Travelling - pause plan?

[travelcpa]

Next month I'm going to start a 6-month trip abroad. I'd like to retain my phone number that I've had for so many years, but I don't want to pay full price for what I'm not going to use. Is my best/only option to switch to the cheapest ($15?) plan? I believe numbers are kept for only 3 months after cancelling a plan? Thank you.

[computergeek541]

@Fabrizio 

When an account is in suspension, you will not receive any service.

[Fabrizio]

When the plan is paused, will I be able to RECEIVE texts or not?

[travelcpa]

Thank you very much - this is extremely helpful.

My only final concern is that I may be unable to access my account abroad. When I signed into my community account earlier it asked me for a text verification, and I won't be able to receive texts to my Canadian number. I'll check if I can change this additional authentication to an email instead.

[softech · Accepted solution]

HI @travelcpa 

You can also consider suspending the plan for 85 days and then keep alive by renew for 30 days and then suspend again and do the same thing until you are back.  This is what you need to do to keep alive the account:

First, you need to be aware that PM only allows the account to be suspended for 90 days or your account will be permanently closed, and you will loss the number.

You have the option to temporarily suspend the account and reactivate for 30 days before the 90 days deadline

Here is what you can do (assuming your Available fund = $0)

1.  First, change plan to $15 plan (to reduce the cost to keep you number)
2.  Then disable "Subscribed" from Payment page (Payment page, Managed Subscription, toggle off the "Subscribed" there
3.  On the next renewal date, since pre-authorized payment is disabled, it won't be renewed.   
         Make note of that day 1 of the suspension date
4.  VERY IMPORTANT.   Come back at around 85th days after the first date of the suspension to make a manual payment to renew the account for 30 days.  You can simply click "Pay Now and Resume Services" button and follow the step to make a manual payment.
   Since, you have changed to $15 plan, so, it will just cost you $15 for the 30-days cycle.  After you make the payment, make sure you see clearly that the account status is changed to ACTIVE.  If not, you will either have to open ticket with PM support or come and seek help here in the Community.
   (Don't wait till the 89th or 90th days as My Account could be down for maintenance or payment could be an issue, you want to give yourself enough time to sort it out)
5.  Make note of that date, again, the account will be active for 30 days only and will be suspended again after the 30 days.  Make note of the date it got suspended again
6.  As the Autopay toggle "Subscribed" is already toggled off,  it won't renew after the 30-days cycle.
   
   I hope you will be back by then. You just need to change the plan back to the one you want and then reactivate and remember to enable Autopay again (toggle on "Subscribed")
   If you still not back to Canada by the end of that 90 days, then come back NO LATER than 85th date and repeat from step 4 again.

[will13am]

@travelcpa , using the $15 plan is the least expensive way to sustain the account and keep the phone number.  You do not have to pay every month, just every 4 month.  An account can remain in suspended state for up to 90 days before it gets deactivated.  Most people will restore the account maybe 3-4 days before that deadline.  You can repeat this over and over, one plan cycle on $15 plan, 3 plan cycles in suspension.  

[hTideGnow]

HI @travelcpa 

you can change it to $15 plan and just leave it, or you can do a bit more work and suspend it for 90 days and restore the plan for 30 days once every 80 something days

[JRod]

@travelcpa 

If you don’t want to pay the full price of the plan it is best to switch to the $15 plan and turn off automatic payment as soon as you are about to leave for your trip.

This will give you 30 days and then after the 30 days your account will be put on hold. It can remain in this state for 90 days before the account is permanently closed. So around day 85 you should pay for the plan again to restart this whole process. You can rinse and repeat as many times as you need.