfer to take place. It will normally be the next working day, unless you submit your PAC Code late in the afternoon/evening in which case it might take one more day. If your phone number hasn’t transferred on the expected date, you should contact your new mobile network to get an update on the status.
Ken
Jenny said:
Hi Ken
I recently bought a new phone and transferred my number to it (thanks for the guide!). I have not got on well with the new phone, so my husband wants to have it and get me another one (lucky me). Can I transfer my number to the new phone and then transfer my husband’s to the intermediate one? If so, how?
Many thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for your comment. The easiest thing to do is probably to take out your SIM card and to place it in your brand new smartphone. Your husband can then put his SIM card into your current handset. This allows you to both change your handsets and to keep your phone numbers without the need to even use a PAC Code!
Ken
Alan said:
Hi. I understand that as my PayG number transfers between providers I’ll lose the credit on my old Sim card. My new provider recommends testing network coverage using the temporary number on their new Sim before transferring my old number… by topping up the new Sim. If all is well, will I also lose this credit when my old number ports?
Ken replied:
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your comment. You should only lose the credit on your old mobile network. Meanwhile, any credit on your new provider should still be there after you use the PAC Code.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lisa said:
Hi
I have a contract with Vodafone UK which I have ended due to relocating overseas to Canada. Vodafone have issued me with a PAC code. I have got a pay as you go sim in Canada with BELL and would like to know if I can transfer my UK number (i’ve had it for years and love it) over? Many thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s only possible to transfer your phone number to another UK-based mobile network (so it won’t be possible to transfer it to BELL in Canada). Are you planning on coming back to visit the UK in the future? If so, it might be worthwhile to get yourself a free Pay As You Go SIM card. Providing you use it at least once every so often (normally one time every 6 months), this will allow you to keep your phone number. Using it could be as simple as sending an occasional text message from Canada, and of course you’ll be able to use the SIM card when you visit the UK.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lisa Taylor replied:
Many thanks Ken
Perfect – thanks for the information. I will try and get a UK PAYG sim card and give it a go.
Natasha said:
I gave my pac code to Vodafone and was told it would happen between 10 am and 4 pm the next day and to switch my phone off for that time. I then got a message saying it would start in 10 minutes. So I turned my phone off at 2.30 pm. None of these comments seem to have been told to switch off their handset. Can I turn it on or will it mess something up?
Ken replied:
Hi Natasha,
Thanks for your comment. There’s no real need to switch off your handset for an extended amount of time, but normally you’ll need to restart the handset when the number transfer happens (this is so your phone can register that the SIM card has changed number).
Ken
GregThree said:
Hi Ken
Following your advice I changed from EE to Asda mobile, but a there is a problem for me with Asda mobile which maybe you can comment on, as it was new to me. I use short-codes with my work, & thought nothing of it, (didn’t even know the nomenclature was short-codes). But Asda do not support short-codes, which was a shock to me, & a complete block to using them as a provider. Will change over to Virgin, I think, but need to check if they support short-codes.
Thanks for your helpful, informative analysis, Best, GregThree
Ken replied:
Hi Greg,
Yes – unfortunately, ASDA Mobile doesn’t support five-digit and six-digit SMS shortcodes at present. I believe the reason for this is because they technically count as premium-rate services. For more information, see the ASDA Mobile FAQs and search for ‘short code’:
It might be worth checking with your employer to see if a standard version of that phone number is available (beginning with 07). Alternatively, if short-codes are a must-have feature for you, I’d recommend double-checking before you choose a new network (I believe there are lots of MVNOs that lack short-code support).
Ken
Pete said:
Your guides are the friendliest and most informative I have come across. You have been helpful on a number of issues, thanks.
Andy said:
Can you tell me if it is possible to transfer a mobile number with PAC number from a personal account to a small business account? This means it will move from an account in my name to an account in the company name.
Ken replied:
Hi Andy,
Thanks for your comment. Yes: with a PAC Code, it’s totally possible to transfer your phone number to an account that’s in another name. So moving your phone number from a personal to a small business account shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Patsy said:
Hi
I had a phone with EE and another had the contract, they have cancelled the contract on my number, and I have lost my number which was a number I had for 13 years. Have I lost the number for good. They did not get a code for me
Ken replied:
Hi Patsy,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, if the account was closed without a PAC Code being used, the phone number will normally have been lost for good. Saying that, I would however recommend you contact EE Customer Services as quickly as you can (dial 150 from an EE handset or 07953 966 250 from any other network). It’s possible you might be able to recover the phone number if it hasn’t yet been ‘recycled’ for another customer.
Ken
Patsy replied:
Many many thanks for your help. Cant get the number back seems daft but lessons learnt!
Peter said:
Ken,
Great article, quick question: If I port my number to another provider, is there any time restrictions on porting again (say back to my previous provider if I’m unhappy with the service or see a new deal?)
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Peter,
Thanks for your comment. I’m not aware of any time restrictions on porting again – I believe you can do this again pretty much immediately.
Ken
Peter replied:
Thanks for taking the time to respond Ken, appreciated.
Claire Macleod replied:
Hi Peter – just to let you know that I managed to port my number again after only a day as I discovered my new provider had no coverage where I wanted to go.
Laura Fewtrell replied:
Vodafone have told me I have to wait 30 days before I can port again. Ridiculous.
Pete said:
I am impressed. This is the friendliest and most informative mobile phone guide I have found. Thanks.
Claire Macleod said:
Do you know if you can use a PAC code twice – I ported my mobile number to a new network provider since it seemed to be the only way of retaining the number which had been used for a small business contract with my then existing network provider (believe me I had tried every which other way to get it transferred to my personal contract that had already been set up with the same network provider and eventually gave up). I now need to port it again to have it associated with my new personal contract with the original provider. However the new network to which the number was transferred, says it can’t issue another PAC because the original PAC is still valid and said just to use the existing PAC again. I tried using the existing PAC again online but it doesn’t appear to work – I just keep getting an error message. Am I going to have to wait 30 days for the old PAC to expire (and then get a new PAC) before I can transfer the number again?
Ken replied:
Hi Claire,
As far as I know you can only use a PAC Code once. Once it’s been used, the PAC Code should expire. If you subsequently want to move your phone number to another network, you’ll need to request another PAC Code from the network your number is on.
Ken
Claire Macleod replied:
Ken -thanks for your reply – yes this did turn out to be the case: I rang the new provider the next day and they said that I had been told a load of nonsense the previous evening – I was given a new PAC code on the spot and successfully managed to port my number again to the original provider and had it associated with my personal contract. It took a lot of time and trouble but I did eventually get there! Never again!
Margaret said:
Can I get a pac code from tmobile website or is it just by phone
Ken replied:
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, at this time, you can only obtain a PAC Code by calling T-Mobile Customer Services (dial 150 from your T-Mobile handset). The reason for this is because they don’t want to make it too easy for you to get a PAC Code (when you call up, they’ll try to keep you on their network).
Ken
RD said:
Dear Ken
I have found your website very useful, as I wanted a PAC code to move my number from Vodaphone to another service.
What you DON’T say is that before Vodaphone will give you the PAC code, they make you go through a whole raft of totally stupid ‘Security’ questions!
In my case, as it was a PAYG phone with a number I have had for years, I had no idea of the answers to the questions – and I was also totally unprepared for this.
They only gave me the PAC code after (at considerable inconvenience) I was able to provide three recently used phone numbers.
I think you should modify your website entries to make it clear that you may have to go through this nonsense – I suspect Vodaphone are the worst, but it probably applies to other providers as well?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi RD,
Thanks for this and thanks for the great feedback on the article! I agree that I haven’t made it particularly clear about the security checks you’ll need to undergo when getting a PAC Code. In some ways, this is even worse for Pay As You Go customers as the SIM card may be unregistered, so they’ll need to ask you much more difficult questions (for Pay Monthly contracts, they’ll normally ask you simpler questions like your address and monthly bill amount). I alluded to this briefly in the section about your legal entitlements but will try to make this much clearer in the next re-write of the article!
Thanks again,
Ken
David said:
Hi Ken!
Quick question.
I’ve just bought an iD network locked phone on an online auction site.
Do you have any idea if sim cards belonging to other networks will work in this iD network locked phone? Would a 3/Three network sim work?
Also any idea of how I could go about getting it unlocked?
Thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Thanks for your comment. As far as I know, iD Mobile does not lock handsets to their network (you can see this confirmed on their website as well). So it would be good to fully understand what you mean by the handset being locked to iD Mobile (might potentially be a mistake in the listing by the seller).
Ken
Pecciuuncle said:
Hello everybody! How can I ask my PAC code by SMS? I have a lycamobile sim e I’d like change operator. Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s not currently possible to request a PAC Code from Lycamobile using SMS. The only way to request a PAC Code is by calling 322 from your Lycamobile handset (or 020 7132 0322 from a landline or another network).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Morsie said:
Hi there,
I was wondering if it is possible to transfer my number to another network mid contract? Or if it is possible to transfer my contract number to a payg sim then transfer that to EE afterwards.
Ken replied:
Hi Morsie,
Thanks for your comment. You can transfer your phone number to another network at any time but unfortunately, it’s not possible to keep your old contract open (so your old contract will automatically terminate when you use the PAC Code and move your number to another network). You’ll therefore need to pay an early termination fee for transferring mid-contract.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Les Beattie said:
I am the opposite to Stan, I want to LEAVE Vectone as I cannot accept calls while in France, or send texts, have reported this to them many times but to no avail, “turn off, remove sim, click on Vectone services etc and then… we will phone you back” is the response from Customer Services… but you CAN’T Dummo, that’s the point of my call to you!!
Called today to obtain PAC and told that I am on monthly not PAYG and need to speak to someone else as the person I spoke to only deals with PAYG, I didn’t realise it made a difference… does it???
I am at my wit’s end with Vectone and would NOT advise anyone to use them, unless you never leave UK!
Patrick said:
Hello Ken.
iDmobile seem to have lost my number too during the porting process,
it’s only been one day so far but some of the other comments are making me worried that it will be a long drawn out affair,
I have ported numerous times without any issue always checking your site for the correct information, thanks,
P said:
Recently I have asked Lyca mobile to send me my pac code , Because I’m on contract with another network provider, In fact this is 8 days of waiting and still no pac code !! very bad customer service and support.
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Sorry to hear about your difficulties getting a PAC Code from Lycamobile. It might be worth reminding them of their legal obligations to provide you with a PAC Code within 2 hours of your request?
Ken
Giovanni said:
Hi Ken,
I currently have a Toggle mobile UK pre-paid SIM Card (which is effectively a Lycamobile) and I have subscribed to a Toggle local number in Spain (+34 631 XXX XXX) and paid £ 5 to Toggle Mobile to keep the Spanish local mobile number for a full year. I would like to transfer only the local Spanish number which I gave to several people here in Spain to a different Spanish Mobile network operator (Vodafone Spain) but the local operator refuses the number portability since the ICC on my SIM card is a UK one (starts with 894426) even though they recognize that the local Spanish number belongs to Lycamobile Spain. Any suggestion? Is the ICC number necessary for number portability?
Ken replied:
Hi Giovanni,
Sorry – I’m afraid I don’t have any knowledge about mobile number portability in Spain. Sorry about that 🙁 You’ll probably be best off contacting the local regulator in Spain for information.
Ken
Jill richardson said:
Can you help ! I requested a pac code to change networks but it ran out on the 9th of feb . I decided to stay with giff gaff and not change networks . I cannot top up my giff gaff now and would like some advice how to get my giff gaff working and need my original number
Ken replied:
Hi Jill,
Thanks for your comment. If you didn’t use the PAC Code from giffgaff, your account should still be open with your normal phone number. If it isn’t, you’ll probably need to contact giffgaff through their ‘Ask an agent’ service (as this is an account-specific query, only they’ll be able to help you out with this).
Ken
Jchakrak said:
Great tips – really helpful. Many thanks Ken
John Gower said:
My wife has a similar problem. She couldn’t get through to Mobile To Sainsbury’s to obtain a PAC code, in spite of trying for a number of days in every spare minute. Consequently she seems to have lost her number. While Sainsbury’s recognise that this is their fault, they say there’s nothing that they can do about it.
Anyone know how she could get her number back?
Shirley Williams said:
Having trouble getting connected, gave PAC no to Talk mobile told to switch off phone between 10 and 4pm today- no network coverage yet and can only get through to voicemail which doesn’t even give an option for my query- feel like going with another provide. Disappointed
Jamie said:
Do they charge for a pac code if I do not say yes or no to one within 20 days?
Ken replied:
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your comment. You should never be charged for requesting your PAC Code from any network – it should be free and it’s your legal entitlement. Once you have a PAC Code, it’ll be valid for 30 days if you want to move to another network. If you use the PAC Code, your old contract will be ended (there might be an early termination fee or something along those lines). If you don’t use the PAC Code, your old contract should continue as before and there shouldn’t be any additional charges.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Personwithanose said:
Extremely helpful and informative — thank you for spending the time so I didn’t have to.
Nas said:
Any idea if it is possible to transfer the number if both the old and new simcards are outside the UK.
I am currently on 3 network and living abroad for an extended period. I would like to divert any incoming calls to my foreign number but this costs a fortune on 3 network (over £1 a minute) so I was hoping to get a sim which is more cost effective for international calling and transfer the number whilst I am abroad.
PS: I can get the new sim delivered to me outside the UK via friends / family.
Many thanks
Nas
Ken replied:
Hi Nas,
Thanks for your comment. The truth is I’m not really sure the answer to this question. As I understand it, the reason why you need to be in the UK is so the mobile network is able to update your SIM card (e.g. re-provisioning your phone number over the air). Presumably, this is only possible when you’re connected directly to their network, and not when you’re roaming on a partner network abroad. So my guess is no but that’s by no means a definitive answer – I’ve never actually tried this myself!
Ken
Khandice said:
I upgraded from Samsung galaxy s4 to an iPhone 6s recently and I would like to keep my old number but I can’t seem to transfer my old number to the new sim it’s asking for a PAC code but when I ring 333 it’s not giving me the giving me the option to speak to someone about getting one is there another way I can do it
Ken replied:
Hi Khandice,
Thanks for your comment. If you call Three on 333 during their normal office hours (Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm, Sat-Sun 9am – 6pm), you should be given the option to talk to a person (I believe it’ll be the final option in their menu). You’ll be able to get a PAC Code from Customer Services.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Mel said:
The pac code I have been given does not work, could I have been given a incorrect pac code? I need to keep my number!
Ken replied:
Hi Mel,
Thanks for your comment. First of all, were you given a PAC Code in the normal nine-digit format (three letters followed by six numbers)? If not, it’s possible you’ve been given a different type of code (e.g. a PUK or PUK2 code). If you have received a nine-digit code from your mobile network, it might be worth double-checking this with your mobile operator (e.g. in case they made a mistake when reading it out on the phone).
Hope this helps,
Ken
John L said:
It took me a couple of weeks to get mt PAC code from The Peoples Operator after several emails & giving them a roasting on Facebook.
At the same time we applied for a PAC code for my wife’s phone but we still haven’t received it.
I read somewhere that under an Ofcom ruling we are entitled to reasonable compensation.
How do we claim this please?
John L replied:
My wife e-mailed The Peoples Operator today & gave them 2 hours to provide the PAC code as per the Ofcom ruling after which time she would apply for compensation.
The PAC code was e-mailed within an hour.
John L said:
Last Friday I got my PAC from TPO & have given it to Life Mobile.
The number I want porting from TPO went dead yesterday but it hasn’t yet been ported to Life Mobile.
Apparently since TPO & Life Mobile both use the EE network & have the same PAC reference of TSL the transfer has to be done manually & will take a week which to me seems bizzare if I’m basically on the same network.
