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Deactivation

easytreasure
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

Got an emergency phone for my daughter. keep it charged and she takes it along with her main phone. Belt and braces. Discovered last night when she needed it. That it has been deactivated. when to the Vodafone shop today thurrock lakeside. they were no help at all. Pay as you go sim cant be reactivated. lost all the credit. Vodafone don't do a free sim anymore the guy said. Lie. Thinking of switching to Three now as their sims do not expire.

28 REPLIES 28

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

If you last used your number in 2015, the chances must be near 100% that the number has been disconnected, quarantined, out of quarantine, and put onto a new SIM which is in a store somewhere, awaiting activation by a new user.

You'd do far better to get a new SIM, new number, and start again from scratch. If the number is important to you, have you tried calling it? A new user might be willing to sell it to you - perhaps! 

Anonymous
Not applicable

Thank you. It is clear for me now that my number has been disconnected and online chat support also confirmed the same thing. But they said that it has not been recycled to another user yet.

Can you tell me how long does the quarantine period take?

If it is the case, I accept that I lost this number.

 

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

Sorry, the display on the forum is very spacious, I hadn't realised I'd replied twice to the same person! I've very little idea how long the whole process takes - I'd hope that quarantine might last a year, but that may be too optimistic. And of course it probably depends on how tight the supply of numbers is - not sure if it's Ofcom or some other body which releases them, but I think batches of new numbers are given to the networks from time to time.

Someone else may know more about this!

Anonymous
Not applicable

Thank you for your reply. I just asked this question here because I have not found any information the website regarding recycling numbers.  I think that it will also be helpful to another users who has similar issues.

ToniCa
13: Advanced Member

I'm sure it has come up on the forum multiple times in the past, particularly when the disconnection period was shorter. I've an idea it was as low as 90 days for a while, but that sounds a bit startling!

If you Google Ofcom and recycling numbers, a ton of stuff comes up - https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/pay-as-you-go-mobi... looks the most immediately relevant.

I mentioned it to a couple of friends earlier ths evening, they both seemed to think that Vodafone's cut-off time was more generous than the networks they were with - I think it was the additional 90 days at the end that was the difference.

Anonymous
Not applicable

I just tried to dial my old phone number in order to find out what happens but the line is totally deaf.

It does not appear that my number has been disconnected and there is no new user who could answer my phone call. It simply ended phone call without telling what is going on with my non-used number,

I just guess, it can be because my number is not active or otherwise technically dead and has not been re-issued to another customer but I am not sure. I have no clue as to what it means.

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @easytreasure

 

No mobile network is going to keep a SIM active when there has been a long period of inactivity, there would be no way of knowing if the SIM was ever going to be used again.

 

It is an Ofcom ruling that PAYG SIMs have to be in use, there are not infinite of mobile telephone numbers available and when a number has not been used, it has to be disconnected and recycled.

 

However, all may not be lost and it depends on how long it has been since the last chargeable activity.  Live Chat will be able to let you know if there is any possibility of getting the number back

Thank you all for your replies. Should have read the terms and conditions. Will fit a new Sim and use it every couple of months. Put it in my diary. The Sim in question is in a tracking device that is buried in the dashboard behind the radio. One in my sons car, and one in my daughters. The idea works quite well. I can call the device and it texts me back the cars position. LAT LONG instantly. Within a few feet. Just need to keep the Sim active every couple of months. This is just to be able to locate the car if stolen. Have been thinking of changing my broadband to Vodafone, but the complete lack of interest from live chat and the Thurrock lakeside store have put me off. The telephone help system is a joke. Guy at Lakeside just wanted to sell me a contract, and said it was no longer possible to get a free Sim card. Thanks again.


@easytreasure wrote:
Thank you all for your replies. Should have read the terms and conditions. Will fit a new Sim and use it every couple of months. Put it in my diary. The Sim in question is in a tracking device that is buried in the dashboard behind the radio. One in my sons car, and one in my daughters. The idea works quite well. I can call the device and it texts me back the cars position. LAT LONG instantly. Within a few feet. Just need to keep the Sim active every couple of months. This is just to be able to locate the car if stolen. Have been thinking of changing my broadband to Vodafone, but the complete lack of interest from live chat and the Thurrock lakeside store have put me off. The telephone help system is a joke. Guy at Lakeside just wanted to sell me a contract, and said it was no longer possible to get a free Sim card. Thanks again.

 

You're very welcome @easytreasure

 

I hope we've helped so that your now a little more informed on how to stop this from occurring again. 

 

Take care. 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

Still waiting for my free sim from Three. There a bit slow in sending. Keep reading of local cars stolen from driveways. I may go down to lakeside today and pick one up from the Three shop. Feel a bit safer with the trackler working again. Vodafone let us down proper.