Porting from O2 and back again, via another network?

Sponge

There are a few threads on similar topics, but they're a bit old and I know how some people hate old threads being resurrected and I'd appreciate the opinion of MSE's members.

I want to move a mobile number which technically belongs to my wife, to me.

My memory's a bit hazy as it was a year ago, but I'm sure I migrated the same mobile number from an O2 contract in my name, to another O2 contract in my wife's name previously. It involved a prolonged phone call, in which we both confirmed details, etc, but it was done. However, I now want to do the same again and have been told I can't. (An hour long conversation using O2's live chat service.)

I've had to cancel my wife's contract (with the number I want) and get a PAC. So my plan is to use that PAC to get the phone number away from O2 to a PAYG SIM on another network. Then, get a 2nd PAC and port the phone number back to an O2 account in my name. With me so far? :doh:

My question is, are there any PAYG SIMs out there that are good for this? In some old threads I read Virgin or Orange might be better.

Ideally, the PAYG SIM shouldn't cost me anything to purchase or add credit to to allow the process.

I'm hoping by the time I have the 2nd PAC that the phone number won't be associated with my wife and I can use it on my new O2 contract.

Techhead_2

You're correct that O2 will let you migrate numbers from an account which is closing to a new one you have taken out. But I don't think they will do this if the accounts belong to different people.

You could try using the PAC and entering it into the /keepyournumber web page , that may work and the worst that will happen is that it's rejected.
Failing that you'll need to port the number, as you suggest,. It is complicated though, as it's your wife wouldn't it be more straightforward for her to take out the new account, transfer the number and you pay her ?

Sponge

I wanted to get some Top Cashback (£100), but this time do it in my name.

The current contract is in her name and it became complicate and messy when I tried to link it to our O2 internet & home phone accounts. As I had an O2 mobile in my name, but she was using it; she had a contract in her name, but I was using it; and O2's online account management couldn't handle me trying to link them to accounts in my name. Everytime we tried to log in it would take us to the wrong accounts and it became a nightmare to check our bills. It should have worked, but it didn't.

So I wanted to simplify matters and get a mobile account in my name, which I could link to internet & home phone, in my name.

Wintermute

Techhead wrote: »

You're correct that O2 will let you migrate numbers from an account which is closing to a new one you have taken out. But I don't think they will do this if the accounts belong to different people.

You could try using the PAC and entering it into the /keepyournumber web page , that may work and the worst that will happen is that it's rejected.
Failing that you'll need to port the number, as you suggest,. It is complicated though, as it's your wife wouldn't it be more straightforward for her to take out the new account, transfer the number and you pay her ?

O2 will do it even if the numbers belong to two different people, but both people will need to be in the same room at the same time and speak to customer services. The web chat are unlikely to be of any help in a situation like that. It'll work most of the time, if it doesn't the easiest would be to migrate the number you want to keep to PAYG then back to pay monthly as the names don't matter while migrating from PAYG to Pay Monthly.

Sponge

I filled in the online "keep your number" form shortly after starting this thread and have heard nothing from them. I emailed them last week to ask for an update and again have heard nothing. So, I got my wife to call them this morning and ask to migrate the number, something which O2's online chat CSR said couldn't be done. They did it. It'll happen within 24 hours and I'll, she'll, receive her last bill 14 days later.

Surprisingly, they didn't ask to speak to me during the conversation. She provided them with the 'temporary' number from my new account and that was it. Easy. Rather too easy. I'm hoping it actually gets done and doesn't come back to bite us.

Sponge

Still not happened. :huh:

Sponge

I just thought I'd add some closure to this thread.

It was too easy and they hadn't processed the transfer. :wall:

They should have spoken to me during the initial phone call and 'the system' was unable to complete the transfer. Why 'the system' couldn't notify a human being of this and prompt a call to me, I don't know.

Anyway, after nearly 30 days, getting the wrong advice and not being given the right assistance, the number was finally transferred Sat/Sun.