How to keep my phone number while traveling abroad.

[Jx28]

Hi everyone, I’m traveling to another country and staying there for 4 months. Does anyone know how can I suspend my account and keep my phone number while I’m away? I’ve been using this phone number for a really long time and I really don’t wanna lose it! Thanks so much!

[maximum_gato]

@Jx28 

A couple of additional details that may be important to you.....

• If you carry a balance that equals or exceeds your plan amount you must use lost/stolen to suspend your account. Presumably this will also prevent the eversafe 2FA code from being sent to your phone (if your travel is outside of Canada or the US this also applies to autopay disabled accounts.) Ensure you have access to your email and the procedure to send the 2FA code to it.
• Enabling autopay (or your "subscription") does not pay for or renew/reactivate your plan/account. You must make a manual top up payment to reactivate your services. Make sure you double check that your services are reactivated in case you encounter a glitch in the process.
• Have a back up plan in case you have a problem using the card registered for autopay on your account or you cannot login. Memorize your 4 digit account pin # so you can still call 1 855 4PUBLIC  and enter your 10 digit phone number to access the 611/IVR system. Voucher payments do not require your 4 digit account pin # only credit card payments. Payments via the 611/IVR system automatically reactivate your account as long as the payment/account balance equals or exceeds the plan amount. 
• If you have used lost/stolen to suspend your account you must "unsuspend" via lost/stolen first before proceeding to make a payment. The 611/IVR system will accept payments but will not reactivate an account that is suspended via lost/stolen.
• If you wish to change plans ( ie. to the $15 plan) you must change plans "immediately" and then proceed to payment.
• There are several online retailers that you can purchase pm vouchers from with surcharges that can vary greatly. (muskbird.com, ding.com and recharge.com) From my experience muskbird.com has the lowest fees (7.5%) and the quickest turnaround time. I suggest at least opening an account with them in case you need to purchase from them last minute.
• Leave at least 2 days of wiggle room to reactivate and a couple of calendar reminders to reactivate on or before day 87/88. Do not rely on email messaging reminders from pm as they are frequently wrong with incorrect reactivation dates or not sent at all.

For more info on muskbird.com please see the linked thread below....

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Get-Support/Online-Top-Up-Payments-Muskbird-com/td-p/...

[BKNS27]

@Jx28 

My pleasure. Enjoy your trip.

[Jx28]

Thank you so much!

[BKNS27 · Accepted solution]

@Jx28 

You can put your account on hold for a maximum of 90 days or you will lose your number, SIM will be useless and your account will be closed. Best that you login to your account and switch to the $15 plan while your are away. This is the hassle free step to keep your number.

Or you can disable subscribe (AutoPay) for about 88 days in the Payment section then enable subscribe for the 3rd month. This will leave you 2 days just encase you have issues enabling your subscription.