Upgrading to a new handset or SIM card on T-Mobile? You won't need a PAC Code to keep your current phone number.
Step 1: Order your new phone or SIM card from T-Mobile's website
As you're staying on T-Mobile, it's not necessary to obtain a PAC Code. Instead, you can process your phone number transfer internally inside of T-Mobile.
Start by ordering your new phone or SIM card using the T-Mobile website. Please select the type of tariff you're intending to move to:
For a full list of available tariffs and the latest T-Mobile deals, please refer to this page.
Step 2: Contact T-Mobile To Transfer Your Phone Number
After receiving your new phone or SIM card, please contact T-Mobile to transfer your phone number to the new plan. You can do this by calling 150 from your T-Mobile handset. Alternatively, dial 020 7362 0200 from any other phone.
You can contact T-Mobile at any time during their opening hours:
| Monday - Friday | 8am - 8pm An extended service costing 50p/call is available between 8pm-10pm on weekdays. |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 8am - 6pm An extended service costing 50p/call is available between 6pm-8pm on the weekend. |
| Sunday | 8am - 6pm An extended service costing 50p/call is available between 6pm-8pm on the weekend. |
View Latest Deals from T-Mobile →
Any Other Questions?
In case of any problems during the transfer of your phone number, you should contact your new mobile network (T-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"
Lynne said:
I am currently with t mobile but they are unable to offer me a deal directly that i can get via the internet on the same network. Do i need to get a pac code to transfer over to the new deal? Box help would be appreciated. Thanks
Ken replied:
Hi Lynne,
Your best bet would be to contact T-Mobile: they should hopefully be able to do this internally. If not, it’s always possible to port to another network and then to port your number back using a new PAC Code (you can get a free Pay As You Go SIM card for this purpose here.
Ken
Tunde said:
Hi,
My contract with t- mobile ends on 26 April. Called them today to terminate contract next month 26th and also requested and got a Pack code for the sim which I was told must be used latest 24th April. However I will be starting another contract on the 23rd April with carphonewharehouse but on the same network t-mobile. Is this allowed, that is, accepting the pack code even though they provided this in the first place or what will I do to retain my current number with t-mobile if this arrangement will not be possible. Please advise and I am grateful for your response.
Ken replied:
Hi Tunde,
Thanks for the comment. It’s not necessary to have a PAC Code when changing tariff within the same network (e.g. going from T-Mobile to another T-Mobile contract). In theory, I believe you should have gone through the upgrade customer route when buying your new contract on T-Mobile. Perhaps it’s worth getting in touch with CPW and asking them whether this is still possible. If not, contact T-Mobile Customer Services and see if they’re able to do an internal transfer. Worst case scenario, you can port your number out to a different mobile network before porting it back into your new T-Mobile contract. If you need to do this, I recommend picking up a free Pay As You Go SIM card.
Hope this helps,
Ken
Lee replied:
Hi Ken,
I want to transfer my wife’s Orange PAYG to an new Orange Sim Only deal (she wants to stay with Orange and keep her number).
The easy way is to “upgrade” for £9/month bur I can get the same deal for £6.67/m online as a new customer.
It has been suggested that transferring from Orange > Someone Else, wait a few days and then transfer Someone Else > Orange.
Do you know how long I’d have to wait between transfers?
Regards
Lee
Ken replied:
Hi Lee,
Thanks for getting in touch! The normal timeframe for a phone number transfer is listed here. In short, it can take one working day to transfer your number between networks. So if well timed, you can complete the whole process of going Orange -> Somewhere Else -> Orange again within two days. I’d also keep a careful eye on daily cut-off points (for Orange/EE it’s 5.30pm). If you provide a PAC Code after this time, it’ll take one extra working day.
Good luck!
Ken
Jonathan Coombe said:
Hi Ken,
I recently opted to switch from a T-Mobile PAYG to a T-Mobile Monthly contract mobile. I wanted the new (free) phone, but to retain my existing PAYG number. Whilst making the switch online, there didn’t appear to be any option for this so I just took it as read that it would be transferred. When the new phone arrived, it included a new SIM card and I was dismayed to discover that the new contract had been drawn up for the new number. Thus, I now have a PAYG phone with the number I DO want, and a £30 per month contract for a number I DON’T want !
I imagined it would be a relatively simple matter to put this right but upon ringing T-Mobile (not easy to speak to anyone after navigating your way through their phone menu system !) I was further dismayed when they told me the way round this was for me to temporarily switch to another network and then move back to T-Mobile again. Even if I do this and transfer my existing number back to T-Mobile, I still don’t understand how they will then associate my existing number to the new contract. That is to say, if they can do it after I migrate and then return, why can’t they do it now ?
If, after I return, they draw up a new contract, how can I be sure they will cancel the existing one ? Again, I don’t understand how they can do it after a migration, but not now. Will you please clarify this for me as I’m awfully confused !
Many thanks.
Ken replied:
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for your comment. It’s a shame that T-Mobile can’t move your number from Pay As You Go directly to Contract – I don’t understand this policy at all. One of my friends had the same experience on Orange (now part of EE & in the same company as T-Mobile). He persevered and eventually Customer Services were able to do it. If T-Mobile aren’t able to do this for you, then porting out to another network and back to T-Mobile will certainly work. The easiest way to do this is to grab a free SIM card from another network (e.g. O2) then follow the instructions as above.
When you take out a new contract, it’s normal practice to be assigned a new phone number. When you use the PAC Code, your temporary phone number is removed and your existing phone number is associated with that new contract. You certainly won’t need another new contract and your existing contract won’t need to be cancelled. The reason why temporary phone numbers are assigned is because many people receive their phones by post, etc. Due to the possibility of shipping delays, it’s unacceptable for the old phone number to be associated with the new contract/SIM immediately. Hence customers are asked to use their PAC Code only once they’ve received their new device/SIM. Only once the PAC Code is used will your phone number be transferred.
Hope this helps,
Ken