Lost SIM card urgent help

[Camilla0]

I worked in UK 6 years ago and my boss got me SIM card EE that I’m using in WhatsApp as my number since then. All my contacts are there and conversations over 6 years. I lost the card few years ago and kept using without SIM card, just a number. I ve got a new phone and needed to put my WhatsApp number there, which is the EE SIM card number, I couldn’t log in because they sent verification code to the sim nr which I lost, today I lost all WhatsApp and contact. I’m looking for any solution and help please 😭

[bristolian]

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@Camilla0 wrote:

I lost the card few years ago and kept using without SIM card, just a number.

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A mobile number is associated with a SIM - no SIM equals no number. If you were using an internet-based app, that's not using the mobile network.

Was this a PAYG SIM? In which case if you don't make a chargeable call or send a chargeable text in a 9month period, it will have been permanently disconnected.

[Camilla0]

It was SIM card on a contract, it’s not used and payed probably few years but as I mentioned to the sim number I’m using WhatsApp. How can I get the number back?, can I just buy a sims card with same number as I had?

[Leanne_T]

Hi @Camilla0 

If the account is no longer active the number would have been recycled and you would not be able to activate this again. You would need a new number and set up WhatsApp with the new number. 

Leanne.

[bristolian]

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@Camilla0 wrote:

It was SIM card on a contract, it’s not used and payed probably few years but as I mentioned to the sim number I’m using WhatsApp. How can I get the number back?, can I just buy a sims card with same number as I had?

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Perhaps worth clarifying here.

If you're on a pay-monthly contract, your number remains active as long as you keep up your contractual monthly payments - and if you don't, the debt "collections" process kicks in and I'd like to think you'd soon know about it.

What do you mean by "payed probably few years" - have you made regular monthly payments or not? This matters - if you're on pay-monthly contract and have maintained your monthly payments, your number would not have been disconnected. If you're on PAYG (which is a top-up "pay as you use" method) then the 9month rule applies.

[XRaySpeX]

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@Camilla0 wrote:

It was SIM card on a contract, it’s not used and payed probably few years

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If it was a contract SIM & you are not still paying for it monthly then it was probably cancelled years ago & you lost it then.

Contract SIMs can only be active while you are paying monthly for them. 

[Camilla0]

It’s not paid for sure years, as I wasn’t the one who was paying the bills for the card, soo once I left the country then for sure my boss cancelled but all of this years I’m using still this number on WhatsApp. 
can I just simply buy a new sims card with exactly the same number? This is the question 🙏🏼

[XRaySpeX]

No! Just cuz you gave WhatsApp your no. as a contact once doesn't mean you were using that no.