topic Re: Retaining your cell # in Get Support

Retaining your cell #

connold — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 11:38:34 GMT

Can anybody tell me how long it takes to switch your old # over to Public Mobile?

Re: Retaining your cell #

stonechucker — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:14:42 GMT

@connold, Cellular number ports should take less than a day, if all the correct information is provided. Landline and VoIP services take about a week.

What are you experiencing with your port, if you've started one?

Re: Retaining your cell #

Dankaroo — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:17:14 GMT

@connold wrote:
Can anybody tell me how long it takes to switch your old # over to Public Mobile?

For me it was immediate (under an hour) provided I activated it on the day my final billing cycle expired. It seems to vary based on providers. If you wait like I did it might happen quicker but if you are trying to get a limited time plan deal on PM you may have to stick with using your old sim until the port is successful.

Re: Retaining your cell #

mimmo — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:19:12 GMT

just in addition, your old number must still be an active number to port. ie dont canel your account, or if on prepaid makesure you are porting within a couple days of expiry not day of.

Re: Retaining your cell #

krazykiwi — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:25:22 GMT

@connold wrote:
Can anybody tell me how long it takes to switch your old # over to Public Mobile?

If you have not done so yet, activate your sim and setup your account with a new number. Then confirm everything is working right, text in/out, calls in/ out including long distance and data if you have in your plan. Then log into self serve and port. This way you still have your old sim and number to use should there be any issues.

As mentioned it should be with in a couple hours with a normal service to a week for landlines/voip.

If either response to your particular request leads to the resolution of your issue , please help other community members by marking that post as the solution. Thank You

Re: Retaining your cell #

hzmy — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:25:25 GMT

@connold wrote:
Can anybody tell me how long it takes to switch your old # over to Public Mobile?

It varies.

Under regular cases, it should take less than an hour.

But when there are lots of new activation with PM that are transfered from other carriers, it may create backlog and takes days to clear.

Landlands and voips are also taking longer, like a few days or so.

Re: Retaining your cell #

ShawnC13 — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:27:33 GMT

@connold wrote:
Can anybody tell me how long it takes to switch your old # over to Public Mobile?

It can take anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours. If it has been over 4 hours and your number was still active with your previous provider I would recommend contacting the moderators.

To send a private message to a moderator click this link and describe your issue.

Community Moderators are available from Monday-Friday 9am(Eastern) to 9pm(Eastern) and Saturday, and Sunday from 9am(Eastern) to 7:30pm(Eastern)

More info on moderators

Re: Retaining your cell #

missorange — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:32:53 GMT

I went to walmart to activate and port my old number, it can be used right away.

Re: Retaining your cell #

will13am — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:48:16 GMT

@missorange wrote:
I went to walmart to activate and port my old number, it can be used right away.

Generally, a new activation is usable right away even if the number port is still in progress. If the number port is from a sister brand, it is instantaneous. If it is from a competiting wireless carrier, it can take between half hour to maybe 2 hours if nothing goes wrong of course. I did a number port yesterday afternoon from the dog brand and it took 30 minutes exactly. While the porting was going on in the background, the old service and the new service were working fine. Once the port completed, the old service stopped suddenly. Reboot the phone and the new service is fully functional with the ported number.

When porting, it is strongly recommended to supply the account number only. Leave IMEI and PIN fields blank. Do not including any part of the account number that is not letters and numbers. Strip out all separators and spaces.

Re: Retaining your cell #

Dankaroo — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:05:58 GMT

@mimmo wrote:
just in addition, your old number must still be an active number to port. ie dont canel your account, or if on prepaid makesure you are porting within a couple days of expiry not day of.

I was able to secure my number on the day it expired, meaning I no longer had the number, if anyone called it it would be just a busy signal.

The provider may still have had it reserved for another 24 hours.

Also it looks like if you go the new number route you can pick a number, I wonder what would happen if you picked your old number after it is no longer being reserved by your old provider.

Re: Retaining your cell #

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:12:36 GMT

@Dankaroo wrote:

Also it looks like if you go the new number route you can pick a number, I wonder what would happen if you picked your old number after it is no longer being reserved by your old provider.

Blocks and sets of numbers generally belong to each provider. Porting a number over lets you keep it. Not porting over abandons it. After porting and deactivation of destination, the number goes back into the pool of the originating provider. The destination provider would no longer be able to access it.

Re: Retaining your cell #

Dankaroo — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:23:14 GMT

@Anonymous

So trying to choose a block unavailable to PM generates an error message?

I wonder if they in anyway indicate what blocks are available I cannot imagine a new user having to enter in number combinations several times just because of unavailable blocks.

Re: Retaining your cell #

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 17:29:31 GMT

@Dankaroo wrote:
@Anonymous
So trying to choose a block unavailable to PM generates an error message?

I wonder if they in anyway indicate what blocks are available I cannot imagine a new user having to enter in number combinations several times just because of unavailable blocks.

No error message...just not there. A new user can choose a number that the provider has from what is available with that provider. It's a substantial list when new (and possibly even looking for preferred last 4 digit under an area code...but I'm not sure of that). It's limited for changing a number afterwards.

Re: Retaining your cell #

stonechucker — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 18:05:37 GMT

A new sign-up has the ability to select the Calling Centre (or whatever it's called) and try to type in a desired 'last 4 digits'. If it's available, it's theirs.

A current (ie already activated) account is only provided the option to search for an available number from the calling centre that is selected. The list can be refreshed to get more suggestions.

Re: Retaining your cell #

mimmo — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 18:08:20 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
No error message...just not there. A new user can choose a number that the provider has from what is available with that provider. It's a substantial list when new (and possibly even looking for preferred last 4 digit under an area code...but I'm not sure of that). It's limited for changing a number afterwards.

@Anonymouson new activations yes it lets you enter the last 4 digits to see if that specific combination is available.