Number porting is the process of keeping your existing mobile number when you switch to a new network. In the UK, all mobile networks are required by Ofcom to support incoming and outgoing ports, so you never have to give up a number you own just because you want to switch provider.
A PAC is a nine-character transfer code — three letters followed by six digits, for example GGF289723 — issued by your current network. You give this code to your new network, and they use it to claim your number and transfer it across.
There are two ways to request a PAC code in the UK:
PAC codes are valid for 30 days from issue. After 30 days the code expires automatically, even if it was never used.
If you give your PAC code to your new network before 5pm on a working day, your number transfers by 6pm the following working day. Submit after 5pm or on a weekend, and it will take two working days.
| When PAC is submitted | When number transfers |
|---|---|
| Before 5pm on a Monday–Friday working day | By 6pm the following working day |
| After 5pm on a working day | By 6pm two working days later |
| Saturday or Sunday | By 6pm Tuesday (the next working day after Monday) |
| Bank holiday | By 6pm the second working day after submission |
When you purchase a VIP number from VIP Numbers, we send you a PAC code for the number you have bought the same day (9am–9pm UK time, seven days a week). You give this code to whichever UK network you want — O2, Vodafone, EE, Three — and the number activates on the next working day at the standard timescale above.
You do not need to be an existing customer of any network. You can bring the number to a network as a new customer. If you want to use the number as an eSIM rather than a physical SIM, see our guide on using a VIP number with an eSIM. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the transfer process, see our PAC transfer guide.
Based on hundreds of PAC transfers we have arranged for customers since 2006, these are the most frequent issues that cause a port to fail or stall — and what to do about each one.
This is the most common mistake we see. When you receive a new SIM card from your new network, you must activate it first — put it in a phone, power on, and let it connect to the network — before you submit the PAC code. If the new SIM is not active when the port is requested, the number can get stuck mid-transfer. You will then need to contact the new network’s customer service to resolve the stuck port. Activate and, if pay-as-you-go, top up the new SIM before giving the PAC code to your new provider.
A PAC code is 9 characters: 3 letters then 6 digits, for example GGF289723. Two errors happen regularly. First, the six digits are entered in the wrong order — GGF289732 instead of GGF289723. Second, the three-letter prefix is omitted entirely and only the six digits are entered. Both fail immediately. Copy the code exactly as sent, letter for letter and digit for digit. One transposed character means the entire submission is rejected.
PAC codes expire after 30 days even if never used. If your code has expired, request a new one by texting PAC to 65075 from the number you want to port — a fresh code arrives within one minute. Do not try to use an expired code; it will be rejected regardless of how recently it was generated.
When submitting a PAC code online, most network forms ask you to choose a porting date. The earliest available date is usually the following working day. Some customers select the current date expecting same-day activation — the form rejects this and will not submit. Always select the next available working day shown by the form. Same-day porting is not offered by most UK networks as a standard option.
iD Mobile is the most difficult UK network to port out of. Unlike every other major UK network, iD Mobile requires your account transaction number in addition to the PAC code when porting to a new provider. This transaction number appears on the receipt email you received when you first ordered your iD Mobile SIM, and on your monthly bill or statement. Many customers do not know this number is required and cannot locate it quickly. Before submitting any port request from iD Mobile, find your transaction number first. Without it, the port will not complete regardless of whether the PAC code is correct.
EE’s porting system has a known recurring issue where it tells customers their PAC code has expired — even when the code is brand new and correct. This is a system error on EE’s side, not a problem with the PAC code itself. If EE rejects your PAC code and you are certain it is valid and within its 30-day window, call EE customer service and tell them the code was rejected online. An agent can verify the code and process the port manually. Do not request a new PAC code; the original code is fine and will work once a human processes it.
A STAC is the code used when you want to leave a network without keeping your number. Unlike a PAC code, a STAC terminates the number rather than porting it. For VIP numbers, you should always use a PAC code — never a STAC — to preserve the number. If you accidentally request a STAC for a VIP number, contact us immediately by email at sales@vipnumbers.com so we can advise on next steps.
Yes. You can port any UK mobile number as many times as you wish. Many VIP number owners port their number between networks to take advantage of better tariffs — the number itself is never affected by the move.
Text the word PAC to 65075 from the number you want to port. Your network must reply with the code within one minute, free of charge. This is an Ofcom requirement — all UK mobile networks must comply.
If you give your PAC code to your new network before 5pm on a working day, the port completes by 6pm the following working day. Weekend and after-5pm submissions take an extra day. Most customers are fully ported within one or two working days.
A PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) transfers your number to a new network, keeping the number active. A STAC (Service Termination Authorisation Code) terminates your number — used when you want to leave a network without keeping the number. For any VIP number, always use a PAC.
No. Once a network has accepted a PAC code submission, cancelling the port causes the number to be terminated rather than returned to the previous network. Do not attempt to cancel a port once it has been accepted. If you are uncertain, contact your new network customer service before they process the PAC.
Text PAC to 65075 again. A new code arrives within one minute. There is no fee and no limit on how many times you can request a PAC from your network.
iD Mobile requires your account transaction number in addition to the PAC code. This number is on your original iD Mobile order confirmation and on your monthly statements. Find it before you start the port request — without it, the submission will not complete.