I was told that it would take a week but I didn’t realise that my TPO service would end several days before the number was ported.
This has meant that I can no longer receive service calls from my customers for my small business nor can I access my Yahoo e-mail account as it has text verification & of course Yahoo can’t send me a text with the access code.
So my tip to anyone porting a number & who uses Yahoo, facebook eyc. text verification, turn it off untill your number has been ported.
John L replied:
All sorted. I phoned Life Mobile this morning & my old number was ported across this afternoon so you can’t get much quicker than that.
Also Life Mobile customer service is very good with the phone being answered in a couple of rings.
I left The Peoples Operator due to their appalling customer service where it could take days of constant phoning before I even got answered.
Karen said:
We won’t EE give me my pac number as had left them and owe a bit of money.
Have they the right to with hold my number
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your comment. EE is not allowed to refuse you a PAC Code for unpaid bills. You can see this proof of this on the Ofcom website: “Your provider cannot refuse to issue a PAC if you have any outstanding bills or charges to pay.”
Saying that, when you close your old contract on EE, you may receive an early termination fee for ending your contract early. EE will still have the right to chase you for payment that is due on this fee.
Ken
Ben said:
Hi Ken
I’m the bill payee for my ex partners phone on 3 . It’s on a sim only pay monthly deal. Things have become strained and they have the Puk code and also have password protected the phone account on 3 . I am concerned that I appear to have no control in relation to anything that is happening with this phone account. I do not want to be a) liable if excessive usage occurs, b) I do not want them to be able to transfer that number to another network or to another account on 3 , how do I keep this number , how do I stop them doing it without my authorisation etc, they have the puk code iMei number , know my dob address etc for contacting 3 helplines , how do I access the account details when they refuse to give the password info. Lots of questions I know !!! I don’t want to loose the number or give it up, the account isn’t due for renewal for another 10 months.
Ken replied:
Hi Ben,
Sorry to hear about the situation you’re in. Unfortunately, I can’t really give you very much specific advice in this situation. However, if you’re concerned about the security of your account, the best thing to do would be to call Three Customer Services on 333. They’ll probably be the best people to help you out.
Ken
Jk said:
Excellent advice. Very helpful. Thanks Ken.
Tony said:
I have been on Vodafone pay as you go for 15 yrs with same number,my old boss gave me the phone all them yrs ago different phone but same SIM card I am wanting to go sim only with orange,so rang Vodafone up for pac number but they wouldn’t give me it because the sim was registered in my bosses name I have rang him and asked him to ring Vodafone and he said he would.He hasn’t got back to me yet but I have had a text from Vodafone with just 5 numbers is this the code
Tony replied:
Thanks Ken very helpful
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, this 5-digit code isn’t a PAC Code – it’s probably a PIN/PIN2/PUK/PUK2 code. A PAC Code will always be 9 digits long (three letters followed by six numbers).
Ken
James said:
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your time and effort on the website and answering questions!
A family member had been abroad for some time and instructed her mobile phone carrier, Orange, to end her UK contract without retrieving a PAC code. She has now returned and would ideally like to retrieve her UK number. The elapsed time since the contract was terminated has been around 3 months. The number has not been given to someone else as the number does not connect.
Do you have any advice on retrieving the number please?
Many thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi James,
Thank you for the kind words!
In regards to your question, the bad news is unfortunately you can’t normally reclaim a phone number once the contract has been closed (you must transfer the phone number elsewhere with a PAC Code before ending the contract).
Saying this, you can always give Orange a call in case they’re able to get the phone number back (obviously, there’s no guarantees but it’s always worth calling to double check).
Sorry – as this probably isn’t the answer you wanted to hear 🙁
Ken
John Porter said:
I wonder if you have any information on transferring telephone numbers in France.
I have a French mobile number issued by LeFrenchMobile, who are a subsidiary if Transatel.
SOSH a subsidiary company of Orange France are saying it is impossible to transfer my french mobile number to their mobile network.
Is this legal?
Kind regards,
Ken replied:
Hi John,
Thanks for your comment. Sorry – unfortunately, I don’t have any information about the number transfer process over in France (it’s a totally different system to here in the UK). There’s some info here from the French mobile telecom regulator – not sure if it’ll be of use to you?
Ken
ashlie said:
Will i have to send my phone back?
Ken replied:
Hi Ashlie,
There shouldn’t be any need to send your handset back – it’s your own property rather than being the property of your mobile network.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Kathryn Taylor said:
Hi,
My service provision with Mobile By Sainsburys is ending. I have requested a PAC code. However, I am currently overseas and will be for some time. I can purchase an international SIM card over here, but how do I keep the same number? Will it still ask me for a PAC code? Obviously, I cannot get another UK SIM and get it activated out here. Any help would be appreciated!
Ken replied:
Hi Kathryn,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, you’ll only be able to transfer your phone number to another UK-based SIM card. Are you able to get a UK SIM card (e.g. ASDA Mobile or giffgaff) sent out to an address in the UK? Perhaps to a friend or family member in the UK? If so, you can port your number in to that network before the Mobile by Sainsbury’s service closes in January.
Ken
Tracey cross said:
I have been with Vodafone on contract for many years. Customer service is gone from awful to dreadful. So I cancelled a month ago. I was given my disconnection date. A week later and my sim is still active. I have just rung them for the fifth time this month and after 45 mins of waiting and cost as it was on a landline I was told they had no record of me cancelling at the end of my contract. To make matters worse they have just taken a direct debit from my bank.
They are a nightmare. The staff haven’t a clue what’s going on. I’m sure they never record your phone calls.
They are now saying I have to give another thirty days to cancel. I can just see this going on forever. Any advice would be welcome.
Nanou said:
Hi Ken,
I have my pac code and sent it to O2, but it hasn’t transferred. I’m not sure why. Could this be amended?
Ken replied:
Hi Nanou,
Thanks for your comment. The expected timeframe for your number transferring can be found here (it should normally happen on the next working day, but it can be an extra working day if you give the PAC Code in the evening). If you didn’t receive a confirmation message from O2 or if the expected time frame has already passed, it’s worth giving them a quick call (dial 202 on your O2 handset).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Amir said:
Does anyone know if i can unlock a Nokia 515 having some trouble doing it! Its locked to Vodafone but there isn any MVNO’s on voda now sainsburys has gone
I tried online but said no code! There has to be a code uou can’t have a phone locked forever! Thanks
Amir
P.s still no life and delight mobile reviews ken lol
Ken replied:
Hi Amir,
Thanks for your comment. For MVNOs using the Vodafone network, I recommend taking a look at the guide here (if you need a Vodafone MVNO there’s still Lebara and Talkmobile left).
With regards to unlocking the handset from Vodafone, it might also be worth giving them a call (if they sold the handset, they should normally have access to an unlocking code).
Finally, thanks for the feedback regarding the LIFE Mobile and Delight Mobile networks. I haven’t got round to reviewing them yet – it is on the wish list at the moment but just struggling to find the time to get around to doing it!
Ken
Amir replied:
I think they wanted £20 and you have to use the sim for 30 days in the phone! I find this a bit ridiculous as i would have to top up to use then top up £20 to pay for unlock! Talkmobile is a good deal and they are now owned by Voda and not Carphone!
Voda don’t seem to like MVNO’s but i do like the sound of the life mobile as i do not need a 1,000 mins from talk mobile! However LIFE is owned by EE and on that network.
Not sure what to do now. Yep i look forward to your LIFE and delight reviews Ken keep up the good work!
sangami said:
hi I am recently on contact with EE but i am planning to keep my contact but change my number to different network. is it possible to get my PAC code from EE if i want keep the contact with different number
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Unfortunately, your contract will be ended when you use the PAC Code to transfer your number to another network. Unfortunately, I’m not aware of any workarounds for keeping the contract after transferring your number out 🙁
Ken
Karen said:
Hi, in September I called Vodafone and told them I wanted to switch from pay monthly to pay as you go as I was moving to Ireland but wanted to keep my phone and number for my frequent trips back to England. I was told my phone would be migrated on 23 October but it wasn’t. I spent hours on the phone to Vodafone that afternoon and, after being passed from department to department, was told two stories. The first one was that they’d forgotten to migrate my phone and the second one was that they were experiencing technical issues and the problem would be resolved in 3-5 days. I also noticed that I could no longer log into My Vodafone and when I called Vodafone the automated system did not recognise my number. Last week I spoke to an agent on live chat and was told he could see that my phone would be migrated at midnight and all I needed to do was turn the phone off and reboot. That didn’t work. I called Vodafone again (70 minutes of being on hold and passed from department to department) only to be told that my contract was cancelled and my number was therefore lost to me forever. No apology/explanation. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was promised a call back … no call back received. I again contacted Vodafone on live chat and was promised by a supervisor that he would resolve the problem … I’m not holding my breath! I guess the question is …. is my phone number (which I’ve had for 10 years) really lost forever?
Michael bone said:
Hi I have swapped my number over to ee my phone calls have swapped over but my text go to my old phone how do I sort this out
Ken replied:
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your comment. Are you talking about SMS text messages or are they messages sent through iMessage, WhatsApp or other applications? If it’s the latter, you can fix this issue by setting up the applications on your new smartphone. I recommend having a look at the section here (also the part about iMessage if you were using that on your phone).
Ken
Kerry said:
EE account was in ex partner name he’s has cancelled account EE won’t give me PAC code not in my name how can I get PAC code.
Ken replied:
Hi Kerry,
Sorry to hear about the situation. Unfortunately, for security reasons, a PAC Code can only be given to the account holder. Furthermore, it’s not possible to get a PAC Code once the account has already been closed. Sorry I couldn’t be of any assistance in this situation 🙁
Ken
Murad said:
Hi my account has now been terminated, is there any way of getting a PAC
Ken replied:
Hi Murad,
If you’d like to get a definitive answer, the best thing to do is to call your mobile network. In general, however, it’s not possible to recover the phone number & to get a PAC Code once the account has been terminated.
Ken
Juliet said:
Hi, I stumbled across this great webpage whilst in the throes of changing my mobile phone provider. I am not a novice, but found your website to be so useful, and a real godsend, pointing me in the right direction for dealing with PAC codes & contacting my new provider.
Thank you for making the process so easy to follow!
Michael said:
Hi!
May I just compliment you on the excellence of this website that I discovered by chance tonight. The site is very well designed information is presented in delightfully clear and understandable language. It is a real pleasure to navigate the site and I will certainly be very happy to recommend it to friends and family as a great resource.
Many thanks.
Michael
Michael said:
Hi!
I wonder if I may ask a question about transferring a mobile number. I am currently with O2 but for various reasons am thinking of changing to another network. However, I would like to experience the other network for a couple of weeks before closing my O2 account. My question is this – would it be possible to use a new network SIM (in my existing unlocked phone) for say 3 or 4 weeks BEFORE giving them my PAC code and requesting transfer of my existing O2 number to the new SIM. Or does the transfer have to take place at the same time as the new SIM is activated?
I hope that makes sense.
Michael
Ken replied:
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your comment. You can most certainly try out the new network without transferring your existing number there (in fact, this is something I strongly recommend). A good way of doing this is by ordering yourself a free Pay As You Go SIM card (this will allow you to test the coverage, etc). You can also do this on a Pay Monthly contract but cancellation is typically much harder.
Your phone number can be transferred at any time to the new SIM card by going through the normal PAC Code process.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Michael replied:
Many thanks for your very clear and helpful reply, sir. It is much appreciated.
Michael
James Bennett said:
Hi Ken
I’m looking to change my mobile number and searched on google and this website came up. I noticed you’re answering all of the questions on here so hopefully you can answer mine too!
Basically I’ve got a new mobile contract and the mobile number I have been given is awful. I have been looking to change my number and found a website online which allows me to pick the last 6 digits of my mobile number and then buy that mobile number. If I get the number and get the PAC code, can I just call my existing network, give them the new number and PAC code and change my phone number without affecting my contract? Thanks in advance!
James
Ken replied:
Hi James,
That’s right – you can move the phone number at any time without affecting your new contract. If you choose to buy a “golden phone number”, you can use a PAC Code to move it to your preferred mobile network.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Sarah said:
Hi i put my notice in with ee on 13th September i called today to request my pac code and they say I’ll need to give another 30 days notice?
Is that correct?
Ken replied:
Hi Sarah,
It should only be necessary to give your notice once – hence the 30 days should apply from the 13th September. It would, however, be advisable to check this with EE.
Ken
Hannah said:
I was wondering if anybody could help me at all..
My phone broke last December when I was already outside my contract so once I found a good deal with a new provider I Internet chatted with 3 to cancel my contract (stupid looking back but it is a valid option and as I has no phone I couldn’t call).
At the end of the lengthy process of cancelling I decided to ask for a Pac code incase I wanted keep my number when I moved.
9 months later I find out 3 have never cancelled my contract and have still been billing me as because the Pac code went unused.
I was never told they would use the pac code as a way and I had already explicitly told them to terminate the contract. They can see my phone has not been used once since then. My T&C’s simply state that once outside my contract I need to give 30 days notice to terminate which I did.
Got nowhere with customer services, although they did recognise I had Internet chat last December and asked for a Pac code, and are again asking for a 30 day notice to cancel the contract.
Can a Pac code be used this way when I explicitly requested a termination of contract?
Ken replied:
Hi Hannah,
Sorry to hear about your experiences ending a contract on Three. The confusion has probably arised because there are two different ways of ending a contract:
1. With the PAC Code system, your old mobile network continues to provide a service until the point where you actually use the PAC Code (this is to ensure continuity of service). Your old mobile network should not terminate the phone number (otherwise, the phone number is lost and you won’t be able to transfer it to another network).
2. With cancellation, it’s a totally different matter. You’ll agree an end date with your network and your service & phone number will both be terminated on that date.
In your situation, it sounds like you wanted option #2 but Three actually executed option #1. Your rights, therefore, probably depend on how clear you were with the instructions to Three. It’s probably worth trying to retrieve a copy of your internet chat – you can also file a complaint via the Three website (they might be able to look back at your previous phone calls and chats).
Best of luck in resolving the dispute,
Ken
S said:
Hi I am leaving the EE network within the 14 day cooling period (new contract) and have ported my no to the network and now want to continue to keep my number but been told that it will incur a charge of £1000 if I request a PAC code as I have only just ported to them.
How can this be?
Ken replied:
Hi S,
Typically, when you cancel a contract, you’ll need to pay off the remaining charges for your 24-month contract (in your case, this will be the monthly payment times by 24 – hence £1000 to end your contract early). Anyway, as you’re ending the contract under the cooling off period, the early termination fee shouldn’t apply. It’s probably worth stating this to EE very explicitly when getting your PAC Code – otherwise they may try to close your account under early termination instead of the cooling-off period.
Ken
Helen Woods said:
Hi Ken, I am trying to get a PAC from Vodafone and still waiting on my land line after half an hour. Before that 35 mins on my mobile before lost power, reason for using my landline . Is there any thing else I can do? So frustrating Helen
Ken replied:
Hi Helen,
Sorry to hear about the problems getting through to Vodafone Customer Services. Unfortunately, this is the only way of getting a PAC Code so you’ll need to hold on until the phone call connects. At the moment, Ofcom is considering a move to recipient-led porting. Under the new proposed system, you would only contact the network you’re moving to (hence, avoiding long phone calls and time stuck in a call queue like you’re experiencing at the moment).
Ken
Carly said:
Hello I’m currently with id but I need to change my number as I’m being harassed how do I achieve this?
Ken replied:
Hi Carly,
Sorry to hear about the situation. The best way to change your phone number will be to contact iD Mobile Customer Services. You can do this by calling 7777 on your iD handset (0333 003 7777 if you’re calling from any other phone). The guys there should be able to help you with the request.
