Can I get my old number back when I activate my new SIM?

[Veektor]

Hey everyone,

I was a customer of public mobile for several years, from 2018-2023. I received a work phone and no longer used public mobile, and my account was deleted because stopped logging in.
 I just bought a new SIM card, and plan to activate it, hoping to use the same phone number i had before. The phone number is not in use, I had tried calling it.  Would this be possible? It would be very helpful.
I had the number ported when i first signed up.

I hope to hear from you soon, thank you!

[Veektor]

what does open a ticket mean?

thank you

[Veektor]

Im sorry but what does that mean, put in a "ticket"

thank you

[Meow]

If your account has been closed and you want to subscribe again most likely your old number has been reassigned.
To check - call it! If somebody answers you know it is taken; if system says number is not in use open a Ticket and kindly ask agent if you can have that particular number. You might be lucky!

[maurelle]

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@Rastin wrote:

I could be possible if it's available. But you will have to put in a ticket and see if they can give it to you.

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The op said they ported the number in but didn't specify from where. When the account closes the number goes back to the provider who first issued the number. There is nothing PM CSA can do unless it's a number from the Telus group. And even then I would not get my hopes up.

If the number wasn't used for that long (at least 5 months) surely people have another contact number now and 2FA are going somewhere else? So if you need to send out "number change notices"  anyway, does it matter what the number actually is? This is 2024... 

[maurelle · Accepted solution]

When the account closed the number went back to the original issueing carrier. You'd need to get in touch with that carrier to see if you can get the number back by signing up with them again.

Hindsight is 20/20, but in cases like yours, I'd have parked the number. Either porting to a VoIP service or SpeakOut. Or here at PM, switch to the lowest cost plan (when you left that would have been $15, that is not available to existing customers anymore, as of May 2024) and let it go into suspension for 85 days or so, reactivate for a plan cycle, suspend again and so on. So, back then, with loyalty rewards keeping your account alive would have been less than $60 plus tax for the year... Careful, on day 90 of suspension the account is getting deactivated and any funds or remaining data or minute add-ons are lost as well as the number. 

[Rastin]

I could be possible if it's available. But you will have to put in a ticket and see if they can give it to you.