How to get a PAC from any mobile phone network.
Having problems with your mobile phone service provider?
If you are one of the many thousands of people who have ever tried to move their phone number from one network to another and failed then look no further. What I will give you here is clear and concise information that is backed up with little known legislation and loopholes that the networks would rather you didn’t know. How much do I want for this information you might ask because there are many consumer group websites out there charging for this info or charging for the privilege to use their site. Well my fee is absolutely zero, which funnily enough is exactly how much money you have to pay to a network in order to port but I will explain this in greater detail later.
If you have a mobile phone; contract or otherwise that you use and pay for according to the terms and conditions then the number associated is legally yours. It is your legal right to use that telephone number on whatever network you chose, even if you have bad debt with the network!
Firstly it is worth noting that there are only 5 UK phone networks, Orange, T-Mobile, Three, o2 & Vodafone however there are a plethora of “billing platforms” that buy minutes and texts from these networks and bill you separately. For example you buy your phone from the Carphone Warehouse and they connect you to the o2 network yet you are still billed by Carphone Warehouse. In any case you would need to speak with the company who bill’s you not the company who provides the airtime.
In this post we will deal with consumer & Business accounts on the 5 major UK networks and later I will give advice and guidance for the billing platforms.
Your first port of call should be a telephone call to the customer service department of your network who will ultimately transfer you to their loyalty or retentions department. Put simply you need to verbally ask them for your Port Authorisation Code (PAC), this is where the fun begins. Depending on how long you have left to run on your contract depends on how much of a fight the network puts up. o2 are well known for being very hard and pushy when you ask to cancel, they will try their hardest to retain you and a lot of the time will even make you feel rather bad for leaving them. This is where you have to stand firm and fight your case, if you really want to leave then don’t be afraid to be blunt and not ask any questions about the new deal. They will always attempt to better the deal you have been offered, if you want to stay then so be it however you should remember, why is it only when you want to leave are they offering you a better deal?
The simple rule to remember is that it is your legal right to take your number wherever you want and not let them bully you into staying. o2 will offer your PAC in two parts, they will take your call as the initial request then 48 hours later they will text you the code. If however you haven’t received the PAC don’t be afraid to call back up and ask them to read it out to you over the phone.
Ofcom have laid out strict rules that all networks MUST follow, these rules state that a network is obligated to issue you with a PAC within 48 hours of any reasonable request.
Three are another network that requires a lot of perseverance to get a PAC simply because they are mainly based overseas and are targeted on retentions. However be firm and ensure that they give you the PAC over the phone in the same call, they will tell you it can take two hours but that is absolute rubbish!!!
All networks use the exact same system to generate PAC’s. This system is an internet based system that can generate a PAC instantly, there is no 48 hour wait!
T-Mobile are actually a very good network to get PAC’s from, they will offer the usual retention deals but will back down once you make it clear that you are leaving. The usual barrier that T-Mobile will put up is making you pay your early termination fee upfront. If you are getting a cash back deal with your new network and are planning to use this money to pay the buyout then you would be better off getting the fee applied to the final bill. I
The Network cannot refuse to issue a port authorisation code if:
The customer has not paid their final airtime bill, notice period (not served), disconnection charges, or any porting charge before the port date. These charges should be included in the final airtime bill, which will be settled according to the terms of the contract. The customer is in bad debt but is still connected to the airtime at the time the request is received.
Vodafone are another company that seem to comply with Ofcom’s advice about excessive retention activity. For consumers it is a simple phone call to the network requesting the PAC, they will advise you that it will be sent within 48 hours by text, again if you haven’t received it don’t hesitate on calling them, make sure they don’t make you wait a further 48 hours, they can generate the code over the phone. For business requests they do require that you send the request in writing by either email or Fax, there is no way around this but once they have received the Fax/Email they must release your PAC within 48 hours.
The Network is entitled to insist on a written porting authorisation request with the customer’s signature before issuing a PAC, if it is their current business policy to require the customer’s signature for confirmation of a termination request.
I have attached a link below which should be used as your bible when requesting PAC’s, this is the document that all networks have agreed to abide by.
FAQ’s
I have received a couple of questions already and the most frequent ones will be listed here:
Q. I have just been told by T-Mobile that there is a £10 maximum to put on my final bill and they want the early termination penalty up front.
A. There is no maximum limit at all, the web system is not attached to their billing system. Ask to speak to a manager and quote the following:
The Network cannot refuse to issue a port authorisation code if:
The customer has not paid their final airtime bill, notice period (not served), disconnection charges, or any porting charge before the port date. These charges should be included in the final airtime bill, which will be settled according to the terms of the contract. The customer is in bad debt but is still connected to the airtime at the time the request is received.
Q. o2 have just told me that I am not eligible to cancel because I have too much time left on my contract.
A. This is a time wasting tactic used by the networks to make you have to call back!
Q. I was just told that I can’t have my PAC because they don’t think I am the person named on the bill
A. This is one of the only reasons a PAC can be refused, the best option is to call from the actual handset with your most recent bill with you.
Please see the below link for the Ofcom Porting Guide.
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