@CS_Agent

[argh]

I'm trying to transfer my number to a different provider.  Public Mobile says they don't have control of the number.  What do I do?

[esjliv]

@argh - ooh, well this is still the new provider's issue, even though you came up with the workaround to use Telus as the provider. You may want to tell your new provider that. I am just as curious as @dust2dust to know who this new provider is.

[dust2dust]

It seems rare. Maybe just one provider. It's their system and database that is saying that. I rarely hear of this problem coming up. So are you willing to say who you went to?

[argh]

And that is what worked.

The issue is that the phone number has to be accompanied by an account number, and if the corporate association is Telus, it needed my Telus account number (from 2019!) to work.

So while I can see how it would be the case that someone didn't think there was a need to change the corporate assignment of the phone number when going from Telus to Public, it turns out to matter if one is ever to go anywhere else.

[dust2dust]

I found a previous thread on this problem. The solution seemed to be to simply call it Telus. So whatever you or they need to do at their end, use Telus. Let us know.

[esjliv]

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@argh wrote:

The phone works fine with the PM SIM; the issues is that the transfer request is getting an error that it's not a Public Mobile number.

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@argh - if your Public Mobile SIM card is working with the phone number you are trying to port to somewhere else, how can the new provider explain such an occurrence that it doesn't belong to Public? And how will Public Mobile be able to say anything to help with that?

Unless the new provider is telling you that the number didn't originate as a Public Mobile (Telus phone number, as Telus owns Public Mobile). But why would that matter?

Are there certain numbers this new provider just does not accept? 

Any chance you can keep us updated on this, 'cause it doesn't quite make sense.

[dust2dust]

I added to my other reply. So what do you believe? Working service here with a working number? Or a new provider that can't figure that out? Are you willing to say what provider you're going to?

[argh]

Well, except they say it isn't.  So this seems like it could take awhile.

[dust2dust]

Then that says it hasn't transferred. If you gave all the right information to the new provider (ie. account number etc) then that question is up to them to answer.

Adding - so you now know that the new provider is confused. You have working service here. That means it is currently a Public number.

[argh]

The new carrier is getting an error message that the number is not a Public Mobile number, and have counselled me that I need to sort that out with Public Mobile.

So I'm trying to do that. 🙂

Thank you!

[argh]

The phone works fine with the PM SIM; the issues is that the transfer request is getting an error that it's not a Public Mobile number.

[Meow]

BOTH accounts have to be active.

KEEP PM SIM in your phone, go to your new provider and initiate transfer. PM will send you authorization SMS. Reply YES within 90 minutes. ALL DONE. Your PM number should go to new provider and your PM account will be IMMEDIATELY closed, all rewards, add-ons, etc. lost.

Good practice is to ask PM agent to remove your credit card from PM file to avoid potential billing glitches.

[dust2dust]

This side needs to be an active account and you leave the sim in a phone to confirm the transfer. Other support is to be done by the new provider. With this sim in a phone are you able to call or text?

[pmbc · Accepted solution]

CS Agent will not see this post.  If you're trying to reach them via DM contact them here,

you can try to send an email directly to the CS Agent here.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/notes/composepage/note-to-user-id/22437

If you're trying to port out from PM, the request has to come from the carrier you're trying to port to. 

Keep the PM SIM in the phone until you get the SMS that you want to port out and respond with yes.  Then it's in the hands of the destination carrier.