Switch mobile carriers
Switching carriers and keeping your number? Get your transfer details, don't cancel the old plan first, check your phone is unlocked, then secure and test the new line.
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Start with the basics
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Your plan so far
10things this change touches
- critical1
- high5
- moderate1
- low3
Updates as you answer. Every item will explain why it’s there.
What could break
In a typical mobile carrier plan, these are the most serious things to get right.
Don't cancel your current service yourself
Critical · Phone & internet service
You could lose the number, and with it every account that sends codes to it.
Trigger a sign-in code from your bank and email
Critical · Sign-in & recovery
You find out an account depends on the old phone only after it's been erased.
Phone payments and contract terms
High · Subscriptions & billing
An unexpected final bill, or promotional bill credits that stop when the line leaves.
Check your phone is unlocked
High · Devices
The new SIM shows no service, leaving you without a working number mid-switch.
Get your number transfer PIN and account details
High · Phone & internet service
Wrong or missing details are a common reason a transfer is delayed or rejected.
Activate the new eSIM
High · Phone & internet service
A transfer done out of order can leave you briefly without service, often just when a sign-in code is needed.
Confirm the number has moved
High · Phone & internet service
You assume it worked and move on, then miss calls or codes for days.
Set an account PIN and number-transfer protection on the new account
High · Phone & internet service
Weak carrier security makes SIM-swap fraud easier, which defeats text-message codes.
Test calls, texts and voicemail after the transfer
High · Phone & internet service
You could wipe the old phone and then find that sign-in codes don't arrive.
Apps and purchases charged to your phone bill
Moderate · Subscriptions & billing
Subscriptions billed this way can fail or lapse after the switch.
Before and after the change
Before you change it
- Phone payments and contract terms
- Check your phone is unlocked
- Apps and purchases charged to your phone bill
- Check the switching rules where you live
- Save voicemails you want to keep
- Don't cancel your current service yourself
- Get your number transfer PIN and account details
After the change
- Activate the new eSIM
- Confirm the number has moved
- Set an account PIN and number-transfer protection on the new account
- Voicemail and Wi-Fi calling on the new carrier
- iPhone: check iMessage and FaceTime are using your number
- Test calls, texts and voicemail after the transfer
- Trigger a sign-in code from your bank and email
- Make sure nothing is left on the old account
- Check the old carrier's final bill
Your own plan adds or removes items based on your answers, and explains why each one is there.
The safe order
Doing things in the right sequence is what keeps you from getting locked out halfway through.
Before the change
Step 1: Check your current account before you switch
What you owe, whether your phone is unlocked, and what belongs to the old plan.
- Phone payments and contract terms (high risk)
- Check your phone is unlocked (high risk)
- Apps and purchases charged to your phone bill (moderate risk)
- Check the switching rules where you live (low risk)
- and 1 more
Step 2: Get your transfer details and keep the old service on
The new carrier needs these to move your number. Don't cancel anything yet.
- Don't cancel your current service yourself (critical risk)
- Get your number transfer PIN and account details (high risk)
During the change
Step 3: Activate the new SIM or eSIM
Follow the new carrier's instructions.
- Activate the new eSIM (high risk)
Step 4: Confirm the number has moved
Wait for the new carrier's confirmation before relying on it.
- Confirm the number has moved (high risk)
Immediately after
Step 5: Secure the new account
Your sign-in codes now depend on it.
- Set an account PIN and number-transfer protection on the new account (high risk)
Step 6: Set up voicemail, Wi-Fi calling and messaging
Carrier features don't carry over.
- Voicemail and Wi-Fi calling on the new carrier (low risk)
- iPhone: check iMessage and FaceTime are using your number (low risk)
Verify
Step 7: Test calls, texts and sign-in codes
Make sure codes and calls reach you on the new network.
- Test calls, texts and voicemail after the transfer (high risk)
- Trigger a sign-in code from your bank and email (critical risk)
Clean up
Step 8: Close out the old account
Cancel anything left once the transfer is complete.
- Make sure nothing is left on the old account (moderate risk)
Later
Step 9: Check the final bill
Compare it with what you were told.
- Check the old carrier's final bill (low risk)
Why this change needs a plan
Keeping your number when you switch carriers is usually straightforward, and it saves you from updating every account that texts you codes. The new carrier requests the transfer; your job is to give it the right details and not get in the way.
Most problems come from doing things out of order: cancelling the old plan before the transfer, switching with a phone that's still locked to the old carrier, or finding a remaining phone balance on the final bill.
Once the number has moved, treat the new account as part of your security. Your sign-in codes now depend on it, so give it a PIN and turn on transfer protection.
Why it matters
Your number receives your sign-in codes and bank alerts. A transfer that goes wrong can leave you without service, or without the number entirely.
What makes it risky
Risk is highest if the old service is cancelled before the transfer completes, if the phone is locked to the old carrier, or if you're getting a new number rather than keeping your current one.
Common mistakes
- Cancelling the old service before the number transfer completes.
- Switching without checking the phone is unlocked.
- Forgetting a remaining phone balance, or bill credits that stop when the line leaves.
- Not setting a PIN and transfer protection on the new account.
- Not testing bank verification codes after the switch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my number when I switch carriers?
Usually, yes. The new carrier requests the transfer using details from your current account. Ask the new carrier exactly what it needs before you start.
Should I cancel my old plan first?
No. Cancelling first can release the number before it moves. The transfer normally closes that line for you; cancel anything else on the old account afterwards.
How long does a number transfer take?
It varies by carrier and country, from minutes to longer. Ask the new carrier what to expect, and contact them if it takes longer than they said.
Will I lose my texts and voicemails?
Texts and photos saved on your phone stay on the phone. Voicemails are usually stored by the carrier and may not move, so save any you want to keep first.
Do I need a new phone?
Not usually. Most phones work with other carriers once they're unlocked and support the new carrier's network. Check with the new carrier before you switch.
Regional notes
General information, not legal advice. Check the official source where you live.
- Canada
- Under the CRTC's Wireless Code, carriers must unlock phones they supplied on request at no charge, and early cancellation fees are limited.
- United States
- The FCC advises not to end service with your current carrier before starting with the new one. Your old carrier can't refuse to transfer your number because of an unpaid balance or termination fee, though you may still owe them.
- United Kingdom
- Text PAC to 65075 for a code to keep your number, or STAC to 75075 if you're not keeping it. Text INFO to 85075 to check your contract. The new provider must complete the switch within one working day.