Keeping my old number - 3 days and not transferred yet

[IKEAboy2006]

Hi, I got my new iPhone Xs on Saturday and immediately requested my number transfer from my old EE iPhone. I filled in the online form for keeping your number and supplied the PAC I was given from EE. The online documentation states that requests made before 5:30pm will be completed the next day. However, even tjough I submitted the form in the early afternoon on Saturday, the number porting hasn't happened yet.

Does anyone know if this is the usual case?

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Hi @IKEAboy2006 

Ports don't happen over weekends and the earliest date now will be the 27th .

[IKEAboy2006]

Thanks for the reply. That would explain it. According to the O2 website for reduced working hours over the Christmas holidays, today is still a working day for O2 though. I would have assumed that my porting request would be processed today.

[MI5]

Yes, processed today and completed the next working day, which is the 27th.

[jonsie]

The porting department don't usually work Bank holidays or weekends so as @MI5 says, Thursday before the port happens. Hope all goes smoothly for you but call them to be on the safe side if the number hasn't come across by lunchtime.

[IKEAboy2006]

Yeah still no joy with my number transfer. I'm now actually thinking about cancelling this order and returning the iPhone Xs. I've had it since Saturday morning and not really been able to use it as I still need to have my old phone with me (as thats the number people know). The new phone has been sitting on my desk gathering dust. The novelty has worn off now. I believe I have 14 days to return and cancel the whole thing. Is that correct?

[MI5]

@IKEAboy2006 https://www.o2.co.uk/help/phones-sims-and-devices/our-change-of-mind-policy

[jonsie]

I've seen this happen where the phone is returned and the number gets lost completely somewhere in the ether between networks. My option would be to call them aand try to be patient until the weekend.

[IKEAboy2006]

I contacted them today via Live Chat. It turns out they have no records of my number porting request (even though I completed the online form for "keeping your old number"). Anyway, I have now requested the porting again via Live chat and I'm informed that it won't happen till 3rd January.. Almost another week without being able to use my new iPhone. I told them they need to check that web form and make sure It's working for other people. Pretty pointless if not.

[MI5]

The form has to be picked up by a person to process it so human error, which is sadly too common, comes into play.