How to keep number while not using service abroad?

[Shujaat1972]

Hi, I have been outside Canada/US since Feb 14, 2021. I can't use public mobile service outside Canada/Us so I have not been paying my monthly bill. I am getting messages that my account will be deactivated if I don't pay and I will lose my number. I don't wanna lose my number. I am likely to stay abroad for a couple of more months. Is there a way to keep my number and activate my account at a later date?

Regards 

edited by computergeek541: name removed

[darlicious]

@Pawprints1986 

One of mine is grandfathered too....but its the $10 plan!😃 But there is really no point in suspending either of my plans as they "cost" me less being active rather than suspended.

[Pawprints1986]

@darlicious yep, mines grandfathered which was what made me think of that for those people. No big deal if already on the 15 plan

Not that I'm ever gone that long even in normal healthy times, but for those who are but not on the 15, that would be a neat feature to have 🙂

[Shujaat1972]

Yes, I did exactly that. Thanks anyway. 

[darlicious]

@Pawprints1986 

Well technically if you keep autopay enabled and suspend via lost/stolen with the $15 plan ($13 w/autopay) you hold your number for 120 days (30 days of service+90 days of suspended service) for $3.25 per 30 days. However if you are on a grandfathered plan you would have to pay its plan cost if you wanted to keep that particular plan.

[Pawprints1986]

That would be neat if there were an option for say an account hold fee of say $5 per month for cases like this... So they keep their account and number but don't have to renew a full plan cost that they won't use... And when they get back they could pay their full balance and resume the plan they were on before, or choose a new one if desired

[darlicious · Accepted solution]

@Shujaat1972 

All you have to do is log into your account preferably around your 85th day or so and if you are not already on the $15 plan....change your plan to the $15 plan and choose change plan now. Make sure you add the funds and reactivate. You then have 30 days of active service until you let it suspend for lack of payment or via lost/stolen if you want to keep your autopay enabled and another 90 days of suspension til you need to reactivate again to avoid losing your phone number and account.

Always leave yourself a few extra days to reactivate your account in case you encounter issues reactivating or there is unscheduled maintenance on the self serve site that prevents you from logging.in time to reactivate your service.

The comprehensive post by @pm-smayer97 on suspending your account for long absences can be read here...

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Self-Serve/When-and-How-to-Suspend-or-Place-an-accoun...

[computergeek541]

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@Shujaat1972 wrote:

Hi, I have been outside Canada/US since Feb 14, 2021. I can't use public mobile service outside Canada/Us so I have not been paying my monthly bill. I am getting messages that my account will be deactivated if I don't pay and I will lose my number. I don't wanna lose my number. I am likely to stay abroad for a couple of more months. Is there a way to keep my number and activate my account at a later date?

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You must pay for and renew your plan before your account has been suspended 90 days. Otherwise, you will lose the phone number and the account will be permanently closed.