Best wishes,
Ken
Adam said:
I found out recently that on EE once you request a PAC code you can’t then be upgraded instead. Don’t know if that applies to other networks but I wasn’t aware that could be an issue.
Alex said:
Is it possible to transfer another number to existing contract and take number from that contract to another provider?
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to do a simultaneous port-in & port-out (see “other things to know” in the article above). In your case, porting your number from Account B to Account C will lead to Account B being closed automatically. As Account B is closed after the transfer, it’ll prevent you from moving the phone from Account A to Account B.
Ken
Dale said:
Hi Ken,
I bought a Lebara pay-as-you-go Nokia 105 when visiting the U.K. to avoid roaming charges on my usual mobile (which is on the Jersey Telecom network). Unfortunately, as I visit the U.K. infrequently, the next time I visited the Lebara mobile did not work as I had not added any credit for several months.
I want to unlock the handset so that I can use any SIM in it. Do you know how I can do that, please?
Thank you.
With kind regards,
Dale
Ken replied:
Hi Dale,
Thanks for your comment. According to the Lebara Mobile website, all of their handsets are provided unlocked. Hence, you shouldn’t need to worry about unlocking your handset.
With regards to the expiry of your SIM card, Lebara will disable any SIM card that isn’t used for a period of 84 days. This is why the SIM card will no longer function.
Ken
Patrick said:
Hello Ken, i want move from EE to Three. Im on pay monthly and my contract ending at April 2016. Can i move now or i need to wait when my EE contract ends? And what i need to do? Cheers
Ken replied:
Hi Patrick,
Thanks for your comment. It’s possible to move your phone number between networks at any time you like 🙂 The only thing to possibly be aware of is early termination fees for ending your contract early (it’s likely you’ll need to pay off the rest of your contract until April 2016).
Ken
Amy said:
Hi, I’ve just upgraded to an iPhone 6 on ee through the Carphone warehouse and was previously on orange/ee, but I was given a new sim with a new number, I was wondering if the number will automatically change or if I have to get the pac code?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Amy,
Thanks for your comment. This would totally depend on whether your iPhone was provided to you as a new customer or as an upgrade on your old network. If you’re moving to another network, you’ll need to go through the process of transferring your phone number. If you’re staying on the same network, you should contact customer services to see what will happen to your account.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Jessica Langford said:
Hello,
I’m due to upgrade my contract in a couple of days but the upgrade is on a different network. I understand I have to phone my current provider for a PAC Code. I only have a month left in my contract but I’m taking the standard upgrade. On EE’s website the PAC Code is free but other charges will apply. I just wanted to know will I be expected to pay the final month of my contract? Is that what EE means by other charges apply?
Ken replied:
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your comment. The PAC Code itself will be free but you might need to pay charges associated with closing your account on EE. If you’re terminating your contract early, you’re normally expected to pay off the contract. If you’re no longer within the minimum term of your contract, there may still be a 30 day notice period (if so, you may need to pay an additional 30 days from when you tell EE you want to move to another network). The best way of finding out your exact charges would be contacting EE and asking them directly.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ann said:
Hi Ken,
I just received an email that the network that I am with is ending their mobile telephone service and required me to transfer to a different network. I am currently abroad not in the UK. Is it still possible to do the transfer while I am abroad or has to be in UK as the current network provider is in UK. Would like to stay with a UK network provider and won’t be back into the country for a while to do the transfer before the 31st August 2015.
Please advise.
Thanks.
Ann
Ken replied:
Hi Ann,
Thanks for your comment. I assume you’ve been caught out in the closure of Family Mobile? 🙁
Unfortunately, I don’t know the answer to your question. It might be the case that only your new SIM card needs to be in the UK (in which case, you can ask a friend or family member to get the SIM card for you and you can action the transfer remotely on the internet). Unfortunately, you would still need to return to the UK to later pick up that new SIM card. It might be worth asking the team at Family Mobile: they might be able to shed more light on this matter.
Sorry I couldn’t be of any more help,
Ken
Ann replied:
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your reply. You are smart to have guess the network that is ending their service.
Have a good day.
Ann
Khubb said:
Hi Ken,
I wish to swap my PAYG number to my new Pay monthly on a different network but keep the new Paymonthly number to put back on a PAYG sim. (swapping numbers) Can this be done by obtaining 2 PAC codes from the networks and switching on the same day or will one be lost?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Khubb,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to swap the phone number on two accounts. This is because when you use the PAC Code, the phone number on the network you’re porting into will automatically be lost and will be replaced by the number you’re porting in. There’s more information in the things to know section.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Pumi said:
HI Ken,
This site is great – Thanks Ken.
I’ve just signed up a Corporate account with EE and most of the employees will be porting their numbers across from their current providers. EE will provide the devices with the EE number:
Question: is the EE number the ‘Temporary Mobile number’ that employees can give out to their friends and families, whilst their number is being ported across? And as soon as their number has ported across the EE number will disconnect?
Thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Pumi,
Thanks for your comment. The temporary phone number is what you get by default on the EE SIM card. If your employees choose to port their personal number in, the temporary phone number is returned to EE and will no longer work for receiving calls and texts. Given it typically takes only around 1 working day to port the number over, there probably isn’t a huge amount of value in your employees giving out the temporary phone number from EE.
One thing that’s probably worth checking is how EE deals with employees who leave the company. If employees choose to port in their personal phone number, there can sometimes be complications when they want to get the phone number back out (e.g. there might be an early termination fee or they might need to continue the contract in their own name). See comments #1, #2 and #3.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ellen said:
I have transferred for virgin. It’s been days now since I used my PAC and my old number still has not ported. To make it even worse despite ringing and getting transferred around the houses. I still did not get any help.
Ken replied:
Hi Ellen,
Sorry to hear about the issues having transferred your phone number to Virgin. Unfortunately, you’ll need to contact Virgin directly about this problem: you can call Virgin Customer Services on 789 (0345 6000 789 if you’re calling from a non-Virgin phone). They should be able to investigate this for you and should let you know why the incoming calls are failing.
Ken
Dawn said:
Hi,
Hope you can help?!
I am currently with vodafone, long overdue an upgrade so not tied in. My husband is on a sim only contract under my account (I think – we only get the one statement/dd taken). We have been unsuccessful in getting a KKO mobile scam payment stopped, which is currently being charged weekly against my husbands contract! Therefore I want us to change network…. We have both had our mobile numbers since day one and my husband uses his alot for work so I am just trying to find out: if we change network using a PAC code (to keep our numbers), will simply changing network and having a new account stop the KKO mobile payments or will the scam subscription continue to be taken? Does that make sense? We don’t want to change number(s) unless we have to.
Can you confirm?
Thanks!
Ken replied:
Hi Dawn,
Sorry to hear about the problems you’ve experienced with the KKO scam. With regards to your question, I’m not sure whether the subscription will transfer over to another network (I suspect there’s a good chance it will). Have you tried contacting Vodafone and asking them to put a bar on these messages? Vodafone should be able to put an account-wide bar on premium-rate SMS (more info over on this page). I recommend you also contact PhonePayPlus, which is the UK’s regulator for premium-rate text messages. They should be able to help you get your money back (the initiating company can also be fined up to £250,000 for each violation).
Good luck,
Ken
Trouble said:
Hi , I ,I lost my phone 2 days ago and I wanted to know how I can retrieve the number that I had . ? Thank you
Ken replied:
Hi there,
You should contact your mobile phone network as quickly as possible. This is so you can put a bar on the SIM card. Your mobile network should also be able to send you a replacement SIM card through the post.
Ken
pr2hy said:
Hi
I am currently on EE sim only deal in the UK. I will be moving to Spain in a couple of months. Is there a way I can keep my mobile phone number and transfer it onto a local Spanish mobile network?
Regards
pr2hy
Ken replied:
Hi pr2hy,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to transfer a UK mobile number to a network in another country. If you’re moving to Spain and want to continue receiving calls on your old number, the only option will be to roam on a UK-based SIM card. It typically costs 4.9p/minute to receive a phone call when you’re in the EU (receiving a text message will always be free). If you’re going abroad for less than three months, Feel At Home is free to use in Spain. For more information, take a look at my guide on using your smartphone in Spain.
Ken
Kathryn Hulme said:
Ken,
Many thanks for your help – the process has finally worked 🙂
GJ said:
Hi Ken,
I was in a contract with 3 which ended in March15. I called them and informed them of my wish not to renew my contract with them.
Then I asked for the PAC code which I have received but not used.
After 2 months I saw a bill from them and learned that they are still charging me for my expired contract. They are saying that since I have not used the PAC code the contract is still active and need further 30 days notice which I think is a unfair as i have already let my intention known to them.
Do you think 3 is right or is their any way i can get away from paying the bill as i haven’t used their network since I have talked to them in March.
Many thanks,
Gj
Ken replied:
Hi GJ,
Thanks for your comment. The normal process with regards to a PAC Code is the old contract continues as normal if the PAC Code isn’t used within a 30-day period (this is to allow for people who later decide not to change their network). If this wasn’t the case, people would inadvertently lose their service and their mobile phone number.
In your case, the question comes down to whether it was sufficiently clear that the contract was to be ended after 30 days, regardless of whether the PAC Code was used. You’ll need to discuss this with Three directly, perhaps by making an online complaint here. I expect they’ll return to a recording of your previous conversation when determining whether notice was given.
Ken
Tyler said:
What time does the transfer take place? And when should I start loosing signal? I rung up three and gave them my pac code and they did it for me!
Ken replied:
Hi Tyler,
The phone number transfer takes place as per the schedule listed here. Unfortunately, you can’t predict the exact time it’ll happen on the transfer day (it’s really up to the two networks involved).
Ken
Cynthia Southgate said:
I have been trying for three weeks to give notice that I don’t want to renew my contract at this time with T Mobile, but want the PAC code to keep the number for use in the future.
Evertime I ring the automated system… at various stages it says the number I’ve pressed is “Not on my list” if I’m lucky it puts me in a queue to speak to someone. They then invariably put me through to the cancellation line where it rings half a dozen times then says “Please hang up”
Today after being told previously to phone back on April 22nd, then again today May 5th I finally spoke to an Irish guy who said the contract was now cancelled but that I’d need to pay another £25.46 to cover the rental for another 30 days. The Irish guy then went off to get my PAC code and low and behold after a few minutes I was told to hang up.!!!
What is going on
A What is my PAC code
B If my contract exopires today…Why wasn’t my 1 months notice accepted when I first phoned in early April? Is this just a rouse to delay me from ending my contract
Needless to say I am highly unimpressed
Natasha Lee said:
My new t p o card works on their number but having called o2 for my pac code they’ve cut my service off! Its saturday so I’m out of reach of work colleagues until the transfer is completed on tuesday. I’m really cross- I’m supposed to be on call! The old number is out of service!
Edit: Reinstated by o2 after lengthy chat online!
Michael said:
Hello Ken
Do you happen to know how I can get a PAC code for an older mobile number account (it ended 2years ago)? I need it as the only way to get my blog password reminder from the fully automated google blogspot is via text from my old number!
Best wishes
Michael
Ken replied:
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it’s now highly unlikely you’ll be able to re-claim the expired phone number. The number would have been returned to the pool and will eventually be made available for other customers to use. If you like, you can always try contacting your old network to see if they’re able to get the number back (though I suspect it’s unlikely they’ll be able to do this).
Sorry I wasn’t able to be more helpful!
Ken
Matt said:
I cancelled my Orange contract and requested a PAC code which was provided. I have a new deal with EE and my number ported across within a day. However. My old orange sim is still working on the original number – should it not now be unusable?
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
Thanks for your comment. Could you kindly clarify what has happened to your phone number? Are incoming calls coming to Orange or EE? Which phone number is currently on the EE SIM card? If the EE phone number still has a temporary number and if incoming phone calls are still coming to Orange then it would look as if the number transfer process hasn’t been completed.
Ken
Matt replied:
Hi
Yes the EE sim has my old number so the PAC worked. However, the old orange sim is still working? Is that right or should it now not work?
Matt
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
That’s really interesting: the old SIM card is normally disabled once the number has been moved over using a PAC Code. I presume you’re no longer able to receiving incoming calls on the Orange phone number but you’re still able to make outgoing ones? Something odd may have happened: it might be worth double-checking with EE Customer Services on 150 to make sure they’re not still charging you for two contracts.
Ken
Matt replied:
Orange said I had to give 30 days notice. Would this make a difference? Yes all incoming goes to EE but orange will allow outgoing as same number
Ken replied:
Hi Matt,
You can end the contract at any time: the 30 days notice only means you’ll need to pay for that contract for another 30 days. It’s possible the contract will automatically end after your 30 day period but I’d probably double-check with Orange directly in case they’ll continue charging you beyond that point.
Ken
Jayne said:
I was wondering if you could help? I recently upgraded from the iPhone 4s to the iPhone 6 and when doing so changed network providers – from Three to EE. I did this at Carphone Warehouse who gave me 24 hours to check to see if I was happy with the phone etc., and with this came a temporary number.
When I got my PAC number, I transferred all the data from my iPhone 4 to iPhone 6 relatively smoothly through the cloud. However, looking at my computer under the itunes store, it had 5 devices listed – laptop, two old iPhones, my new iphone and my ipad. I have deleted one of my old iPhones but my new iPhone is listed with the temporary phone number they gave me instead of the mobile phone number I have used for 15 years. This was probably my fault for not waiting until my phone stopped working on the Three network – new to all this (changing networks). I guess eagerness got the better of me.
I would like my current number (not temporary) to show on my devices displayed in itunes just in case something goes wrong. Is there any way of me being able to do this? I am wondering if I should remove this device from ‘managing devices’ on itunes and ‘reset’ the whole process. Does that make any sense? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.
Ken replied:
Hi Jayne,
Thanks for your comment. On your new iPhone 6, go to Settings > Phone > My Number. There, you should enter the new and correct number which you’re using on the phone. After doing so, re-sync your iPhone with iTunes (it should hopefully now show the correct number).
Ken
Jayne replied:
Thank you Ken – it worked! Appreciate your help 🙂
Paul said:
Hello Ken !!
Your website is brilliant!
I would like to know why is necessary to be in UK on the day of transference?
My best regards
Paul
Ken replied:
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment. On the day of your scheduled number transfer, your operator will need to remotely update the information stored on your SIM card. This is only possible when you’re connected to their network (it can’t be done when you’re roaming on a network in another country).
Hope this helps,
Ken
petra said:
waited over 20minutes for lyca to answer my call to get my pac code, still no answer.
Vrushali said:
Hi, By mistakenly I have activated lyca sim before porting my old number. Do u have any solution to port my old no and then re transfer to lyca…
Ken replied:
Hi Vrushali,
It’s no problem at all you’ve already activated the SIM card on Lycamobile (in fact, I strongly recommend you activate the SIM card and make sure everything is working before moving your number over). Take a look at my article here for step-by-step instructions on moving your number over to Lycamobile.
Ken
Owais said:
Hi of submitted a PAC Code on Thursday after 5:30pm does that mean I get my number transferred on Saturday?
Ken replied:
Hi Owais,
Thanks for your comment. As you submitted the PAC Code on late Thursday evening, it would have only been entered into the PAC Code system on Friday. Hence, your number will now be transferred on the next working day after that (Monday). For more information, see the table here.
Ken
Paul said:
Hi Ken,
What a fantastic website. Please can you help me with my dilemma? My mobile phone contract with O2 has always been in my wife’s name. Unfortunately we have split up and she closed the account! I have managed to persuade her to reactivate my number, this happened a week ago. I have asked her to transfer it into my name, she says she has asked for the PAC number so as I can get a pay as you go contract with Vodafone. It’s been a week now and she says she is waiting for them to email her the PAC number? As I have the phone and number if I call O2 will they text the PAC number to me? I don’t know any of the security codes as she always had control of everything. If not is there anyway I can get the PAC number myself?
