What happens to your whatsapp number if you cancel your phone account?

[Doussoulavie]

I'm using a prepaid account. But i did not recharge my credit within 90 days and the account is cancelled. I would like to reactivate keeping the same number, but unfortunately this is not possible.

What will happen to my WhatsApp account ? It still working for now, but i'm wondering if someone else could read my message if he becomes the owner of the number ?
thanks

[will13am]

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@Doussoulavie wrote:

Thanks  @will13am 

My concern is keeping the same number to avoid notifying all my contacts. Also i registered this number with different services .It will be painful to proceed to the change

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If support cannot retrieve your number for you, I have no suggestions for that unfortunately.  You asked about the whatsapp account, it can be saved.  

[Doussoulavie]

Thanks  @will13am 

My concern is keeping the same number to avoid notifying all my contacts. Also i registered this number with different services .It will be painful to proceed to the change

[will13am]

@Doussoulavie , you can change the phone number associated with your whatsapp account.  

https://faq.whatsapp.com/498754122134583/?cms_platform=android

[Doussoulavie]

Here is CSA note

We would love getting your same phone number re-assigned to a new account. We have been trying our best to get the same phone number too, however, phone number is cancelled now. A cancelled number is not longer available in our system. This numbers are not something we can control or modify to our liking. Also, the plan expired on 1/4/2024, there were 90 days available to restore the service and keep everything as it was. At this point, number is not longer available. We appreciate your understanding.

[Doussoulavie]

Thanks so much.
probably the person who is chating with me is novice. I will follow your advise.
Much appreciates

[dabr]

@Doussoulavie   Unless something has changed, your original number as long as it was from here (or Telus/Koodo) is retrievable and it's not been over, at least, 60 days since deactivation which your number hasn't been.

You might need to message CSA's again and remind them that are willing to open a new account (need new SIM) only if you can retrieve your previous number.  This has been accommodated in the past BTW.

[Doussoulavie]

They said they do not have control an disactivated number.

yes the number was originally from Public Mobile; was cancelled 3 weeks ago due to inactivity within 90 days

[hTideGnow]

hi @Doussoulavie they said they cannot guarantee but they.will try??

[Doussoulavie]

That is exactly what i want to do. I want to reactive my account and keep the same number. But the customer told me they cannot guarantee the same number.
It got cancel only April 3rd 2024 ( 3 weeks ago) 

[dabr]

@Doussoulavie    The number was originally from Public Mobile?  Then it's retrievable but you would need to activate a new account with a new PM SIM card though as the old account is deactivated.

edit:  BTW, make sure to contact support and let them know you want to retrieve your old number when/if you decide to activate with a new account.

[Doussoulavie]

Public Mobile.

Yes the number is important for me
Thanks for your help

[dabr]

@Doussoulavie    Which carrier was your number originally issued from?  If from anywhere other than Telus/Koodo/PM (where it would be retrievable), then you'd need to open an account with that carrier and ask them to give you that number if it's really important to you.

[Doussoulavie]

Thanks for responding

Per what i understood, as long as my whatsapp account is not deleted on my phone, it will still working...Until someone else claims the same number when registering his whatsapp account. Then, he will get an error or mine will be disactivate. Whatsapp cannot use the same number on different account

[hTideGnow]

HI @Doussoulavie 

then you have no choice but to start Whatsapp on the new account

your "old" whatsapp might still work for a brief period, until Whatsapp aware you are using a different phone number or someone claimed your old number

[dabr]

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@Doussoulavie wrote:

What will happen to my WhatsApp account ? It still working for now, but i'm wondering if someone else could read my message if he becomes the owner of the number ? 

thanks

@Doussoulavie   That's an interesting question if your number is activated by another customer, which won't happen for at least another 60-90 days as deactivated numbers aren't immediately released into the available number pool.

Have you tried asking that question to Whatsapp as it's not really a PM responsibility.  Whatsapp will work as long as you have access to WIFI or data whether you have your SIM in your phone or not as it's service isn't connected to the carrier but needed the initial registration to be verified with an active number.

[Doussoulavie]

I've already opened a ticket and they told me the number is no longer available

[hTideGnow]

hi @Doussoulavie 

there is a slight chance you can get back the same phone number.  Ask agent and see if they can help (we saw this done before)

 please submit a ticket with CS Agent using this Chatbot link:  https://widget.telus.tiia.ai/publicmobile/publicmobile.html  Type the question "Submit ticket", Then click the following in order: "Contact Us" ,  "Other",  "Log In".  
If any issue with ticket submission, you can  submit by direct message:  
      https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437 

if can't be done, then your Whatspp have to start new with a new phone number as Whatsapp use phone number as the account id.