Keeping old phone numbers going on basic contracts

[NiceCupOfTea]

Quick question:

Lost both of my parents over the last few years - for various reasons (2FA etc) I'd like to keep their old phone numbers live. They were on the same contract with EE. I was just wondering if there was any way of adding them to my EE contract for a nominal amount per month. Currently each number seems to be about £15pcm. I don't need any calls/data. Hopeing there is a way of doing it cheaply although I rather suspect it is similar to insuring a car and not using it - ie I will just have to pay for 3 full phone contracts.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Easiest way would be to port the numbers to a new cheap sim only contract.

Sign up to a new deal, cheapest is about £3.99-£5 / month then request a PAC code for the old number and supply it to the new provider.


https://www.uswitch.com/mobiles/guides/porting-you...

[grumbas]

Have a look on hot uk deals, often sim only plan deals listed on there for peanuts.

ID Mobile seem to be consistently cheap for a bare minimum plan.

[lonny]

I had the same issue when I ‘inherited’ my sister’s number on her death last year. As soon as I contacted EE they suggested moving her account to payg which works fine while I tidy up her affairs. I have to make a call every few months to keep it working.

[OutInTheShed]

You could port the numbers to an eSIM on your own phone.
I have a second number on my phone with Lyca for £5 a month.
It gives me the advantage of using another 4G data network which can be handy in Devon.
I don't make or receive calls or texts on the esim number, it has kept working for many months now.

[ARH]

Can you not just change the 2fa to your number?

[Arrivalist]

Asda do a £4 month text and talk plan which seems ideal for you. Just port the number across.

I did this for my mum recently- new sim in the old phone and then you change the number online.

[hellorent]

Ebay: o2 classic payg sim

[Mr Pointy]

How about £1.10 a month for a Lebara MSE deal SIM?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-fin...

It will give you 6 months to swap the 2FA numbers over before it goes up to £4.90 after that.

[nvubu]

Why not just a PAYG contract. I've got one in a tablet with GiffGaff that I put £10 on 2 years ago, still have the majority of that remaining.

[camel_landy]

PAYG - You have to be careful with this, as if unused over a 3mth period, it'll get cancelled and purged from the system.

A cheap contract will be the way to go.

ETA - Your home phone/broadband provider might have something cheap & cheerful which they could offer.

M

Edited by camel_landy on Saturday 18th April 11:30

[Somebody]

PAYG credit will never expire here: https://www.rwgmobile.wales/rates-plans-eng-per/ Scroll to the bottom

[camel_landy]

Somebody said:

PAYG credit will never expire here: https://www.rwgmobile.wales/rates-plans-eng-per/ Scroll to the bottom

That's not the same thing... Whilst the credit might not expire, you still have to use it. Check their Ts & Cs (Para 37):

https://www.rwgmobile.wales/mobile-sim-card-t-c/

RWG said:

37. You must make an outbound call or text in any 90-day period for your SIM to remain active. If you don't do this, the SIM will enter a restricted state which means you will only be able to receive inbound calls and texts. If this happens you can contact our customer service team to reactivate the SIM. If you do not make at least one chargeable call or send one chargeable SMS/MMS every six months (in either case that results in a charge against your Account or a deduction from the credit or bundle allowance recorded against your Account), then we may terminate this Agreement by giving you 30 days’ notice in writing that your Account will be closed and your SIM Card deactivated.

M

[RSTurboPaul]

Lebara SIM-only PAYG.

£5 top-up with voucher from a supermarket or by card, via the top-up number, then send a single message or make a few seconds call once every 3 months to stop it expiring.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks all, I hadn't thought about PAYG (despite having a couple of GSM trackers that I have to make sure I use every few months); that is definitely an option. Also the cheap contracts are worth looking into!

[GlenMH]

Cheapest deal on MoneySavingExpert is currently Months 1-6 £1.38/mth and then £4.40/mth giving an annual equivalent cost of £2.89 on Lebara. I know from experience that moving numbers in and out of them is really easy.

[James_N]

https://www.1pmobile.com/