Migrating number from PAYG to PAYM but service immediately lost

[valeriecherish]

Hello, hoping someone can advise. I have had a bit of a nightmare trying to transfer my PAYG sim to Pay Monthly.

For background, last week I moved my Giffgaff number to O2 PAYG but changed my mind and wanted to move to a Pay Monthly plan (I had misunderstood that the PAYG rolling plans including roaming in Canada where I will be for a long visit soon).

Anyway - I have had several calls with O2 to try and migrate my number to the new PAYM sim card but passed around as they said I was a 'legacy' number, I'm not sure why as I haven't been on O2 before (literally only a few days!)

This morning someone eventually said they had completed the form to migrate the number and it would take 24-48 hours. However, about 10 minutes after I hung up, my current PAYG sim card (e.g the number I want to keep) disconnected so I can't make calls/texts. It has not migrated to the new Pay Monthly SIM. 

Has something gone wrong or is this just the normal process? I was under the impression there would only be a few minutes between the old sim disconnecting and the number appearing on the new sim, but does this suggest I'll be without service for 24-48 hours? Could it have just started almost-instantly or is that too much positive thinking on my part?

Thanks

[MI5]

@valeriecherish 

It's not instant. Keep rebooting your phone with the pay monthly sim in it.

24 to 48 hours is an absolute maximum but usually around 4 hours or so.

[valeriecherish]

Thank you. So this sounds like the process is underway? I have terrible anxiety so am nervous it will go wrong and my number will vanish into the ether. 

Is there a way to check it has worked, other than phoning someone lots of times?

[MI5]

@valeriecherish 

Your pay monthly sim will lose connection and then come back online when it's done.

[Cleoriff]

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@valeriecherish wrote:

Thank you. So this sounds like the process is underway? I have terrible anxiety so am nervous it will go wrong and my number will vanish into the ether. 

Is there a way to check it has worked, other than phoning someone lots of times?

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If your PAYG sim has lost service then the process is underway @valeriecherish.

Follow the advice from @MI5 ie keep turning phone on and off with the new sim in and it should start working soon.

[valeriecherish]

Thanks both, the confusion I am having with restarting the PAYM phone is that it always works when it comes on (with the old PAYG Number) so it is hard to tell if it the new number is working on it without calling someone (my friends and family are getting sick of me!) Thanks

[valeriecherish]

@Cleoriff @MI5 thanks both for your help. It's been about 6 hours since my PAYG SIM disconnected (with the number I need to keep) and it seems nothing has happened with my Pay Monthly SIM despite lots of restarts, do you think this is normal or should I take action? I am going abroad on Friday so nervous this won't complete on time and my number might get lost. Thank you

[MI5]

@valeriecherish 

The process has started so patience is needed now.

Keep rebooting every 30 mins.

If nothing has happened by tomorrow morning, then is the time to prod customer service Guide: How to find help & contact O2 

[valeriecherish]

Thanks @MI5 for your patience, it's reassuring to hear this sounds normal. I hope one day someone simplifies this process!

[MI5]

Sometimes it takes mins and sometimes hours @valeriecherish 

No rhyme or reason for either......