[N-I-C-K]

I'm with three mobile, year 2 of my contract. When I first took out the contract I ported my current number over from O2. Now a few days ago I sent off for some free "3 pay as you go sim cards". One of the sim cards had a really good "gold number"... I stuck the sim in a spare phone and got it registered.

Is it possible to port this number to my contract?... Well I suppose it's not a port because it's on the same network... More of a transfer.

[nigelbb]

It's difficult if not impossible to port a number with the same network. The only way that it can be done is to port away from the network onto a PAYG SIM on another network & then immediately port the number back to the original network. It seems an awful faff but apparently does work.

[jabbamk1]

Yes you can do it. Three are one of the only networks to allow internal porting.

All you do is ring up customer services and give them the pay as you go number and the pay monthly account and it takes 24 hours. Just make sure the PAYG account has been registered on MY3 in your name first.

[legends wear 7]

Originally Posted by nigelbb

It's difficult if not impossible to port a number with the same network. The only way that it can be done is to port away from the network onto a PAYG SIM on another network & then immediately port the number back to the original network. It seems an awful faff but apparently does work.

Simply not true, for certain Vodafone will do this for you and 3 will as well, pretty certain O2 also will do it.

[nigelbb]

Originally Posted by legends wear 7

Simply not true, for certain Vodafone will do this for you and 3 will as well, pretty certain O2 also will do it.

Obviously all the people that I have heard of who were refused this simple task by their network were with T-Mobile or Orange or Tesco or giffgaff or one of the majority of other networks that will not allow porting a number within the network.

[Daveoc64]

It's technically impossible for a number to be "ported" to the same network.

The system used by the networks doesn't allow it, and it doesn't make any sense when you think what the word means.

Pretty much all of the networks let you move from Pay As You Go to Pay Monthly, as you're a more lucrative customer that way.

Typically people will be a Pay As You Go customer for a reasonably long period (maybe years), then decide to take out a contract.

When they get the contract SIM, it has a phone number assigned to it. You could port a number in from another network, or request that your PAYG number is transferred.

There shouldn't be any difference here due to the amount of time since the contract was taken out (i.e. over a year).

[nigelbb]

There is no question that the networks are happy to allow a PAYG customer to upgrade to a contract & keep the same number. What apparently their systems often do not allow is for an existing contract customer to port a PAYG number on the same network to that contract.

[Daveoc64]

Originally Posted by nigelbb

There is no question that the networks are happy to allow a PAYG customer to upgrade to a contract & keep the same number. What apparently their systems often do not allow is for an existing contract customer to port a PAYG number on the same network to that contract.

What is the difference between those two scenarios?

Generally you have to take out a contract with the network, then tell them that you're already a PAYG customer and that you want to move your number across.

It makes no difference how long you've had either account running for.

[jabbamk1]

Daveoc64 is correct, most networks will now port internally.