Don't let WIND tell you that you need to buy a new SIM to port in or change a number

[rjwells]

Hello WIND people, I ported in to WIND today. I did notice on these forums a few people saying that WIND charges you $25 if you port in a number over top of an existing one, and that there are "technical" reasons for this. So I thought I would share my experience so that you all know there is no technical reason why, it's just a cash grab for $25.

I signed up a pre-paid WIND account yesterday and walked around all the usual places I go to check out the service. I came back in today, 24 hours later, satisfied with the experience and asked to port my number in. At first I got the run-around, you will have to buy a new SIM, no we can't move your top-up over to the new account, that's right you have to pay $40 plus $25 all over again, sorry blah blah.

Well I said in that case I don't want anything to do with WIND, cancel my account right now, I will stay with Mobilicity, I don't do business with people who have those sorts of practi---> sir I'm transferring your call to retentions. OK?

So retentions come along and low and behold all on the phone, without physical access to my phone, they can port my number in on my EXISTING SIM, just by asking me a few questions. Done.

So it can be done, don't let them tell you otherwise! They can port in onto an existing SIM, do whatever they like, and they can do it all over the phone. The story that you need to pay $25 for a new activitation or to port a number or change one is crap, get someone to transfer you through to retentions and they will handle it.

Just so you all know.

So aside from that little run-around, which was resolved successfully, at this point in time, a WIND subscriber for less than 24 hours, I am still happy

Happy New Year all.

[killerjay]

when i signed up with wind when they first started, i got a sim to test the service, and so i did for a month, after that month i was happy and called asking to port my number and they told me i needed a new sim, so i went to the store and asked them to port me using the sim i had and they said it wasnt possible but they gave me a new sim with my ported number on it for free and cancelled my test sim..... so i didnt mind at all

[zivan56]

It had some serious issues in the early days. They attempted to do it for me in June 2010 and it fried the SIM card. Spent about 2 hours on the phone trying to revive it with 3 different people (transferred to various departments) but in the end I had to get a new SIM (free of charge).

[rjwells]

Well it worked fine for me. The port was a bit weird, took two hours longer than they said, and oddly my number said out of service during the wait, but now it's working great.

[computergeek541]

So I thought I would share my experience so that you all know there is no technical reason why, it's just a cash grab for $25.

Of course it's a cash grab but WIND's policy's say that you must get a new sim card. Whether they charge you for this sim card or not is a a different story.

Well I said in that case I don't want anything to do with WIND, cancel my account right now, I will stay with Mobilicity, I don't do business with people who have those sorts of practi

Your point is very valid but your statement to WIND customer service would mean that you shouldn't be a Mobilicity customer either. I understand that you might have had to say something along those lines just to get WIND to override this ridiculous rule but you should realize that Mobilicity does exactly the same thing.

[rjwells]

Well they did it for me without any new SIM card. They just reprogrammed the existing one, and they did it over the phone. As for whether it is their policy--it is until you threaten to cancel over it, and then it isn't.

[Shadow Rider]

does this mean if I have a deactivated sim I can port a new number to it>?

[aarondavis1987]

maybe.. lol Id just buy the SIM then you dont have to worry about it I believe their covered under a one year warranty, they will drop in price some day but 25 bucks for a sim is nothing compared to what rogers used to charge for them when they were the only GSM/WCDMA carrier in Canada until BELLus launched there HSDPA network back in 2009, then they dropped to 10 Dollars almost over night I recall they were 35 Bucks, heck I bought an extra Sim and stuffed it in a file folder if I ever fry my sim I just call them up tell them I fried MY sim they give me the whole BOO HOO I tell them just register the other one

[Oxygen.1]

Its more of an issue of customer care reps not having the proper training to complete an after-the-fact port. It can be done....Im sure in very near future, especially if Windsor is going to start taking calls...this will not become a problem anymore.

Its more of a mistake by WIND that they pass on to customers; b/c 99% of reps do not know how to do this...it has been "policy" to start a new activation.

[credmau5]

Its more of an issue of customer care reps not having the proper training to complete an after-the-fact port. It can be done....Im sure in very near future, especially if Windsor is going to start taking calls...this will not become a problem anymore.

Its more of a mistake by WIND that they pass on to customers; b/c 99% of reps do not know how to do this...it has been "policy" to start a new activation.

Actually, porting is is not even an option in the system for front end reps and stores on existing lines. The only option to port is during initial activation. Same with Mobilicity.

[polkiu]

Actually, porting is is not even an option in the system for front end reps and stores on existing lines. The only option to port is during initial activation. Same with Mobilicity.

Likewise, the plan needs to be current/active.

[xtachx]

Actually, porting is is not even an option in the system for front end reps and stores on existing lines. The only option to port is during initial activation. Same with Mobilicity.

This needs to change. Its 2011 and not 1911.