mobile phone not working

moneyistooshorttomention

It's just a basic "emergency only" pay as you go type phone and I went to switch it on today and it wouldnt switch on afaik.

Right now - I've got it charging - but I've the feeling that that isnt the problem.

I can see that replacement "basic phones" are very cheap - but I have some credit on this phone and don't wish to lose it.

I've tried ringing my own number from my landline phone and I'm still getting my own ansafone message back. I think I must have made a "keep it going" type phonecall within the last year (ie it's a Virgin phone) - though I can't be sure on that.

I know there is this stunt these companies pull of allocating one's mobile phone number to someone else and trying not to hand back any unused credit to the owner of that number - but I'm guessing they've not pulled that one on me - or I would, presumably, find some strange person/ansafone message answering my number wondering who I am and being told by me that it's MY number/not theirs.

Thoughts?

Tom99

Any credit is on the SIM card not the phone.
What do you mean by will not switch on?
If you let a phone battery go totally flat they can be very hard to restart.

Jon_01

If the phone's been left in a car glovebox in the current hot weather it could have baked and died, a mate of mines had one go that way in the week.

If the number had been reclaimed you'd get no message just a dead line.

I think on Virgin you need to make a call/text every 6 months to avoid losing the number, not once a year btw...

Inner_Zone

If it's PAYG you need to make a chargeable event every 180 days with most providers, some are as low as 84 days though, otherwise you loose the number and most will also cancel the credit. But the number won't be recycled for a while afterwards 12 -15 months approx. VM's limit for chargeable events is 180 days I seem to remember. It will be on their website.



So just wait until its partially charged and then it should switch on if the battery is not US.

moneyistooshorttomention

Inner_Zone wrote: »

If it's PAYG you need to make a chargeable event every 180 days with most providers, some are as low as 84 days though, otherwise you loose the number and most will also cancel the credit. But the number won't be recycled for a while afterwards 12 -15 months approx. VM's limit for chargeable events is 180 days I seem to remember. It will be on their website.



So just wait until its partially charged and then it should switch on if the battery is not US.

Fingers still crossed at the moment.

So - right - looks like I'd better in future just do a quick "Hello me - its me" phonecall from mobile to landline and that should stop any "knocking my phone out thing" by the provider (whoever they are).

If Virgin have tried to "recycle" my phone number - then it sounds as if I would find a strange person answering my phone number 16 months from now? - and then maybe I could get "strange person" to complain to Virgin that they weren't able to use "their" phone number, ie because it was mine and I and my contacts were ringing it and asking for me?

Inner_Zone

I think you would find most of your contacts would have given up trying to use that number as they would have been getting unused line for sometime, hence why it does not happen instantly..


There are only a finite number of eleven digit numbers so they will all be recycled eventually if not used for a period of time.


With the increasing amount of M2M SIM's being used the numbers are running out. If M2M SIM's move to twelve digits then the situation may be resolved.

moneyistooshorttomention

I don't know whether Virgin would try and erase messages to my mobile phone number before trying to recycle it.

I've just left a message on my number - explaining that it's MY number/giving the date/saying how long I've had it and requesting they call Virgin to provide them with their own phone number and give me mine back (ie because I have credit on it) if a stranger picks it up. Dont know whether that will work or no if it comes to it.

Trying to recall last time I used my phone - I know I did last time I was away and it was sometime between 6 and 12 months ago. I had thought Virgin had a one year thing going on.

Off to check out the Virgin website re this.

EDIT; It says 180 days for Virgin. I can feel a note for my house diary coming on of "16 months time - ring my phone number"......

Jon_01

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Fingers still crossed at the moment.

So - right - looks like I'd better in future just do a quick "Hello me - its me" phonecall from mobile to landline and that should stop any "knocking my phone out thing" by the provider (whoever they are).

If Virgin have tried to "recycle" my phone number - then it sounds as if I would find a strange person answering my phone number 16 months from now? - and then maybe I could get "strange person" to complain to Virgin that they weren't able to use "their" phone number, ie because it was mine and I and my contacts were ringing it and asking for me?

Just a slight correction for you. It's not your number, they belong to the network always. You can move them from network to network, but they are never yours they are owned by the network they start on. It's been like that from the start as there aren't an infinite number of mobile numbers they have to be recycled when they're not used for the set time in the T&C's.

moneyistooshorttomention

If the worst comes to the worst - then I shall have to buy another "emergency basic mobile" and I've been checking out whats what and the best option would be a phone I've spotted with another network.

So - from what you say - am I right in thinking I could turn round to "new network provider" (assuming I have to buy a new phone) and say "I'm keeping my existing number. Can you please transfer it into your system?"

With that:
- would I get the messages I'm currently leaving for myself/anyone else is leaving for me on my existing mobile?
- would I be able to "retrieve" the credit I have on my phone with existing provider?

twhitehousescat

buy another virgin payg and try putting your old sim card in it , if good then give/sell new sim with bought credit , in the pub

Carrot007

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

So - from what you say - am I right in thinking I could turn round to "new network provider" (assuming I have to buy a new phone) and say "I'm keeping my existing number. Can you please transfer it into your system?"

If the number has been disconnected from you you don;t have an existing number to move. Trying to steal it back is likely to get you into more trouble.

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

- would I get the messages I'm currently leaving for myself/anyone else is leaving for me on my existing mobile?
- would I be able to "retrieve" the credit I have on my phone with existing provider?

Messages expire after 30 days. Messages get deleted on transfer of numbers. So no.


Only per you existing companies terms and conditions and only if you stay with them. Most likely no.




You are why pay as you go should be phased out. Alternatively they should just introduce a £1 weekly minimum charge.