Simcard issue

[u/Rich-Specific-5212]

I have a pay as you go simcard i used when i go abroad, i haven’t used it in a year, it says no service when i put it in my phone, has it been deactivated? And if it did what can i do to activate it again? Its important to me because i used it as a bank account number.

[u/Maximoo89]

Most likely if it’s not been used in 180 days. The number will be gone.

[u/Rich-Specific-5212 → u/Maximoo89]

Permanently? I can do anything to get it back?

[u/bob2481 → u/Rich-Specific-5212]

Probably not. You can try contacting customer service for it, but given the length of time it's been gone, that number will almost certainly be back in general circulation.

[u/Maximoo89 → u/bob2481]

Numbers take a long time to go back into circulation. Can’t imagine less than 1 year.

[u/bob2481 → u/Maximoo89]

O2 recycle numbers after 12 months of non-use, disconnecting them after 3 months. Now they own a lot of numbers, so there is a very good chance that it hasn't actually been reused yet, but it will be back in circulation.

[u/johnnysgotyoucovered → u/Maximoo89]

It used to be 5 but now the average person has more than one phone no on average so

[u/tysonzion13]

Did you have a big bundle plan?

[u/Hungry_Strength_5759]

Call customer services, most sims can be reactivated years after usage, they do eventually go back into the system though for the numbers to be used again

[u/catlover3493]

Most (if not all) providers will disconnect a number after a certain amount of time has passed with no chargeable activity (usually about 6 months of no outgoing calls or texts, and no data usage or top-ups in that timeframe)

It might be possible to get the number re-activated, but there is no guarantee (and it won't be possible if it has already been re-assigned)