Possibility of saving a mobile number?

Marky · 14 Sep 2013 at 17:52

Hey all,

Next month I will be moving to Canada for a year. I've had the same mobile phone number in the UK for years now, and I was wondering if there was any way I could keep my number saved so when I return to the UK next year I can just move back?

Anyone had any experiences with this?

Thanks,
Marky

MrBlobby · 14 Sep 2013 at 18:10

cheap contract

or port it out to pay as you go and ask a friend to use it every few months.

Richie · 14 Sep 2013 at 18:37

T-Mobile offered the option of suspending your line if you were out of contract for something like £5/month. Other networks may allow this as well.

BigBruiserAl · 15 Sep 2013 at 01:43

Just ask to go on PAYG pop £10 on and leave in the draw until you come back then port to contract again. don't forget you still need to 30 days notice to go PAYG so get moving

window · 15 Sep 2013 at 02:25

BigBruiserAl said:
Just ask to go on PAYG pop £10 on and leave in the draw until you come back then port to contract again. don't forget you still need to 30 days notice to go PAYG so get moving

this

Richie · 15 Sep 2013 at 08:28

What will he leave it in a picture of? :confused:

MrBlobby · 15 Sep 2013 at 08:48

window said:
this

You'd have to use it every now and then to keep it active.

spinstorm · 15 Sep 2013 at 13:22

PAYGO requires you to make a chargeable call from your phone at least once every 6 months so you would lose your number if you did that.

I'd say a cheap rolling contract is the best way as you worn have to use the phone and can change it when your back and you can keep the number.

MrBlobby · 15 Sep 2013 at 14:52

I should port it to Pay as you go, then take it with you, if you send one sms a month it will only cost you about 40p something like that and it will keep the sim and number active (incoming sms are always free so )

Orcvader · 15 Sep 2013 at 15:37

How about Ovivo? You need to pay £15 to get it delivered but the credit gets added back. You also get £3 more when you port your number over, meaning you have £18 to use to keep the SIM card + number active until you return to the UK. Checking the Ovivo site, it costs 49p to send a text to the UK, so if you do this monthly, you will still have some credit left over.

Dead Dog · 15 Sep 2013 at 19:16

Do you have a friend / relative you can leave the sim/ phone with - go payg then just ask them to send a text or call someome every couple of months or six months ?

Myshra · 16 Sep 2013 at 09:24

spinstorm said:
PAYGO requires you to make a chargeable call from your phone at least once every 6 months so you would lose your number if you did that.

This varies by network (and they often say one thing and do another), I've left numbers on Orange for a year for example and had no problems.

The timeout should trigger in theory if you are the receiver of a call too (even if it goes to VM).

benjo · 16 Sep 2013 at 10:00

Could you not just put the sim in a £10 brick and take it with you? Make a text every few months to a mate or something. Won't cost too much..

Morfik · 16 Sep 2013 at 12:22

MrBlobby said:
I should port it to Pay as you go, then take it with you, if you send one sms a month it will only cost you about 40p something like that and it will keep the sim and number active (incoming sms are always free so )

I'd do this, surely it's worth 40p a quarter to keep the number.