My phone number transfer isn't working – why?

Modified on Wed, 13 Aug at 8:17 AM


Sometimes, transferring (porting) a phone number cannot be carried out as planned.

Here we explain the most common reasons for this and what they mean.


If one of these cases applies to you, we will contact you by email with the next steps.


Note: 

In all the cases mentioned, we will contact you by email as soon as we know the reason and let you know how to proceed.


1. Provider or connection type is not supported

In order for us to transfer your phone number, the information about your previous provider and connection type (prepaid or subscription) must be correct. If this information does not match or the phone number is incorrect, your previous provider will reject the request.


2. Current owner does not match

The information in your porting request must match the contract with your previous provider exactly. If a different person or company is listed there, the transfer cannot be completed. In this case, we will contact you by email and let you know who the current contract holder is – unless you already know this yourself. In this case, the "Authorization for number porting" form is attached below this article.


3. Phone number is no longer active

If a phone number has been inactive for a long time or the contract has already been terminated, it can usually no longer be transferred. This often happens when the connection has already been canceled or deactivated. You can try contacting your current provider and ask them to reactivate the number.


4. Phone number is blocked in the system

Sometimes the phone number is still blocked in an ongoing porting process with another provider or due to an older, uncompleted request. In such cases, the previous process must first be completed or canceled.


5. Phone number already belongs to us

If the phone number is already active with us, porting is not possible. In this case, you can simply continue using your existing connection. You can request a new eSIM profile directly via your customer account. If you have received a new physical SIM card from us, please contact us to request a change. If you want to change the holder of the subscription, you can do so as follows: Can I transfer a SIM card to another person?


6. Contract terminated too long ago

If your contract with your previous provider has been terminated for more than 20 days, the phone number cannot be transferred in most cases. Please contact your current provider for more information.


7. Signature of an authorized person is missing (Company)

For company connections or if several people are authorized to sign, all necessary signatures must be on the porting order. If these are missing, your previous provider cannot approve the change. You can find the "Change of owner" form below this article.


8. SMS confirmation for prepaid porting is missing

For prepaid numbers, confirmation via SMS is required for porting. We will send you an SMS asking you to send a new SMS with the text "YES" to the free number 499.


Please note:

  • The SMS must be sent using the SIM card of your current provider that is to be ported.
  • You can also send the SMS if there is no credit left on your old SIM card.
  • If you are unable to send the SMS, please contact your current provider.
  • Only they can manually cancel your registration at your request.
  • The porting cannot take place without this cancellation.

Here, you can also find out how long it takes to transfer a phone number:

How long does it take to transfer a phone number?


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