New Sim

[Timmy7]

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 ?

[bristolian]

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 

[Timmy7]

Thank you. A trip to the store seems the answer 

[Chris_B]

@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.