Switching mobile network

[Metric Max]

We are switching wifes phone EE to Lebara which we did on my phone last week. Got the PAC code from EE, gave it to Lebara and got the new SIM card.
At that point replaced the old EE SD card with the new Lebara one and could make outgoing calls on Lebara using a temporary number but no one can contact you on the old number until it is ported over.
The phone has dual SIM card slots. Can I have both cards installed, make outgoing on the new card and get incoming on the old one until the number is ported over?

[Arrivalist]

I’m surprised it’s not ported already, unless I’ve misunderstood.

I ordered an Asda mobile £4 a month sim for my mum last week. Sim arrived Monday and I put it in her existing phone, went online to Asda with the PAC code and her old number had ported to the new sim by Tuesday morning.

[davek_964]

It took about 2 days for me when I moved to Lebara I think.

Anyway, to answer the OPs question: It will depend on the phone, but : Yes, you can almost certainly do that.

[alangla]

If it’s an iPhone with dual sims (either real or virtual) then you can pick what line gets used for outgoing calls on a per-call basis if you want. You need to nominate which one it should use for data though.

In saying all that, the situation you’re experiencing seems strange, normally sim A works normally up to the point it goes dead, you insert sim B and restart the phone and sim B then works normally. If this doesn’t resolve quickly you should probably contact your network(s), starting with EE.

[davek_964]

alangla said:

In saying all that, the situation you re experiencing seems strange, normally sim A works normally up to the point it goes dead, you insert sim B and restart the phone and sim B then works normally. If this doesn t resolve quickly you should probably contact your network(s), starting with EE.

I think you're misunderstanding the OP.

The new SIM will work normally, but since nobody will know his new (temporary) number he won't get any incoming calls on it.

[alangla]

davek_964 said:

alangla said:

In saying all that, the situation you re experiencing seems strange, normally sim A works normally up to the point it goes dead, you insert sim B and restart the phone and sim B then works normally. If this doesn t resolve quickly you should probably contact your network(s), starting with EE.

I think you're misunderstanding the OP.

The new SIM will work normally, but since nobody will know his new (temporary) number he won't get any incoming calls on it.

Re-read it and I think I understand what you’re saying.
OP, ignore the second part of my post.

[Liamjrhodes]

Metric Max said:

We are switching wifes phone EE to Lebara which we did on my phone last week. Got the PAC code from EE, gave it to Lebara and got the new SIM card.
At that point replaced the old EE SD card with the new Lebara one and could make outgoing calls on Lebara using a temporary number but no one can contact you on the old number until it is ported over.
The phone has dual SIM card slots. Can I have both cards installed, make outgoing on the new card and get incoming on the old one until the number is ported over?

Yes I find having both sim cards in for the switchover period is the best way as it makes sure you can receive and make calls. Once the switch is complete the old sim card will simply stop working.

[outnumbered]

The normal way of doing this is just to keep using the old SIM until it stops working on the day you've selected for the number port to happen, then put the new one in.

We've recently switched a few phones from O2 to Lebara and did it that way.

For 2 of the phones, there was then a few hours delay before the Lebara SIM was fully working with the old number. For the most recent one, it was instant, and it worked immediately the O2 one had stopped.

[Metric Max]

Thanks all, looks like I was right

[Sheepshanks]

Metric Max said:

We are switching wifes phone EE to Lebara which we did on my phone last week. Got the PAC code from EE, gave it to Lebara and got the new SIM card.

If you literally did as written, aren't the steps out of order? Have you given the PAC code to Lebara too early?

[Arrivalist]

Sheepshanks said:

Metric Max said:

We are switching wifes phone EE to Lebara which we did on my phone last week. Got the PAC code from EE, gave it to Lebara and got the new SIM card.

If you literally did as written, aren't the steps out of order? Have you given the PAC code to Lebara too early?

This was my thinking when I posted above.

[alangla]

Arrivalist said:

This was my thinking when I posted above.

I can’t recreate it without either logging in or creating a new account, but I think, from memory, Lebara allow you to enter a PAC and switchover date on the order form for the Sim.

[davek_964]

alangla said:

I can t recreate it without either logging in or creating a new account, but I think, from memory, Lebara allow you to enter a PAC and switchover date on the order form for the Sim.

From when I did mine, I think it was:

Ordered and received the SIM
Use the Lebara app - where you have to put your new SIM number in to progress (hence can't do it without having received the SIM)
Provide PAC code and choose switchover date (which for me, the earliest was a few days away)

[GlenMH]

davek_964 said:

From when I did mine, I think it was:

Ordered and received the SIM
Use the Lebara app - where you have to put your new SIM number in to progress (hence can't do it without having received the SIM)
Provide PAC code and choose switchover date (which for me, the earliest was a few days away)

Likewise. I have done it for 3 numbers and all the times it happened were random during the day...

[Arrivalist]

alangla said:

Arrivalist said:

This was my thinking when I posted above.

I can t recreate it without either logging in or creating a new account, but I think, from memory, Lebara allow you to enter a PAC and switchover date on the order form for the Sim.

Ahh… thanks for the school day leaning

[megaphone]

My switchover started about 7 am on the chosen day, but had the same issue as the OP, finally all got sorted late in the afternoon.

Lebara works well for me, EE can do one with their 25% price increases.

[nvubu]

We moved from O2 to Lebara & GiffGaff.

Same process for each.

Ordered SIM
Stuck it in the phone
Activated SIM with new number
Requested PAC code from O2
Gave to Lebara/GiffGaff - chose date (not sure if there was an option to select one with GiffGaff)
On the day, the old sim stopped worked, new one started.

The only fun part was my daughter had an esim and is at uni in the USA.

So I contacted O2 requesting a replacement physical SIM, bit of a hassle, but got one after a bit of a rigmarole.
New SIM arrived, activated it.
Then immediately switched it as above.
I'm not sure in hindsight if I needed to do this - and I can't remember why I thought that I did.

Daughter's WhatsApp and other things tied to her UK number still worked fine. Did the final switch when she was back at Christmas.

The only issue I have with Lebara is that 5G is poor/nonexistent in the UK. Had it in the USA & Madeira fine.

[megaphone]

Lebara 5G has been working for me in towns and cities, but 5G eats the battery so I switch it off.

[GlenMH]

nvubu said:

The only issue I have with Lebara is that 5G is poor/nonexistent in the UK. Had it in the USA & Madeira fine.

Likewise in the UK for me but fantastic 5G coverage in Spain.