Many thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Paul,
Sorry to hear about the dilemma. Unfortunately, I believe, the mobile phone network will only be able to release the PAC Code to the person who owns the account (this is to prevent the phone number from being stolen). You’ll need to ask her to get the PAC Code from O2: they should normally issue this immediately over the phone (in fact, it’s a legal requirement for them to issue the PAC Code within 2 hours of your request). It should be in the bill payer’s interest to provide the PAC code to you as quickly as possible (otherwise, they’ll continue paying the subscription fee on the old contract).
Wishing you all the best in resolving this situation,
Ken
Malik said:
Hi, I would like to know if I can order Sim with the numbers of my own choice? Or I can get some options before you sent me the Sim.
I want to order either a lebara or lyca Sim.
Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Malik,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to choose your own phone number when ordering a SIM card from Lebara Mobile or Lycamobile. Family Mobile is the only network I’m currently aware of which allows you to choose your own phone number for free (£10 top-up required when you order your SIM card). Of course, once you have the new phone number, you can use a PAC Code to move it to your new network.
Hope this helps,
Ken
A.D said:
Hi Ken,
I have a very complicated case, which I could do with some help. Last year I was with this phone company called Ovivo. They were a phone company that used Vodafone Network coverage. When they went out of business, they offered PAC codes to all their customers. I did not use the PAC code unfortunately. A year on, the sim card still works (but has no credit), people can ring me and when I have wifi, I happily imessage/whatsapp/viber etc.
Is there any way of topping up the sim card despite Ovivo gone? Or managing to keep the number via an alternative to the PAC code. Vodafone on the phone said that if I went into a store they could put it into an “internal system” and I could top it up. I sadly believed that! When I went into the store, they brushed it off and said that was rubbish, and they couldn’t think of a way for me to keep the number.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Ken replied:
Hi AD,
Thanks for your comment. I am indeed aware of OVIVO though I’m not quite sure what has happened to the old OVIVO SIM cards. You can still receive incoming phone calls as the other party pays for the call. However, I don’t believe you can do anything that would normally cost you money (e.g. you can’t make outgoing phone calls and you can’t browse the internet on 3G). For this reason, I don’t believe you’re able to top up the SIM card.
To continue using your handset, you’ll need to get the number out of Vodafone’s internal system. It’s probably best to ask them to do this in writing but there’s no guarantees as OVIVO stopped offering PAC Codes a long time ago.
All the best,
Ken
charlotte said:
Not sure if I posted in right place … I have had my lebara number stolen well my phone it’s not on contract …. and I would like to know how I can cancel it and still have same number put on another sim I don’t have a home line to call customer services and it’s expensive from my other mobile
Ken replied:
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for your comment. Could you kindly elaborate on how your number was stolen (was it through fraudulent use of a PAC Code?). I didn’t quite catch the problem you’re trying to solve (has the number already been moved over to another network?). If you need to contact Lebara customer services, I recommend calling them on 020 7031 0791 (this number will only be charged at normal UK landline rates unlike the 0870 number they normally advertise).
Ken
MoodyFoodie said:
Hi,
Thank you for this site. I travel to the UK occasionally from the US but have an International version of the Samsung S5 so that I can use it in the UK too otherwise in the US I would be stuck with very high roaming fees if I tried to use it abroad.
I had been using EE PAYG the last visit, but it may have expired – using your tips I’m going to check. I was an Orange customer when living the UK so I just went to EE, but I’m going to try 3 next time based on your tips.
Unfortunately I lost my old Orange number and sim which “in the old days” used to keep going for six months and more. Unfortunately, it’s getting more like the US when you usually have to pay by month for airtime.
Many thanks and no doubt I will be back with questions. 🙂
becky said:
hi
im in dispute with vodaphone over roaming charges (£1,800!!!) which were capped whilst in Australia. i have become so frustrated with vodaphone as i have proof of the cap but cant get the ammount off my account despite being told im not liable. ive asked for the pac codes (i have 3 phone numbers) but have been refused as my account is overdue. Any ideas ??? this has been ongoing since July last year!!
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Becky,
Sorry to hear about your dispute with Vodafone. Whilst I’m not able to comment on the dispute, it’s worth noting that Vodafone isn’t allowed to refuse you a PAC Code due to an outstanding bill. Take the following quote from Ofcom’s website: “Your provider cannot refuse to issue a PAC if you have any outstanding bills or charges to pay. These charges should be included in your final bill after the port has taken place. You should then settle them as agreed in your contract.”
It’s worth reminding Vodafone of their legal obligations the next time you call them up and ask for a PAC code.
Ken
Isaac said:
Hi, I have to change my sim and get a nano sim for my iPhone 5s! How and where can I do this? How much will it be? I can still have my number! Isn’t it?
Ken replied:
Hi Isaac,
Thanks for your comment. Are you wanting to change the size of your SIM card whilst also staying on the same mobile network? If so, follow the instructions here to get a replacement SIM card. On most networks, it’s free to change your current SIM card into a Nano SIM with the exception of EE and T-Mobile where it’ll cost £10.21.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ash said:
hi ken I have just moved frm contract to pay as you go on orange on Thursday lastweek. Now I have requested for a PAC code on Friday they have told ne I will get it in 6 hours time on saturday . By now (Wednesday) they have not given me a PAC code, could you pls advise what to do. They are saying some fault on my PAC code so thy could not give me it yet
Ken replied:
Hi Ash,
Thanks for your comment. Are you simply moving from Orange Pay Monthly to Orange Pay As You Go? If so, it’s not necessary to actually have a PAC Code (Orange can potentially move the number over directly without a PAC Code). If you’re moving from another network over to Orange, it’s worth reminding your old network of their legal obligations to provide a PAC Code within two hours of your request (they’ll probably provide you with a PAC Code immediately on the phone).
Ken
Chang said:
Hi
I am going to get the S4 soon, which takes the microsim. But I am using the ace, which takes the regular sim. Will I be able to port my number from my existing sim to a microsim? I am on Lycamobile and I am on Pay as you go.
Ken replied:
Hi Chang,
Thanks for your comment. You’re looking to replace your standard-size SIM card with a smaller micro-SIM. I’m not aware of the exact procedure for doing this on Lycamobile: probably best to give Lycamobile a call on 322 to explain your situation (calls will cost 9p from your Lycamobile handset). You won’t need a PAC Code (a PAC Code is only used when transferring your number over to a different network).
Ken
Pankaj Chopra said:
Hi ken,
I am with O2 from last 22 months.My contract is getting over on April 2015. O2 contract which i am using is on my brother name. I want to change the contract on my name. is it possible on O2 or what is the best way to do as i want to use the same number.
Thank you
Pankaj Chopra
Ken replied:
Hi Panjak,
If you’d like to continue the contract with O2, you should call Customer Services and ask them to change the name of the bill payer. Alternatively, sign up for a SIM only contract in your own name and then have your number transferred to the new SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Leah said:
If you agree to getting a Pac Number but dont end up using it can you still get charged . I have been told you keep getting charged because its for the phone line rental . Ive read if you dont use the Pac number in 30 days nothing will happen , so can they still charge you ?? Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Leah,
You’ll continue paying line rental on your contract for as long as it remains active on your old network. For most people, this means they’ll continue paying line rental until their number is ported out. However, if you ask for a PAC Code and don’t use it for more than 30 days, you’ll just continue to pay the line rental on that contract as normal (this would be just as if you hadn’t requested the PAC Code in the first place).
Hope this helps to answer your question,
Ken
Sue said:
Completely out my depth sometimes where technology is concerned but thanks had never heard of a PAC code until recently when I thought it was time to move form my vintage nokia and pay as you go to contract. Really found your guidance very clear, will visit the site when ever I need help
Daniel said:
Customer Service in Vectone mobile is horrible. They will cheat you. You will not get your PAC code so easily. They will cut connection or they will promise that everything is OK and done but you will never revive the PAC code.
Viet said:
Hi, I will be changing jobs soon and have been told I can keep my work mobile number providing I take on the contract (which has 6 months left to run) for the rest of the term.
However, when I start at my new firm I will be given a new work mobile. This would be my main phone and I would keep the 6 month old contract as a second one. Is there a way of porting my phone number over to my new companies mobile whilst keeping the contract for the last 6 months? If I am to pay for the last 6 months then I might as well have the benefits of the tariff rather than paying out 6 months in one go to get the PAC or can they give me a PAC so I can take the number to my new employer and then assign a different phone number for the last 6 months that remain so I can use the remaining benefits if I am willing to pay for it?
Ken replied:
Hi Viet,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, the PAC Code system won’t allow you to keep an old contract after porting the number out (there’s no option but to close the old contract early and to pay the early termination fee which goes with doing that). The only solution I could possibly think of is to set up a call divert from your current phone number to the new work mobile. That way, you can still use the remaining 6 months for browsing the internet, making outbound calls, sending texts, etc. People can continue to call your normal phone number but the calls are instead routed to your new work mobile. After the 6 months are over, you could then use a PAC Code to move the number over to your new work mobile. You can then disable the call forwarding feature.
It’s a convoluted solution with extra points of failure so you might prefer moving the number over directly to avoid the extra hassle which goes with the set-up.
Ken
Ed said:
Hi,
I have recently ported my number away from O2. But having been on the new network for a week now, I think I do prefer O2! Can I port back to O2 and do I have to be on this new network for a minimum period before I can request a pac code? Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Ed,
There’s no minimum period you need to be on the new network: you’re able to request a PAC Code at any time.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Ed replied:
Thanks for your help. Kudos to you dude.
Mamta said:
Hi,
Can you please tell the significance of porting out between 11 to 4 and not any other time?
Ken replied:
Hi Mamta,
Thanks for your comment. Porting out can actually happen pretty much any time from 6am in the morning to 6pm in the evening. That said, some mobile networks may impose their own restrictions on the porting out time (this would probably be for business reasons, e.g. for when there’s greatest availability amongst their porting or customer services team).
Ken
Hasina said:
Hello,
What can I do if T-Mobile have disconnected my contract/number/account without me havin the chance to even ask for the PAC code? They are telling me that Carphone Warehouse have done this, while they say T-Mobile did. I did not give authorization for anyone to cancel anything. T-mboile are now telling me my number is “lost” and cannot reconnect my old number unless I pay £600.
Regards,
Hasina
Ken replied:
Hi Hasina,
I’m afraid I can’t advise on what your rights are in this specific circumstance though I would have thought they should have given you the opportunity to first retrieve a PAC Code. Your best bet would probably be to make a complaint in writing to EE: this should hopefully escalate the issue and may give you a chance to get the number back.
Best of luck,
Ken
Ivan said:
Fraudsters breached security and obtained a PAC CODE from TESCO mobile and moved my number to another provider in order to commit further banking fraud.
TESCO are extremely unhelpful and have stopped replying to my emails. Is there any way I can find out where my number was ported. Online tools can only show the original number provider but not where it has been ported.
Ken replied:
Hi Ivan,
I’m very sorry to hear about your experience – my recommendation for you or anyone else in the same situation would be to report the incident to the Action Fraud hotline. The Action Fraud unit is part of the police so they should have the right resources to follow up the issue (e.g. finding out which network the number has gone to and possibly liaising with that network to get your number back). Even if you were able to determine which network the number has currently gone to, it’s highly unlikely you’ll get anywhere with that network directly as the fraudsters would have set up the account using different information.
Best wishes and good luck in recovering your number,
Ken
Ian replied:
This happened to me when on O2 once and the number was ported out of this country as it gave an international ringtone but O2 went to their Fraud team and got it back,
Don’t see why Tesco did not I did contact them as soon as i got a message that they were ready to port my number but had to wait until it had been done
nhu tran said:
Hi, I have a few problems with my phone. Yesterday I got a message from o2 saying my old number will b port out 2day, meaning I’ll b able 2 use my old number on my new phone, then they deactivated my o2 simple card. I’ve switched my phone off 4 a whole night b4 going 2 bed since that’s what o2 recommended me 2 do but in the morning when switching it back on, my phone still shows my new number. Here’s the complicated part, my friend called me using my old number, I didn’t get that call but got a message saying I got a missed call, then I use another phone and texted myself using my old number, I got this message even though my new phone still shows my new number. I don’t understand what’s going on, please help.
Ken replied:
Hi Nhu,
Thanks for your comment. It sounds as if your new network operator is still yet to catch up with the number that’s been ported in. If the phone number is still causing problems at the end of the business day, my recommendation would be to call Customer Services (they should hopefully be able to investigate this for you).
Hope this helps,
Ken
Eduardo said:
Hi! I had a pay as go sim with vodafone – it expired on 21 november. On 22 november, I called them and I got my PAC code. On 22 november I also got a new contract with Three mobile and gave them my pac code in order to keep my number.
On 24 november I received a text message saying that the can’t move my number. Today I went to the shop and the said that there’re any problem vithe the number (not available) and I have to ask vodafone.
What can i do? Is the problem that i have any contract with vodafone?
Should i pay to vodafone to recharge the vodafone sim and make possible the moving?
Ken replied:
Hi Eduardo,
Thanks for your comment. Is your Pay As You Go account still active at Vodafone or was it manually disabled before the transfer? Your old account must still be active when the PAC Code is used to transfer your phone number. My recommendation is to get a clear reason from Three on why the PAC Code isn’t working. You should then talk to Vodafone Customer Services (dial 191 on your Vodafone handset or 03333 040 191 if you need to use another phone). They should hopefully be able to resolve the problem for you.
Good luck,
Ken
Jason said:
I’m trying to transfer my number but keep the O2 contract with a new number – is there a way to do this?
I have started a new job and they supply a phone, I want to keep my current number and put it onto this business phone. I then want to keep the O2 contract and have a new number on that – so that I can give that to my daughter (there’s a year left to run on the O2 contract). Having tried to talk to O2 I didn’t find the operator very helpful or knowledgeable – the best he could offer is “Pay £300 and terminate the O2 contract to release your number” – not good.
Any ideas as to how to do this? I was thinking PAC code for the current number and issue a new number would be simple – I can’t be the first person to try this.
Thanks for any thoughts.
J
Ken replied:
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, a quirk of the PAC Code system is that your old contract automatically ends when using a PAC Code to move your number to a new network. Hence, it wouldn’t be possible to use a PAC Code from O2 whilst also keeping your old contract active. The only way I can see it being possible is asking O2 to have your number swapped over to Pay As You Go whilst having a new number put onto your contract. You could then use the PAC Code to move your number over to the new network. Unfortunately, I’m not sure whether O2 is able to do this so it’s something you’ll need to discuss with them directly.
Best of luck,
Ken
Adam said:
Hi Ken,
I am leaving my job after 5 years and would like to take my number with me?
I do not want to cancel the contract , just change the number and issue a pac code for the old number.
EE are suggesting that the number is part of the contract and the above can’t be done unless I take the contract with me? I don’t want to do this and my office does not want me to do this – they are happy for me to take the number though.
I have spoken to three different people who have been most insistent – I fail to understand why they can’t issue a new sim/number for this contract?
What would you advise?
Ken replied:
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your comment. Within the PAC Code system, using a PAC code to transfer your number to another network will automatically close the account on your network. Hence, it would be possible to use a PAC Code to transfer your number to a personal account on a different mobile network. Unfortunately, this would also close the account at EE and it’s possibly your business could be charged an early termination fee (it depends on the type of contract you’re on). If you want to do this within the EE network, it would either be necessary to cancel the old contract or to take the contract with you to a personal account.
To answer your question directly, there really isn’t any technical reason why EE couldn’t swap your number to a new personal account whilst keeping the old business contract but with a newly-issued phone number. I suspect this is more their internal business policy but you’ll need to discuss the situation with them directly.
