Network help when abroad & Imessage help

[SB75]

So I got an iphone XR, my previous one was stolen and I ordered a new one - I live in France so i had to get it delivered by mail from my family in the UK. I am now stuck here because of the virus, so I cannot go back to the UK. 

1) I called O2 from my previous work phone (which I now no longer posess) to activate the phone, it still doesn't work, I cannot make calls or get 4G and it has been over 24 hours. I also cannot call O2 as my only working phone can't make calls. How can this be rectified? 

2) How can I remove my old French number from Imessage and Facetime, if I no longer am in possesion of said phone? It won't registed my normal UK number as delivering Imessages either! Frustrating

Help please!

[O2Lauren]

Hi @SB75,

Did you receive a new sim card? If so, it could be either that there is still a bothway bar on your account which would've been put on when you reported the old phone as lost, or it could simply be that things are taking a little longer than usual due to COVID-19 and the customer service teams running on limited people.

In terms of deactivating your iMessage from your French number, if you have access to your French sim card you can do this here.

Thanks,

[SB75]

I don't have access to the sim... 

Thanks for your help!

[gmarkj]

You can call the customer services team using Skype.

[MI5]

@SB75 

Help on using Skype here https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Off-Topic/A-Guide-To-Skype/m-p/1305104/highlight/true#M181823 

Help on removing your old number here https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201349