topic Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for? in Get Support

How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

OH8 — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:44:35 GMT

I'm porting out of PM to Telus but since my service ends tomorrow, but the port in to Telus will occur a couple of days after. I don't want to pay for another month's worth of service just to keep my number. Can Public retain my number for a couple of days to facilitate the port-in request? Just trying to figure out the most cost effective way for me.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

Yummy — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:47:10 GMT

As soon as you port out your PM account is deleted and number is gone to another provider; all rewards and add-on are lost and cannot be refunded if not used. In the mean time hopefully number will be in transit to Telus and Telus will accept it.

Both account have to be active in order to port in/out. If port fails then you would have to pay for another month at PM in order to compete or redo port.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

slusagm — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 16:48:25 GMT

Telus owns PM and the port could be easier. But call Telus support and ask, they can do more than from PM side

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

Phil_Adelphus — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:17:54 GMT

@OH8 Just wondering why you can't port out today? Even that would be cutting it a bit fine but waiting a couple of days would mean you'd have to pay another 30 days of Public Mobile unless you can get Telus to do a workaround.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

OH8 — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:20:02 GMT

I called Telus and they had an option to transfer the number to another esim temporarily then swap when I receive my physical sim.

The agent also looked into other public mobile threads it seems and said that one of them mentioned that public can hold the number for up to 90 days after the subscription expires, but I'm just not sure if that's verified. Does anyone happen to know if that's accurate?

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

Phil_Adelphus — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:23:29 GMT

@OH8 that public can hold the number for up to 90 days after the subscription expires, but I'm just not sure if that's verified. Does anyone happen to know if that's accurate?

My understanding is that yes, they will hold a number for up to 90 days from last payment if you toggle off "subscribed" but normally the account has to be re-activated with a payment before the number can port out. It's possible that since Telus owns PM they may be able to workaround that but that's up to them.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

slusagm — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:22:52 GMT

yes, the 90 days hold period is accurate

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

OH8 — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:28:42 GMT

My PM subscription expires tomorrow and my physical sim card is expected to be delivered on the 31st or the 1st, so there's essentially a 2 day difference preventing me from completing Telus' porting steps. I was thinking if public can hold my number I can port even without an active plan, but are you saying that i absolutely need to have an active plan to complete the port?

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

slusagm — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:30:56 GMT

you can buy a Telus sim card in store today

and technically account has to be active for the number to port out. Telus could do something even the PM account is suspended, but it is up to Telus, up to the agent

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

OH8 — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:54:53 GMT

Thanks, so it seems that telus can help port onto the physical sim before it's delivered. I'm planning on doing that tomorrow to minimize downtime. Just wanted to make sure, my public mobile subscription says that it ends on December 30, does that mean i still have an active subscription tomorrow and it'll go inactive on the 31st?

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

Phil_Adelphus — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 17:56:31 GMT

@OH8 To be on the safe side I would assume that it could end at midnight tonight.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

DennyCrane — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 18:09:33 GMT

The 90 day hold has nothing to do with this situation. Once in a hold it cannot be ported until you pay to reactivate the service. In other words do the port now, don't wait for it to renew.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

computergeek541 — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 22:45:09 GMT

@DennyCrane wrote:
The 90 day hold has nothing to do with this situation. Once in a hold it cannot be ported until you pay to reactivate the service. In other words do the port now, don't wait for it to renew.

Public Mobile accounts in suspension can still be ported out to either Telus Mobility or Kooodo Mobile. This is carrier policy.

Re: How long does Public retain phone numbers for?

DennyCrane — Sun, 29 Dec 2024 22:54:16 GMT

Really? I had no idea. It's this a manual process that requires staff intervention?