topic Re: Switching back to previous number in Get Support

Switching back to previous number

mohdshh05 — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 07:45:26 GMT

I bought a new phone. The phone didn't work on Public Mobile network. So I bought a ChatR sim. ChatR accepted the number first, but rejected after some time. I didn't know that it takes couple of hours to port the number. During that time, I changed my number on Public Mobile as I want to keep that connection as well. Now, ChatR says that they can't port the number as it is not active. How can I switch back to my previous number on Public and get a new number on Public Mobile after ChatR ports the number successfully?

Re: Switching back to previous number

ShawnC13 — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 23:47:53 GMT

@mohdshh05 wrote:
I bought a new phone. The phone didn't work on Public Mobile network. So I bought a ChatR sim. ChatR accepted the number first, but rejected after some time. I didn't know that it takes couple of hours to port the number. During that time, I changed my number on Public Mobile as I want to keep that connection as well. Now, ChatR says that they can't port the number as it is not active. How can I switch back to my previous number on Public and get a new number on Public Mobile after ChatR ports the number successfully?

This confused me a bit but once you port out your number it closes your account and you won't be able to pick a new number. So you can either port out and start a new account with a new number on PM or start a new account with a new provider with a new number and keep your current number with PM

Re: Switching back to previous number

mohdshh05 — Sat, 08 Dec 2018 23:53:36 GMT

I didn't know the correct process to do that. While the transfer process to ChatR was going on, I changed the number on Public Mobile thinking that the process is complete. Now ChatR rejected the number and at the same time the number in Public Mobile also changed. I wanted to switch back to my previous number.

Re: Switching back to previous number

mimmo — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 00:09:04 GMT

was the orriginal number given to you by PM or some other comapny. if another company once released the number go back to teh orriginal company

Re: Switching back to previous number

mohdshh05 — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 00:33:37 GMT

Say, someone had a number on Public Mobile and then the chose to take a new number on Public Mobile. If then he decides to switch back to previous number on same network (Public Mobile), how can he do that?

Re: Switching back to previous number

popping — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 00:37:28 GMT

@mohdshh05 wrote:
I didn't know the correct process to do that. While the transfer process to ChatR was going on, I changed the number on Public Mobile thinking that the process is complete. Now ChatR rejected the number and at the same time the number in Public Mobile also changed. I wanted to switch back to my previous number.

When you ported your Chatr number to PM, Chatr released your number to PM. When your get a new number from PM, PM released your old Chatr number to the carrier who gave you that number. PM does not have that number any more unless your Chatr number was orginally from Telus/Koodo.

Re: Switching back to previous number

mohdshh05 — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 01:15:30 GMT

The transactions was as below:

1. Oct 13, 2017: I took the number 4***1 from ChatR

2. Jan 30, 2018: I switched to Rogers with 4***1

3. Oct 28, 2018: I switched to Public Mobile with 4***1

4. Dec 8, 2018: I tried to port 4***1 to ChatR but also wanted to keep Public Mobile connection. I thought the transfer was complete and took a new number, say 4***2, on Public Mobile. ChatR texted me that the transfer was not done as the number 4***1 is not active. In this case, where does the number belong, ChatR/Public Mublic/Rogers?

Re: Switching back to previous number

computergeek541 — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 01:16:02 GMT

@mohdshh05 wrote:
I bought a new phone. The phone didn't work on Public Mobile network. So I bought a ChatR sim. ChatR accepted the number first, but rejected after some time. I didn't know that it takes couple of hours to port the number. During that time, I changed my number on Public Mobile as I want to keep that connection as well. Now, ChatR says that they can't port the number as it is not active. How can I switch back to my previous number on Public and get a new number on Public Mobile after ChatR ports the number successfully?

Unfortunately, when you changed your phone number at Public Mobile, you lost the right to the phone number that you orginally had from Chatr.

In general, it's gone.

I am unsure of how long it takes for the phone numbers associated with cancelled services to go back to the original carrier. There is supposed to be a process in which someone can get a phone number back due to accidental cancellations (examples: carrier system error, billing system hack, misunderstanding between customer and customer service, someone else stealing a phone number, etc.).

If the phone number has in fact gone back to Rogers, Public Mobile really can't do anything for you. Phone numbers do not get immediately reassigned to new customers. You would then have to get Chatr to activate a new service for you, meanwhile hoping that they can fnd the phone number deep within their systems (it's something called a phone number agiing pool).

If Telus/Public Mobile still has access to the phone number, they could in theory change it back for you. if they are able to do that, you will lose the number that you currently have.

Re: Switching back to previous number

mohdshh05 — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 01:19:10 GMT

The transactions was as below:

1. Oct 13, 2017: I took the number 4***1 from ChatR

2. Jan 30, 2018: I switched to Rogers with 4***1

3. Oct 28, 2018: I switched to Public Mobile with 4***1

Re: Switching back to previous number

popping — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 01:43:18 GMT

@mohdshh05 wrote:
The transactions was as below:
1. Oct 13, 2017: I took the number 4***1 from ChatR
2. Jan 30, 2018: I switched to Rogers with 4***1
3. Oct 28, 2018: I switched to Public Mobile with 4***1
4. Dec 8, 2018: I tried to port 4***1 to ChatR but also wanted to keep Public Mobile connection. I thought the transfer was complete and took a new number, say 4***2, on Public Mobile. ChatR texted me that the transfer was not done as the number 4***1 is not active. In this case, where does the number belong, ChatR/Public Mublic/Rogers?

Before your 4***1 number was ported back to Chatr, your Chatr 4***1 was released to Chatr by PM after you changed it to a PM number. You Chatr 4***1 is currently sitting in the Chatr/Rogers pool of old numbers waiting to be recycled after 90 days. If you want, you can ask Chatr to look for that number 4***1.

Re: Switching back to previous number

computergeek541 — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 02:06:24 GMT

@mohdshh05 wrote:
The transactions was as below:

4. Dec 8, 2018: I tried to port 4***1 to ChatR but also wanted to keep Public Mobile connection. I thought the transfer was complete and took a new number, say 4***2, on Public Mobile.

Sorry, but can't be done. The very second that a number is transfered out, your Public Mobile account will be closed and the service cancelled. You cannot reactivate with a new phone number. You would have to start over again at Public Mobile as a new customer.

As I said earlier, when you changed your Public Mobile phone number from the old Chatr number, you lost the right to transfer it to another carrier. Your only chance would be to have Public Mobile reverse the phone number change that you peformed (if they can), or if the number is now back in Chatr's pool of numbers, ask them to assign it to you (but you would have to activate a new Chatr account).

Re: Switching back to previous number

srlawren — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 17:35:35 GMT

@computergeek541 wrote:
Sorry, but can't be done. The very second that a number is transfered out, your Public Mobile account will be closed and the service cancelled. You cannot reactivate with a new phone number. You would have to start over again at Public Mobile as a new customer.

@mohdshh05 this info from @computergeek541 is 100% correct. Your problem originated because you made an assumption that was not valid. You assumed you could keep your existing plan at PM with a new number after poritng out your number. Unfortunately, that is not at all possible. Had you let the port finish processing and it had completed successfully, your PM account would have been permanently closed at that point. Had you checked your assumptions ahead of time you would have saved yourself a lot of grief.

Re: Switching back to previous number

6500K — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 03:25:57 GMT

I feel for you @mohdshh05 because the cell phone industry can be quite confusing. If you had asked before-hand in this community I am sure you would have received very good advice on how to proceed. I hope others read this so it can save them unwanted frustrations in the future.

Re: Switching back to previous number

mohdshh05 — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 01:32:02 GMT

Thank you all for your support and comment.