Moving to a new mobile phone network

By Stuart
February 1, 2019

Direct Mobiles is supported by its readers. When you purchase through links on our site we may receive a commission. Learn more here.

There seems to be a new mobile phone network starting up almost every week: Smarty, Giffgaff and Voxi to name but a few. With this in mind, moving networks may seem like a really difficult task but isn’t!

We will help you by explaining the process (and some changes afoot this year) you can also read about the difference between the UK mobile networks and mobile virtual network operators by taking a look at our guide to MNO’s and MVNO.

Why move networks?

You might think there are no good reasons to move network, well there are loads! We have all been told at some point , ‘sorry that deal is for new customers only’ whether this is when renewing house insurance or internet provider, the dreaded words are uttered and you think: why am I not as important to you now that you have my money and I am paying my bill?

Your needs might have changed and your current mobile network does not meet your needs.
There maybe a fantastic offer on another network which beats your current deal.
There some other benefits on offer with another mobile network that you might actually use.
The new mobile phone you are looking for is not available on your current network.
You may have moved and the network coverage is not as good as it was.

Are you out of contract with your current network?

Whenever you agreed to your existing deal whether you were given a handset or not as part of the deal, you will have agreed to a minimum contract length, that might be 30 days, 12 months, 24 months or longer (we hope not!). Each network or MVNO will also have a minimum notice that you have to give to end the contract, this is usually set at 30 days, therefore to end a 30 day rolling contract you would have to give notice the same day you connected! The longer agreements are bit easier to understand, if you give 30 days notice at the end of month 11 in a 12 month contract, month 23 in a 24 month contract, your contract will end at the end of the minimum contract term.

You can give notice at any time during the agreement, but you will be liable to pay for the minimum term (30 days, 12 months, 24 months) , if you were to give notice at month 6 in a 12 month contract your would still have to pay the remaining 6 months of the agreement, we hope this now makes sense, getting out of your contract early could prove to be a very expensive exercise. The best thing to do is either check your network app (if you have it on your phone) or check your online bill to find out when your contract ends.

Need to choose a new phone? Compare mobile phone deals.
Want to keep your phone but get a SIM only deal? Compare SIM only deals.

Keep your number get a PAC code.

To keep your number and move mobile networks you will need to ask your existing network for a porting authorisation code or PAC. You can only get a PAC code if you are moving from one network to another, if you want to stay with your current network and keep your number, you will be upgrading (if you get a new handset) or recommitting with your existing network.

What is a PAC code?

A PAC code (or Port Authorisation Code) is a number made up of usually 9 digits and linked to your mobile phone number. When you request a PAC from your mobile network, they generate the code and attach it to your mobile phone number. When you give the PAC to your new mobile network, this unique identifier tells them which phone number they should bring over to their network, where it’s coming from and which account they should assign it too – yours!

How to use your PAC

Once you have a PAC code you have 30 days to pass onto your new network before it expires. Each network ( and MVNO) have different ways of getting this for you and can take a few days, but by the summer of 2019 all networks will have to give a PAC code by text when requested and without speaking to anyone at the network. This great news as we think it will make the whole porting process, quicker, easier to understand and the same process across all networks and MVNO’s.

If you happy to change your number you have the easiest process, give notice to your existing network and connect to new one you can take a look at the best available deals here.

Please note that above is all about keeping your mobile number linked to your account, moving your telephone numbers from your phone and sim to another phone and sim is a different kettle of fish.

You’ll find contact details for all the major networks below: