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Best way to hold on to Irish number while abroad

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  • 22-06-2022 12:28pm
    #1
    rx6
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    I've been living abroad for a few years and I keep my Irish mobile alive by using when home and by topping up by a fiver and sending the odd text message every 6 months. (6 months seems to be the limit of inactivity where most operators will make the number inactive and start the ball roilling on taking it off you). Due to pandemic I was not home for well over 6 months and found that they deactivated my number. Thankfully it had not been recycled and I was able to get it back.

    I've had the same number for years and have at one time or another been with all/most of the major phone companies. I understand the rules about 6 months inactivity deactivation etc but I still think of the number as mine and I can't help thinking that it is out of order for Vodafone to take the number from me when I entrusted it to them last time I changed contracts! Looking at changing contracts again now.

    2 questions:

    1. What is the best phone company / contract type for this usage profile. Basically want to park the number with minimal costs. Sim only PAYG. (I have it in an old nokia so not interested in any deals that are smart phone only)
    2. Do any phone companies offer an alternative to the 6 months inactivity rule? Longer or indefinite inactivity allowed??

    Thanks....

    Tagged:


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    ZX7R
    Registered Users Posts: 3,426 ✭✭✭ZX7R


    I'm with tesco Ireland top up sim once I top up every 6 months it stays active.

    I've kept it active 2 years now.

    The problem I find is that the longer you spend on a particular network in the country I'm living in they block me from registering on there network and have to switch to another that accepts my network.

    I plan on letting it expire as I am not gaining anything by keeping it active.

    And don't have any nostalgic connections to the number.



  • Options
    #3
    Ten Pin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,816 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    Vodafone PAYG SIMs stay active for 8 months with 5e top up (outgoing service for 6 months + incoming only for 2 months thereafter).

    48 and 3 SIMs stay active indefinitely without top up but may need to be turned on at home every so often, roaming abroad long-term might be a different situation in that regard. You could order a SIM from 48 with a new number and see if it remains active.

    Realistically, Vodafone PAYG is the most reliable way to keep a number active once topped up every 8 months, works out at 7.50 per year. AFAIK it can be topped up from abroad.



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