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22-02-2018 02:24 PM
Just to let people know that the advice on the live chat and the website is inconsistent when it comes to upgrading your plan and keeping your old number. It took me
(1) a live chat to understand upgrade of plan and to order a new SIM
(2) automated form on the website to activate new SIM (received through post) with the unwanted byproduct of loss of my old number
(3) subsequently a very long live chat with two different agents
(4) 36 hours
to upgrade my plan yet keep the same number. The two live chats described conflicting processes buried within Vodafone.
So keep on top of it yourself - do not expect this process to work smoothly. But we got there in the end.
22-02-2018 02:30 PM - edited 22-02-2018 02:44 PM
Hi @LucyH_181
It is recommended to get a SIM swap done direct through a Vodafone Store, you need a plain blank numberless SIM for the transfer held in stock by stores.
For security reasons, Vodafone are reluctant to send out blank SIM's in the post and with a store being able to transfer the number within the hour this is a lot quicker than waiting for the SIM to arrive in the post and contacting Vodafone to do the transfer. However, if you need to do a SIM swap, this can be done through your online account.
22-02-2018 03:18 PM
All SIMs come unactivated for security reasons. I've never had much success with the online form myself and I've used Live Chat to activate them. It's possible they don't do it now and you may need to use 191 (or it may be the other way round...). You can also get it done in a Vodafone shop if that's convenient.
AFAIK, the blank SIM that AnnS refers to is for transferring your number on PAYG.
Losing your number almost certainly wasn't part of the SIM swap process, but sounds more like a new connection, which would have happened at the time the order was placed. Make sure you haven't got two connections and are therefore paying for both.
Sometimes, disconnected numbers can be recovered from limbo before they've been reissued. However, if you have two connections, this won't have happened. Hang on for the forum team to pick this up as they'll be able to get account access and sort out what may be quite a complicated maze.
22-02-2018 03:48 PM - edited 22-02-2018 03:57 PM
Hi @hrym
A plain blank numberless SIM is needed for the SIM swap for pay monthly and PAYG. It is important to make sure the store transfers the number to the correct SIM.
22-02-2018 04:00 PM
AFAIK, all PAYM SIMs are blank when they start out aren't they? They have a serial number which allows the user's info to be loaded onto them, which is what the activation process does.
It's a bit more complicated with PAYG because there isn't a separate, centrally held, identity, so it's pre-loaded onto the SIM - if you see what I mean.