Another SIM number with the 7th digit a 2 instead of a 5

[Chrysanth]

I'm helping my husband set up his new phone, and we can't activate the SIM because the 7th digit of its number is 2 instead of 5.  (It's not just us; someone here had the exact same problem not long ago, but it doesn't seem possible to include the link here).

The SIM in question is the one that Three enclosed with his new phone.

He's an existing Three customer, and wants to carry on with his existing Three prepay plan and phone number.  Old and new phones are both fromThree.  (Ex O2 customer, in case it matters).

When I couldn't remember (or find) the network setup sequence for phones, a Mod here advised simply moving the old SIM to the new phone.  Which would have been great if it had fitted in, but Doro now uses the micro size, and the old one is standard size, and not the type with smaller ones to push out (which the new SIM does have).  The small difference in width wasn't obvious until I tried it the other day; it was hard to see the slot in the new phone, which is more recessed (feels less likely to work loose).

We've left the new SIM in the new phone for now, but I made a note before we started of every number on the SIM and its packaging (none of which looks like the temporary phone number I've seen in the past; I don't know whether it's a generic SIM, or somehow connected to his account).

We can't 'return to our local store' as directed by My3 in this case (the nearest one is a day trip job, and he currently needs to not go out much, or be left alone for long, for medical reasons).

So what's the answer - sending a replacement SIM for his existing one (but the push-out type)?  Use the new one, somehow?  Anyone?

[Chrysanth]

@Three_Deborah Sorry so long reporting back. The new phone's working fine and all's sorted, thanks to your help. Just one more quick query to go (at the bottom)

The replacement SIM you ordered for my husband did the trick. (We transferred his quite modest number of phone contacts from Doro to Doro via a written list; our only way to spot the duplicates and tidy things up!). We thought we'd have to ask Three to remove data capability from the new phone (like he had to with the old one), but this time we found its 2G-only and internet-off settings hadn't been disabled, and there's been no sign of any background data.

Next day the premium texts arrived as expected and we stopped them (once we found the opt-out number, at the bottom of the middle text only!). He immediately got a message confirming it, the remaining credit was exactly correct, and the premium texts had vanished from his Events list (another good sign presumably). I then topped him up another €20 with no problem, the events list etc has been normal ever since, and no more of those texts. (We checked back through his bank transactions just in case; nothing untoward there). No unusual communications since stopping the texts (unless you count a call from a puzzled friend we'd somehow managed to text STOP to as well, but I think we managed not to hit All Recipients!). He did get the first 'silent call' later that day that he can remember getting via mobile (they're normally to our home number), but probably a coincidence. (Unless whatever marketers'/scammers' targeting picked up on recent activities and concluded he can't be a Senior after all!). And he's heard no more from what he calls the Fraud Squad, having not tried to use my card in his My3 again.
I think I know how those texts to his phone started, and why they started taking the money recently (but don't want to make this even longer!).

The answer to your point 2 sort of depends. We duly changed to email address login (with new passwords at the ready) as instructed in spring last year, when our turn came to re-register on the revamped site. But we were among the people who couldn't get logged in (even once, in our case), and eventually had to give up spending any more time on it, so were locked out. (I'd learned from a forum elsewhere what was happening, and that it wasn't just us). We got by with just topping up via 1913 until this last September when he needed a new phone and we tried his login again. and found it now worked (and mine). So in that sense his email has only been used for login for about 2 months.

One last thing I wanted to check; just like when we got his previous Doro, I've been needing a new phone as well, once his was sorted out. Like him, I'd like to carry on with my existing prepay plan, and assumed I could do the same as him and use my existing SIM card in the new phone. Is that correct? The phone I wanted is of a make I couldn't find in the Three online shop this time, so I got a (SIM free) one elsewhere. I gather it's a good idea to replace a SIM occasionally anyway, so also ordered a relacement one from Three, and that and the phone have now arrived.

[Three_Deborah]

@Chrysanth I'm delighted that the new phone is up and running with the new SIM 🙂

The data block should still be active on your husband's account. Even though he has changed phone and SIM, he hasn't changed plan and the data block is applied to the plan ( profile). The data block would automatically remove if you change plan. Keep that in mind.

So premium texts are a tricky one! Some people want the service provided, and others subscribe without realising it. You've done the right thing by texting stop to the 5 digit number, and the text confirming the opt-out is also good. 

Now regarding silent calls or scam calls, there's quite a bit of that going around. You and other 3Community members may have seen or heard about it in the news. Over the last few days, I've been getting these type of calls too, starting with 080, 083, 084, 086 , 088, 089 and 01(so far!) watch out for extra digits in the number calling you. for example 083 is 083 123 4567 but the call I got was 083 1234 5678. Same with the 01 number, there's an extra digit! Please do be vigilant regarding personal information

. 

As long as your new phone is truly SIM free, your Three SIM will work in it. But you are right! It's best to get a new SIM every 18 months to 2 years. Oh and yes, your existing plan will carry over 💪
 

[Chrysanth]

Thanks for all that, Deborah.

Yes, we're both aware of those scam calls, including plenty of missed calls from numbers looking like Three ones at first glance (and we often seem to suddenly have lots of friends somewhere exotic!).

Re care with personal details, I'm sure I've never let any of mine show in public view in 21 years of internet use (even had no spam whatever for about 2 years, until someone who should have known better must have done something wrong to let scammers access their address book).  I was a bit surprised that there are still people publishing their phone numbers online, until I found the probable cause of my husband's texts from the premium number; a friend doing that about 2 years ago, probably on some buy and sell site.

Thanks again for your stirling help.  (Though that meaning of Sterling is maybe a bit devalued!).