How to switch mobile network without losing your number
The PAC code process, timing, and the small traps that cost people money during a switch.
10 August 2026 · 5 min read · Signal Station Labs

Text PAC to 65075 and your current provider must send a code within a working day, along with any early termination charge.
Give the code to your new provider and the switch happens within one working day, usually with a short interruption to service.
Do not cancel your old contract directly. Using the PAC code closes it automatically and preserves your number.
Check whether your handset is locked and whether your final bill includes a part-month charge. Both are common and both are avoidable with a few days of planning.
Method note
Figures in this piece come from Signal Station Labs measurement. Where a result depends heavily on location we say so rather than reporting a single number as universal.
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