Porting Number from One EE Contract to Another EE Contract

[48Valves]

The wife's current EE contract has just run out and she has also just destroyed her Lumia 920. She likes windows phone as it does everything she needs it to very well without being complicated, but the new models with a decent camera are too big for her.

So I was thinking the new iPhone SE would be ideal. Great camera in a small phone.
I have found a good deal on a 64gb iPhone 6SE on mobiles.co.uk. Problem is its with EE who are also he current supplier. EE say they can't port her number from one contract to another for whatever reason and they can't get within £450 of the deal I have seen.

So I was thinking. I would order the new phone on EE as per the deal and also order the cheapest pay as you go sim I can find with another network. Port the number over to the new network an then port it back to the new EE contract.

But it sounds too easy to be true, o I think I'm missing something. I've searched the web and cant find anything that says it will be a problem.

My question is, Is what I propose possible or have I overlooked something?

Thanks

[Cybertronian]

This should work.

I did something similar when the iPhone 6 first came out. I wasn't able to do a straight upgrade due to contract end date not syncing up, so ended the contract prematurely by paying it off and then porting away from EE to an O2 pre-pay SIM. I took out a new contract on EE and then ported the number back to EE on the new contract. Just a day or so of inconvenience until the number switched.

[48Valves]

Cybertronian said:

This should work.

I did something similar when the iPhone 6 first came out. I wasn't able to do a straight upgrade due to contract end date not syncing up, so ended the contract prematurely by paying it off and then porting away from EE to an O2 pre-pay SIM. I took out a new contract on EE and then ported the number back to EE on the new contract. Just a day or so of inconvenience until the number switched.

Thanks, sounds like it should be ok to do then.

[poing]

Check with EE but I seem to remember that you can do it within EE by going to PAYG for a month then back to contract, it was a few years ago though so they might have tightened the rules since then. It meant I didn't need to get the phone unlocked from the network.

[48Valves]

poing said:

Check with EE but I seem to remember that you can do it within EE by going to PAYG for a month then back to contract, it was a few years ago though so they might have tightened the rules since then. It meant I didn't need to get the phone unlocked from the network.

I've been on to EE and they can't do it due to technical reasons apparently.

The new phone will still be on EE so won't need unlocking. It will just be a a couple of days of hassle messing around with pac codes and being nagged by the Mrs.

[wiffmaster]

Yes, I've had to do something similar before with Vodafone for the exact same reason. Was on Vodafone, ported to Three PAYG for a couple of days, then ported back to Vodafone. Slightly ridiculous, but works.

[Blown2CV]

just buy the handset independently of the contract?

[48Valves]

Blown2CV said:

just buy the handset independently of the contract?

The deal I've found works out just cheaper over 24 months than buying out right and sim only. Plus I'd rather not shell out a few hundred quid in one hit at the moment.

[Blown2CV]

48Valves said:

Blown2CV said:

just buy the handset independently of the contract?

The deal I've found works out just cheaper over 24 months than buying out right and sim only. Plus I'd rather not shell out a few hundred quid in one hit at the moment.

post up?

[JulianHJ]

I found a similar deal on mobiles.co.uk in February. I ported my number to a GiffGaff SIM for about six weeks, sticking it in a cheap Nokia from Amazon for the duration. I ported it back to EE without issue. I realise this is a more of a faff than many would be prepared to put up with, but it saved me several hundred quid, so it suited me fine.

[48Valves]

Blown2CV said:

post up?

£100 up front and 24 x £20.99

500mins, unlimited text and 1gb data

[gr1340]

48Valves said:

£100 up front and 24 x £20.99

500mins, unlimited text and 1gb data

It's not a bad deal really. Total for 24 months = £603.76

Slightly cheaper is to buy the iPhone 5se 64gb from Apple at £439 then go via uswitch mobile and choose the life mobile (Ee network) for £5.95 a month.
Total cost for 24 months = £581.80

But, as you don't want to spend much upfront then it's not really an option.
However, the life mobile is only a 30 day contract and the iPhone is factory unlocked so leaves your options open for other networks in the future.

[gr1340]

Have you thought of a second hand iPhone 5s?

