Swap over two numbers, keeping one active for 3 months

[Curlydog1]

I have a monthly contract on EE and also an old PAYG (which had been on T-mobile).

I would like to take the PAYG number as my new main number and so swap it onto my contract. However, for work purposes I need to keep the old number active for about 3 months in case people need me. 
What is the best way to do this, or is it even possible?

thanks

[Northerner]

Hi @Curlydog1 

Is your contract number tariff reached its minimum contract term? 

If not then at this moment you wouldn't be able to transfer your PAYG number onto your contract without losing the number you want to keep. 

You would also need to PAC out your PAYG number to another carrier first before you can transfer it back. 

Thanks

[Curlydog1]

Apologies, @Northerner I didn’t receive the notification that you had left a reply. 
I will be out of contract with the main phone in June. So it’s imminent now. 
Do I port out the number from the PAYG first and then swap them over? Or is it not that simple? 

thanks

curlydog

[Christopher_G]

Hi @Curlydog1

Welcome to the community.

Are you looking to keep the T-Mobile number active on pay as you go for 3 months and then change it over to the contract.

So going from two numbers (one on contract and one on pay as you go), to one number on your contract (with the T-Mobile number on the EE contract)?

Sorry, just trying to make sure I fully understand. 🙂

Chris

[Curlydog1]

Hi @Christopher_G 

haha that sounds so complex in writing doesn’t it?

Let me explain:

I wish to swap over my main number, (call it no.A ), that I’ve had for years and years and is on a contract that expires in June, with my husband's old number (call it no.B), which used to be with TMobile, which has now been subsumed into EE of course.  This is currently on a PAYG. 

I know that if I just go ahead and take over the number(B) then I would immediately lose my current number (A), which would be really difficult for work and other stuff. So I need a period of transition where I swap over but keep my old number active in some capacity whilst I inform everyone I’ve made the change. This may be for up to 3-6months, just to be sure. 
I have heard that I need to port out no.B first, but then I don’t know what I do next. 
Hope this is clearer. 
thanks

curlydog

[Christopher_G]

Thanks for explaining more, @Curlydog1 🙂

Can you not just keep (B) on pay as you go until you're ready to transfer it over? Then when you're ready, you can transfer (B) to take over (A).

You can't have them both on the same line/subscription at the same time. You're right in saying when you do transfer the number to take over the subscription, you would lose the original. I'm not sure why you would have to port the number out to another network though.

Chris

[mikeliuk]

As your monthly contract is near its end anyway, I would recommend to call and request that SIM is converted to a PAYG SIM at, or near, the end of the contract such that no penalties or additional payments are improperly applied.

You can then find a good monthly offer and request the old PAYG SIM be converted to pay monthly on the new contract, otherwise get a good offer online (would need to be different service provider) and use a PAC to keep your old PAYG number.

If you attempt a number swap along the lines as you have so clearly explained, there's a high chance it would be messed up and you get to keep all the pieces and to clean up the mess. 🤓

[Christopher_G]

That's a fantastic idea, @mikeliuk.

I wish I'd thought of that. 😄

Chris          

[Curlydog1]

@mikeliuk 

That sounds like an interesting plan. I'm trying to think why the EE customer service person didn’t suggest that and all I can think of is that is that I’ve been with EE so long, since they first started out as Orange, that I have a rather good deal. 
But I think I will investigate what you are suggesting, 

thank you 

[Curlydog1]

@Christopher_G 

No this wouldn’t work, because I would lose A immediately that I swapped B to contract A  apparently, and I need to have a buffer period where folks I’ve missed or other establishments that have my number, which I may have neglected, still get picked up. 
The EE person I spoke to in March, didn’t have a solution other than to port out the B number and then port it back in when ready to take over my contract. 
My existing contract has a big discount due to loyalty.