Network for porting

Can anyone recommend a network to use as a porting intermediary? Most
people do this if their contract network won't let them to switch to PAYG
(or whatever) so they port out to network X, then port in again. In my case
I want to use an offer that depends on me porting in a number, so I want to
open a new SIM card and immediately port the number out.

Am I likely to need credit/activity for that or can I just phone up network
X and ask to port out my brand new number? Do they make trouble if you
haven't actually made any calls yet? I have a stack of PAYG SIM cards from
lots of networks, but most don't come with any credit on them. Don't really
want to have to do a topup just so I can throw it away.

Virgin used to be favoured for contract->PAYG ports... any particular
reason?

Thanks
Theo

Theo Markettos wrote:
> Can anyone recommend a network to use as a porting intermediary? Most
> people do this if their contract network won't let them to switch to PAYG
> (or whatever) so they port out to network X, then port in again. In my case
> I want to use an offer that depends on me porting in a number, so I want to
> open a new SIM card and immediately port the number out.
>
> Am I likely to need credit/activity for that or can I just phone up network
> X and ask to port out my brand new number? Do they make trouble if you
> haven't actually made any calls yet? I have a stack of PAYG SIM cards from
> lots of networks, but most don't come with any credit on them. Don't really
> want to have to do a topup just so I can throw it away.

I've recently done it with Tesco; I did have 10 GBP credit on it but
can't remember whether that was a prerequisite or whether I needed it
for my own reasons. However, Tesco do a 'Ping-me-a-pound' thing, which
I used to transfer the spare credit to my kids phones so it wasn't
wasted, so if you know anybody else on Tesco PAYG that might be an option.

David

Lobster <davidlobsterpot601@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I've recently done it with Tesco; I did have 10 GBP credit on it but
> can't remember whether that was a prerequisite or whether I needed it
> for my own reasons. However, Tesco do a 'Ping-me-a-pound' thing, which
> I used to transfer the spare credit to my kids phones so it wasn't
> wasted, so if you know anybody else on Tesco PAYG that might be an option.

Yes, I did that once upon a time. But I don't have Tesco PAYG any more nor
know anyone who does and, though the announcement of the 8p/min tariff makes
it a slightly better deal, I think holding an extra SIM with a random number
on it just to use the credit up at 8p/min calling people who wouldn't care
about the number I call from would take me quite a while.

Theo