2 months wait is atrocious

[Gaffa]

I'm absolutely flabbergasted about the information I was given today and cannot believe how poor your company must be given technological standards of 2016.

Recently, I purchased a sim-only deal from a competing website, but it's for a Vodafone sim on a 12 month contract, but I wanted to keep my original number I've had with Vodafone for the last few years.

I was told that in order to do so, the current number (originally a 24 month contract with the LG G3 phone) must be transferred to the Pay-As-You-Go system (PAYG) - which takes 30 days, and then I'm required to wait a further 30 days before I can use the old number (REDACTED) on the new sim-only sim card (REDACTED).

In a world where we carry devices worth up to £800 in our pockets, with the power capabilities of computers less than a decade old, can someone please explain to me why it takes 2 months for such a simple process to occur? I wasn't aware this was a 'stone-age' process...

If I came from another network like o2 or EE, all I would need is a PAC code and 48 hours, and the old number could be put on the new sim card without much hassle whatsoever.

I'm requesting an expedition of this process, as I refuse to believe in the technologically advanced world we live in, these process must take as long as they do. I'm actually astounded nobody has complained internally about this, to make the system better for everyone. 

[AnnS]

Hi @Gaffa

You have been given the correct information.  In line with all networks, you cannot transfer an incontract number to a new contract, the previous contract has to first be cancelled.  This is done by putting the number on PAYG.  Due to having to give 30 days notice, this will take 30 days to complete.

An alternative is to ask Vodafone for a PAC code, move the number to an alternative network and then back to Vodafone but not sure of the time period the other provider would need the number as PAYG before issuing a PAC code to enable to you to transfer back to Vodafone on the new contract.

[Gaffa]

I can live with 30 days, that's acceptable, and I'm not disputing whether the information that was given to me was correct or not. 

What I'm not happy with is the fact it's going to take a further 30 days after that, for the original number to be put in the new sim card. 

I noticed you didn't, or perhaps weren't able to answer my question: 
"In a world where we carry devices worth up to £800 in our pockets, with the power capabilities of computers less than a decade old, can someone please explain to me why it takes 2 months for such a simple process to occur? "

[AnnS]

It should only take a month @Gaffa, there is no reason for the extra 30 days.

If there was an extra month remaining on the contract, maybe that is what they mean.

edit.  As soon as the number is on PAYG, you would need to top up and make a chargeable activity to get the SIM nice and active on the network.  As soon as this was done, there shouldn't be any problems transferring the number.

[Gaffa]

Ahh yeah. Well I haven't actually finished my 24 month contract yet, that ends in a week or two, but I still called to cancel and went through with that. 

So really it's the "transferring the then-to-be PAYG number (my current contract number) to the new sim card (sim only contract)" but apparently that's to take an extra 30 days. And I refuse to top-up to make a sim card active, that's just one way of a company squeezing extra money out of someone because they can't get their act together. 

Whatever. I'll send a letter to the Customer Relations Manager every day with a 1st Class Stamp on it until this situation gets rectified - and not just for me, but for everyone else in the future too. 

[kids]

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@Gaffa wrote:

And I refuse to top-up to make a sim card active,.............

Whatever. I'll send a letter to the Customer Relations Manager every day with a 1st Class Stamp on it until this situation gets rectified -

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If you don't top up to get the sim number active on the network you may be in for a longer delay until is showing as active.

You may as well use the £15+ that you intend to use on stamps for postage to top up with, I am sure that with the volume of mail Vodafone receives another 30 from you will not make any more of an impression that a singular letter.

[Gaffa]

So making a call to the PAYG sim and leaving it connected for over an hour wouldn't make that sim card 'active'? 

Does this mean I can't have "receive only" phones anymore? 

And don't be thinking of the cost of postal stamps, I don't pay for them so that's alright, and a bombardment of letters has worked in the past, so I'm really trying my luck if anything. 

[Nabs]

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@Gaffa wrote:

Does this mean I can't have "receive only" phones anymore? 

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Corect! On Vodafone, and most other networks, if a PAYG sim does not make a chargable call within a certain timeframe the services will be disconencted.

When moving from PAYG to contract you used to be able to get the remaining PAYG credit transfered onto the contact account, not sure if this is still possible but it could get you arround your issues of topping up.

@Gaffa I'm not entirely sure why you were unable to go from your PAYM contract straight to the SIMOnly plan you wanted... was there a reason you got a 3rd party involved?

[Retired-Meg-B]

Hi @Gaffa

I'm sending you a private message so that we can get this looked into.

Regards,

Meg-B

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @Gaffa

I totally agree with you and can only imagine how frustrating this must be for you. 

I remember someone saying a while ago we can put people on the moon but have issues with communication and processes and systems here on earth !

I hope this is resolved asap for you.