Is it possible to keep my number with Vodafone if I get a new sim?

[ilovelibraries]

Help, does anyone know about keeping numbers? Sorry, I’m a real Luddite when it comes to technology.

I currently have an old iPhone with a sim only contract (now expired) from Vodafone. I want to get a new phone and the cheapest I have found is from Carphone Warehouse.

I have asked them how I get my number changed and they said that Vodafone won’t let me port the number to the new sim - I’d need to port the number to another provider and then port it back. Is this seriously true?

I would ask Vodafone but I was on a chat with them for 1 1/2 hours already this morning and am not up to it right now. And sadly Vodafone are the only provider with reception where I live.

Thanks for any advice.

Can't you put the old sim in your new phone? Do you need to get a whole new contract? Why not just buy a new phone?

And if not, call Vodafone and have the conversation with them

Yes you can only port to a new provider if you get a new sim. It's a way of tying you in.

If you look at affordable mobiles online they have some great deals - I have bought a couple from there. They also offer cheaper upgrade offers rather than going direct with the network.

You can do direct to Vodafone foe an upgrade but likely not as competitive.

When I say new sim I mean new customer contract. Networks offer far better rates to 'new' customers than existing. You would need to look for a Vodafone upgrade offer to keep existing number direct with them on a new tariff. Or if you have a decent tarpaulins dd buy phone outright and swap sim. Now is the time to look as there are some great offers for Black Friday.

I used to work for Vodafone, only way is a triangular port.

You get the new contract with a different number.

Get a pac code for the number you want to keep and transfer it to a pay as you go sim of another network.

Once your numbers live on the other network, you call THEM and ask for the pac code and transfer it back to Vodafone replacing the new number you dont want.

Sorry, I probably didn’t explain it very well. My existing contract (sim only) with Vodafone has ended. They’re rolling me over to a new one, which isn’t very good. I need a new phone so thought I’d upgrade. I had an online chat with Vodafone - they are offering me 6GB for a lot more money than CPW are offering me 52GB.

The only problem is - I want to keep my number!

@Ruddyfedup that’s what I was told, thanks.

Will I definitely be able to port my number back (I mean are there any checks made to see that I haven’t just moved from them) or timescale I need to leave between?

I would be in real trouble if I couldn’t do it. I really need to keep my number!

I had the same issue with ee a few years back. I got a new phone and contract but wanted to keep my old number, both with ee. I had to get a PAYG SIM with any other provider (I used Vodafone), ported my number out to Vodafone then 24 hrs later ported it back to ee.
It was a faff but that was the only way I could do it.

Nope, done it myself a few time

Can’t you just take out a new sim only with Vodafone and just keep your number but buy the phone? I may be missing something vital but that’s what I do all the time. My sim only with Vodaphone is £20 with unlimited everything.

@Ruddyfedup I transferred my existing number from Vodaphone to another provider when I was at the end of contract & upgrading my handset but just needed to give my new provider the pac number from Vodaphone, no other info needed & didn't need to transfer anything back to Vodaphone?

Thanks all.

@ihearttc The sim from Vodafone direct, and buying a new phone, is a lot more expensive than the CPW deal. I need 5G data, so the data plans are expensive.

@musicalmistress it’s that my existing number is registered with Vodafone, but I need to have Vodafone for reception reasons at home. Vodafone won’t let me port the number from one sim to the other (despite both being Vodafone!)

@HarrietSchulenberg and @Ruddyfedup thanks. It looks like that’s what I’ll have to do. Good to know it will work and I can do it straight away.

You don’t need to port to a new provider, I had this issue when Vodafone opened a parallel line for my dad instead of starting a new contract with his existing line.

You give notice to turn the existing number into a PAYG then after 30 days you can fill in a keep my number form which will port your number to your new contract. It’s a real faff.

@Chillichutney1 does that mean I’d need to keep the new number for 30 days?

Yes it does but you will have the old number on PAYG so still accessible on that number. It’s not ideal but it is the only way to do this on Vodafone

forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Keeping-Vodafone-number-for-new-Vodafone-contract/td-p/2568940

@musicalmistress thats because you stayed with the other network so theres no need to do anything else.

Yes you can ask to swap to payg but ive seen people wait the 30 days and it doesn't get done. Its much quicker flipping it to another network and back though. Can do it over a couple of days

I had to do this. Just bought one of those cheap sim cards you find at the tills in the supermarket

@dementedpixie and @Ruddyfedup thanks. Think I will have to do that. I will have 2 phones still, so it won’t be as painful as it could be I guess.

Thanks again!