Ken
George said:
My 24 month contract with Talkmobile ends (I believe) on either 19th or 20th November 2014. I plan to give 30 days notice tomorrow (20th October) so that I can choose another phone and supplier. I wish to retain my Phone Number.
Two questions: –
1) How do I go about this and
2) How can I check the exact date of completion of my contract to ensure I do not get any penalties?
Thank you in anticipation.
Ken replied:
Hi George,
For step-by-step instructions on leaving Talkmobile and moving over to your new network, I recommend having a look at this page. You can choose your new network provider from the dropdown menu on that page. To find out when your contract is due to end, I’d probably call Talkmobile Customer Services on 5888. They should be able to give you the exact end date.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Isabel said:
Hi Ken,
I used my Three PAC code but it’s now been 2 working days and my number still hasn’t transferred. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Isabel,
Which network are you trying to move to? Take a look at our table on expected timeframes for transferring a number. If you submitted your PAC Code on a Wednesday, then Friday would have been the final date on which your number could have transferred over to the new network. In this case, you should now contact your new mobile network and you should ask them to update you on the status of the transfer. If you only submitted your PAC Code on a Thursday, it can possibly still transfer over on Monday (i.e. if you used your PAC Code on Thursday afternoon after your new network’s daily cut-off time).
Ken
joe mc neill said:
ken can I cancel a number change after giving my pac code thanks joe
Ken replied:
Hi Joe,
If you’d like to cancel a scheduled number transfer, I’d strongly recommend getting in touch with your new mobile network as soon as possible. They’ll be able to tell you whether the request can be cancelled.
Ken
Greg said:
Hi,
I would like to know if my contract ends at 16th of September 2014 (tomorrrow), I will be able to transfer my number to another network after that date with no additional costs or charges (for example paying whole 12 months of automatically renewed contract)? I mean I already have my PAC number and I am just worried if my contract will not be renewed automatically at 16th? I’m in Vodafone and they have sent me a message that my PAC code will expire 13/10/2014. Is a PAC code request equivalent to ending up a contract with them?
Cheers, Greg
Ken replied:
Hi Greg,
Thanks for your comment. Your contract will become a one-month rolling contract after the minimum term has ended (so it wouldn’t renew for another 12 months, it would only renew for one extra month and on an on-going basis after that month). If you later wish to transfer to another network, there are no extra charges (though you may need to pay the Vodafone contract until the end of the current month when you transfer your phone number).
If you don’t use the PAC Code within 30 days, your contract with Vodafone will continue as before. This is unless you’ve explicitly told them to terminate your contract on a certain date.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Nuno said:
Hi Ken. Just wanted to thank you for your helpful guidance, much appreciated!
Dan said:
Hi Ken, Vodafone seem to have made an error by which they cancelled my contract account at the end of it’s term instead of converting me to a PAYG account as I had requested. They now claim the mobile number has been lost and cannot be recovered after sending out a letter stating the ‘payg conversion’ is in progress. It’s now 3 days since the contract was disconnected and I’ve had numerous calls to them with an unlimited number of pass the buck to a different team (cancellations, payg, contract, porting team, etc) with differing answers stating from ‘conversion in progress’ to ‘number lost and cannot be recovered’ with every other answer you can think of in between. The number is valuable to me as I had used it for more than 10 years now (on different networks) and the loss of this number is going to hurt me quite a bit (I for sure haven’t measured the magnitude of this for now). Haven’t managed to speak to anyone from Vodafone who’d take complete responsibility of this issue and I’ve been promised a call back from the supervisor of the last cust service rep that I spoke to this morning. What do you think my options are now and is there anything I should be doing to help recover my number?
Thanks.
Dan.
Ken replied:
Hi Dan,
Thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear about the Vodafone screw-up which has caused you to lose your phone number of 10 years. It is a surprise that after sending you written confirmation of the transfer of your phone number to PAYG, they would cancel your contract and the phone number with it.
In this case, I’d recommend making a formal complaint via Vodafone’s website – this should hopefully escalate the issue and increase the chances of it finally being resolved. If the number was originally issued by Vodafone, there’s still a possibility they could get your number back (i.e. it should still be floating around somewhere in the Vodafone system). If the number was issued by another provider and was previously ported over to Vodafone, it could be more difficult to get your number back. If you aren’t sure which one applies to you, refer to the spreadsheet here. The S/ABC and D/DE are the first 5 digits of number following the leading zero. For instance, if your phone number is 07123 456 789 then the S/ABC is 7123 and the D/DE is 4.
Ken
Dan replied:
Thanks Ken! That made a lot of sense. Luckily I did start on Vodafone when I got this number for the first time. Vodafone have now managed to get this number activated this morning (found out after visiting one of their stores), though they are unable to tell me whether I’ve been issued a new contract or if this number is active on PAYG. Am obviously less worried now as the number is back online and not lost forever as feared. Obviously a lesson learnt here for warming up to Vodafone and once things settle down, the top priority would be to switch away from them.
Read somewhere Vodafone came last in customer satisfaction survey and they seemed to prove that to me in the hardest possible way. Their CS was definitely clueless on what was going on and the number of transfers brought tears to my eyes after trying to explain the situation to every CS Rep that I had to speak.
Cheers!
Ken replied:
Hi Dan,
Really glad the problem got solved in the end. I do feel your pain about Customer Services: the problem seems to be there’s just too many people & departments – no single person to take responsibility or ownership of the issue. Thanks for updating us and hope everything with Vodafone will go more smoothly in the future!
Ken
Geoff said:
I am confused about how to end my contract with Orange (ee) and move my number to another provider.
My contract ends on 26-09-14.
I have got a PAC today (01-09-14) valid for 30 days.
According to my T&Cs I have to give notice to terminate my Orange contract of “one month”. Does this means 30 days rather than a calendar month?
Does the fact that I have asked for a PAC mean that Orange have accepted that I have given notice to cancel?
How does this reconcile with the fact that I was told that if I don’t use the PAC then the contract will simply continue? Either I have given notice and it will end or I haven’t and it won’t. How can it be both at the same time?
Presumably I have only one date (30-09-14) on which I can give the PAC to my new provider? Because if I give it a day early on 29-09-14 then I have not given 30 days notice and will be stung for another month’s rental. And if I give it in a day late then the PAC will have expired.
Can I be sure that if I use the PAC with the new provider on 30-09-14 then it will definitely go through and not get delayed or something and expire?
Ken replied:
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your comment. You officially gave notice to Orange when you requested the PAC Code over the phone. Because of the 1 month notice when from you requested the PAC, you now need to continue paying your contract all the way up until the 1st October. This is regardless of when you actually leave the network. The one-month notice period doesn’t actually preclude you from moving to another network: it only means your final bill is charged up to this date.
Hope this helps,
Ken
lun said:
Hi there, I am in contract with 3, however i am going to leave UK soon.
So I am hoping to end my contract with 3 (12 months contract, until 4 oct 2014). Anyway as I read through the website, it’s said that I would need to give them a 30 days notice in order to end my contract.
I would like to know if I end my contract, what will happen to my number? Will they transfer my number to 3 PAYG ? or they will provide me a PAC codes for me to transfer my number to new telco ?
The thing is I want to end the contract and continue to use my old number as PAYG (as I might be back to UK for a short business trip few weeks later)
Please advise. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi lun,
Thanks for your comment. When calling Three and letting them know you want to end your contract, you can also provide instructions on what to do with your number. My recommendation is to give them a call on 333 and to ask them to switch your number over to Pay As You Go.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Renuka said:
Hi ken,
I live in india, had been visiting sfo and New York the past month …..on
My visit I picked up a lyca sim for international calling which I paid a figure
Of 39 dollars for a month……now I am back in india, but since I travel a lot to New York was wondering how I could retain my phone number…….please advise,
Thanking you
Renuka
Ken replied:
Hi Renuka,
Thanks for your comment. The only way to keep your phone number from Lycamobile USA is to use the SIM card at least once every 90 days (see section 3.4 of the Lycamobile USA terms & conditions). If you don’t use the SIM card for more than 90 days, the phone number is automatically reassigned to another customer.
Ken
Chrissy said:
Hi Ken,
I came across your very useful website and wonder if you could help me with the following.
I pay for two phones for my daughters. Daughter One is with Three on a contract and Daughter Two is with EE on PAYG.
Both daughters wish to keep their own numbers but Daughter One with Three (contract phone) is emigrating to the UAE and will purchase a sim card once there. Therefore Daughter Two wishes to take over her Three contract and cancel her (30 days notice with EE) PAYG
Are they able to keep their own number but swap Sims ?
Many thanks for any advice. I have spoken to Three and said that only Daughter Two can keep her number and needs to request a PAC from EE.
I look froward to your reply, and thank you in advance for your time.
Ken replied:
Hi Chrissy,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to swap the phone numbers across two SIM cards – using a PAC Code will automatically close the account on your old network.
In your situation, it’ll only be possible to keep one phone number – that of Daughter Two. Daughter Two will need to request a PAC Code from EE and then must provide that PAC to Three to keep her phone number (see this guide for step-by-step instructions). Unfortunately, Daughter One’s number will be lost automatically and the account on EE will also be closed. There wouldn’t be a way of stopping this from happening.
Ken
Sam said:
Hi Ken,
We have a small business account with Orange. One of our employees is leaving the company and would like to retain her phone number as she bought this with her when she joined. The contract was only recently renewed so there is quite a large termination fee that we’d like to avoid. We would be happy to keep the contract with a new number provided by Orange but i’ve been told requesting the PAC code essentially terminates the contract. After a few bad experiences recently, i have little faith in their customer services! Can you confirm that this is correct?
Many thanks in advance
Sam
Ken replied:
Hi Sam,
Thanks for your comment. Under normal circumstances, using the PAC Code will unfortunately terminate the contract with Orange. On consumer plans, this will certainly cause you to have to pay the Early Termination Fee. For small business plans, I’m not totally sure how things will work though I would have thought there’d be a better way. Have you discussed with Orange customer services the possibility of the employee taking over her own contract? Alternatively, I believe most businesses are charged based on the number of active lines. Would it be possible to transfer the subscription to a new line, hence avoiding the early termination charge?
Ken
Matt said:
Hi Ken,
I’d just like to say thanks a lot for writing this up on your website; it’s very useful and helped me out a lot!
Beth said:
Hi Ken,
I’d just like to ask a quick question – I recently called up Three for a PAC code, I then used it to transfer me to Tesco Mobile but I then called up to cancel the use of it as I had made a mistake (regarding the timing of it all). The Tesco caller told me that I would need a new PAC code for when I want to transfer again, but when I called up Three they said that I didn’t need a new one.
Could you please let me know, from your experience, which one is right?
Thank you!
Beth
Ken replied:
Hi Beth,
Thanks for your comment. I don’t believe you’ll need a new PAC Code as the PAC Code from Three is valid for 30 days. As long as you provide the PAC to your new network within the 30 days, there shouldn’t be any need to get a new code. If the 30 days elapses, it will then be necessary to obtain a new PAC Code.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Beth replied:
Hi Ken,
Thank you, that is very helpful.
All the best,
Beth
Joe said:
Hi Ken,
I’m currently on Pay Monthly contract with Vodafone (via Phones4u). My contract ends in January but I would like to cancel it early and move to Three. I understand that there will be a Cancellation Fee and I am fine with that, one problem is however that I also have Phones4u Care with my Contract. So my questions are, could I just cancel my Phones4u Contract and move over to Three? Would I have to pay for the Phones4u Care also? What do I have to do and who do I have to call?
Thanks in advance for any help
Joe
Ken replied:
Hi Joe,
Thanks for your comment. According to the Phones4u website, you can cancel the Care package at any time without any penalty: “You’re not tied in for any minimum period so you can have the policy for as little or as long as you like. You can cancel this at any time by popping into a store, or by calling us on 0844 871 0535, or by emailing relations@policyadmin.co.uk.”
Hope this helps!
Ken
Joe replied:
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the help! I have one more question, sorry. I’ve been doing some reading on the Vodafone website about cancelling my contract early and it says that I will need to give them 30 days notice, would I still need to give them notice if I used PAC to move network? And is it different if I am using Phones4u?
Thanks again, Joe
Ken replied:
Hi Joe,
I believe the PAC Code counts as giving notice of you wanting to leave Vodafone. Their airtime conditions regarding the 30 days notice means they can charge you up to the end of the 30 day period (e.g. if you get the PAC code on August 10th, they’ll charge you until September 9th regardless of when you actually end the contract). In your situation, you’re still within the minimum contract period so it shouldn’t make any difference to the amount you’ll need to pay (i.e. you still need to pay your contract until January 2015).
Ken
shane said:
i have 3 contracts out with vodafone all on the same account. i have to upgrade one but i can get a better deal on a new contract still with vodafone on the same account. i asked vodafone if i canceled the one thats due an update and take another new contract out would i be able to keep my exsiting number and use it for the new one but thay said this was not possible. how can i get to keep my number but still get the best deal (wich would be the new contract).
Ken replied:
Hi Shane,
Thanks for your comment. In the first instance, I’d recommend calling Vodafone and asking them to match the deal offered to new customers on their network (they should do this rather than punishing loyal customers on their network). If it’s not possible, you should be able to sign up as a new customer and then ask Customer Services to move your number over (they’ll often require a bit of prodding but there’s no reason why they can’t do this). Finally, as a last resort, you can always port your number to another network and then back to Vodafone via another PAC Code (due to the extra hassle, I wouldn’t recommend doing this unless it was necessary). You can order a free SIM card here if you need another network in which to port your number to.
Hope this helps,
Ken
George Lovell said:
Hi Ken,
Has a value ever been placed on a mobile phone number that an individual has had for 10+ years which has then been lost by a mobile phone network. ASDA failed to provide me with my PAC when they switched from Vodafone to EE and say that my number has now been lost for ever. Would like to talk compensation for the fact they have lost my number through no fault of mine. The number was priceless to me, but have any values ever been placed on a mobile number in terms of compensation?
Thanks
George
Ken replied:
Hi George,
Thank you for your comment. I’m very sorry to hear that you lost your phone number and that ASDA Mobile have failed to give you a PAC Code when requested. I’m not aware of any precedent regarding the value of a phone number or how much compensation should be due in this case. My recommendation would be to in the first instance, formally complain to ASDA Mobile. Should they fail to resolve the case satisfactorily, you can then complain to the Ombudsman Service and the telecoms regulator, Ofcom.
Sorry I can’t be of any more help – though I wish you all the best of luck during this process. Do let me know if you hear anything regarding the value of a phone number – I’m sure lots of other readers will also find this info useful.
Many thanks,
Ken
Arlette said:
Tried to request PAC code but the automated system just keeps repeating itself so unable to carry out task can you help please
Ken replied:
Hi Arlette,
Thanks for your comment. Could you kindly clarify which mobile networks you’re trying to transfer your number between?
Many thanks,
Ken
Dan said:
Hi ken i was wondering if you could help me out. I obtained a number 7 years ago from the mobile network virgin. I then gained the pac code and moved to o2 pay as you for a number of years. I then decided to move to three network with this same number but onto a sim contract only deal. i was receiving odd phone calls therefore when my 12 month sim only contract ran out i decided to ring them and change number they terminated the number and i really want that number back. is there anything i can do in order to get that number back?
Ken replied:
Hi Dan,
Under normal circumstances, it’s only possible to transfer your number if it’s still active and being used on your network. If O2 has terminated your number and replaced it with a number issued by themselves, the chances are the phone number has been returned to Virgin. In this case, it unfortunately won’t be possible to get your number back. To double check, one thing that might be worth doing is calling O2 and checking if they still have your number.
