Swapping numbers between Public Mobile accounts

[callisto]

I see this topic has been discussed in a few older threads. What is the status of this now? Can I swap numbers between two Public Mobile accounts? I am willing to pay any additional fees incurred.

Technically, I think I could do it myself. I would port the number from PM acct #1 to my VoIP carrier and port it back to PM acct #2. And then PM #2 to VoIP back to PM #1. But it would be much easier if Public could just do it on their back end.

[computergeek541]

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@reproduction wrote:

I have 2 PM lines, but I`m actively using line A, and very rarely line B. I would like to keep one line (the plan from the line A) along with the phone # from the line B. The problem is that the # from the line B is not eligible for porting through self-serve. Does any solution exist?

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Public Mobile cannot help you with this.  Porting can only be done from one carrier to another.  In addition, Public Mobile will not transfer a phone number from one account to another.  The only way to get line B's number onto the other Public Mobile account would be to port it out to another carrier and then back into the account that currently has line A.  This will cost you some time and money to pay the other carrier to activate (for a service that you won't even be using).  If you go this route, the account that line B is currently attached to will get closed and you will lose any plan, add-ons, and balance already in it.  You will also lose the phone number that is currently being used for Line A.

[reproduction]

I have 2 PM lines, but I`m actively using line A, and very rarely line B. I would like to keep one line (the plan from the line A) along with the phone # from the line B. The problem is that the # from the line B is not eligible for porting through self-serve. Does any solution exist?

[callisto]

thank you for all the responses everyone. PM community is so helpful!

[cavemantoronto]

The TLDR short version of all this is Public Mobile won't do it as policy.  All tech stuff pushed aside, they have been told not to.

[krazykiwi]

@srlawren @ShawnC13 Thanks for the update.

[smp99]

The only reason I can see you wanting to this would be to somehow keep the referrals on one line or keep a plan that is no longer in market

This may work, if and only if, one of the numbers you want to keep was given to you by PM/Koodo/Telus and not ported in from Rogers/Bell etc

Steps (Line2 should be the number issued from PM)

1 - port out Line1 number to another service (cancels Line1)
2 - port in the number from step 1 to Line2. LIne1 number is now on Line2. Line2 number is "lost" and put back into the pool for PM

3 - Open/activate a new PM line with temp number. Contact the mods and ask them to assign the orig number from Line2 (now in the pool) onto your new account. 

I have done Step 3 above, but the number was in the pool for months, I don't know how quick a number gets reintroduced to the pool. In my situation, it wasn't a number swap, but I knew the number was in the pool and I wanted it and the mods gave it to me. 

Here you would keep the plan for Line2 (now with Line1 #) and you would have to pick an in-market plan for Line1 (now with Line2 #) since that is the plan that was canceled

[srlawren]

@krazykiwi for future reference, @ShawnC13 is right that there is no point in telling people to contact the moderator team for this, this is something they no longer do.

@callisto unfortunately you can keep only the account or the phone number (per line), but not both.  Porting the number out closes the account, porting another number in loses the original number.  If your plans are not availalbe in-market, you're out of luck entirely.  

[ShawnC13]

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@krazykiwi wrote:

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@callisto wrote:

I see this topic has been discussed in a few older threads. What is the status of this now? Can I swap numbers between two Public Mobile accounts? I am willing to pay any additional fees incurred.

Technically, I think I could do it myself. I would port the number from PM acct #1 to my VoIP carrier and port it back to PM acct #2. And then PM #2 to VoIP back to PM #1. But it would be much easier if Public could just do it on their back end.

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Hi,

Sorry but that would not work. Being prepaid as soon as you port out the account is closed. I am not sure of the ability of the MODs to perform a number swap but you can ask.

To Contact the Moderators click this link and describe in detail your situation.

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@callisto, even contacting the moderators will not help.  This is not something they do anymore.  It was possible before on rare occasions but now it is no longer done

[krazykiwi · Accepted solution]

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@callisto wrote:

I see this topic has been discussed in a few older threads. What is the status of this now? Can I swap numbers between two Public Mobile accounts? I am willing to pay any additional fees incurred.

Technically, I think I could do it myself. I would port the number from PM acct #1 to my VoIP carrier and port it back to PM acct #2. And then PM #2 to VoIP back to PM #1. But it would be much easier if Public could just do it on their back end.

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Hi,

Sorry but that would not work. Being prepaid as soon as you port out the account is closed. I am not sure of the ability of the MODs to perform a number swap but you can ask.

To Contact the Moderators click this link and describe in detail your situation.