how long before a PAYG sim gets disconnected ?

[Anonymous]

Hi my father recently passed away and I'm wanting to know how long it will be before the SIM card is deactived ?

We want to turn the phone off so as not to be reading personal texts between grandchilden and dad's phone.

Phone was topped up about 2 months ago, was used last week to make a call to mum.

I've been told it needs a chargable call within 6 months and topped up within 999 days, is this fact ?

Also if the phone is off network (not turned on), will the phone be deactived after a short period ?

Cheers

Colum

[adamtemp64 · Accepted solution]

the 6 month and 999 days is correct.

The handset can remain switched off as long as you make the required call every 6 months.

If you want to never use the phone again it will  lose the credit on it and the number disconnected in 6 months time.

[Anonymous]

Good Morning Colum.

I'm really sorry to hear of your loss and my deepest sympathy.

Just to add the phone itself will never be deactivated.

[Bambino]

Sorry for your loss. If you want to make sure nothing is received on the phone any more, just remove the sim. If you want to remove any text messages you can do a factory reset. 

[Anonymous]

If there is a significant amount of Payg Credit on the sim you could ask 02 Customer Services to transfer it to another activated 02 Sim Card.

Payg : 4445  £0.25p per call or from a landline 0844 809 0222 5p / min

[Anonymous]

Cheers all.

and thanks for the sympathy messages.

I'm not worried about the credit, money isn't everything, its the sentiment that the kids can still text wee messsages to their granda when they feel they're missing him.

We'll keep it for a year or so, which may give them time to accept dad's passing.  I'm not worried about topping it up was more worried if the phone was turned off, the SIM won't be registering with O2 and the SIM may have been deactivated.

I understand mobile phones enough to know the texts etc wont be deleted unless factory.

I can stick the card in an old Nokia 6300 which only needs charged once or so a week.

Thanks for the help

[Anonymous]

Your most welcome and take care.

[jonsie]

Really sorry for your loss. I recently lost my wife last year and I saved all her text messages on her phone to Gmail and then as a document on my PC. Occasionally I browse through all our texts to each other and the texts between her and our children and grandchildren. It's painful at times but a great comfort at others.

Take care and cherish the memories.