Hugely ignorant question about changing mobile phone

[lalalonglegs]

I have finally come to the end of my Orange Blackberry contract - I haven't been very impressed with Orange or Blackberry so I want to go with another type of phone entirely. I've found a good deal for Samsung Galaxy S3 from Vodafone from an estore but I have no idea about how I go about keeping my old number (or moving my contacts) and I won't get any tech support from the estore. So are these easy things to sort out myself? Who do I speak to about my number which is my top priority?

Your old network provider is obliged to give you the PAC code that lets you port your number over, ring orange customer services for it

Moving your contacts is nothing to do with the network! Depending on if the sim cards are compatible and if contacts are on sim rather than phone memory, you may be able to put old sim in new phone and copy over. Don't finish your orange contract before you have done thus!

Thanks - I'm guessing a PAC code is like a MAC code? What do I once I have it? Should I request it before I get the new phone? (Can you tell how clueless I am?)

I know that moving contacts isn't anything to do with the network but if I were to get the phone from the Vodafone shop down the road the nice shop assistant would do it all for me - I'm on my own with estore.

You can request it whenever as long as you still have your orange contract. Then you give it to your new network once you have the phone and it'll take a couple of days for your old number to transfer. The PAC code is valid for a while (I think 28 days but orange will say when you get it) so you could get it as soon as you place the online order for new phone. I don't know what. MAC code is though!

Oh thanks, that's me sorted then. (Isn't a MAC code the thing you need when you change broadband providers or have I made that up?)

Thanks again.

llll

The MAC code is a unique identifier for a piece of hardware eg smartphone/laptop/PC

MAC codes and PAC codes are basically the same thing but the former is for landlines and the latter is for mobiles.

Contacts can be tricky to sort out, but if you are moving to an Android phone, you will need to set up a Google account (if you don't already have one) where it's really easy to enter all your contacts online on a PC and they 'magically' appear on your phone seconds later.

IAGTBF - in this query, MAC is something different.

MAC - Migration Authorisation Code link
PAC - Porting Authorisation Code link

Just as 'number' is a noise word when used in "PIN number", 'code' is duplicated if one says 'PAC code' but everyone says it anyway

As the OFCOM site explains, in a tiny number of circumstances, your network might refuse to provide a PAC, but you should have no problems.

May be an unwelcome suggestion, but making a paper copy of all contacts is probably worth doing every 6 months, just in case your phone was lost (yes, some networks keep it all backed up, and Android can sync the contact info with a Google account, but keeping a paper copy in an address book or card index allows you to note birthdays and other things).

lalalonglegs - did see a comment on HotUKdeals the other week about needing the PAC when you place the order for the new phone with some deal.

Code is valid for 30 days after which time you'd need to request another. Most (if not all) networks provide it free, but obviously are unhappy as they will be losing the customer. Don't know if any make you "jump hurdles" but some ISPs have been known to ask the customer to place the request in writing and use snail Royal Mail, which may just be 'being awkward' or because they like to have such a request files to use if customer later complains but obviously adds to the time delay compared with being given code in an e-mail or over the phone when requesting it.

If you need the PAC before you place an order for another phone, then it could mean the difference between getting a deal or missing a deadline (since lots of offers have a cut-off date).

Orange have given me code over the phone with no problems FWIW.

Even if you buy the phone from estore the vodaphone shop Will still help you.

Your current SIM won't fit in the s3. It had a micro SIM.

Network providers are obligated to provide the PAC code by law. There's a time scale, I think it's 2 days. Prior to that being enforced, many providers (mobile and landline) would either refuse or make it very difficult or even charge you for the code. But now they can't do that, there's little point in holding you up so certainly the main networks will provide over the phone with no hassle.

Hi lalalonglegs,

Once you have received your PAC from your current provider and have set up your new contract with Vodafone, you can transfer the number using the form here goo.gl/I1CVQ.

If you have any questions or need any further help, give me a shout. :)

Kind regards,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

Hi Vodafone

Thanks for your advice everyone - PAC received!