Going away for 6 months

[giltrow]

Can I hibernate my account for 6 months and get my number back when I return from South America? If so is there a charge for that? Thanks 

[LeePublic]

Also, doing the steps @softech mentioned, will cost you only $30 (or less due to discounts) vs $90 if auto pay was enabled.

[JL9]

Only other option is a new sim and new number where you can attempt to get lucky and maybe (but unlikely) get your old number

[Meow]

You cannot put your account on on hold at PM.

What you can do is schedule plan change to $15 plan on next renewal and then:

- Remove autopay; on next renewal your account will be suspended due to no payment. Before 90th day of suspension, log in and pay manually for following month. Account will become active for 30 days and again if autopay is off will go into suspension on next renewal. Do NOT forget to log in and pay before 90th day or after that your account will be deleted, number lost.

While on suspension your account 'hibernates', you cannot use it but you keep your number.

Another option is after downgrading plan to $15 plan, keep autopay on and account will renew itself every 30 days. Cost $90+tax for 6 months.

[dust2dust · Accepted solution]

If you're not on a grandfathered plan or have connected promos you can change down to the $15 plan and remove autopay and pay it every about 4 months. It will be active for 30 days then without paying it will suspend then you have 90 days to renew. Then you pay again and let it be for another about 4 months. But you'll be back by then. Do that renewal by maybe day 85 just in case of any complications.

[softech]

@giltrow 

You cannot suspend the account for 6 months

You have to do this if you want to keep your phone number.  Before you go , change your plan to $15 plan and disable Autopay.  Assuming you have no Available Fund, let the account expired at the end of the cycle.  Keep track of the date, at around 85th day after the account was suspended, come back and reactivate the account on the $15 plan for 30 days.  Then you can let it expires after that 30 days and repeat the process on the 85th day after until you are back to Canada

Please note that remembering to reactivate at the 85th day is very important (and make sure when you activate for the month, the payment goes through without problem).  If you have forgotten, once the suspension hit 90 days, your account will be closed and you will loss you phone number