Porting

[kb_mv]

I have a phone with a global cell provider. It includes a US based number. I also pay a monthly fee for a Canadian number so calls to me from within Canada are local, wherever I am in the world. Can I port that second Canadian number to PM?

Thanks

[kb_mv]

@BearFBI  I don't use/have data on my phone so Knowroaming's data rates don't matter to me. I rarely receive or send texts lol. With elderly parents it's important to me that I can be reached by phone anywhere I go. No need to buy a local sim (admittedly cheaper), no need to update a number. I don't always have access to wifi (which I am entirely fine with). As i said earlier, the way I do things costs me on average, at best $8 per month. I rarely travel to the same place twice so the way I am doing it works perfect for my needs. My phone is a Sony Xperia Compact so not esim capable.

I have always been at the forefront of technology, an early adopter for a lot of things, but long ago realized getting hooked on a phone was a bad idea (for me at least). Plus I have refused to pay the exorbitant fees for traditional smartphone plans. I don't watch movies on my phone. I don't store bank info or any thing of the sort on my phone. I do use it for all sorts of things including banking etc but only on wifi with a VPN. If wifi is not available, oh well, for me not a big deal. I don't register my phone with anyone for 2FA, as we have seen on here the issues following illegal ports. I prefer an authenticator app. I'm good with numbers and can enter from memory, bank card, credit card with pins and expiry dates etc. I have robust passwords up to 18 characters (not just one lol) that I can remember when required for my various bank, email and other accounts.

I see lots of people around me hooked on data and their phones. I would prefer to read a book (on my kobo) or talk to people. Sometimes I forget my phone at home when I go to work. No big deal for me. I call my wife and tell her to call me on my work number if she needs me. On occasion I forget my phone at work when I go on days off and am without it for 4-5 days! I can't be bothered to go back and get it lol.

As I said, this has worked for me for quite awhile so i will keep at it for now. When the time comes for a new phone I will definitely look for esim capability. Thanks for your replies.

[BearFBI]

@kb_mv I find Know roaming way too expensive. When i am travelling I need data more than I ever do than back at home with Public. Know roaming is just way too expensive for data. We dont travel that much anywhere else other than Europe. Our family has a house in Greece and Italy so when i go down there I usually pick up a Topup the minute I land and boom im good to go. They set me up on a 8 Euro prepaid plan with 50 Minuites and 150 Txt messages with 8GB of data. Its continent as we dont have internet at our house down there and we travel to remote areas quite often. Sadly as you travel to quite a bit of places a Global SIM is your best bet. Just out of curiosity what phone do you have ? If it is Esim Capible you can install a app called Airalo. Its a app with Global Esims and you can Buy data for any country you are traveling too. They are data only plans so I suggest downloading Fongo or textnow. The people that dial you from canada would come through as a local call.

[kb_mv]

@Luddite Thanks for the offer. Most of the places I roam are North America, Mexico, Caribbean and South America. Occasionally a handful of EU countries. Knowroaming works seamlessly everywhere I have been. It offers Voice and Data (I don't use data on my phone) in over 200 countries. I can buy a "local" number in any country that I am in If I like for a monthly fee. This is what I do with my Canadian number. People in Canada dial that Canadian number (no cost call for them) and I can be reached most places in the world that I travel. Most times family contacts me via the internet if they need something. But if I am away from wifi I can still be reached.The rates are reasonable to me considering the convenience that I get. $100 USD on my phone lasts me over a year. Including the $3 fee for my Cdn number, I average less than $8/month.

[Luddite]

@kb_mv Outside Canada I am usually visiting just the UK and use giffgaff.com. They have roaming agreements in many countries; not sure how their rates compare to knowroaming, but it's dirt cheap to maintain the UK number ($1/year). If they interest you, reach me by private message and I'll send you a SIM; they're free and we both get £5 credit.

To maintain connection to Canada while away, I forward my PM number to fongo.com and receive emails when voicemail is left. Calls to Canada are via fongo using wifi, or giffgaff data.

Enjoy your travels once covid abates.

Tower Bridge

[BearFBI]

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@kb_mv wrote:

@BearFBI Plus I edited my reply to add that it isn't a Canadian company, its an American subsidiary of a German company.

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@kb_mv Wow then. Long answer short. No. Your gonna have to just get a new number with Public. now I see why you cant port out from them.

[kb_mv]

@BearFBI Plus I edited my reply to add that it isn't a Canadian company, its an American subsidiary of a German company.

