When someone dies do mobile phone companies reuse their numbers?

[Elderflower14]

My DP died almost two and a half years ago... I was fiddling around on my WhatsApp earlier and his profile came up... There was a picture of a lady I didn't know and it said profile online at 9.30am this morning.... I'm guessing they have reused his number... Was a bit odd I must say...

They can do, yes. That must have been upsetting for you to see his picture gone, so sorry

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/family-shocked-to-receive-text-messages-from-dead-grandmothers-mobile-phone-9800539.html

They re-use all numbers periodically once an account has been closed/number made inactive through lack of use.

The only way to prevent it is paying for a minimum contract to keep the sim active.

It seems callous but there are a finite number of mobile phone combinations so re-use of inactive ones is necessary.

Sorry for your loss

He didn't have a pic on there... Just a shock and wondered who the lady was...

That must be hard.

It was... I've told his daughters so that they know...

I'm sorry to hear this OP.

I worked in telecoms many moons ago and yes, the numbers are re-used. At the time, I thought they could re-use them after 6 months. I'm not sure if there were different rules in the case of a death.

Yes. I had my brothers number on my phone. The number is now linked to someone's fb profile.

@Secretsout yes it is a minimum of 6 months.