How long will an unactivated replacement SIM remain viable?

[TonyM2167]

Hey Legend

While reading through other posts, i notice that another customer found themselves in the situation whereby they lost connectivity (reason is irrelevant), and your advice was to have another SIM (replacement SIM) in hand if the situation arose again. Thereby maintaining connectivity. 

This is logical, so without having any issues myself with my SIM, i've ordered a replacement SIM (future proofing). My question is, how long will the replacement SIM remain operational without activation?.

If i put the SIM in a draw for 6months lets say (as of yet, auto renewal in place) then an issue occurs, will i be able to activate the SIM 3,6,9 months later. How long does the SIM remain viable without activation.

thank you in advance

tony

[dalyer]

The replacement SIM will not be operational at all without activation.

It should remain viable for use indefinitely as far as I know. 

You might want to double check with 48 support to be sure though. 

See the links in my signature below.

Edit: I edited the thread title to make it more accurate.

[TonyM2167]

Hey Legend

(as of yet, auto renewal in place) was supposed to be written in behind "haven't had any issues with my SIM", sorry!

tony

[TonyM2167 · Accepted solution]

Thank you Legend, i'll keep that under lock and key.

tony

[TonyM2167]

Hey Legend

Further to my last inquiry on a 'backup' SIM, in the scenario whereby one is unable to renew membership/top up!.

1st SIM working perfectly, no issues, not due for renewal around the 8th. Ordered a 2nd as backup, as advised to another member. Good idea.

To my way of thinking, i tried to activate the 2nd SIM, midway through the 1st SIM's membership, in the event the 1st did not auto-renew. The 2nd SIM also being active (on a different device), i'd roughly have 10-14 days to sort out any issue with the 1st SIM not auto-renewing/topping up (both SIM's active as the same time and paying for both of course!).

Upon activating the 2nd SIM, the 1st SIM died, i swapped out the SIM's and the 2nd SIM seems to have replaced the 1st, however, keeping the 1st SIM's phone number/usage/renewal date!. Everything working as before.

I replaced the 2nd SIM with the 1st, just to see if the 1st was still activate, put it into a different device, nada. Again i replaced the 1st with the 2nd SIM, all's working again.

So now i'm operating off the 2nd SIM.

1. What just happened?.

2. Do i need to purchase another monthly membership and start anew (even though auto-renewal says around the 8th)?.

3. How many SIM's are allowed?.

Looking at my usage, it's still showing the 1st SIM's usage while using the 2nd SIM, it hasn't reset its as if it were a new SIM, with a new number!. And with a renewal around the 8th!.

Just trying to understand what i did, any explanation welcome. It looks as if the 2nd just replaced the 1st SIM.

Thank you in advance.

t

[dalyer]

I don't understand why you activated the second SIM if it was meant to be a backup set aside for use in the future if you ever had a problem with the first SIM. 

If the second SIM was ordered as a replacement on your existing account and you activated it then that would have disabled the first SIM which is now useless. 

Seems to me that this is what you did so now you have to use the second SIM.

I don't really understand what you expected to happen or what you are trying to achieve here. 

If you need to contact 48 support for further assistance with this then see the links in my signature below.

[TonyM2167]

Hi Legend

Thank you for replying.

I'll try to clarify. If any issue arises with auto-renewal/ top up and i can not establish a connection to the internet, it is my understanding that without a connection, i will not be able to active a backup SIM. I have no other means of accessing the internet.

If the backup SIM can only be activated via the mobile app/ web interface, or if i need to contact support because auto-renewal has failed, or can not login to my account, how do i do that without accessing the internet?. Is there a phone number for support?. How many SIM's are allowed per account?.

The backup SIM will only come into play if/when 48 fails due to technical issues.

I'm trying to maintain connectivity in the face of 48's issues, if my plan fails to auto-renew, no connectivity, i can not hop onto my phone to raise the issue, i do not have another data plan on my Nokia 105 to access the internet!. If these issues did not exist (though i have not experienced it yet as i await my first auto-renewal), we would not be having this conversation.

If i'm missing something please set me straight, maintaining connectivity is my goal. It was my misunderstanding that the replacement SIM, wasn't a new SIM with new number (i'm glad it wasn't). 

thanks again

t

[dalyer]

Once you activate a replacement SIM the previous SIM stops working.

You can only have one activated SIM working at any time.

I'm not really sure what you're trying to do here but you can't have more than one SIM activated and working on your 48 account.

If you want to have a spare SIM on standby in case your current SIM has a problem then you need to keep the spare SIM NOT activated and only activate it when you need to use it.

If you need to contact 48 support about this then see the links in my signature below.

[TonyM2167]

Hey Legend

The core of the issue is not my ability to clarify, or your ability to comprehend.

In 30yrs of business with mobile phone companies i've never even heard of a carriers inability to maintain its systems, especially when it comes to taking my money (auto-renewal/top up), however, after a quick search, i can see all carriers seem to be infected with the same issues -there's a pattern-across the board (it seems telecom companies are plagued).

Thank you for explaining the workings of the SIM's. 1 SIM, and 1 SIM only. I'll reorder another 48 SIM (as back up, without activation) in the event of an issue arising, while simultaneously ordering a back up SIM from a different carrier, as it seems 48 issues with SIM activation remains an issue going by the community board (most carriers, if not all, requiring access to the internet to do so).

In the absence of a easily available phone no. to contact customer care, i looked up my invoice and rang the no. provided for 48's address in Dublin. I got confirmation to my query from a non-employee of 48, from a guy who (he would have me believe) seems to be just wandering around 48's offices randomly answering 48's phones, and seems to understand the workings of 48's business policies. It seems few wish to discuss- be held accountable for- 48's issues without repetitive, robotic like, answers/solutions to 48's  tech issues.

As far as i can gather, people seem to be losing connectivity not because they're not paying their bills, but 48's inability to deliver its stated purpose seamlessly.

Now i've got the picture.

thank you

t

[TonyM2167]

Seems your answer below doesn't want reply.

I've already contacted support, sorted, ta.

The phone no. you direct to is for 'complaints and disputes, i'm doing neither.

customer care's no. is on your invoice.

My posts speak for themselves.