topic Re: New Sim in SIM cards & Porting

New Sim

Timmy7 — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 07:52:59 GMT

My Foster Lad has severe learning disabilities but has a phone and number to allow my wife (his legal appointé) to deal with his personal issues. We purchased the phone and sim in 2020, but since registering his details, the phone hasn’t been switched on. We now need to update his profile, but the phone is saying ‘invalid sim’ and despite all my efforts, won’t alter. Are we able to purchase an EE sim and keep the same number ?

Re: New Sim

bristolian — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 08:10:15 GMT

Is this a PAYG SIM by any chance? If so, there's a good chance it has been hibernated for non-usage.

PAYG SIMs need to be used for a chargeable call or text at least once every 6 months to avoid hibernation. There is then a further 3 months grace before the number & credit is lost. From your description, you are well beyond this time and so your foster lad's number is long since gone.

There is some further detail on the process in the first post of this thread

Re: New Sim

Timmy7 — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 08:54:30 GMT

Thank you. A trip to the store seems the answer

Re: New Sim

Chris_B — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 08:58:51 GMT

@Timmy7 How is the device used ? Is data used on the device? I ask this because EE sims by default use packs that last 30 days and you need to top up again to renew the pack. It might be worth switching it to a standard PAYG where the credit goes towards calls/text only.