PACCiing out-and-back query

Just about to give notice to close my O2 contract at 11 months, and will
then seek out and take up another cashback deal. Looking around
tentatively, it seems quite likely I'll want to go for another O2 one in
fact, which makes life a bit more interesting as regards keeping my number.

I've read various reports on this ng of how to do this, using a PAYG
service as an intermediary. What I was considering doing was as follows:

1. Give notice to O2 and ask for PAC code today
2. In 2-3 weeks, open a new O2 contract which will run alongside the
first one (I don't care - it will be free anyway!) with a new number
3. PAC out to an existing Vodafone PAYG sim card (already up and running
in my name, last used months ago)
4. After a couple more weeks, after the original O2 contract has
closed, PAC from Vodafone to the new O2 contract.

Will that work, in that the new O2 contract will have been up and
running for 2-3 weeks on a new number? Or can you only PAC in when you
are setting the account up? The idea of doing it that way is that the
two O2 contracts will overlap and I can avoid having to dial out on PAYG
for a couple of weeks (any incoming calls will go to the Vodafone SIM,
in a spare phone).

(By the way has anyone ever heard of cashback deals being invalidated by
changing the number after the contract has already started?!)

Thanks
David

Lobster submitted this idea :
> Just about to give notice to close my O2 contract at 11 months, and will then
> seek out and take up another cashback deal. Looking around tentatively, it
> seems quite likely I'll want to go for another O2 one in fact, which makes
> life a bit more interesting as regards keeping my number.
>
> I've read various reports on this ng of how to do this, using a PAYG service
> as an intermediary. What I was considering doing was as follows:
>
> 1. Give notice to O2 and ask for PAC code today
> 2. In 2-3 weeks, open a new O2 contract which will run alongside the first
> one (I don't care - it will be free anyway!) with a new number
> 3. PAC out to an existing Vodafone PAYG sim card (already up and running in
> my name, last used months ago)
> 4. After a couple more weeks, after the original O2 contract has closed, PAC
> from Vodafone to the new O2 contract.
>
> Will that work, in that the new O2 contract will have been up and running for
> 2-3 weeks on a new number? Or can you only PAC in when you are setting the
> account up? The idea of doing it that way is that the two O2 contracts will
> overlap and I can avoid having to dial out on PAYG for a couple of weeks (any
> incoming calls will go to the Vodafone SIM, in a spare phone).
>
> (By the way has anyone ever heard of cashback deals being invalidated by
> changing the number after the contract has already started?!)
>
> Thanks
> David

Not sure Vodafone allows porting in at anytime. Your O2 account will
close as soon as the number ports out, so no need to wait a couple of
weeks.

I ported to Tesco Mobile earlier in the year for 10 days and then
ported back to O2, was on Tesco for 17 days in total. Had a small
problem with Voicemail as apparently they forgot to port the voicemail,
so callers were still getting Tesco voicemail despite the fact I was on
O2, I know they share the same network.

Lobster wrote:
>
> (By the way has anyone ever heard of cashback deals being invalidated by
> changing the number after the contract has already started?!)
>
> Thanks
> David

Hi David

On your final point - I've found the safest way to cover yourself in
this situation is to send a copy of your first bill with all claims that
you sent in (obviously along with the latest bill that they're
requesting!) - this proves that although the mobile number has changed
(as you've ported in after the a/c opened), they can see that the
customer number has stayed the same, proving that it is the same account.

Cheers

Alan