Porting nightmare
Here in the UK we are allowed to port our mobile phone number to another provider when we leave. This means that you can keep the same number but switch contracts to a different provider. However you can’t do this from within the same provider.
Here’s an example. You have a contract with a mobile phone company in the UK. Let’s call it T-Cell. You are coming to the end of your contract and you want to get a really cool new phone still with your current provider. You find an offer, also on T-Cell, which works out cheaper than upgrading. You take out a second line with the intention of closing your old line and moving your number across. You want to stay on the network. However this is not possible. You can’t move your number from one contract to another within the same network.
Sounds crazy to me since the same system that allows you to do this to another provider should allow for it to be done internally as well? Either than or a simple database cascade would do the trick internally.
Your only option is to port your number out to another provider, say CO2, and then port your number back again. Seems needlessly complicated. Be aware that CO2 quite rightly doesn’t like this since they are getting a bogus customer.
Also be aware that the mechanism for porting your number assigns a unique code called a PAC code. This can only be generated once a month. So if you have loved to the new network and try to move back straight away you won’t be able to.
Something that should take two minutes now takes thirty days. Craps!