Terminating an unwanted sim without switching provider?

[AndyMc2045]

Hi there, 18 months ago I re-joined VM to get broadband and part of the package was a mobile sim card, this was really unwanted but unless i accepted this sim I could not get the package but I could cancel it in 12 months time and as it wouldn't cost me anything I reluctantly agreed. 

When that contract finished I rang to renegotiate a new contract with my broadband (which I'm very happy with btw..) and they told me explicitly that this new contract is broadband only and the unwanted sim will finally be cancelled at my request.  This was clearly not done as every month you send me a new bill for £0.00 but showing account in credit for £97.00 (probably due to the fact that VM mucked up early on by charging me an additional £12 per month for a sim that was meant to be part of a package).

I have also tried to cancel this sim by claiming for a STAC code, but reading the small print it seems only the new provider can cancel this sim, and if no other provider does this, the VM sim will stay live.

To this day this sim is still unopened, it has never been used nor will it ever be, and if there really is £97 credit on this unwanted account, I'm sure you will agree that credit would be better in my account than, well, somewhere else.

Can somebody from VM please, please look into helping me close down this sim card, you have no idea how distressing this is to see this still looming month after month... it should really, really not be this difficult to cancel.

Thankyou for your understanding,

Andy Mc

[japitts]

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@AndyMc2045 wrote:

I have also tried to cancel this sim by claiming for a STAC code, but reading the small print it seems only the new provider can cancel this sim, and if no other provider does this, the VM sim will stay live.

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This is indeed industry-standard practice.

A PAC is issued by the donor mobile network & given to the recipient mobile network, to transfer a mobile number and cease the previous account.

A STAC is identical, minus the number transfer. It just avoids the requirement to contact the "old" provider to cancel.

[AndyMc2045]

Thankyou for taking the time to respond, but that is not what I am asking.. what I need to know is how do I cancel *without* having to go to another provider?

Thanks in advance,
Andy Mc

[Zak_M]

Good morning @AndyMc2045. 

Welcome back to the forums and thank you for taking the time to post. 

I am sorry to hear that you have had some issues cancelling your sim. 

We can look into doing that for you,  I would say however that it could potentially change the package you are on but I can advise further on that when I have looked into this further. 

I will pop you over a PM. 

Kind regards,

Zak_M

[japitts · Accepted solution]

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@AndyMc2045 wrote:
Thankyou for taking the time to respond, but that is not what I am asking.. what I need to know is how do I cancel *without* having to go to another provider?

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You could obtain a free PAYG SIM from whichever other operator you like, and then give that provider your STAC.

What you do with that other SIM is up-to-you.

But do remember if that VM SIM is part of your package, it may impact your bundle price.

[AndyMc2045]

Thankyou for reaching out Zak_M, as requested I have responded to your PM

Andy Mc

[AndyMc2045]

Really?, I didn't think it was possible to transfer a number to a pay and go sim card.. if this is true then this is certainly a possibility.. as for it affecting my package this should be not a problem as I have been broadband only for about 6 months now.
Thankyou for this new information, If Zac_M is unable to do this for me at his end, I may have to go down this route :).

Andy Mc

[AndyMc2045]

Just to let you know that I have received a message from Zak_M to say that this has all now been sorted and I would like to thank him for his speedy help in this matter.
I would also like to thank Japitts for his helpful answer as it definitely would have been a quick and viable option had I'd known this beforehand ;).

Thanks again guys and have a great day,
Andy Mc

[Robert_P]

You're welcome AndyMc2045, we'll be sure to pass your thanks on to both Zak and Japitts and we're happy to have helped get this resolved for you.

Rob