I think they are less than £200 so quite a saving over a new one.

Or choose from a range of android or Windows phones for £200.

[48Valves]

gr1340 said:

Have you thought of a second hand iPhone 5s?

I think they are less than £200 so quite a saving over a new one.

Or choose from a range of android or Windows phones for £200.

I have considered those options yes. Iv'e looked at lots of options to avoid getting an iPhone.

But the camera (most important to wife) on the 5s isn't great and they are a bit on the slow side now.

It's a similar story with the cheaper android and windows phones.

She would prefer sticking with a windows phone as it suits her needs perfectly. But the 950 is just too big for her and the cheaper models are crap. I was going to donate my 1020 but again its too big. The iPhone SE is the perfect size with a great camera.

[Blown2CV]

gr1340 said:

48Valves said:

£100 up front and 24 x £20.99

500mins, unlimited text and 1gb data

It's not a bad deal really. Total for 24 months = £603.76

Slightly cheaper is to buy the iPhone 5se 64gb from Apple at £439 then go via uswitch mobile and choose the life mobile (Ee network) for £5.95 a month.
Total cost for 24 months = £581.80

But, as you don't want to spend much upfront then it's not really an option.
However, the life mobile is only a 30 day contract and the iPhone is factory unlocked so leaves your options open for other networks in the future.

buying the phone up front does resolve this entire issue however. Even if have no savings can just credit card, pay it off at £20 a month etc etc.

[48Valves]

Blown2CV said:

gr1340 said:

48Valves said:

£100 up front and 24 x £20.99

500mins, unlimited text and 1gb data

It's not a bad deal really. Total for 24 months = £603.76

Slightly cheaper is to buy the iPhone 5se 64gb from Apple at £439 then go via uswitch mobile and choose the life mobile (Ee network) for £5.95 a month.
Total cost for 24 months = £581.80

But, as you don't want to spend much upfront then it's not really an option.
However, the life mobile is only a 30 day contract and the iPhone is factory unlocked so leaves your options open for other networks in the future.

buying the phone up front does resolve this entire issue however. Even if have no savings can just credit card, pay it off at £20 a month etc etc.

I have the money to pay for the phone upfront, but I'd rather spread the cost and have the money in my bank than Apple's.

Anyway it looks possible for couple of hours messing around with pac codes.

Thanks for all the input

[Blown2CV]

48Valves said:

Blown2CV said:

gr1340 said:

48Valves said:

£100 up front and 24 x £20.99

500mins, unlimited text and 1gb data

It's not a bad deal really. Total for 24 months = £603.76

Slightly cheaper is to buy the iPhone 5se 64gb from Apple at £439 then go via uswitch mobile and choose the life mobile (Ee network) for £5.95 a month.
Total cost for 24 months = £581.80

But, as you don't want to spend much upfront then it's not really an option.
However, the life mobile is only a 30 day contract and the iPhone is factory unlocked so leaves your options open for other networks in the future.

buying the phone up front does resolve this entire issue however. Even if have no savings can just credit card, pay it off at £20 a month etc etc.

I have the money to pay for the phone upfront, but I'd rather spread the cost and have the money in my bank than Apple's.

Anyway it looks possible for couple of hours messing around with pac codes.

Thanks for all the input

Your phone provider pays Apple for the phone up front and then charges you for it monthly. Apple are no better or worse whichever option you choose. I'd be picking the cheapest and simplest option personally, rather than messing around.

[Blown2CV]

If you buy the phone cash up front how is the CCA relevant? Unless you're paying by credit card like I said but even then?

[48Valves]

To close this one off.

It was all fairly straight forward in the end. Ported original number to o2 PAYG sim. waited 24 hours then ported the number to new EE contract. All it took was 2 phone calls and filling in a couple of on-line forms.

End result is the Mrs is happy with the new phone.

Thanks for all the contributions.

[Andehh]

wiffmaster said:

Yes, I've had to do something similar before with Vodafone for the exact same reason. Was on Vodafone, ported to Three PAYG for a couple of days, then ported back to Vodafone. Slightly ridiculous, but works.

Yep, done this before myself!