Ken
Ken said:
Hi all,
As of last month, most UK mobile operators have switched to using 03 numbers for their customer support (this is in response to recent European legislation). I’ve updated the table above with the new contact numbers. Still waiting on Lebara Mobile to provide a 03 number.
Ken
charlotte said:
Hi Ken
I am returning a mobile with contract as I am unhappy with the network service. Sadly I had already ported my number in before I decided to cancel. The company I bought the phone from say that when I return my phone they will cancel my contract and T Mobile will issue them a pac code that they will then pass on to me. My concern though is that surely the use of the PAC code is what ultimately closes the account. I dont see the company receiving my returned mobile and then leaving the acount open for me to have time to use the Pac code, and I can see them getting the phone and cancelling it right away, and if so, surely the number is lost instantly? My question is, is it worth me ringing t mobile myself to get a pac code in advance just in case, and if the company then lose my account right away, is this pac code still valid? or is it over ruled by the closer of the account? Hope this make sense to you!
Ken replied:
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for your comment. I’m sorry to hear about the problems on your new mobile network and also the problems this has caused regarding your phone number. Normally, to avoid these types of problems, we recommend people check their new network/handset and make sure everything’s OK before using the PAC Code.
Regarding how to obtain the PAC Code, unfortunately I’m not sure what will happen in this case! You’ll have to liaise with both T-Mobile and the retailer you bought the handset from. It may be possible to call T-Mobile and to obtain the PAC code yourself. However, this will stop the other company from obtaining your PAC Code (a PAC Code is valid for 30 days and a new PAC Code can’t be issued if another is still active) – it could also mess up how they process their returns.
Good luck and do keep us updated about how you solve the problem!
Many thanks,
Ken
roy said:
I was with O2 on a 2 year contract and recently finished the contract and cancelled my direct debit and switched onto PAYG to keep my number and they sent me a new simcard. When I called them to ask for the pac code ,they want me to top up 10 pounds to release a code. Is it right.
Ken replied:
Hi Roy,
You should never be charged for obtaining a PAC Code – it’s your legal entitlement and O2 isn’t allowed to charge for issuing a code. Are you instead being charged for calling O2 Customer Services? It’s worth noting that unlike Pay Monthly, there’s a 25p charge for calling customer services from a Pay & Go mobile. Couple this with the £10 minimum top-up (this may explain why they’re asking you to top up). To get around this, use a landline or another mobile phone to call customer services on 0344 8090222. This is charged at standard UK landline rates.
Hope this helps,
Ken
RB said:
Just wanted to thank you for setting out so clearly how to make the transfer, as I was pretty clueless!
Shaun said:
Hi Ken,
I have asked my provider this but they do not seem to understand my request.
i am currently with orange and use the pocket landline service with gives you a second number which is a landline number which i use for business. i want to port both my numbers from orange and can see no problem porting the mobile number to three network but i also want to port my landline number to any company that provides a divert service similar to pocket landline. i am concerned Orange haven’t got a clue how to do this and will lose my valuable business landline number.
Can you investigate this for me and see what you can find out.
thanks Shaun
Ken replied:
Hi Shaun,
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I’m not aware of the processes required to transfer an Orange Pocket Landline number to another provider. Ofcom’s website provides little information: only that companies need to provide the service if you’re staying at the same address (this doesn’t really apply in your current situation). Unfortunately, the PAC Code system only works for mobile numbers – there’s fewer legal protections around a landline number (e.g. it’s impossible to keep your current number if moving telephone exchange). My gut feeling is it might not be possible to transfer your landline number elsewhere (though do let me know if you find out otherwise).
Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
Ken
dipak chauhan said:
Hi Ken
I took out a contract on o2 via CWH and ported a number from o2 only to be offered a better deal by O2 the following day.
i then cancelled by CWH contract the port of my number took place to o2.
My order was on Monday, cancelled on Wednesday with the item not being delivered as I asked CWH rep to ask DPD driver to not deliver. The item was at CWH warehouse on Thursday 8.40 and now I am being sent from pillar to post in getting a PAC code from CWH/O2 to port number back to my new contract with Vod.
What are my options? I am really frustrated. By the way this has happened in the last seven day (from Monday 17th June owards).
Regards
Ken replied:
Hi Dipak,
Thanks for your comment. Sorry, I was a little unclear about your situation: were you simply moving from one O2 account to another O2 account (only purchased via the Carphone Warehouse)? Or were you moving from Vodafone to O2 and you now wish to reverse the number transfer after providing the PAC Code to O2?
Ken
dipak replied:
Ken
i was a Vod customer and obtained PAC which i used for new CWH (O2) contract but cancelled the CWH contract the following day but the phone got ported to o2 as i had given the code to CWH.
The CWH (o2) phone was return to sender when i cancelled and received by CWH last Thrusday. But CWH are now dragging their feet porting the number back to me as i have chosen to stay with Vod!!
I would not recommend CWH to any one particularly as this situation has occured at a difficult time when my elderly parents have been ill.
I notice ofcom suggest port should not take more then 2 days. CWH have had their O2 phone back in their warehouse since last Thursday (19th June).
Regards
Ken replied:
Hi Dipak,
Thanks for the update. Your example is a good situation of why I normally recommend people wait for their new handset/SIM card and test it before using their PAC Code. It saves a lot of hassle in case you need to return or refund your phone (in your situation, you’ve been left in a state of limbo as a non-O2 customer with your phone number already transferred over to O2). I guess this is something you’ll need to chase up with O2 (e.g. find out which account your number is assigned to) and I do wish you the best of luck. Please do keep me updated on any developments in getting your number back.
Ken
dipak chauhan replied:
Good advice Ken. Sadly o2 have disconnected my phone and are asking 30gbp to give me my number. CWH have taken the max time to obtain my PAC code and have today “reassured” me that i should not worry and that they will have my pac code by tomorrow (Friday a full week and a bit later) and that even though my number has been disconnected i will be given it back.
The moral of the story then is never port until you have tried the contract out. Or put another way dont be nice and honest but use the product try it and then return keeping your number and not having any heartache. Not very happy with either CWH or O2.
Dipak
David Hancock said:
I need to convert my mobile number 07********* from Utility Warehouse to Vodaphone but the online form does not list Utility Warehouse as an option.
I have the PAC code for this mobile number.
What should I do?
Ken replied:
Hi David,
Thanks for your comment. Apologies, as our PAC Code Finder doesn’t support Utility Warehouse at the moment. As you’ve already gotten the PAC Code from Utility Warehouse, the only step remaining is to use it with Vodafone. For instructions on providing a PAC to Vodafone, please see the ‘Using your PAC Code’ section of this article.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Theo said:
Hi Ken
I’ve had the same problem as Ken and its been a week now and still no number transfer to my new phone.
I’m having to use the old phone on 3G.
I’ve made many calls to EE but still no joy.
Any suggestions?
Theo
Georgia said:
I transferred over from vodaphone last thurs it’s now Tuesday and still my old number hasn’t transferred over I rang Saturday and min and both times was assured it should of happend Saturday but defiantly will happen Monday , still nothing , I’m really annoyed , if I new it would take 5 days or more I wouldn’t of done it not impressed
Ken replied:
Hi Georgia,
Thanks for your comment. As you mentioned, you provided the PAC Code to your new network on Thursday last week. Depending on the time you provided the PAC code, the number should have transferred over either on Friday or on Monday this week (it’s all to do with your new network’s daily cut-off time for providing a PAC). Contrary to what you were told, number transfers will never take place on a Saturday (see section: Expected Timeframe for Number Transfer).
As it’s now Tuesday, the transfer of your number is now overdue. I’d recommend getting in touch with your new network and trying to find out where the hold-up has been. You can also remind them of their legal obligations: there’s a maximum amount of time they’re able to take in processing the request.
Ken
roro said:
I am a giffgaff member and have been for a few years however my sim card suddenly stopped working and i had to order a new sim card from giffgaff, im worried about how to transfer my number to my new sim as i have never done it before and i don’t want to change my number. Please may you give me any information and phone numbers i need as i find it difficult to contact giffgaff too. Please help.
Ken replied:
Hi Roro,
Thanks for your comment. As a giffgaff member changing your SIM card, you’ll need to use their SIM Swap tool. Your phone number will be transferred to the new SIM card and the old SIM card will be deactivated after. It’s a straightforward process: many people use the tool to change their size of SIM card or to upgrade to a 4G-enabled SIM.
Hope this helps!
Ken
mika said:
Hi I have a question. I want to change my operator, however I wanted to buy a mobile through one of the website which compares the deals, as they seem to have the best deals and I am not really sure if I still will be able to transfer my number. Have they got that option to choose at the end of the buying process?
Ken replied:
Hi Mika,
Thanks for your comment. The number transfer process doesn’t take place when ordering your new handset: it only takes place after you’ve received the new phone. Hence, it doesn’t matter if you buy your phone from a third-party website. You only provide the PAC Code after receiving your new handset & SIM card (either through an online form or by calling customer services). You can use my PAC Code Finder for step-by-step instructions.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Anthonia said:
I have been through the whole pac code thing. I am not receiving any phone calls at all however i can make them.
Ken replied:
Hi Anthonia,
Sorry to hear about the problems transferring your phone number. You’ll need to contact your new mobile network – they can check up on the status of the number port and should be able to resolve the problem.
Hope this helps!
Ken
JOANN KUSSELUK said:
Can i change networka and keep my telephone #that i have had for 8+ years its a out of state area code it is a California State # Virgin Mobileand i want to go with Cricket in Nevada but keep the California #…Please Reply back to me ASAP….Thank You For Your Time,JoAnn Kusseluk
Ken replied:
Hi JoAnn,
Thanks for your comment! Unfortunately, the details on this page are only relevant to the UK: the US has an entirely different system for transferring your cellphone number between carriers. Please accept my apologies as I’m really not sure how the US system works!
Ken
stewart said:
I gave vodaphone my Ovivo pac code 7 days ago and was told it would be transfered 5 days ago, and I am still waiting for them to update my vodaphone sim to my old. they say there is a network problem…
Emma said:
I work through an agent who has kindly provided my iPhone for 8 months through his shared minutes O2 contract.
I asked him for my PAC code and his business telecoms provider gave him/me three options:
1. Your new company or you take on a new Contract with O2 to put the number on and then I continue your existing Contract through my company account with a new number and take back your phone. Clearly this is fairly restrictive but costs you nothing other than ongoing contract charges;
2. We terminate the contract and send you the PAC code (a cost of £263.16 + VAT). You give me the phone back
3. You send the phone back to us and lose your number.
My new company are on BT so surely if my agent is continuing the contract I should just be able to port my existing number? Alternatively I have an O2 SIM on PAYG which I could use to bridge the port for a couple of weeks until I start my new job on 17th Feb.
Any advice for me please?
Thanks
Emma
Ken replied:
Hi Emma,
A quirk of the PAC Code system is that the old contract will be cancelled when the number transfer takes place. For most people, this is the intended behaviour (you don’t want to continue paying for an old contract when you’ve switched to a new one). In your case, however, it can cause a bit of a dilemma. Doing a number transfer within O2 would avoid the PAC Code system and hence, this behaviour.
I’m afraid I can’t advise on the best solution for the problem: it’ll depend on the relative costs and what your new company is able to accommodate.
Ken
Bob Randall said:
Hi,
my contract will soon be coming to an end and rather than upgrade I was considering just keeping my existing Blackberry for a while and switching to a sim only contract with either the the existing supplier or a new supplier. My question is will I be able to keep my existing number and, when I do eventually get a new ‘phone, how do I switch the number to the new ‘phone given that I may chose a different supplier again?
Ken replied:
Hi Bob,
Thanks for getting in touch! There’s no problem keeping your existing phone number: simply use a PAC Code as normal following the instructions listed on this page. One thing to be aware of is you’ll need a special BlackBerry SIM Only tariff. You’ll need a BlackBerry tariff to browse the internet, to use push e-mail and to instant message via BBM. I’m assuming you have a BlackBerry 7 device rather than a BlackBerry 10 device (the Q5, Q10, Z10 & Z30 can be used with any SIM only deal).
When you eventually buy a new handset, you can use the same SIM Only deal if you’re staying on the network (if required, ask to change the size of your SIM card. Alternatively, if you’re moving network, ask for a PAC Code and follow the normal process.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Bob Randall replied:
Many, many thanks Ken, that was enormously helpful!
Alex said:
Hi Ken!
My number has just got transferred from one operator to another (it happened today) and I can now receive calls and texts onto my old number using the new SIM. But the phone still reports the new SIM’s original number and it is the number that iPhone is now using for the iMessage service.
Could you explain why is this happening? I had my other number transferred between operators in the past and I did not have this issue then. What could have gone wrong?
Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Thanks for getting in touch! This problem occurs when you register iMessage on your new SIM card before the number transfer has taken place. When the number transfer finally happens, iMessage doesn’t realise this as you’re still using the same SIM card as before. To resolve the problem, disable and then re-enable the iMessage service. You can do this via Settings > Messages. Upon re-enabling iMessage, your phone should detect that the number has changed.
Hope this helps!
Ken
Alex replied:
Thanks a lot Ken! You were right 🙂
Miss said:
Thank you for this article. I’ve already ported my number once before last year and have done so again today but I wasn’t sure whether I was supposed to keep using the old sim card. But reading the post has made it clear that I should continue using the old sim card until I lose the signal. Thanks! 😀
Mike said:
What you don,t say is that you must call during business hours. I have just wasted 15 minutes waiting to be put through, only to find this out at 21:00.
Ken replied:
Hi Mike,
Thanks a lot – you make a really good point about calling during business hours. I’ll make sure this is mentioned the next time the article is updated.
Ken
Alex said:
Hi Ken, thanks for the comprehensive guide. But I still have one little question. Why is that I have to call my network operator to obtain this PAC number? Why isn’t it an automatic process where I come to a different operator’s branch, get a new SIM, and they transfer my number from my previous network. Are there operators in the UK who would provide such customer experience? I know there are in Europe. Thank you.
Ken replied:
Hi Alex,
Thanks a lot for your comment. The UK is fairly unique in having a donor-led PAC Code system (you need to call your existing network before you can switch). As you said, most other countries have a recipient-led system where your new operator can arrange everything for you. Whilst OFCOM (the UK’s telecoms regulator) has considered moving to the recipient-led system, I think the current system has been kept for several reasons (e.g. unscrupulous companies/operators can’t transfer customers over without their permission). I’m not really sure which system is “best” but I feel the “PAC Code” system works fairly well. Perhaps someone with experience of the system in Europe would have a different opinion?
There’s more info on the donor-led vs recipient-led systems on the OFCOM website.
Cheers,
Ken
Alex replied:
Thanks Ken, it makes a bit more sense now.
Steve said:
There is nothing on this site that tells me how I can easily get a PAC and transfer my mobile number from my British Telecommunications (BT) mobile phone contract. This is a very large company. Why is it not covered on this site?
krt said:
Thanks for the information. The Orange/EE website gave the wrong phone number for for pay-as-you-go PAC codes. The number you have listed is the correct one. How's that for having better customer Service than Orange.
phil james said:
my contract with orange ends in 5 days, i have asked for my pac code but have been told they need 30 days notice so i will have to stay for another month is this right
Ken replied:
Hi Phil,
You shouldn't need to give them notice of 30 days – Ofcom's most recent legislation means that PAC Codes must be issued immediately on the phone, or within 2 hours via SMS.
Ken
tbug said:
hello, I have just switched network, to 3, I have successfully used my pac code, but have since found the signal for 3 in my area is very bad. I am withing my 7 day cooling off period, and have arranged with the broker I used to return the phone, with no problem. does the fact I have moved my number to 3 already,change my cancellation rights in any way, on the 3 network??
Pierina said:
Hi I have a dilemma
I have cancelled my 02 contract and have my PAC code. However I don't want to use it yet and want to wait another couple of months for a newer phone.
