PAC code on business phone, leaving work

[Bevers83]

Hi,

I have had the same phone number for 20 years and have given PAC codes to my last two employers so that my personal number becomes my work number also. EE allowed this when I joined my current employer

I am now leaving current place of work and want to take the number I brought with me. Our accounts team have spoken to EE and have been informed the only way is for me to take on the contract personally or for my employee to buy out the contract for £900 + 

The company want the handset and the contract to give to the next employee but do not want the number as the new employee will receive calls meant for me. I also want to keep a number I have had for 20 odd years for obvious reasons. Surely there has to be a solution? I don't understand why EE can't issue a new sim with new number and cancel the current SIM and provide me with a PAC code. I can then walk away with only a PAC code and work retain the handset with a new number. Hopefully someone can shed some light. 

James 

[bristolian]

The process here, depends whether the line is currently with EE, and whether you're proposing to move it to EE (scenario 1) - or if either the donor or recipient network is not EE (scenario 2)

If scenario 1 applies, then this is just a legal change of ownership. The process is outlined under "transfer to a friend, colleague or family member" on https://ee.co.uk/help/profile/manage/change-my-account-in-the-case-of-a-life-event - the process can be done as a "donor" call to CS > password issued > "recipient" call to CS if that's easier, but my understanding is that the recipient should take on any outstanding minimum contractual term.

If you are wanting to move the phone from one network to another, then this is done via a "Porting Authority Code" AKA PAC. Use of a PAC migrates a mobile number and auto-cancels any existing contract with the donor network. If this causes any early termination fees, those are the responsibility of the donor account holder.

[Bevers83]

thanks for your reply @bristolian . Yes those are the two scenarios EE have proposed. I'm not really bothered which provider to move to but I do not want to pay £50+ per month for 20 months to take on the contract personally as I get a new company phone at my new job and just want to retain this number as my personal on a cheap sim only deal, I have a handset. It doesn't seem right that EE wont release the number given that I have had it for 20 years and brought it with me when I started here 6 years ago. 

My current company need a handset and sim for the next employee so just want to cancel the current sim, carry on paying the contract and retain handset and receive a new sim with a new number. They don't want to get out of the contract

It must be possible, they just don't want to do it, as I had same scenario 6 years ago when I left my last company and managed to get the number/PAC off EE then to bring to new company. 

[bristolian]

It sounds like the number in question is within its minimum-term contract. In the absence of assertions to the contrary, I will assume this is so.

The mobile number is central to the scenario - porting a number out using a PAC auto-cancels the existing contract and thus breaks any minimum-term contract. Thus early-termination fees become payable by the account holder. Transferring a line to a new owner also transfers the minimum-term contract, which becomes the responsibility of the new account holder.

It's nothing to do with "they just don't want to do it" (not sure who "they" are). If there is a minimum-term still to serve, the change of ownership route is better - because the liability is transferred.

You mention that "the company want the ... contract but don't want the number". The two are inextricably linked and cannot be separated in the way you seem to be hoping.