BT contract and porting number

PlumbingTheDepths

Hi,
I am currently on a 12 month contract with BT mobile which expires on March 12th.


I have signed up to Smarty, and have the SIM card which I will be activating now, because it needs to be activated by Feb 4th to obtain an offer.


I would like to know when the best time to port my number from BT to Smarty would be, and how to manage the BT cancellation.


I don't mind when the number is ported, but I obviously want to avoid being charged early termination and/or charged for an additional month by BT and/or have any disruption to my service.



Should I simply contact BT now, tell them that I want to leave at the end of the contract, and ask for the PAC code?


If I do that, does it matter when I use the PAC code? Would using it before the end of the contract classify as ending the contract early?


Would using the PAC code after the contract ends be deemed to be extending the contract?


Would using the PAC code after the contract mean that I could be without service from the end of the BT contract until the time that the number is ported?


Can anybody please advise?

mobilejunkie

Ask for a PAC 30 days before the end of the minimum term and exerices it within the 30 days (or the contract will continue). Requesting a PAC will negate any notice given.

PlumbingTheDepths

mobilejunkie wrote: »

Ask for a PAC 30 days before the end of the minimum term and exerices it within the 30 days (or the contract will continue). Requesting a PAC will negate any notice given.

Hi. Thanks for the quick reply.

If I understand correctly

1) I need to request the PAC no later than 30 days before the end of the contract fixed term (so I could request it today)
2) I need to use the PAC within the last 30 days of the contract fixed term (so I could use it on 20th Feb)
3) I do not need to give separate explicit notice, I just need to do 1 + 2
4) If I do 1 + 2 the contract will end on the last day of the fixed term

Is that right?

J_B

PlumbingTheDepths wrote: »

Hi,
I am currently on a 12 month contract with BT mobile which expires on March 12th.

Should I simply contact BT now, tell them that I want to leave at the end of the contract, and ask for the PAC code?


If I do that, does it matter when I use the PAC code? Would using it before the end of the contract classify as ending the contract early?


Would using the PAC code after the contract ends be deemed to be extending the contract?

PlumbingTheDepths wrote: »

1) I need to request the PAC no later than 30 days before the end of the contract (so I could request it today)

You maybe know (?) but the contract doesn't 'end' (unless you ask them to end it, or use the PAC) otherwise it just rolls on after the end of it's minimum term.

d123

PlumbingTheDepths wrote: »

Hi,
I am currently on a 12 month contract with BT mobile which expires on March 12th.

Should I simply contact BT now, tell them that I want to leave at the end of the contract, and ask for the PAC code?

Contact BT for the PAC on the 12th of Feb.

PlumbingTheDepths wrote: »

If I do that, does it matter when I use the PAC code? Would using it before the end of the contract classify as ending the contract early?

Would using the PAC code after the contract ends be deemed to be extending the contract?

You will pay for 30 days notice, the PAC is only valid for 30 days so you wouldn’t be able to use it late.

PlumbingTheDepths wrote: »

Would using the PAC code after the contract mean that I could be without service from the end of the BT contract until the time that the number is ported?

This isn’t very clear, but when you use the PAC the number will transfer the next working day. You could have a period of no service on that day while the port happens, but normally the old sim stops working and the new sim starts working with the old number within minutes of each other.

The ideal method, so as not to duplicate charges (though you already have the new sim, so probably immaterial) would be to contact BT and get the PAC on the 12th of Feb and then give it to the new provider about 3 weeks later, in your case I would do it on the 7th or 8th of the March (as there is a weekend in the middle) and the port will happen either on the 8th or 11th of March.

If you don’t mind ‘wasting’ the 30 days notice on BT, get the PAC on the 12th and give it to Smarty straightaway if you want your number on the new sim asap.

PlumbingTheDepths

J_B wrote: »

You maybe know (?) but the contract doesn't 'end' (unless you ask them to end it, or use the PAC) otherwise it just rolls on after the end of it's minimum term.

Thanks. Yes I should have said "at least 30 days before the end of the minimum/fixed term" (I will change the wording)

I just wanted to make sure that requesting it now would not be a problem, as long as I used it in the last 30 days.

mobilejunkie

It's irrelevant when you ask for it; it means you have 30 days toi use it, whenever you do. It can be during the minumum term or after. The contract will simply keep running until you either ask for and exercise a PAC or give 30 days' notice to terminate the contract (without transferring the number). As stated, doing the former after the latter negates the latter.

PlumbingTheDepths

mobilejunkie wrote: »

It's irrelevant when you ask for it; it means you have 30 days toi use it, whenever you do. It can be during the minumum term or after. The contract will simply keep running until you either ask for and exercise a PAC or give 30 days' notice to terminate the contract (without transferring the number). As stated, doing the former after the latter negates the latter.

Thanks for clarifying. If I understand what you say, then I could request the PAC on March 5th, use it on March 6th, and the contract would still end on March 12th (even though I hadn't given any other notice, and even though I only requested the PAC 7 days before the end of the fixed term).


Is that correct?

mobilejunkie

Yes - though you might end up paying for 30 days from the date you asked for the pac. Better to ask for it sooner and use it nearer the end time you envisage.

The_Fat_Controller

If you cancel the BT contract by giving notice and get a PAC code, even though the code is theoretically valid for 30 days, if you try to use it beyond the BT cancellation date, the SIM/number will be disconnected.

AFAIK you cannot port in a disconnected number even if you have a PAC code relating to it.

eDicky

The_Fat_Controller wrote: »

If you cancel the BT contract by giving notice and get a PAC code, even though the code is theoretically valid for 30 days, if you try to use it beyond the BT cancellation date, the SIM/number will be disconnected.

AFAIK you cannot port in a disconnected number even if you have a PAC code relating to it.

There is no need to give notice of cancellation when requesting a PAC, and the issuance of a PAC supersedes and cancels any notice previously given. So the phone number will remain available for transfer during the full 30 days (and beyond if a new PAC is obtained).