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Getting a deactivated sim reactivated

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  • 12-01-2019 5:29pm
    #1
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭


    I've been out of the country for the past year - and need my irish number for 2FA access to various accounts. Anyway, my provider deactivated it. I understand that part. The part i'm confused about is them telling me that they cant reactivate even if i top up right now.

    I also don't understand why there isnt a requirement for them to send out a text message or email to notify me beforehand. I would have thought this is an obvious best practice move??


    They denied my first request but at least to the customer service agents credit, she said she would put in an internal request to have it re-instated (although there is no guarantee).

    Has anyone been in this situation?

    I'm going to be rightly screwed if i've lost it as it will cause all sorts of trauma trying to get a whole host of accounts adjusted so that i can access them once again.


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    #2
    Ten Pin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,836 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    Vodafone requires top up every 6 months, stops working after 8 months and (I think) gone after 13 months.

    Eir is slightly different, top up every 5 months, stops working after 6 months and (I think) gone after 13 months.


    So if it's less than 13 months you might be lucky but they seem to be awkward about it even though their terms allow reactivation up to 13 months.

    Have you called the number to see if it has been allocated to anyone else? At least then you'll know if there is a chance its still available. If it rings then ask the new owner for the 2FA codes but that's really a last resort.


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    #3
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    Ten Pin wrote: »
    Vodafone requires top up every 6 months, stops working after 8 months and (I think) gone after 13 months.

    Eir is slightly different, top up every 5 months, stops working after 6 months and (I think) gone after 13 months.
    I'm with 48_months. They deactivated it after 6 - then the guy reactivated it and said i had to top up. I tried to top up but there was some sort of an issue with their system. I never got round to going back on there. I know thats my fault but i was just busy with other things.

    If they would only have sent a text/email warning, everything would have been fine.
    Ten Pin wrote: »
    So if it's less than 13 months you might be lucky but they seem to be awkward about it even though their terms allow reactivation up to 13 months.
    They say its 13 months gone (must be from the point of topping up as i would have had an active monthly subscription running this day last year).
    Ten Pin wrote: »
    Have you called the number to see if it has been allocated to anyone else? At least then you'll know if there is a chance its still available.
    I called it - it says number is not activated.

    If the number has not been assigned, presumably its at their discretion to re-allocate it or not?


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    #4
    Ten Pin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,836 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    This is what their terms say...

    https://www.48months.ie/boiler-plate/terms
    7.3 Where the 48 Services are suspended because you have chosen not to purchase top up credit or make a chargeable use in respect of your Account for a period of 6 months, we will remove any credit on your Account after a further 2 months and credit will not be recoverable. Your service will then remain suspended for a further 5 months and can be reconnected at any time during this period When the suspension period ends your service will be disconnected, this agreement will end and your number will be immediately lost.
    7.4 We will try and tell you when we suspend, restrict or end your use of the 48 Services but we are not required to.

    So if the last top up or chargeable use was less than 13 months they can reactivate.


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    #5
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    Ten Pin wrote: »
    This is what their terms say...

    https://www.48months.ie/boiler-plate/terms


    So if the last top up or chargeable use was less than 13 months they can reactivate.

    For sure - I'm screwed as regards terms and conditions - I don't have any complaint there. It is a little frustrating that there isn't a simple text message or email that goes out as a reminder. I know some of the others such as vodafone (?) do that.

    I've had the number for 16 years +


    Anyway, it looks like it is possible but it's completely at their discretion.


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    #6
    Ten Pin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,836 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    They say its 13 months gone (must be from the point of topping up as i would have had an active monthly subscription running this day last year).

    If you had an active bundle 12 months ago, wouldn't the top up have been within the previous 30 days?


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    #7
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    Ten Pin wrote: »
    If you had an active bundle 12 months ago, wouldn't the top up have been within the previous 30 days?

    I guess so - but I'm thinking they're going from the date of the top up - not the end date of the monthly sub. I don't have a record of it either - as they don't show that info on the account.


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    #8
    Kristopherus
    Registered Users Posts: 11,907 ✭✭✭✭Kristopherus


    makeorbrake wrote: »
    I guess so - but I'm thinking they're going from the date of the top up - not the end date of the monthly sub. I don't have a record of it either - as they don't show that info on the account.

    Get another 48 sim. Then ask them to transfer you back to your old number. If it has not been reallocated, it may not have been cancelled yet.Worth trying and not costing you anything either.


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    #9
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    Kristopherus wrote: »
    Get another 48 sim. Then ask them to transfer you back to your old number. If it has not been reallocated, it may not have been cancelled yet.Worth trying and not costing you anything either.

