Switching from Orange to Virgin Mobile? It's a straightforward process to keep your existing phone number.

Step 1: Get a PAC Code from Orange

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

There are two ways to get a PAC Code from Orange:

  1. By Text Message: You can get an Orange PAC Code sent to you via SMS text message. Text PAC to 65075 to receive a PAC Code from Orange.
  2. By Phone: You can get a PAC Code by calling Orange. To do this, call them on:
    • For Orange Pay Monthly, dial 150 (or 07973 100 150 from any other phone)
    • For Orange Pay As You Go, dial 450 (or 07973 100 450 from any other phone)
    You'll need to call during Orange's opening hours (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 8am-6pm).

Here are some key things to know:

  • A PAC Code is 9 digits long and follows the format ABC 123 456.
  • Your PAC Code is valid for 30 days. If you don't use it during this time, the PAC Code will expire and you'll need to request a new one.
  • You shouldn't close your account at Orange: it'll be closed automatically when your phone number is transferred to Virgin Mobile.

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

Orange STAC Code (Leave Orange Without Keeping Your Number)

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

  1. By Text Message: You can get an Orange STAC Code sent to you via SMS text message. Text STAC to 75075 to receive a STAC Code from Orange.
  2. By Phone: You can get a STAC Code by calling Orange. Call them on:
    • For Orange Pay Monthly, dial 150 (or 07973 100 150 from any other phone)
    • For Orange Pay As You Go, dial 450 (or 07973 100 450 from any other phone)
    You'll need to call during Orange's opening hours (Monday-Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 8am-6pm).

Once you’ve gotten your STAC Code from Orange, the rest of the process for joining Virgin Mobile remains the same.

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

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

If you're looking for a SIM card from Virgin Mobile, the following deals are currently most popular:

Network Data Monthly Cost
No price plans could be found matching this criteria.

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

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

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

Step 3: Give the PAC Code to Virgin Mobile

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

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

Your PAC Code should be entered on Virgin Mobile's online form. Alternatively, you can give the PAC Code to Virgin Mobile by calling 789 on your Virgin Mobile handset. You can also call 0345 6000 789 from any other phone.

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

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

Remember:

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

Step 4: Phone Number Transferred (Next Working Day)

As long as you've submitted your PAC Code to Virgin Mobile before 6pm, your phone number transfer will normally be scheduled for the next working day (Monday to Friday only, excluding English bank holidays). After 6pm, you'll need to wait one extra working day for your number to be transferred.

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

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

Get the Latest Deals from Virgin Mobile →

Any Other Questions?

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

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

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

Your Comments 1,966 so far

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

To view all 1966 comments about transferring a phone number, please visit the main PAC Code article.

  • Melvyn Burton said:

    Hi Ken,

    You say ‘Once the phone number has been transferred to Virgin Mobile, your account on Orange will automatically be closed. You’ll receive a final bill for any outstanding charges’. I’m currently on pay as you go, so will the refund my any outstanding credit?

    Thanks

    Melvyn

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Melvyn,

      Thanks for the comment! If only it worked in such a fair way… unfortunately any remaining Pay As You Go credit will be forfeited during a number transfer. For Pay Monthly, it works slightly differently… if your account is in credit you’d then be able to claim a refund.

      Sorry to bear the bad news for PAYG users: you’ll either need to use up remaining credit or you can instead donate it to charity (e.g. to Cancer Research UK). If you do neither, then it’s retained by Orange as profit.

      Ken

  • Kristian said:

    Hi there 🙂 just a quick question to check if everything is going smoothly with my switch from an Orange SIM to a new Virgin one (changed to a new rolling contract with better coverage) – is it normal for my mobile internet, texts and calls on my new activated SIM/contract to be completely down during the “port date” (which if I understand it correctly is the 24-hour period for my PAC code to be transferred and for me to get my old number back). Hopefully this lack of service is just temporary and hopefully as soon as my new number is reset, my new contract and its features will be up and working as normal automatically?
    Thanks 🙂

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Kristian,

      Thanks for getting in touch. When you lose coverage on the Virgin SIM, you should restart your phone. Upon doing this, the service should come back but with calls & texts to your old number now being routed to your new SIM.

      Hope this helps!

      Ken

      • Kristian replied:

        Hey, thanks for the reply – I have tried restarting it a couple of times and still no internet or calls coverage, texts are apparently working though.Getting a bit worried as it’s all meant to be sorted and switched over by midnight at the latest, and one of my contacts replied saying my number’s back to the old one so presumably it should be done! :S

        • Ken replied:

          Hi Kristian,

          It’s really bizarre that texts are working but calls aren’t – sorry I don’t have an explanation for this. My recommendation would be to go to Virgin Customer Services (call 0845 6000 789 from your landline). For internet I’d normally recommend looking at your APN settings. You can find the APN settings for Virgin here. That said, the fact that calls aren’t working might indicate it’s another problem.

          Sorry to not be of more assistance and I wish you the best of luck resolving the issue with Virgin. If you do find out the problem, it would be great to know so we can share this with other readers.

          Many thanks,

          Ken

  • Calista said:

    Hi Ken
    I want to change from Orange to Virgin Mobile as they have much better deals and I believe despite being a loyal customer Orange have let me down on more than one occasions. I called today to ask for the PAC code and they said that as soon as they issue one my SIM card is disabled (that is customer service from Orange for you). I am utterly disgusted with their approach and crap plans so would like to know what are my consumer rights in the UK as Orange will terminate the SIM only service as soon as I am issued with the PAC code rather than when Virgin Media take over.
    Cheers
    Calista

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