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Vodafone: No speedy number porting in the UK, thank-you-very-much

Started by Ewan · 9 months ago

You know when you walk into a mobile store here in the UK and swap to another provider, you have to go through a whole load of hoop-jumping in order to actually KEEP your number and swap it to your new provider.
And it takes days.
DAYS and in some occasions, weeks of arsing about. Sometimes ... Continue reading »

9 comments

  • ollysk2

    9 months ago

    Wow, I'm surprised by how much of a hassle that number portability seems to be in the UK! The US has managed to get this right for the most part. You walk into the NEW provider (so say I wanted to move from T-Mobile to AT&T, I simply go into an AT&T store). I tell them that I want to bring my number with me, they have me fill out some forms on their end, and within 72 hours or so, my number is automagically transferred to my AT&T service. The last time I did it, the transfer was completely done within about 10 hours. I don't have to contact my old provider for anything, unless I'm still in contract with them and liable for the Early Termination Fee. Even then, I don't HAVE to contact them, as they'll still send me a final bill including this fee.

    That's it, nothing else to worry about. All of the transfer bureaucracy is taken care of between new provider and old provider, nothing that I have to manually do.

    -olly
    reply
  • ollysk2

    9 months ago

    Oh, and to add to that, while the transition is in process, both phones are still active -- usually you'll be able to make calls on the new line (so AT&T in my example), but your phone number will still ring to the old line (T-Mobile in this example). Means carrying two handsets around, but that's the only hassle with it.
    reply
  • Stephen Jones

    9 months ago

    Vodafone really works wonders ! Nice post.
    reply
  • thehotaisle

    9 months ago

    Ewan, as far as number porting goes the UK is a basket case. In fact the whole mobile business just seems to be full of anti-competitive grubby dealing. Phones locked to one network, ridiculous roaming charges, impossible number portability, inability to jump from one local network to another in your home country (and increasingly limited when abroad). Here is my wish list for a mobile phone (and it is all possible):

    Flexible SIM that roams to the cheapest network that has a signal (yes I would pay more to make a call when my local network is unavailable)
    No contract lock in (make it illegal)
    Free SMS (the price of SMS messages are just bonkers)
    No locked phones (make it illegal)
    Sensible roaming charges (same international rates as at home - same local to local as at home)

    The networks are really extracting blood from us consumers. Lets see some real untrammeled capitalism and competition here.

    Steve
    reply
  • TerenceEden

    9 months ago

    No contract, free SMS, Sensible roaming? How about http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/mobile-phones/sim-on...
    £20pm, unlimited texts. Passport gives you your home rate +75ppc (I think)
    All Vodafone contract phones are sold unlocked. You can also pop in to a Nokia store, CPW, P4U etc.

    There are, AIUI, billing issues which stop UK SIMs roaming on to other UK networks. I don't know if that can or will change.

    There are 5 different networks in the UK, all offering different deals. There are also countless MVNOs. I think that's pretty good competition. If you don't, start up an MNVO or borrow a few billion and build your own :-)

    I'll agree that UK number porting should be a lot quicker. It's a straightforward process (ask for PAC, give to new network, wait) but I think it goes wrong too often and is a bit of a disincentive to people moving networks.

    T
    (I work for Vodafone, but I don't speak for them. Other networks may have similar deals)
    reply
  • thehotaisle

    9 months ago

    Hi Terence

    Thanks for the reply. My comments were not particularly pointed at the mobile industry (nevertheless some of the anti-competitive stuff must help incumbents). Interesting that you think Vodafone contract phones are sold unlocked - just tried my 6 week old Vodafone Contract Nokia N95 8GB with a T-Mobile SIM and guess what..... SIM error.

    Steve
    reply
  • TerenceEden

    9 months ago

    http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic...
    If you're on contract, ring 191 and they'll give you the NUC free of charge.

    I think it's all *current* contract handsets which are sold unlocked.. Who knows how long that N95 8GB has sat in a warehouse :-)
    reply
  • Ewan

    9 months ago

    Is that the same with my E90? I got it in April, if memory serves...
    reply
  • TerenceEden

    9 months ago

    Should be.

    YHM, BTW.
    reply

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