    I'll see what they say when they come back to me next week. If they can't reactivate it - maybe I'll try what you suggest re. the new sim and see if they can allocate the same number.


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    #10
    ED E
    Registered Users Posts: 36,167 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    If this was an MNO I'd have some small hope of restoration but with MVNOs you're probably gonna get a no.


    A text would encourage dud accounts to remain with them, no MNO wants an account that accrues them €4.50 PA.


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    #11
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,516 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    makeorbrake wrote: »

    If they would only have sent a text/email warning, everything would have been fine.

    Was the number "active"? As in, if they sent a text to that number, but it wasn't on, you'd never have gotten it?


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    #12
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    antodeco wrote: »
    Was the number "active"? As in, if they sent a text to that number, but it wasn't on, you'd never have gotten it?

    I'd have gotten it. I've a dual sim phone. I also have an account setup with them and so they have my email also.


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    #13
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    ED E wrote: »
    If this was an MNO I'd have some small hope of restoration but with MVNOs you're probably gonna get a no.
    A text would encourage dud accounts to remain with them, no MNO wants an account that accrues them €4.50 PA.

    I've kind of worked out why they have a strict regime - to get these off the books. And that's why I've gotten the 'no' already. I'm just hoping they might give me a dig out - clearly, I'm certainly not at all interesting for them as a customer!


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    #14
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,516 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    makeorbrake wrote: »
    I'd have gotten it. I've a dual sim phone. I also have an account setup with them and so they have my email also.

    Starnge alright. Where "abroad" were you? I'm just trying to figure out why they wouldn't have sent one, besides for incompetence!


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    #15
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    antodeco wrote: »
    Starnge alright. Where "abroad" were you? I'm just trying to figure out why they wouldn't have sent one, besides for incompetence!

    I don't think they send them. Their terms and conditions state that they will aspire or strive to contact the customer but they are under no such obligation to do so.


    So - they didn't bother to come back to me - had to go follow up with them. They wont reactivate it - simple as that. Of course, via T and C's I am not saying I have a leg to stand on. They're fully entitled to do so.

    However, sending text messages doesn't cost anything. The regulator should change the regs and make that compulsory. I understand that numbers need to be recycled but there are a lot of people that travel internationally these days and likely to be out of the country for 12 months. I really never knew that it could be so easy to lose a number and yet not get it back ...but every day is a school day.


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    #16
    RacoonQueen
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 20,366 Mod ✭✭✭✭RacoonQueen


    Why would they contact you? It is not their responsibility to remind an inactive customer that they have not topped up in 12 months.
    Aside from other costs, it costs them money to have you active on their HLR and billing system, if they are not making anything out of you, you're gone. It's a standard practice.
    Number and IMSI ranges are probably limited (again, more costs for them).

    Baffles me that people genuinely expect a network to contact them.

    If your number was ported from another network (Vodafone, Three etc) it will be gone back to them so you might be able to get it back from them but they might charge you for it.


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    #17
    makeorbrake
    Registered Users Posts: 4,664 ✭✭✭makeorbrake


    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    Why would they contact you?
    Sure, why would they? :rolleyes:
    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    It is not their responsibility to remind an inactive customer that they have not topped up in 12 months.
    Are we in an echo chamber? I pointed that out! However, it could be made their responsibility by the regulator.
    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    Aside from other costs, it costs them money to have you active on their HLR and billing system, if they are not making anything out of you, you're gone. It's a standard practice.
    Number and IMSI ranges are probably limited (again, more costs for them).
    Again, all acknowledged before. You're not adding anything new here.
    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    Baffles me that people genuinely expect a network to contact them.
    It can "baffle" you all you want. If systems are in place to send automated texts and emails for promotional purposes, then they can just as easily be used for this purpose? We have the tech to do it these days. According to your logic, why would any entity send out a reminder email or text (yet countless thousands of organisations do)?
    48months themselves say that they will try to do so - just that they're under no obligation to do so.


    If you don't understand the dynamic of being on the other side of the world and busy with other things (understating), then you will remain 'baffled'. I have not said that 48months have done anything wrong here per se. I just think that it's not a customer centric system that's in play and that comreg should make it a requirement (that customers receive a reminder). Other networks do so.
    As to your argument that it costs the network so people should be thrown off - I disagree. If a consumer is going to be disadvantaged (in the way i've described) by losing their number, then the cost can and should be distributed across services offered as a whole.
    RacoonQueen wrote: »
    If your number was ported from another network (Vodafone, Three etc) it will be gone back to them so you might be able to get it back from them but they might charge you for it.
    Thank you.


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