I know my PAC only lasts for 30 days but can I still request another one in a 3-4 months time for the same number?
Ken replied:
Hi Pierina,
You can request a PAC code but your contract will need to be still active to do so. If you've switched to Pay As You Go, this would also be fine. If you've lost your line completely, the phone number may have been returned to the phone network. In this case, you won't be able to get a PAC Code.
Ken
Alex said:
Very helpful article and tool. I greatly appreciate you writing and making it 🙂
Sean Neylon said:
I've had tons of trouble with Orange so have gone for an Orange contract through Phones4u instead of direct – but now orange are not allowing me to keep my number when my contract ends. Is there anything I can do?
Web site said:
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added”
checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same
comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service?
Bless you!
Ken replied:
Hi Ian,
Thank you for the e-mail – I hope you will accept my apologies for the unwanted e-mail notifications/spam – this is not my intention! All comment notifications are sent by our partner, IntenseDebate. The best way to remove yourself from the service is to click on the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the notification e-mail (unfortunately, they won't let me do this for you!). Let me know if you have any problems with this.
So that you don't receive too many e-mails in the future, my recommendation is only to subscribe to replies to your comment.
Sorry again!
Ken
jearuiz01 said:
Actually, this morning when I tried to request a pac code from orange after the number ported across yesterday they told me I would have to stay with them as a customer for at least 7 – 10 days.
Kartik said:
I have a sim-only contract with T-Mobile. When I called them to ask for the PAC number, they said I need to "send-in the sim card" before they will issue me with a PAC? I thought they were legally required to send me the PAC number if I asked for it? (I want to change to another carrier's sim-only contract). Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Kartik,
There should be no need to send back your SIM Card before receiving a PAC Code – simply give T-Mobile a call and you can dispose of the SIM yourself after your number has been transferred over.
Ken
Rich K said:
Can I port my number to another network without ending my contract? Is it possile to be issued a new number for m existing contract with Orange?
BJP said:
I'm a business owner and a new employee wants to keep his number so we want to transfer his number to an O2 business contract sim. He wants to put his existing sim in his wife's phone as her contract is ending and then we'll put a business sim in his phone, but obviously they both want to keep their numbers. O2 are telling me that's not possible as when they issue the business sim it will have a permanent number, so by definition we won't be able to port his number to the new sim. This doesn't make business sense at all as this employee has been using his own phone in the meantime so customers already know his number.
Nathan said:
What if you don't order your phone direct from three, for example, using buymobilephones.net?
Will Three still assign me with a temporary phone number?
Ken replied:
Hi Nathan,
Yep – it'll be exactly the same if you purchase a Three handset through another retailer such as the Carphone Warehouse, Phones4u, etc.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Miranda said:
Thanks to this website i was able to persevere and will hopefully get my PAC code in 2 hours time…so here’s hoping! Didn’t know it was illegal for companies to withhold a PAC, 1st time I called 3 I was told I can’t have it until I bought a new contract with whatever company!!!
Mark Allinson said:
Fantastic! Thank you very much x
kev said:
I have an orange contract which expires at the end of august. Work will buy me a new phone with a new contract and possibly a new provider in september but there will be a short period between ending one contract and starting another. I want to keep my number, what is the best way to do this?
Frances said:
Hi
Can i use my new mobile and number then change over to my old number using my PAK code week or so later so I can use my credit i still have on my phone or do I need to phone them up now to sort out before new phone gets used
thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Frances,
You should be able to use up the credit first before using the PAC Code if you like – there is no need to do it straight away!
Hope this helps,
Ken
Eniko said:
Hello there this was really helpful. Thank You. If im switching from pay as you go to pay monthly how long does it take? And shall i use my old or new number during the process?
Ken replied:
Hi Eniko,
The process of moving numbers between mobile networks takes 24 hours, regardless of whether it's between two Pay Monthly accounts of if you're going from PAYG to Pay Monthly. During those 24 hours, you can continue to use your old number on your current PAYG network or alternatively you could use the temporarily assigned number on the Pay Monthly network.
Hope this helps!
Ken
James levitt said:
y have orange took 3 months to send a PAC code and r charging £20.42 for it. And wen requested again from a phone call from a orange store they r taking 24 hours to send it and in the mean time the £20.50 I put on the phone to cover the cost of the PAC coda £2 of it has gon for no apparent reason
Ken said:
Hi there,
My recommendation would be to speak to your network and ask them if they can instigate a number swap on the account. I think this would be your best bet!
Ken
JohnnyT said:
I have a new unused unlocked phone and a PAYG phone with Vodaphone which I will cease to use when my unlocked phone is up and running. What do I need to do to transfer my number from Vodaphone to my new unlocked phone and then use a variety of SIMs on my new unlocked phone. Do I have to tell the SIM "owner" that I use on the unlocked phone the PAC number that I request from Vodaphone. Is this a "sensible" use of an unlocked phone in order to take advantage of differing tarriffs?
Ken replied:
Hi Johnny,
There is no need to tell them which phone you plan to use – you just need to request the PAC Code from Vodafone and ensure you provide it to the network that provides your new service. You can then use their SIM card within any phone 🙂
Hope this helps,
Ken
tombren said:
Hi ken,
I don't know if you can help,but I want to stop my daughter having a contract phone that still has 15 months to run.What I am trying to do is Port my payg number to her contract,which three will allow.Then I want to port her number to a payg sim which they say cant be done.She wants to keep her number at all costs,but I don't want her to stay on contract.Any advice would be welcome.
Gags said:
I have already obtained my PAC number from Orange and my contract ends on 1st of May, can I switch into different network now or I have to wait until my contract end date?
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Gags,
You can use your PAC Code straight away – though be warned you'll still have to continue paying your current Orange contract until the 1st of May.
Hope this helps,
Ken
@adymock07 said:
I have three phones:
out of contract iphone 3g with O2
in contract iphone 4 with Orange
business blackberry with Vodafone
I want to cancel O2 and port number to Orange whilst porting Orange number to Vodafone and getting rid of vodafone number but keeping account. I also wish to switch actual phones across as well. Orange would like to charge me for cancelling the contract even though I do not want to cancel the contract with them. any ideas on how I can do this?
jianhua li said:
i want to move.because in my working area the lycamobile signal better
toni said:
If there multiple numbers eg 25 to one PAC code, is it possible to port the numbers on different days?
tich said:
i gave vodafone 30 days notice for my contract to be terminated on 31st of january,i also requested a pac which i did not use.Despite numerous emails vodafone keep ignoring that i gave written notice to terminate and just keep telling me that "as per telecom rules when pac code is issued we cannot schedule contract for cancellation".I thought that all i legally had to do was to give 30 days notice please help
Ted said:
Hi, if you change network providers and u keep your number do you use the same sim?
Ken replied:
Hi Ted,
You will need a new SIM card. The phone number will be transferred from your old SIM card to the new SIM card.
Hope this helps!
Ken
swyftie said:
Hi,
Sorry if this has already been asked/answered, I tried reading through all of the questions & answers but there are just so many!
My Orange contract ends on the 16th March & Orange have told me I can get my PAC number now at a cost or wait until the 16th Feb to get it for free…so I am going to wait, however – when transferring this number to a new network – do I need to wait until my existing contract expires in March or can I use it as soon as my new handset arrives? And if so…what happens to my Orange account when the number transfers?
Many thanks 😀
Ken replied:
Hi there,
You can use this as soon as you get it! If you terminate early (i.e. before the 16th March), you'll still have to pay off the remainder of the contract with Orange which will terminate early. Seeing as you've already paid for your contract until the 16th, it might be worth waiting until then before requesting the code and using it!
Hope this helps,
Ken
Linda said:
Hi Ken, I have a new Nokia phone given to me cause my old one is old… if I put my sim card into the new phone it works but…(dumb question) How do I transfer everything to my new phone ie; contacts,inbox txts, memory do I have to plug the two phones into each other ???
Ken replied:
Hi Linda,
A PAC Code won't transfer anything but your phone number. For texts, phone book and so on, have a look at this guide.
Hope this helps,
Ken
helen payne said:
can i keep my current number when change from PAYG to contract? and staying with same provider/network
Ken replied:
Hi Helen,
Yep! Though when staying with the same network, a PAC code isn't needed – you just call up the network customer services directly.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Chloe said:
I asked Orange for my PAC code, but they said to get it they need to reactivate my account and this would cost me one months line rental to do so (£25 )
I know they're not supposed to charge, but can they if they need to reactivate my account? My contract only got cancelled a few days ago.
Ken replied:
Hi Chloe,
As an alternative to renewing your contract, you could ask them possibly to reactivate it as a Pay As You Go account and then to provide you with a PAC Code? But yes, I guess your phone number would need to be active in order for you to be able to transfer it…
Ken
MANDY said:
can u help,i have a contract with orange 1 year left only ,i need a new phone and more allowance ,keep going over , not elligble till march 2013 for upgrade ,they will increase tarriff £20 Month,but still have to get new phone ,i could go out get contract new phone high allowance for £20 but the dilema is i need the number for my buisness what do i do ??????
Ken said:
Hi Tracy,
Sounds difficult here as there are multiple networks involved – although as far as Vodafone are concerned it's a normal port out and as far as O2 are concerned, it's a normal port in. So the people to speak to are Three: maybe check with customer services to see whether they're able to do a simultaneous port in and port out.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Ken said:
Hi Tracy,
Sounds difficult here as there are multiple networks involved – although as far as Vodafone are concerned it's a normal port out and as far as O2 are concerned, it's a normal port in. So the people to speak to are Three: maybe check with customer services to see whether they're able to do a simultaneous port in and port out.
Ken
kjc46 said:
I am leaving Vodafone early (22months left on a contact) due to their disgraceful customer service. I asked them for aPAC code which they gave me but said i can't use it until my contract is closed – is that right? if i give it to my new provider, will they be able to transfer my number over? I use it for business so losing my number would be very costly to me!!!
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Sorry to hear about your problems with Vodafone 🙁 Unfortunately, whilst you can terminate your contract early, typically you'll need to pay off the rest of your contract (i.e. the cost for the remaining 22 months). I think this is what they meant on the phone. I know this probably isn't the answer that you wanted.
Ken
Tom said:
I have a new(ish) sim card and want to transfer my old number to it. it used to have a number on it, but it doesn't anymore. can I still transfer my number to it?
Ken replied:
Hi Tom,
If your new SIM card is still active, I think it should be possible to transfer a phone number to it. What do you mean by the fact it no longer has a number on it?
Ken
Kelly said:
I got an iphone4s for christmas and put credit on micro sim before swapping as I wanted to swap in a day or two!! I swapped today and now the credit I put on micro sim( £30) has disappeared!! Where's it gone I only have the credit I had on old phone number!!!
eddie said:
I transferred my sim card from my existing mobile into an iphone then realised i had not saved my contacts to my sim so removed it and put it back into my old phone to copy the contacts. when i tried to use my old phone to call out i had no credit left yet withall i had 10 pounds of credit before syncing the sim card to the iphone. If i put my simcard back in the iphone will i get the credit back(both phones are orange network)
Ken replied:
Hi Eddie,
The credit is linked to the SIM card rather than the physical device/phone!
Hope this helps,
Ken
Hugh said:
Do you have to transfer your PAC on the same day or after the official termination date of your current contract? If you do it a week or so earlier does that make any difference?
Ken replied:
Hi Hugh,
The number transfer doesn't have to happen on the exact date your contract terminates – in fact you can do it any time afterwards. You may also be able to transfer a bit earlier than the end of your contract (ask your network if this is possible).
Ken
Guest said:
such a good and easy to understand guide!! THANKS KEN!
Lyndon said:
cheers ken!
koo said:
what about if the network is from the USA (at&t) ? can it be ?
Ken replied:
Hi Koo,
Unfortunately the system for transferring your mobile phone number is different in different countries – this article refers only to the UK. I'm unable to advise on the US market. Sorry!
Ken
april said:
how do i change my number but keep my sim card
Ken replied:
Hi April,
If you'd like a totally new number for your current SIM, the best thing to do is to call your mobile phone network and to ask them to do this for you.
Ken
Aly said:
Hi there,
I had my phone stolen a couple of months ago so I cancelled my contract. I haven't bothered getting a new phone until now because I was abroad. Is it still possible to get the PAC code for the number of my old phone, or will it have been passed on to someone else now?
Ken replied:
Hi Aly,
Sorry to hear about the loss of your phone. Best thing to do is to call up your mobile network and ask to see whether they left your account/phone number active… I'm not sure how quickly they reassign them.
Ken
Shug said:
Hi
I cancelled my Three contract in July 2011, and requested a PAC code for transferring to my new provider. I did not, in the end, use the PAC code, but now Three want to charge me for not using it quoting that, as it was not used after the 30 day period (of receiving it) the number was re-activated and I am liable for the charges (although phone was never used)! They state this was explained to me when I called for the PAC code, but I am 99.9999% sure they did not!! Any advice gratefully received! :O)
Ken replied:
Hi Shug,
Unfortunately requesting a PAC Code does not automatically cancel your contract so they're right in this circumstance. If you request a PAC Code and then never use it, it would be as it was never requested (the contract would just continue as before). Things would be different if you had specifically asked them to terminate the contract there and then though.
Apologies for not being able to give you the answer that you want!
Ken
abl replied:
I had similar thing with Orange, and definitely told them that I wanted to cancel. The contract required thirty days notice, but when i didn't use the pac they wanted to ignore my cancellation request, quoting the expired pac as the reason.
jack said:
I have a GOLD number registered with Orange PAYG and they are refusing to issue PAC unless I have proof of purchase and identity.
I can provide identity proof but not proof of purchase as it was acquired from someone I no longer have contact with.
Can they do this? What can I do to obtain PAC?
ruben said:
hi ken lo , you are my help i have a problem
i have a contract with three company in uk for 24 month with an iphone 4 and only i did 10 month and i have go for another country, what i could do for dont lose money and my iphone 4 , my iphone 4 is unlocked and i would to keep it for my next stage in another country.
the company will block my iphone 4?
if i stop paying my bill and contract
thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Ruben,
Thanks for getting in touch! Unfortunately you cannot simply stop paying your bill: you should treat a mobile phone contract like any other source of credit (like a credit card or bank loan) which must be paid off. Your best bet would be to call 3 Customer Services on 333: they may be able to put your contract on a holiday or something until you return to the UK. Otherwise it is possible to terminate your contract early but this usually means paying for the other 14 months.
Ken
metoo said:
word of warning the transfer does not happen instantly. you need to except to have 24 hours down time where you have NO ACCESS to your number at all. that is no calls, texts etc and when people call you they just get a dead line. So if you are using your phone for business best to let all of you contact know in the week of potential porting that there will be significant downtime
Ken replied:
Hi metoo,
The transfer will take up to 24 hours – you will have access to a phone and your phone number during this time but only on your *old* network/SIM card. For this reason, it is important not to dispose of your old phone/SIM straight away. When your old phone/SIM card stops working, your new one will start working. These two things should happen at the same time so there should be no time where you're without access to your number.
Ken
Carol Sissons said:
I have just been charged £25 by Daisy for my PAC code and they wouldn't give it to me until I had paid them. They insisted it was in my contract but I don't have a signed contract with them. What can I do about it?
Guest said:
Can I switch my number to another network and still stay pay as you go?
Ken replied:
Hi 🙂
Yep, you can! The process of switching from PAYG to PAYG is the same.
Ken
user said:
I'm switching my network from Rogers to pay as u go and I have got an Iphone4 (micro sim) form apple store. Do I need to change my sim card if I keep my current number? what if I change it?
Ken replied:
Hi there,
Unfortunately this article refers for the UK market! I can't comment on the process of switching in Canada as the system is entirely different.
