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Back in Canada - what about my phone number?

Genowefa
Great Neighbour / Super Voisin

Hello everyone!

I lived in Canada until June 2017. During that time, I used my phone number and therefore, the SIM card every day. Then, I left Canada for over one year and I was not able to use my phone number in my home country, since my Public Mobile phone did not work in foreign countries.

 

Now, I still have that SIM card and I'm going to visit Canada and stay there for two weeks. However, I tried to sign in into my account, but with no result. Resetting my password did not work. Moreover, I tried to create a new account with my Public Mobile phone number and I was given a statement: "The phone number entered is invalid or you may have created your profile already. If you've forgotten your password, please click here."

 

Should I buy a new SIM card or is it possible to activate the old card somehow as soon as I arrive to Canada? I got this card from a Canadian university where I studied and ordering a new one would take too much time comparing with the length of my stay in Canada. And I don't have any address in Canada where this card might be delivered earlier.

4 REPLIES 4


@smp99 wrote:

Public mobile may still have your number available in their system. You can try to get it

 

open a new line and pick a new number for your geographic area. Pick a number from the list and just before you confirm your pick, an option pops up allowing you to customize the last 4 digits. Try this and your number may appear. That’s about the best you can do. 


There's always a chance at the number being available but I wouldn't count on it.  It's not likely to come up on the screen during activation, so you would have to ask the Public Mobile moderators if it is.  @Genowefa , I wouldn't hold my breath on that phone number and would just move on with a new one.

savvy
Great Citizen / Super Citoyen

@Genowefa wrote:

Hello everyone!

I lived in Canada until June 2017. During that time, I used my phone number and therefore, the SIM card every day. Then, I left Canada for over one year and I was not able to use my phone number in my home country, since my Public Mobile phone did not work in foreign countries.

 

Now, I still have that SIM card and I'm going to visit Canada and stay there for two weeks. However, I tried to sign in into my account, but with no result. Resetting my password did not work. Moreover, I tried to create a new account with my Public Mobile phone number and I was given a statement: "The phone number entered is invalid or you may have created your profile already. If you've forgotten your password, please click here."

 

Should I buy a new SIM card or is it possible to activate the old card somehow as soon as I arrive to Canada? I got this card from a Canadian university where I studied and ordering a new one would take too much time comparing with the length of my stay in Canada. And I don't have any address in Canada where this card might be delivered earlier.


Biggest question... While you were away you didn't have auto-pay feature on right? If you did not, it is extremely likely that the phone number is completely gone. Most providers keep un-topped-up prepaid phone numbers for around 90 days. After that it should be gone. It is likely your profile is still available on Public, but the phone number attached to it is gone...

 

So you may have to drop by a store like Walmart and pick up a SIM and get a new number now.

smp99
Deputy Mayor / Adjoint au Maire

Public mobile may still have your number available in their system. You can try to get it

 

open a new line and pick a new number for your geographic area. Pick a number from the list and just before you confirm your pick, an option pops up allowing you to customize the last 4 digits. Try this and your number may appear. That’s about the best you can do. 

imm1304
Retired Oracle / Oracle Retraité

Hi @Genowefa!

Your account was deleted 90 days after the last plan expired.  Your old number is lost.  Sim card is useless.

 

You can pick up a new sim card from Walmart or Wow mobile near you and sign up for a new plan.  Many of the PM offerings are better than they were last year.  

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