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Work phone, need to activate for a day to change authentication

JustPaddyB
Explorer

I left my job back in April 2024, so i had to hand the phone back, unfortunately there's a few personal services that require my old number for authentication, its been over a month with 1 of them, so i asked for the phone back from the company.

They've given me the phone and the sim card, and im looking to reactivate the card.

How do i go about doing this?

The number is held with EE so i didn't need to transfer with a PAC etc.
The number is definitely not in service.
I have the physical card and phone associated with it. 

Any help would be appreciated.

5 REPLIES 5
bristolian
EE Community Star
EE Community Star

You mention the number is "definitely not in service", which means it's been disconnected. If so - the number is not yours (or your previous employer) anymore.

Any website or login requesting OTP-authentication should have other means of verifying you.

Tell that to battle.net 
Whom uses to the app on the old phone that's no longer accessible as it was factory reset.

So the backup is the phone number via SMS.

But the system hasn't worked either out so i had to put a support ticket in, its been 4 weeks of no response.
So I'm trying this way.

As stated by yourself i don't own it nor does the employer so I'm hoping with that fact i can "activate" it to recover this account and a few others. 


@JustPaddyB wrote:

I'm hoping with that fact i can "activate" it to recover this account and a few others. 


You certainly can't do it quickly or easily. There is a protracted method, but it comes with no guarantees of success. You mention app-based authentication in the past, which would have rang alarm bells for some.

1: Take out a new pay-monthly account - do so online or via telesales so as to ensure the statutory 14days "change of mind" right of return" which doesn't come with instore sales. I do not believe this process works with PAYG.

2: Within that 14day period, request a "change of number" via CS to the number in question. They will need to advise if the number is available, and whether there will be a charge for it.

3: Whatever you are advised on this call, is the answer. Including any costs.

4: Decide whether to exercise your 14days statutory "change of mind" right of return.

Thank you for the advice,

Would this method work with a PAYG card? 
Or does it have to be monthly

As per my previous post - "I do not believe this process works with PAYG".

When EE forum staff respond to this thread, they can confirm either way.