[BearFBI]

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@kb_mv wrote:

@computergeek541 Perhaps it's because I don't have an account number associated with my phone numbers? Logins and payments and add ons are through an app that references only my email. Plus I read somewhere that when I order additional numbers (like the Canadian one) it is a virtual number associated with my main number. Not sure if that makes sense or makes a difference.

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@kb_mv That actually makes a big difference. A vitural number associated with your main number. How the heck are you supposed to port that. Thats probably why they dont support # porting. Having an account number during porting is only for authorization of the port. If the provider dosent support porting then the account number has no use for that.

[kb_mv]

@computergeek541 Perhaps it's because I don't have an account number associated with my phone numbers? Logins and payments and add ons are through an app that references only my email. Plus I read somewhere that when I order additional numbers (like the Canadian one) it is a virtual number associated with my main number. Not sure if that makes sense or makes a difference. Plus of course it is not a Canadian company, it's owned by Telna Inc (American)

[computergeek541]

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@kselmak wrote:

It didn't even occur to me, some companies don't allow the numbers to leave. Sorry about that

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I don't have the exact rules in front of me, but I'm not even sure if a carrier is allowed to do that.

[computergeek541]

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@BearFBI wrote:

@kb_mv Yes you can port the Canadian based number. But keep in mind it won't work all over the world as public mobile only works in canada and supports US roaming. Just make sure you have some sort of account # for it to port successfully and that your old provider supports # porting. Just curious what provider is it ?

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Not all Canadian phone numbers can be ported to Public Mobile. The Community saw another member post about this earlier in the day.  While most/many can numbers can be, there's no way to know for sure unless we know which Canadin city/rate centre that the phone number is from.

[kselmak]

It didn't even occur to me, some companies don't allow the numbers to leave. Sorry about that

[kb_mv]

@kselmak Thanks. I am not a new member, I already have an account and number. The outside number I wanted to port in to a new account can't be done as the company involved does not support porting (in or out).

[kselmak]

Hi @kb_mv 

You could consider putting that number to fongo.

Pay once $25 and it's yours forever. You can use it on WiFi or data, you can forward it to cell phone of your choice for free.

Welcome to public mobile

[BearFBI]

@kb_mv Darn. Well you tried anyways. PM probably would have accepted the port but they just dont have the ability to port numbers out.

[kb_mv]

@gblackma @BearFBI 

Just heard back from KnowRoaming, they do not support porting. Thanks anyways for the replies.

[gblackma]

@kb_mv no, you can do it on activation. May I suggest that you buy your SIM from Canadian cell supplies.

https://canadiancellsupplies.com/collections/latest-products/products/public-sim-card

Do it Sunday for an additional 40% off https://canadiancellsupplies.com/pages/discount-codes

[BearFBI]

@kb_mv No you will only have to contact a moderator if your porting to an existing PM account already with a number. But you said you are buying a new SIM card so if you port at activation you wouldn't need a moderators assistance.

[kb_mv]

@BearFBI  Thanks Armando. I will look into it with KnowRoaming.

[kb_mv]

@gblackma Thanks. I am keeping my current PM plan and number and considering adding another Sim/plan to the mix. I would like to keep my Canadian number from my global provider as this is where most people call me. When/if I activate the new sim will I have to contact the Mods to do the port?

Thanks

[BearFBI]

@kb_mv I would talk and double check with Know Roaming and ask if they support number porting. 

[gblackma]

@kb_mv 

Here's 4 articles on activation and porting and the Refer a friend reward  if required:

1. What you require to activate https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/what-you-need-to-activate
2.How to activate https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/activation-account-set-up
3.How to port https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/bc/get-help/articles/choose-your-phone-number
4. Refer a friend https://www.publicmobile.ca/en/on/get-help/articles/the-refer-a-friend-reward

[kb_mv]

@BearFBI  Thanks Armando. I have one phone already with PM that we use as a home/Canadian travel phone. My phone is a pay by the minute / text with KnowRoaming. Not the cheapest cellular option but it is convenient with my travelling to be able to turn on my phone pretty much anywhere and it works. I am considering another sim with PM on the $15 dollar plan while still having my travel sim. Thanks again for your reply.

[BearFBI · Accepted solution]

@kb_mv Yes you can port the Canadian based number. But keep in mind it won't work all over the world as public mobile only works in canada and supports US roaming. Just make sure you have some sort of account # for it to port successfully and that your old provider supports # porting. Just curious what provider is it ?