Sorry!
Ken
Ken said:
Update 8/7/11 – I've updated the article with changes due to the recent change in PAC code legislation (porting now takes 1 working day instead of 2). Also some extra FAQs have been added & info for more mobile networks 🙂
Ken
carla said:
I have a buisness mobile with orange and also a pay as you go iphone with o2, i am finally getting a new sim for my iphone to go on to the buisness contract with my exsisting orange contract number but i was wondering can i still change this number over too my o2 number as i remember that one even though i have had the orange number for nearly a year hope this makes sense thank you
Luke said:
I am very annoyed. I purchased a gold number, which has been registered to me. I now want to move it to another network and Orange are refusing to release the PAC code unless I prove my identity and proof of purchase!
They have decided because my number is worth so much money that I must have bought it illegitimately and are trying to keep the number for themselves so they can sell it and make money.
I have proof of purchase and identification, but why should I?? The number is registered in my name and has been for over 6 months. I top it up with my credit card and have an online account with Orange. Bad Orange, bad company.
john replied:
I bought 50 + numbers to sell in my business. It took months and hours to find each one. The network switched them all off, even though they didn't have any expiry dates. Now they give sims away.
Felt like I'd been robbed.
What I want to know is who legally owns the number ?
Since porting the number to different networks is commonplace.
I asked Ofcom but didn't even get a reply. And there lies the problem.
No real regulation, it's you against a multi-million pound company
jack replied:
I am in same position, Orange refusing to issue PAC unless I provide identity and proof of purchase. Has anyone been in this position and what was outcome?
Andy replied:
Yes, I have had the same problem. I purchase a sim, it was classified as a gold number but only cost me £15 it had 2 doubles in it. orange refused to give me the pac even though i passed all security questions and gave them the 4 digit id code and the sim card number also.
They asked me for ID and A proof of purchase of the number. I have forward my drivers licence and my ebay receipt. They are still refusuing so no i am considering taking it to offcom.
Albert said:
Hi Ken
I need to transfer my number that is in my personal name to my company name whilst switching networks. I am using it as a company phone so want my company to be invoiced for that.
Is it as just as simple as requesting a new PAC code or are there other requirements since the ownership name changes.
Thank you for your assistance with this!
Ken replied:
Hi Albert,
I believe there should be no problems doing this – simply provide the PAC code as normal. I don't believe there are any ownership name checks.
Cheers
Ken
Andrew Bennett said:
I currently have a Orange pay as you go mobile phone (unlocked) and will be moving to Germany soon but I'd like to keep my current mobile number. I've used the PAC Code Finder but it only appears applicable from one UK provider to another so do you know if it's possible to move my mobile number from a UK provider to a German Provider.
Ken replied:
Hi Andrew,
Unfortunately you can't port a UK phone number to Germany. You could set up call forwarding if your network provider allows it (but there will be international call forwarding charges involved). The easiest thing to do would probably to leave a voicemail greeting on there informing people of your new phone number.
Ken
sheraz said:
Vodafone are asking for a 12 digit pac number i dont know what to say to them iam stuck i need help
Ken replied:
Hi Sheraz,
Could they possibly be referring to something else? PAC Codes should be 9 digits long.
Ken
MMM said:
How many times can you transfer a mobile number between networks?
Ken replied:
Hi MMM,
There are no limits to the number of times you can transfer a mobile network between networks.
Ken
HG Rolls said:
Hello, Ken
I can't work out the answer to what is probably a simple problem, and wondered if you could help? I have a contract with BT To Go, and my wife has a Virgin PAYG. I'm buying a new iPhone4 on Vodafone and we want to keep the BT contract running for my wife to use. I could of course use the new Vodafone number, and my wife swap to my old number, but what I really want is for each of us to keep our existing numbers. Can I both port my BT To Go's number to the iPhone microsim, and my wife's Virgin's number to BT To Go?
Hope you can help. Thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi HG,
That's a very good question – I'm afraid I don't have the answer to that, sorry! It sounds like the people that you need to speak to are BT – with regards to Virgin and Vodafone it's just business as usual. If BT could arrange for a port out whilst keeping your contract with a new number then this should be possible.
Ken
Jane said:
Can anyone help me? I work for a small company and we have 4 mobile phones on Vodafone network but our contract is through a third party communications company. Our contract will finish March 2011, however, we want to move to another provider but the third party company want to charge us £45 per mobile for the PAC codes as they say Vodafone will charge them. Having contacted Vodafone they assure me that they do not charge anyone for PAC codes. The third party state in their terms and conditons that this charge will be made, but I feel that £180 is an unreasonable amount to pay for admin. Any suggestions please?
Raj said:
I am out of contract with O2 privided via Outsourcery – a smaller independent company. I am told it will take up to 30 days for my PAC code to arrive and they want to charge £30 for this.
Tony said:
Hi
I am currently with T-mobile and want to look at other tariffs/suppliers. I called them to give them a months notice and request my PAC number but they've said I can't do both at once – If I cancel my contract I'll lose my number and that I should find my new service first and then call them for my PAC number but that the notice period would start from that point. Can't I give a month's notice and request my PAC at the same time?
Thanks
Tony
Ken replied:
Hi Tony,
Bear in mind that a PAC code is only valid for 30 days from issue – if you need to give a months notice then by the time your contract actually ends, your PAC code would have already expired! Personally I would give your notice now, sign up for your new contract maybe 2 weeks into the notice period (you want some kind of overlap between the two) and once you've done that, request the PAC Code.
Ken
tony replied:
Thank you. I think they were just trying to squeeze more money out of me!
simon said:
Fantastic and well constructed. No doubt a benefit to all!
Joe said:
Hi Ken,
I started my current job around 12 months ago. They offered me an O2 business contract as part of the position. I decided to port over my existing Orange number on to the O2account. All good. Now however, I am moving to a new employer and want my take my number with me. I have read your advise above which suggests they don't have to release this if the contract has not expired (it still has a year run). Is there anything I can do? I've had the same number for 5 years and don't want to lose it…and they got it from me in the first place!
Any advice would be most welcome.
J
mina said:
Orange overcharged on a recent US trip and after much debate terminated my phone today, is it still possible for me to get a PAC code to transfer to another provider whilst I pay the outstanding off? Or can I set up a pay as you go account whilst I am paying it off?
Mina
gatters said:
3 Mobile are very bad at releasing the PAC. My contract ended months ago, so they've had a good few years from me. I had to basically tell them that they cannot legally hold onto the code. It took many phone calls and arguments. They are a bad company….without a doubt….bad bad bad.
steve said:
Will i lose my £10 credit on my new o2 sim when i port the number from T mobile? Cheers, Steve.
Ken replied:
Hi Steve,
Porting in your phone number from T-Mobile shouldn’t affect your credit balance on O2.
Ken
Mag said:
I'm having issues with vodafone, my contracts have come to an end but there is an amount of the account of £ 510 which I am disputing. I want to go on to a SIM only deal with another supplier, can they refuse to give me my PAC number if there is an amount outstanding on the account?
Ken replied:
Hi Mag,
Giving the nature of this dispute, I'm not really sure. You can read the OFCOM code – see page 62. Sorry I can't help with a specific answer.
Ken
Mag replied:
Many thanks Ken, all the best
Kirit said:
Hi,
I hope you can help.
I currently have a contract with Orange and have six months left, I want to continue the contract but with a different number, when speaking to Orange they say they are happy for me to change the number on this contract for a fee of £10 but they will not give me the PAC code for the original number. Are they legally obliged to give me the PAC code for my original number or can they withhold the PAC code from me.
I basically need my original number because I want to move to an iPhone on another network.
Many Thanks
Ken replied:
Hello Kirit,
I don't believe that they need to give you a PAC Code until either your contract expires or you pay off the remainder of the contract. Your situation is a bit strange… so I'm not really sure. You can see the Ofcom document at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/telecom… page 62. Seeing as you are moving a number to Orange as well, it's possible that Orange would do this out of goodwill.
Ken
Tracy replied:
I have a similar situation in that I have a contract with 3 but also a new contract with O2, and my daughter has a phone with vodafone on a contract which runs out next week. I'd like to port her number to my 3 contract and my current 3 number to O2. I don't know how feasible this would be but I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Tracy
Cheryl said:
If your number hasn't transferred, check with the company you are moving from as well as the one you are moving to… the one I moved from gave me an invalid PAC code!
Ken replied:
Thanks for the heads up Cheryl. We've added some information to the article about what format PAC Codes should be in 🙂 This should help people find out whether their PAC codes are valid.
maud said:
Hi,
I don't know if anyone can help me, but i have had A LOT of trouble from orange, which resulted in me ending my contract with them. This was 4 weeks ago. I now have a new phone and have requested a pac code in order to retrieve my old number which i have had for a number of years and desperately need to keep, as i have moved away from home with a new job.
Problem- Orange are refusing to give me my pac code unless i reactivate my account with them, therefore they'll then charge me another months line rental (even though i have no orange phone and no contract) in order to get this Pac code.
Does anyone know if they can actually do this?????
Much appreciated.
Many Thanks
bloke replied:
You dont have a hope. Not one. If you wanted to keep your number you have to request the pac code and use it, once used it closes the existing account. By cancelling your contract you have returned the number to the network, you have no rights to it all now.
hiiiyahh said:
heyy do u need to unlock ur mobile first? or can u just put the sim in ur phone and then put ur PAC in.
Zach said:
Hey i got verizon wireless can i get my phone number changed to cricket?
Zach said:
does this work from Verizon to Sprint?
Ken replied:
Hi,
No. The system for the US is different.
Ken
philippa said:
I am also in the exact same position as Mavis who posted up her query about 20 weeks ago but not sure what the reply is. Basically I am ending my contract but my friend likes my number. If I request my PAC code, can I pass it to my friend to use when he gets his phone?
Ken replied:
Hi philippa,
I see no reason why you couldn't do this, yes. The PAC code only transfers a phone number and not account details/ownership etc.
Ken
Abby )(-: said:
I've receieved my PAC Code from 3G and they sent me a link to follow to activate before I transfer over?
This link is http://mobile.three.co.uk/sdf.transfer but nothing seems to happen when I put this link in?
How do I go about using the PAC code now its been issued?
It needs to be used by 8th August
Any help will be much appriciated
Ken replied:
Hi Abby,
The link works for me… although it only shows general information about joining Three. It provides the same information as they provide over at http://www.three.co.uk/Pay_As_You_Go/Top_ups_the_free_stuff
I assume you received an 9-digit PAC code (don't post it here). You need to activate your new 3 phone or SIM card and then call the customer services of your new network and give them your PAC code.
Hope this helps
Ken
Sarah said:
My work are buying me an iphone today and so I am going to cancel my current contract with Orange. Orange have said I will get my PAC code by Friday, if I get an iphone today will I still be able to change my number over to my old number or do I need to wait for my PAC code before I go and get my new phone?
Ken replied:
Hi Sarah,
When you get your new iPhone from work, it will come with a new phone number. This will be your temporary phone number. When you receive your PAC code on Friday, you need to provide it to your new network ASAP. They will do everything behind the scenes move your number onto your iPhone but it will take up to two working days (so the number will only transfer to the iPhone on Monday or Tuesday next week). Until then, people can reach your iPhone through the temporary number and your Orange phone through your existing number.
Hope this helps
Ken
Royston Morris said:
Hi, I'm currently with O2 pay & go but I want to change to another provider but keep my same number and handset, I haven't got any clues as to how I go about this – without it costing me too much money.
I really only use my mobile to send texts so I'm looking around for the best pay & go deals that live up to my expectations(the cheaper the better obviously).
Any ideas/tips/hints would be most welcome.
Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Royston,
We have some articles which might be of interest to you:
http://cow.neondragon.net/index.php/free-pay-as-you-go-sim-cards-listed-reviewed-and-compared
http://cow.neondragon.net/index.php/which-pay-as-you-go-tariff-is-right-for-me-the-cheapest-best-value-tariffs
Ken
Royston Morris replied:
Thanks for that Ken, I'll study those articles when I get more free time
Heather said:
It's already been 4 working days, and my number hasn't transferred either, and it's becoming a problem as my credit is running out on the PAYG phone and I'm moving to a contract. What should I do?
Ken replied:
Hi Heather,
Have you given your PAC code to your new network? You should contact them for technical queries.
Ken
Clare said:
HELP! im getting a simplicity sim from O2 Im buying it online and there isnt any where i can put the Pac code! Help
Ken replied:
Hi Clare,
Many networks only ask for your PAC code once you’ve received your SIM. Otherwise there is a chance that your SIM could still be in the post when the number is switched over! As soon as you get your SIM and confirm that it works in your phone, you’ll need to call O2 Customer services (I think it’s 202 from the Pay Monthly Simplicity and 4445 from the PAYG Simplicity) and then provide them with the PAC code then.
Hope this helps
Ken
Mark said:
Can you transfer a number to a PAYG with a PAC?
Ken replied:
Hi Mark,
Yep. Both PAYG & contract.
Ken
Brian Moreau said:
Hi and thanks this was useful but I would like to know.
Can you use a PAC on the same network who issued it through?
I run a mobile phone affiliation scheme and plan to let my existing contract with Three network expire, get my PAC and then sign up as a new customer and get my new Android HTC Desire at discount.
Is this legal?
Ken replied:
Hi Bryan,
No you cannot use a PAC code with which it is issued. I have had some conflicting stories with what you can do. For my previous phone, I purchased a new O2 PAYG phone with cashback and was able to get O2 to transfer my number from my old SIM card to my new SIM card (and combine the credit). However, I know some other readers who wanted to use a similar trick and the advice they were given by the customer services of the network was to use a PAC code to transfer to a different network, then get a new PAC code to move back onto a new plan. So it seems like it depends on your network and their policies. I would give them a call, speak to their customer retentions department, tell them about deals other networks are offering and see whether they can offer you the same discount as new customers receive.
HTH
Ken
Mal Watts said:
Thanks Ken, that is great. I can now proceed with transfering my number without sleepless nights worrying about my business!!!
Zoe Bermant said:
Talk mobile said they cannot do it only Fresh Mobile can and Fresh Mobile have ceased all operations since 30 March. Surely that cannot mean my number is gone forever – can it?
Ken replied:
Afraid I don’t know… I would have thought that Fresh Mobile customers should now be part of a different network and then the new network would be responsible for PAC codes.
If you are still experiencing problems getting a PAC code, it might be worth contracting Ofcom.
Zoe Bermant said:
My husband was with the Fresh Mobile network and it closed down while we were travelling overseas for 6 weeks. He has been desperately trying to get hold of someone at Fresh Mobile (operated by Carphone Warehouse and on the T-Mobile network) to get his PAC code so he can transfer his number but no-one seemse able to help him. Not at Fresh or CW or TM.
Any advice you can give would be helpful – it seems ludicrous that he will lose his number after 2 years – his whole business life depends on that number.
thx
Ken replied:
Hi Zoe,
Are you now on Talkmobile?
I believe you need to contact your current network and remind them of “Ofcom’s ‘General Conditions of Entitlement’ (2003) Condition 18. They must issue you with a PAC code within 2 days of your request unless you are tied in to a fixed term contract and have not completed it.”
Ken
mavis said:
My friend is leaving her mobile phone contract & is not getting another mobile so she has offered me her PAC code (i like her number very easy to remember!!) can i use it when getting a new mobile?
Lucy said:
Im in the last month of my contract. I have my pac code. when should I use it? If i use it now and order the phone will i have to pay the new phone contract from soon after ive ordered it, or will it do it from the end of my current contract? Is a bit confusing.
aji don said:
it shouldnt normally becuase they normally take 2 dayz but since there is snow in the uk connections are low so u may have to wayt until the weather blows over