Who do you entrust with your number

mark9

Hi,

A few years ago I chose RWG as the home for my long term number and that now seems to be a less than ideal choice.

So, my question is, who/how do you entrust your number that you want to retain long term?

Or, do you not bother with a number for life and just change all the services/contacts that rely on a registered phone number to a new number each time you move operators?

Thanks,

Mark

Brie

think I've been with ee forever.  Generally it's been fine but the price has now crept up to nearly £8 a month.

p00hsticks

I didn't think you had to change your number if you moved operators - you ask your existing operator for a PAC code, give it to the new operator and your same number is then transferred across. 

PAC Codes | How to keep and transfer your old number - Uswitch

Neil49

p00hsticks said:

I didn't think you had to change your number if you moved operators - you ask your existing operator for a PAC code, give it to the new operator and your same number is then transferred across. 

PAC Codes | How to keep and transfer your old number - Uswitch

You are assuming your provider doesn't go bust or simply ignores your request. RWG seems to be in difficulty so if I had a number that was important to me I would consider jumping ship sooner rather than later. Users seem to be having some luck routing requests through Nowmobile (who provide RWG with their service) but I think RWG's days are numbered. 

I would also get out of Lyca if you can. Their customer service is almost non existent. 

Personally I would switch to one of the big 4 (soon to be three with the 3/Vodafone merger) and any provider directly connected with one of them (such as Smarty or 1p Mobile etc) 

PHK

Neil49 said:

p00hsticks said:

I didn't think you had to change your number if you moved operators - you ask your existing operator for a PAC code, give it to the new operator and your same number is then transferred across. 

PAC Codes | How to keep and transfer your old number - Uswitch

You are assuming your provider doesn't go bust or simply ignores your request. RWG seems to be in difficulty so if I had a number that was important to me I would consider jumping ship sooner rather than later. Users seem to be having some luck routing requests through Nowmobile (who provide RWG with their service) but I think RWG's days are numbered. 

I would also get out of Lyca if you can. Their customer service is almost non existent. 

Personally I would switch to one of the big 4 (soon to be three with the 3/Vodafone merger) and any provider directly connected with one of them (such as Smarty or 1p Mobile etc) 

When providers have folded the host network has always offered a PAC or taken over the number. 

But I agree with you, it's better to get the full service (often third party MVNOs don't offer part of the service or operate on limited frequencies) and know that your number is safe. 

And it will only be a little more. You can easily get unlimited calls, texts and a lot of data for £10 or less. 

brewerdave

I've had the same mobile number since 1999 !

Exodi

mark9 said:

Hi,

A few years ago I chose RWG as the home for my long term number and that now seems to be a less than ideal choice.

So, my question is, who/how do you entrust your number that you want to retain long term?

Or, do you not bother with a number for life and just change all the services/contacts that rely on a registered phone number to a new number each time you move operators?

Thanks,

Mark

As others have pointed out, your phone number and provider are not static, you can keep the same phone number and change provider.

My wife has always had the same phone number, but has changed provider a few times (mainly as she works in France and providers keep changing their terms on whether they allow you to use your data abroad).

Article from ofcom on the process: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/switching-mobile-phone-provider/

Basically you get a PAC code by texting PAC to 65075 and then provide this code to your new provider.

mark9

Thanks for the replies.

Perhaps I should have been clearer in my OP that I'm aware of porting in (and have done it several times), however, there is always a risk of things not going well, so the least number that can be done, the safer, hence a longer term provider.

I had looked at Lebara, as I thought they were a "no frills" Vodafone subsidiary but looking now, they are apparently owned by a private equity firm!

Must do some more research, I think.

Thanks,

Mark

savergrant

Neil49 said:

p00hsticks said:

I didn't think you had to change your number if you moved operators - you ask your existing operator for a PAC code, give it to the new operator and your same number is then transferred across. 

PAC Codes | How to keep and transfer your old number - Uswitch

You are assuming your provider doesn't go bust or simply ignores your request. RWG seems to be in difficulty so if I had a number that was important to me I would consider jumping ship sooner rather than later. Users seem to be having some luck routing requests through Nowmobile (who provide RWG with their service) but I think RWG's days are numbered. 

I would also get out of Lyca if you can. Their customer service is almost non existent. 

Personally I would switch to one of the big 4 (soon to be three with the 3/Vodafone merger) and any provider directly connected with one of them (such as Smarty or 1p Mobile etc) 

How do you define 'directly connected'?
The only thing that springs to mind is voxi, which I'd actually part of vodafone and you can switch between the two without a pac.

savergrant

mark9 said:

Thanks for the replies.

Perhaps I should have been clearer in my OP that I'm aware of porting in (and have done it several times), however, there is always a risk of things not going well, so the least number that can be done, the safer, hence a longer term provider.

I had looked at Lebara, as I thought they were a "no frills" Vodafone subsidiary but looking now, they are apparently owned by a private equity firm!

Must do some more research, I think.

Thanks,

Mark

It has been said that if you have issues porting (such as not receiving incoming calls) the best thing to do is port back to the network which originally issued the number, then port to a new provider.  Networks are issued numbers in blocks identifiable by the three digits after 07, so incoming calls and texts will initially try to connect to them, only to be redirected. However if you port more than once there is a risk of the original issuer losing touch with the process.

To be fair most major companies are either owned by venture capitalists or listed on a stock market and owned by pension funds...