Need advice regarding changing phone number

[ajain]

I want to change my Public (Ontario) number to an Alberta number.

Can anyone advise as to what happens when i change my phone number, for example is there a down-time, does my previous number become obsolete or open for anyone to take over, are the calls forwarded to my new number, etc?

Is there anything else that i should be mindful of before actioning this?

Please note: I know how to change the number, what i am trying to understand is, the after-effects of changing the number, especially whether my previous Public number will immediately become unreachable (and available for others) or the calls would be routed to my new number?

Thanks in advance

[DennyCrane]

100% unreachable once you give up the number

[maximum_gato · Accepted solution]

@ajain 

Changing your number occurs immediately so as @XionBunny pointed out make sure you disable 2FA or have access to the alternative method of 2FA (like email) on any accounts that have your Ontario phone # on them so you will be able to access them to update them with your Alberta phone #. You may want to send out a text message to your contacts that you want to inform of your new number.

Once you successfully change your number your Ontario phone # will be released back to the original provider to be held in their hold number pool for a period of 60 to 90 days. You would only be able to possibly retrieve it (if needed) if the original provider was telus, koodo or pm. There is no forwarding, messages or the like to inform callers of your old number of the change of phone #. They will only get a phone number not in service message. You can change your phone # up to 4 times per 30 days.

[hairbag1]

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@ajain wrote:

Thank you, so is it safe to assume, it'll become unreachable right away eh?

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As soon as you successfully change to an Alberta number, your old Ontario number goes away.

You will be reachable at your newly selected number though.

[ajain]

Thank you, so is it safe to assume, it'll become unreachable right away eh?

[DennyCrane]

Your previous number goes back into a holding pool with the original provider that it originated from. If you originally got the number from Public Mobile, then it will go back into their pool. If you started with Rogers or some other company before porting to Public Mobile, then it will go back there. I don't know if all carriers are the same, but I believe the number usually sits in the holding area for about 90 days before it can be reassigned to someone else.

[hairbag1]

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@ajain wrote:

I want to change my Public (Ontario) number to Alberta number to be more specific.

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EZPZ

[XionBunny]

When you change your number you'll lose access to any account you have 2FA attached to it, so I'd advise you to disable 2FA accounts on your old number first before migrating to your new number.

(To clarify 2FA two factor authentication)

[ajain]

I want to change my Public (Ontario) number to Alberta number to be more specific.

[hairbag1]

@ajain 

the new number is active as soon as you successfully complete the change...shouldn't take but a few minutes.

Your old number will go back to wherever it originated...Rogers / Bell / Telus.