I’m probably being a bit thick here, but I’d be grateful for your help.

I’m in the process of moving jobs and although I will need to return my phone, I’d like to keep my number and transfer it to my new phone. Is this possible?

Forget the phone for a minute. Is the account for the number in your name or did work provide it? If it’s yours, yes. If it’s work’s you’ll have to ask them nicely to see if they’ll allow you to port it to a personal account.

what cougar says. missus was lucky amd they let her transport the number!

Of course, if you’re likely to take any clients with your phone number then expect to be chased.

What they said

They might not if they think it means customers will ring you as a competitor on that number.

Might want to check rules on using it as your personal phone as well before you confess 😉

Entirely dependent on the business. Once place I worked let you do this, another didn’t

Following on from this – work have said that they would be happy for me to keep the number. However, Vodafone (our work mobile provider) has advised that the only way the number can be transferred to my new handset is if I pick up the remainder of the contract.

Is this right?

Seems an odd way of doing it, looks like they’re transferring the contract to you, not porting your number off the contract.

The problem is that Voda will treat a porting request in the same way they would treat a cancellation request. If you give a PAC code to o2, for example, when they use it (to transfer the number to their network) the Voda line will end and you’ve terminated the contract early at that point. So yes, they will require you to buy out the rest of the contract. They MAY consider commuting your business contract to a personal contract and allow you to see out the term at an appropriate monthly cost but you need to speak to their business team and they’re certainly not required to do so.

Good luck!

Just use your work mobile to let everyone in your contacts know your new number. Problem solved.