De-activated number - reinstatement? ** NOW Sorted**

[Goosepilot]

Yep - it's hit me as well....

I've owned my number (still have my invoice) since 2010 and have had no issues. I live half the year in Africa and other half in UK. Last year for the first time I was unable to return to the UK due to illness.

Last call/use I made with my phone was in July 2016 - with  £19.00 left ..........finally got back in the UK last Tuesday to find that my number was gone......... (just on/over the 270 day period as per T&C's)

All my Bank accounts, Legal documents and Business contacts in Africa, China & Europe have the number and not to mention all the stationary that was printed with the number..........

So VODAPHONE have told me the number has been thrown back in the "pot" - however there's a chance of me getting that number back - BUT the number has now been allocated to a DATA/BROADBAND SIM ........:catfrustrated:

They may well be able to "give" me the DATA SIM with the number..... so the question is whether it's at all possible to CHANGE the number back from a DATA/BROADBAND number to use as a normal MOBILE Phone Number...?

Long shot indeed I suppose....?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi,

I think you would be very fortunate in the first place to regain the number so if they do that's a good first step. 

Once this happens  then I'd suggest to make enquiries. 

[Goosepilot]

Well - I'm super impressed. :smileyhappy:

I visited the VODAFONE shop in Bromley and was immediately assisted by Dan - he went out of his way to help me...and after checking a transcript of my Online Support chat - he located the number in question and found that it had not been issued or put into use .........

Dan issued me a DATA/BROADBAND SIM with my old number and 1Gb of Data.

So the NEXT step would be to try and find out how to revert this back to a Normal Phone SIM...........  any suggestions...?

[Mark]

@Goosepilot

So we can take a look into your issue, please follow the instructions in the Private Message I've sent you.

Thanks.

[Goosepilot · Accepted solution]

Hi there Mark - I've already been on to Customer Services this morning.

The consultant was MOST helpful and indicated he'd sorted my query by placing a Migration request for the number to be changed from a DATA SIM only to a full Phone SIM.

I was asked to wait 24hrs and then visit the store in Bromley with proof of ID - they will then confirm the migration....so at this stage I'm confident the query will be sorted - but will give feedback after I've done the store visit,

 Aaaargh!!! THIS WAS NOT RESOLVED .....................Store could not assist!!!!  :smileymad:

[Goosepilot]

FANTASTIC!!!  Just had confirmation that my NUMBER is active again.... I must just collect a new SIM....

[Will]

Hi @Goosepilot

That's fantastic news to hear! Let us know when you get your new SIM.

Thanks

[Goosepilot]

Well there's good news...very good news and then bad news.... (I suppose there's always a "but" somewhere...)

I managed to get my number back - which was the main issue...... however the number was then somehow allocated to a Mobile Broadband SIM....... which was issued to me with my old Mobile Number.

So at least - the number remains mine...........

THEN we tried via numerous CHAT's to have it changed back from a Broadband SIM to a normal Mobile Number and here's where all hell broke loose. It seems support staff were adamant that the number had always been a BROADBAND number - even though I tried to explain that not only do I have tons of legal documents that show the number as my personal phone number...I actually still have my 2010 Invoice when I purchased the original SIM and number - in fact I still have the iold SIM and the actual card that the SIM was pressed from....

So the work started - numerous calls and then I was asked to visit a Vodafone shop (would be my 3rd visit) to collect a new Mobile Phone sim.... this I did, returned home and again entered the CHAT to resolve.

One thing that really peeved me off was that the shop coul not find any online record of anything that was discussed or tried - so there was no track record of who said/suggested what in the case, which is upsetting, but at least I've got transcripts of all the support which I've printed - so this helps.

Once home CHAT was started and we went through the procedure (3rd time) to transfer the number to a MOBILE PHONE SIM...........which indicated I'd need to wait 24hrs.

After about 20hrs I received a text message to say that the transfer had been done and my number was now active.

The new SIM with the Transferred number was then installed in my SAMSUNG S5mini and switched on.... WONDERFUL as it started and showed VODAFONE-UK in the top left side of the screen............... however I soon found out that I'd smiled too quickly.... (*#100#) confirms my number however I tried calling out without any luck - then realised I'd have to topup funds for calls (I only had about 10 quid for data) - so tried calling my number from a Landline - this indicated that "the number you have called is not recognised".

Trying to topup the number from Vodafone's "My Vodafone" is of no help - as I enter my account it shows my number still indicated as a MOBILE BROADBAND and no options available to topup airtime...

So............ slightly better off than at the start - have my original number back - just somehow need to get it registered so I can again use it now...

[DaneB]

@Goosepilot

I've sent you a private message with details on how to get in touch.

For anyone else with the same issue, try the steps listed here and if you’re still affected, contact customer service.

[Goosepilot]

Well I'm happy to report back............... it might have taken a while with some frustration here & there.... but FINALLY - I received a text message on Saturday 3rd June to indicate that I have my old number is back...as a normal Mobile Phone Number!

VODAFONE technicians disconnected my number (which was registered as a Broadband number) from the network and then re-registered it on the Mobile Phone network .........and Voila!!

Unfortunately due to some incorrect advice from support staff (which they acknowledged on an email) ....I've suffered some financial loss to get to this point (I lost the funds that were placed on the Broadband package as well as the funds on the extra SIM that I was advised to buy :smileysurprised:) but I suppose I should just be grateful that the number is sorted and can be used again.