Contacting Virgin Mobile from overseas

[vixa]

I'm currently overseas and Virgin have just sent me a new SIM, which I did not order and will not be able to access to activate within the 14 day period.

I still use my Virgin SIM overseas to access text messages, particularly for 2-factor identification, so I don't want to lose my service.

I can't find an easy way to access Customer Service to discuss options.

Please help!

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @vixa,

Welcome to our Community Forums! Thank you for your first post and I'm very sorry to hear that you're experiencing some issues with your SIM card as you've received a new one. 

We are currently in the process of Migrating customers over from the EE network, over to Vodafone. Your current SIM will still work while the new SIM is not activated. When you return to the UK, please activate the new SIM card you received, so you can be on the new network with us as we're making this change for all customers. 

Please let us know if you come across any further issues, we'll be more than happy to help.

Thank you.

[vixa]

Thanks Paulina. That's useful context.

My concern is that the email said the new SIM would automatically be activated after 14 days and the old one would no longer work, which clearly will cause me problems here. Is there anyway to make sure that doesn't happen so I can keep my service until I get back to the UK?

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @vixa,

Thank you for coming back to me. We have two different types of activation, one is Pre-Activation which will activate the new SIM card as soon as it's dispatched from our warehouse, and the other one which is Self Activation, which is what your new SIM card seems to be. 

After a certain amount of time, the new SIM card will automatically deactivate if it has not been activated and a new one will need to be ordered so that you're migrated over to the Vodafone network.

In regards to this, as our contract with EE is ending and we are sending out SIM cards for customers to migrate over to Vodafone, this can mean that your current SIM card can cease to work at anytime in the next few days or months. 

Can you tell us how long you'll be out of the UK for?

Thank you. 

[vixa]

It's likely to be a few months. I'm hoping to come back to the UK in the late summer.

The SIM card just arrived with my parents so I can ask them to try posting it out here to Indonesia. The post isn't that reliable here so it can take a while but probably worth a try.

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @vixa,

Thank you for coming back to me. I understand your way of thinking, however, as this is a UK SIM card, it has to be activated and connected to your phone in the UK.

The easiest way to have the new SIM card activated and working for you, would be to send your phone back to the UK, input and activate the new SIM card, and then make a phone call from that new SIM card to establish a connection in the UK. Then your phone would be able to be shipped back to Indonesia with a working new SIM card.

Unfortunately, the SIM card will not be able to be activated in Indonesia. I understand that this is not ideal at all, but this is the process that we have to stick by.

Thank you.

[vixa]

Thanks Paulina.

That's not exactly an easy solution. It sounds like I'll be better off terminating my service with Virgin and finding another way to keep my UK number active. How can I best cancel my contract with Virgin and get the PAC/STAC code?

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @vixa,

Thank you for coming back to me about this. I completely understand that this is not an easy resolution. 

We would hate to lose you as a customer over this issue, but I understand that it may seem leaving would be the best choice. Usually, we would advise that you're able to migrate your mobile number over to another provider through our Switching out of Virgin Media page. 

However, in order to migrate your phone number to another provider in the UK, you will have to be based in the UK to carry this out. I understand that this must be frustrating for you, but in order to establish a connection to the UK based systems, you will need to be in the UK to carry this out. 

Please let us know if there's any way I can help moving forward.

Thank you.

[clos]

Hi

You don't need to send your phone back to the UK as suggested.  Instead ask someone to put your new sim card in their phone to activate it and then they can post the sim to you.

This is something I had to do a few months ago and will have to do again now.