Virgin Media Community

[CatrinX]

Hi all

I recently learned of the SIM switchover - originally I thought the texts were a scam, but now I've got a text saying the old one will be unusable soon, I looked online and obviously it's not a scam. (I have 2 phones, one is ancient and I haven't even received a text about this on that one, plus a fairly old Nokia feature phone where I did get the text.)

I did not receive a new SIM; I don't think Virgin have my address, and in any case I bought the phones so long ago the address would be obsolete.

Here is my issue: I am really, really super careful about sharing my data unnecessarily to ANYONE. I don't want to give Virgin my address to send the new SIMs, and I don't want to risk the post going astray either (I live in shared accommodation). It appears that all the Virgin stores are now closed, so I can't ask Virgin to send my replacement SIMs to a particular store and hold them for pickup, either.

I am really tempted to switch to another provider, but I am used to Virgin and I also like my old PAYG plan (no longer offered).

I have thought of a possibility and I want to find out if it's workable. (I will phrase this in the singular although I have two phones/Virgin SIMs.)

Instead of requesting a new SIM to my address, could I buy new off-the-shelf Virgin SIM card from a retailer, and then ask Virgin to switch my old number and PAYG plan to the off-the-shelf SIM? Sort of the same way you can keep your old number when switching to a new provider, only in this case it would be Virgin -> Virgin.

Also this might have the advantage that by trying an off-the-shelf Virgin SIM from the shops first, it might help prevent the issue people have been having with trying the new bespoke-SIM-just-for-this-number, the latter not working, and then they try to put the old SIM back in at least temporarily and it doesn't work. I.e. I could *ensure* that the new off-the-shelf Virgin SIM is working first and would still be able to revert to my old SIM in case of trouble/delays getting the new one to work (at least for the next few weeks).  

Please let me know if this would work, or what any issues might be!

[enlli · Accepted solution]

"Instead of requesting a new SIM to my address, could I buy new off-the-shelf Virgin SIM card from a retailer, and then ask Virgin to switch my old number and PAYG plan to the off-the-shelf SIM?"

No, as Virgin have not sold new PAYG SIM cards for quite some time.

Secondly, you can't transfer a number from one PAYG SIM to another and as you are on a legacy tariff you can't transfer that either.

[CatrinX]

Thank you for your reply! Helpful, even if disappointing. Looking around the forum, it seems that many people with similarly old model are having a terrible time with the new SIM card; may need to switch to EE. Thank you anyway!