How long have you had the same phone number for?

[Mottie]

Seeing new legislation come out today making it easier to switch mobile providers but keep the same number - https://www.theguardian.com/money/2019/jun/28/mobile-phone-switch-network-text-pac-code - reminded me of how long I’ve had the same phone number. I’ve had my number since 1985. That was back in the days when reception was ****e, there were just two networks, no such thing as roaming, phones were £1500 upwards, there was a £50 connection fee and a £25 standing monthly charge (no free minutes and texts were still years away), 50p per minute or part minute for a call and the industry standard was a 5 year contract! The good old days? Well, it was for me because I used to sell/connect them up and times were goooooooood! Loadsamoney - used to get £600+ a time for each connection.

 

[securespark]

The original network was Voda whose first mobile call was made on NYD, 1985. I guess you worked for them?
Cellnet quickly followed Voda. One2One launched in 1993 (my first mobile was with them) and Orange followed in 1994. Three were late to the market, launching in 2003 (unsuprisingly, they chose the 3rd March as their launch date).

 

[securespark]

I was one of the first people to port in 1999 from One2One to Orange.
Sadly, I lost my number when Orange Business would not port me to Orange PAYG because I refused to tell them why I wanted to move.....
I then got a Virgin SIM (who piggy-backed off One2One) and have stuck with that number ever since, although I have ported it around quite a bit.

Porting used to be an utter PIA (as my experience with Orange shows) but it is now much much easier.

Here's a really interesting article on porting in days gone by.
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/07/20/uk_number_porting_creaks_as_arcane_system_shows_its_age/

 

[noseall]

25 +years

 

[Notch7]

I can remember when mobile phones were analogue.

And when the new digital technology allowed text messages, it wasnt really considered as a key feature.

Imagine telling a young person that the original purpose of a mobile phone was to make phone calls -and that was the phones only feature

 

[Mottie]

The original network was Voda whose first mobile call was made on NYD, 1985. I guess you worked for them?

Nah, I was just a humble mobile mechanic at the time. Mind you, buying that phone plus a loose lip from the salesman got me into buying and selling/connecting mobiles. Luckily I got in in the early days - it wasn’t too long before everyone was at it and that just made it more aggro than it was worth as there’s always someone willing to undercut you - to the point that you practically had to give away phones to get a connection fee. I made my bit then got out, leaving the multitude of newbies to fight over the scraps of a dying connection industry. Last I heard they were paying less than £40 per connection with a clawback clause if the customer defaulted.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I got the number I have now (I think) from Orange in Orange's early days. I had mobiles before then, even the old analogues but never managed or thought to keep the number.

 

[ellal]

I was a late adopter of the technology...

1992...

I can remember the first day of owning the 'brick', and whilst standing in a supermarket queue thinking 'why doesn't that arsehole answer the phone'

Though never had a problem porting the number tbh - so you can still get me on 555....

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I can remember the first day of owning the 'brick', and whilst standing in a supermarket queue thinking 'why doesn't that arsehole answer the phone'

Though never had a problem porting the number tbh - so you can still get me on 555....

I still have one tucked away in my loft. Motorola, with a curly lead linking handset to base, which has a carry handle.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

You used to be able to tune in to the 80's analogue phones, with a suitable receiver - it certainly was an eye (or ear) opener, listening to some of the what people thought were private converstaions.

 

[cwhaley]

My great aunt and uncle bought their house in 1947 when their phone number was 4642. Later it became 34642, then even later than that 2 more numbers were added on so it because the number it is today. She passed away in May but until that point had the same phone line for 72 years.

 

[conny]

Got my forst mobile, (little grey nokia thing that was indestructible!), in 1993 and have kept the same number ever since. Mind you, I think I'm only on my fourth one at the moment. I don't ditch them every time a new one with a different bell comes on the market like some people.

 

[motorbiking]

Got my first mobile in ‘95. Wife still has the number.

 

[securespark]

My One2One deal included free calls every weekend. After swapping to Orange, I learnt these contracts were worth their weight in gold and One2One were desperately trying to "buy" them back.

 

[sodthisforfun]

My great aunt and uncle bought their house in 1947 when their phone number was 4642. Later it became 34642, then even later than that 2 more numbers were added on so it because the number it is today. She passed away in May but until that point had the same phone line for 72 years.

Same with my father in law, same house for 89 years!