New phone number...wrong city!

[Eister]

Wow don’t even know where to start with this weird problem. We signed my daughter up with a new PM sim card and PM account at London Drugs where she was offered several new phone numbers. She chose an easy sounding one starting with 778 and as we live in Vancouver that sounded normal, but apparently the number she was given was actually a Victoria B.C. number, not Vancouver B.C., which is a long distance call from Vancouver land lines. Is there anyway to have this number re-allocated as a Vancouver number and who could do that?  She has had it for 6 months now, so very difficult to change all her business contacts at this point.

[Eister]

Thank you to everyone for your kind and helpful advice.  I have certainly learned a lot!
I called both the CRTC and CNAC....didn’t have to wait on hold and was told exactly what you all said “not possible” to reallocate a phone number to another city.  Unfortunately at this point it’s too inconvenient to get a new phone number, so she is just going to live with her incorrectly allocated phone number and move on. 😌 Thanks again!

[LurganIeUk]

Ok @Eister you should be able to get this up and running, EFFICIENTLY,  in a half hour or so. 😀😀

[computergeek541]

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@LurganIeUk wrote:

Good point!

So if the Victoria number is forwarded to the Vancouver number...and the Vancouver phone does not pickup......what voicemail does it go to?

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Vancouver number

[LurganIeUk]

Good point!

So if the Victoria number is forwarded to the Vancouver number...and the Vancouver phone does not pickup......what voicemail does it go to? I assume the Vancouver number? Thus the importance to mention the new number in the Vancouver number voicemail. 

[computergeek541]

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@LurganIeUk wrote:

I don’t think, once call forward is set up, that the Victoria Sim Card number needs to be in a phone. BUT don’t misplace it! Or put it an older spare phone. 

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You're right that it doesn't, but to be able to ever change the forwarding the settings, that sim card needs to be put back in.

[LurganIeUk]

I don’t think, once call forward is set up, that the Victoria Sim Card number needs to be in a phone. BUT don’t misplace it! Or put it an older spare phone. 

[LurganIeUk]

I think your daughter needs to change her number though. 

One thing that might work  but would cost a few bucks. 

Move her existing plan with the Victoria number to a $15 plan. 

Get a second plan of preference and a local number...you can do it all online yourself. You will need a new SIM. They are free on Craigslist Vancouver sometimes. 

Then call forward her “known to all number” to her new number. Apparently there is supposed to be a charge to forward but it does not happen. Also set up her “known numbers” voicemail with message of new number. 

Contact every one of her new number. She can make a limited information contact and make it into a vCard (.vcf) and text and email it with explanation to delete her old contact and save the new one.   I hope she does not have advertising, business cards or stationery with the Victoria number. 😟

Then in a month or two  or three, cancel (or suspend) the $15 plan with the Victoria number a few days before the next cycle of payment is due. Look up the advantages of suspend. 

[NDesai]

I made the same mistake too a long time ago and still living with it. My number is no where close to where i am. Most people now a days have Canada-wide calling anyways so they are able to call me without any issue. I wish they had the control to move number from city to city.

[Eister]

Thanks for that....very interesting!  I never realized the second set of digits was the city designation, confirming 676 is indeed Victoria.

[LurganIeUk]

@computergeek541  Good to know thanks. 

[computergeek541]

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@LurganIeUk wrote:

Take a look at this 

Then tap RATE CENTER. And scroll to city of desire. This will give you an idea. Not sure if Public Mobile Numbers fall under Telus or they are maybe not listed at all. 

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The carrier assignment status of all possible phone number is listed by CNAC.  Phone numbers assigned by Public Mobile will be under Telus Mobility.

[LurganIeUk]

Take a look at this 

Then tap RATE CENTER. And scroll to city of desire. This will give you an idea. Not sure if Public Mobile Numbers fall under Telus or they are maybe not listed at all. 

778 is for the province

xxx is for the locale 

xxxx is your number within the locale. 

You can change your number on My Account free every 30 days.  

[computergeek541 · Accepted solution]

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@Eister wrote:

Not a problem for me now that I know to simply call her from my PM mobile phone.  The problem is that she has a registered business with that number, so anyone calling from a landline would have an issue.

i just spoke to London Drugs and was told the only shot at trying keep her number and have it re-allocated from Victoria to Vancouver was to call CRTC consumer dept., as they are who allocate the blocks of numbers.  Definitely sounds like a long shot, but no harm in asking! 

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That's terrible advice that you were given. You'd be wasting your time. Numbers are allocated to specific city in blocks. That assignment cannot be changed. Imagine the confusion that it was caused if there were phone numbers within the same range of numbers that belonged to different cities? 

She's going to have to decide if that phone number is important enough to keep. if it is, she would need to get a phone number for the desired city (by paying for another phone number somewhere) and then forward calls to the Victoria phone number.

[Eister]

Not a problem for me now that I know to simply call her from my PM mobile phone.  The problem is that she has a registered business with that number, so anyone calling from a landline would have an issue.

i just spoke to London Drugs and was told the only shot at trying keep her number and have it re-allocated from Victoria to Vancouver was to call CRTC consumer dept., as they are who allocate the blocks of numbers.  Definitely sounds like a long shot, but no harm in asking! 

[hairbag1]

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@Eister wrote:

I know it’s crazy.  We didn’t even know until today that she had an incorrect number until I saw a long distance charge on my Telus land line account....I know who still has a land line?!
 I normally call her from my PM Mobile, which is a free call, so never knew I was calling Victoria!

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Definitely easier to just use your  cell phone when you call her. If it's taken 6 mos to notice...probably not worth effort to change numbers now.

[Eister]

I know it’s crazy.  We didn’t even know until today that she had an incorrect number until I saw a long distance charge on my Telus land line account....I know who still has a land line?!
 I normally call her from my PM Mobile, which is a free call, so never knew I was calling Victoria!

[Jb456]

Don't understand why she waited 6 months but as said above you would only be able to change the number.

Orange arrow on picture below. You're allowed one change per 30days.

 

[computergeek541]

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@Eister wrote:

Wow don’t even know where to start with this weird problem. We signed my daughter up with a new PM sim card and PM account at London Drugs where she was offered several new phone numbers. She chose an easy sounding one starting with 778 and as we live in Vancouver that sounded normal, but apparently the number she was given was actually a Victoria B.C. number, not Vancouver B.C., which is a long distance call from Vancouver land lines. Is there anyway to have this number re-allocated as a Vancouver number and who could do that?  She has had it for 6 months now, so very difficult to change all her business contacts at this point.

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A phone number cannot have its assignment changed to a different city. The only option would be to change the phone number.