The Dogmother Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Has anyone ever known for two mobiles to have the same number? I ask because we found out today that a woman 'ooopp north' bought a mobile 5 days ago and was given the same number as Rosie! Rosie has a PAYG phone and has had it for about a year - it hardly gets used; just to call if she needs a lift/help or to tell me if she's meeting friends. Just recently, she's received a couple of text messages and a voice mail from adults, and obviously meant for someone else. She assumed that someone had just given out her number in error and that it would stop. Today, she tried to call her Dad, who rang her back and got through to this woman who swore that it was her number and that she'd bought the phone 5 days ago from ASDA (who, it turns out are serviced by Vodafone). I called, and spoke to this woman this evening when I tried to call R's phone to test this out. Rosie's phone will ring, but if you cancel the incoming call, it continues to ring on the caller's phone and goes through to this woman. There were no diverts set up on R's phone. I've wasted an hour of my life on the phone to Vodafone, trying to sort this out as I'm not happy for strangers to be calling in to Rosie's number. they say that they don't know how this can happen and reckon that this 'ASDA lady' has got adivert set up on her number, which uses R's number... can't see it myself. They are going to look into it and will call me back (I hope!) Any ideas anyone? I'm not the best person to be sorting this out TBH - I just can't be bothered with mobiles; they make calls and that's it - I don't even like to text. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 OH thats not right at all and really I would not be happy as its not safe for youngsters as we would like to think they are with a mobile with them. I hope you can get this sorted out. I am also not the best at working these mobile phones and it takes me ages to text my kids too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I can't help much I am afraid but it is theoretically possible for two sim cards to have the same number, I had a phone stolen and vodafone simply sent me a new sim with the same number, according to them the old sim could be left live but of course they cancelled it. The other thing I can think of is that with some PAYG phones if you dont use it for a while the credit gets gobbled up and the number re-allocated and sold again so if you have a PAYG phone you need to send a text or make a quick call every now and again to keep it connected, the time period used to be a year but I have read its getting shorter and some networks only allow three months of non activity, that doesnt totally explain it but as an infrequent user I thought it worth mentioning in Rosie's case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 I have stressed that I am not happy about the security aspect, luckily, Rosie is a sensible lass and wouldn't talk to anyone she doesn't know. Asked them to set up a call bar, which only allows my number, Phil's and her Dad's to call in on the phone until it's sorted. Thanks Redwing (cross-posted there) we've been careful to make a short call or send a text every now and then to keep it live and I checked with Vodafone that this hadn't happened. It's all very odd - I will report back once they've sorted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Just spoken to someone that I know from Vodafone who says that if the number hasn't been used for 6 months the number will be 'lost' and will be made available to someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scramble Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Just spoken to someone that I know from Vodafone who says that if the number hasn't been used for 6 months the number will be 'lost' and will be made available to someone else. Yes I've heard that ,too. When I was younger I nearly had my mobile shut off because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Might be easier just to get a new sim card for Rosie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Might be easier just to get a new sim card for Rosie. Yes, if Vodafone have been a bit previous by re using the number before 6 months of non use, I would ask them to provide an new sim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Clare, if you can pop into a Vodafone shop & they will give you another PAYG sim. In fact s"Ooops, word censored!" that, I have a brand new & unused one right here on my desk which I can mail out to you if you like? We won't use it now ...... we are all on contract, so you are more than welcome. In fact I have about 3 knocking around, as they seem to give me a new one whenever I go into the shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Thanks Guys, I have been careful to keep the phone live by turning it on and sending the odd text/call, so I don't think that it has been deactivated and re-used, well certainly not for that reason Now that she's at secondary school and has a mile walk each way, it will be used more when she calls me if she's stayed back for homework club. The helpful woman who I finally spoke to last night has pledged to look into this and get it sorted for me; she will report back to me at the weekend when she's next on shift. If it isn't sorted to my satisfaction, then I will certainly take you up on the offer of one of those SIMs, Sarah. I was really irked about the delays on my first call last night, but I hope that I now have it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Its a bit odd! Hopefully you can get it sorted and if they say they can't, I'd ask to speak to someone higher up, even if you do use a new sim, just so it doesn't happen again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 I certainly shall Lewis, I shall also ask for a credit to her phone if it turns out to be their 'fault' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 I have never heard of this before, except where they have reallocated a number that wasn't being used, so I do not see how they can justify this happening, just as well Rosie is as sensible as she is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
