I am coming across a lot of people lately that arent aware just how easy it now is to change mobile phone providers, so I thought I would post a thread outlining how to do it and how easy it is.
Ok, so you have your mobile phone with a provider you have been with for a few years and it is no longer good value and you want to change. You dont want to lose your phone number as you have had it for years, how can you change to one of the better offers out there ?
Mobile phones services are now like ADSL connections. When you want to change companies with ADSL, you "churn" to another provider. Mobile phones are exactly the same, but it is know as "porting".
Firstly, you do not ever cancel any account with anyone (unless you dont want a mobile service at all with anyone).
Lets say for example that you have a mobile phone service with Telstra and you want to "port" to Vaya Mobile.
The first thing you would do would be to go to Vaya's website and signup for the plan you want. They will send you a sim card in the mail. When you receive it, simply follow the activation details they supply. Most providers will now give you an activation date with the sim card meaning the service will take effect from that date. However, most also allow early activation simply by logging in to your online account and selecting it.
You would use your service with your Telstra sim card as normal, but keep the new Vaya card with you. When the port takes place, the Telstra sim will stop working, open your phone and remove the Telstra sim and insert the Vaya sim. Throw the Telstra sim in the bin and you are done.
You do not need to contact the original provider (being Telstra in the example above) !
But please note, if you are on contract with a provider, you will be liable for charges for breaking the contract and the provider will send you a bill for them.
My recommendation these days is DO NOT fall for marketing campaigns by signing up for high priced plans to get the latest mobile phone. Stay off contracts, you will save yourself money by doing so. Even the latest phones can be picked up at good outright prices. Example, I paid $480 for a Samsung Galaxy S3. If you bought one on contract you could be paying double that and be locked to that network for 2 years.
Here is a list of the best value mobile phone offers as at 23/12/12 (my opinion only)
Vaya Mobile - Optus Reseller -
Live Connected - Optus Reseller -
Aldi Mobile - Telstra Wholesale Network -
Last edited by admin; 19-09-13 at 03:07 PM. Reason: Removed Kogan and Redbull, added Aldi
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Just to say thanks, went from Optus to Vaya mobile, no problems, signed up Thursday, received SIM Friday and activated it. Monday arvo Optus no work, Vaya SIM in and all OK.
admin (14-07-13)
Very good guide admin, for what its worth I would also suggest Amaysim
Cheers
Zoe12 (08-07-17)
Aldi Mobile - Telstra Network
Don't take your organs to heaven because heaven knows we need them here!
I went form a Optus to Telstra phone in a mater of minutes walked up to a Telstra shop a Optus customer and walked out a Telstra customer.
Death smiles at everyone. Grumpy old men smile back.
It's extremely rare that I have anything good to say about the federal Dept of Communications, but the ONLY reason it's so easy to move your Mobile number to another carrier, is because the Government made Mobile Number Portability mandatory for all carriers a decade ago.
In all other cases, the carriers do everything possible e.g. extremely complex charges, to make it hard for customers to move out.
Last edited by mikeausa; 14-07-13 at 12:15 PM.
Thanks for the nice information buddy!!!!!!!
I ported a number from Telstra to Vodafone this week, was out the front doing the voicemail agreements to port the number, by the time I'd hung up and walked back inside - maybe 15-20 seconds - I got the text saying the number was active on the Vodafone network, not bad.
And before anyone jumps on me about better plans, it was activated on the $20/365 day plan, and I won't be using it
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