Safe to insert PM SIM?

[ottawa]

So I'm helping a friend activate PM and port from Fido. I've done all the steps, installed PM app, activated account (they signed up and ordered SIM online a few weeks ago), said to port from Fido, gave IMEI, etc. 

PM app says they can install new SIM, but they haven't received a text from Fido yet to reply YES. Is that still a thing?

I'm happy to put their PM SIM in, and put their Fido SIM in a spare phone, but I'm trying to understand the process. Is there a confirmation coming from Fido?

Thanks

[ottawa]

Thanks everyone. I contacted an Agent Wednesday night and got an almost immediate answer, provided requested account info and went to bed. 🙂 This morning, they needed more info (my mistake, they asked for "last charge and credit card last-4" so I gave them the card the charge was on, but they actually wanted the different card that was now on file for future charges).

They identified that Fido hadn't released the # because Fido didn't receive the reply. So they re-initiated it and it worked (though there was one minor annoyance*). About half an hour after saying "YES" (again) to Fido, the spare handset with the Fido SIM beeped and said "SIM1 not provisioned" and at that point, calls to the number rang on the PM SIM.

*The minor annoyance was the email from PM said "Fido says you didn't reply, we re-initiated please reply YES when you get it" but in fact PM first sent an automated text saying "press 1 to authorize another transfer request" which I would not have seen if we had only 1 phone with the Fido SIM loaded. So it appears going forward, all (my) port requests must have both old and new SIMs loaded in a handset ready to receive texts until the process is done.

Thanks again everyone.

[ottawa]

So I have progress, and lack of progress. The text-to-confirm did finally come from Fido, and we replied. But 30 hours later, calls to the number still ring on the Fido SIM. More specifically (and also for data points)...

I started the activation process about 415pm on Tuesday and at 428pm they got this email from PM:

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Congratulations, your Public Mobile subscription is now active. It’s time for a different mobility experience.

Please note it may take up to 5 hours for us to transfer your number from your previous provider. Meanwhile, you will still be able to use data and make calls with a temporary number.

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I was pretty sure they still had to keep the Fido SIM in (and confirmed upthread) but the PM email above implied they didn't. So I settled on leaving the Fido SIM in their phone, and the new PM SIM in my spare phone. Finally at 608pm, they got the Fido text and immediately replied YES. I decided not to move any SIMs until incoming calls rang on the PM SIM (still in my spare handset).

But as of 11pm Wednesday, 29 hours after confirming to Fido, calls to their number still ring on the Fido SIM! Even calls from my PM phone, which I was expecting to ring on PM (same network) even if others didn't.

Is the port stuck? Is there something we need to do (on the PM end of course)? It's not like we're still waiting to hear from Fido. And the referrer (not me) got an email from PM on Wednesday congratulating them on the new referral. They were happy to leave their phone until Thursday but won't want to leave it with me much longer.

Thanks.

[computergeek541 · Accepted solution]

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@Yummy wrote:

You HAVE to receive SMS from other company if you transfer your number from them or porting will fail.

Until you receive SMS form Fido keep Fido SIM in your phone or transfer will NOT work. If needed talk to Fido support to send request again.

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Public Mobile would need to be contacted to submit the request again.

[Yummy]

You HAVE to receive SMS from other company if you transfer your number from them or porting will fail.

Until you receive SMS form Fido keep Fido SIM in your phone or transfer will NOT work. If needed talk to Fido support to send request again.

As corrected by @computergeek541 (thank you) you have to contact PM agent (create a ticket) to resend porting request.

[pmbc]

@ottawa Usually there is a text from your old provider confirming that you want to port out, but it doesn't always happen.  I would wait a couple of hours and if nothing comes from Fido, put in the PM SIM and see if the service works.  If it doesn't put the Fido SIM back in and wait for a bit and retry.  Sometimes it requires a little trial and error.

[ottawa]

Thanks, that's what I thought though it's not what the PM app says (it says start using the PM SIM and you'll have a temporary number for now). But it doesn't say anything about waiting for a text from Fido. Also how long does the Fido text take to come? It's been about 15 min and the last time i did this from Bell the text came fast.

[BKNS27]

@ottawa 

Yes you are correct. You need to reply to the text with YES with the old SIM in the phone first. Once the old SIM stops working. Power off the phone and switch to the PM SIM.