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eli · 2010-01-05 20:32:52+00:00

You want to keep the same phone number, right?

humanfromearth9 | karma 44 | avg karma 0.88 · | 2024-05-24 19:13:46

I've kept the same phone number since 1998. Incidentally, I still remember my phone number from 26 years ago.

vikingcaffiene | karma 2071 | avg karma 6.9 · | 2018-09-22 03:37:25+00:00

I've had the same phone number since my first mobile phone. I have so much crap tied to it that changing it isn't really an option.

52-6F-62 | karma 6159 | avg karma 1.93 · | 2019-09-04 23:04:25+00:00

Yep. As far as I’m accustomed most people do whatever they can to maintain their phone numbers even across services. So much so that it’s law in Canada a provider can’t lock in your number and must let you take it with you to another provider.

arb99 | karma 1512 | avg karma 6.84 · | 2013-05-07 23:53:41+00:00

> I hate having a number that ties me to a phone company

Can't you just keep your number when changing phone companies?

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mayankkaizen | karma 1364 | avg karma 4.3 · | 2019-09-05 03:45:53+00:00

This is the case in India as well. You can keep your number and still change the network provider. People tend to keep the same number.

hnrodey | karma 1355 | avg karma 3.74 · | 2021-04-06 13:39:45+00:00

I've had the same phone number for somewhere around 17 years. I kept this number even as I moved across the country (US).

erelde | karma 575 | avg karma 2.09 · | 2017-01-16 09:34:17

Just to offer the other side of this, I, on the other hand, have the kept the same mobile phone number since the beginning.

lupire | karma 8318 | avg karma 1.26 · | 2023-05-04 22:40:04

With different phone numbers?

theshrike79 | karma 10442 | avg karma 2.58 · | 2021-12-16 01:04:38

Over here you can keep your number when you change networks.

Very few people change their phone number ever.

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maximumoverload | karma 141 | avg karma 2.47 · | 2014-10-16 23:24:48+00:00

Hm. Interesting.

If you want to buy a new phone and keep your number.... what do you do?

Well I guess you can just ask in the store to move it to the new one, that's true. It's just... strange.

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alistairSH | karma 13156 | avg karma 2.71 · | 2019-09-11 15:18:49

But phone numbers are not unique. They are regularly re-assigned to new customers.

trentmb | karma 1515 | avg karma 2.31 · | 2016-09-05 03:12:26+00:00

(how) do you handle the case where someone gets a new number, and someone else gets their old one?

It's a bit far-fetched, I know.

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delinka | karma 6608 | avg karma 2.8 · | 2017-01-16 15:28:41+00:00

"A phone number is nothing you can just keep."

In the US, you certainly can keep a phone number. You can take it from one telecom service provider to another. But you do indeed have to keep paying your bill to maintain this ability.

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nkkollaw | karma 1743 | avg karma 0.93 · | 2018-08-26 20:24:25+00:00

So, do phone numbers get recycled?

For instance, if I change phone company and decide not to keep the number or they're unable to transfer it, can it be assigned to someone else?

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ams6110 | karma 28057 | avg karma 2.52 · | 2013-11-17 01:08:55

Sometimes you want to change your phone number.

furstenheim | karma 255 | avg karma 1.95 · | 2021-01-02 22:47:15

What I do is to tell the other person that I'll be using this other number and to call me if there's any change of plans.

Edit: I actually have two phone numbers. So the new phone is still at home receiving everything

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bliteben | karma 344 | avg karma 1.68 · | 2022-04-18 08:46:27

I have kept my old area code for just this reason.

syrrim | karma 1534 | avg karma 2.15 · | 2021-06-23 16:22:50

>phone numbers are owned by carriers

>they get to keep their number as long as they stay with their carrier.

You can move phone numbers between carriers.

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mardysmith | karma 10 | avg karma 0.59 · | 2015-09-28 09:57:59

I think it depends on what your lifestyle or business life is like. If you're travelling and you've got clients or employees, keeping the same number is going to be very handy.