1 reviews | Active since Jan 2017
MTN SIM SWOP UNSUCCESSFUL
<p>On 31 December 2016 my cellphone was ******. On Friday 06 January I went to MTN-Greenacres in PE for a sim swop and was told my new phone would be active the following day. No such luck. I went back to MTN and was given a new sim card and was told again that the sim swop would be active the next day. Still no luck. I went back to MTN again and was given a 3rd new sim card and the sim swop tried again a 3rd time. To date my old number still has not been restored, instead I was given a brand new number which I am now using because life must still continute. I don't want a new number, I want my old number as it will be an administrative nightmare to change my number. Please assist.</p>
Good day Siyabonga,
Thank you for your post.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Please try the steps below:
There are two situations in which one would need to perform a SIM swap. These are as follows:
Situation 1 - You have lost or damaged your SIM (or phone), your SIM has been deactivated or blocked, or your old number has not been recycled and given to someone else. In this situation you cannot use your old SIM card.
Situation 2 – In this situation, you are upgrading your SIM card. For example, in this situation you may be upgrading to an LTE SIM card; or you need to change your SIM card because you need it in a different size (for example nano or micro size). In this situation, your old SIM is still active and you can still receive an SMS on your old number.
The steps to follow for each of the above situations are given below.
Situation 1
These are the steps to follow in the event that you want to do a SIM swap and can no longer use your old SIM card:
MTN PayAsYouGo subscribers
1. Buy an MTN PayAsYouGo starter pack.
2. Please RICA the new SIM card before continuing.
3. Insert the new SIM into your current (or new) device. On older SIM cards, if prompted with a menu on first power up of your device, select “Get a new number” (ignore any other options)
4. Activate the new SIM card on the MTN network by dialling *141#.
5. Once the new SIM card has been RICA’d and activated (by performing step 2 and 4 above), please dial *173*3# on the NEW SIM to start the SIM swap process. Alternatively, you may dial *173# and select option 3 to start the SIM swap process.
6. After performing step 5 above, you will be prompted to enter the cellphone number for which you are doing the SIM swap and the reason for the doing the SIM swap. The cellphone number you doing the SIM swap for is your old number (NOT the new number from step 1 above).
7. Once step 6 has been completed you will be sent an SMS containing the steps you need to take in order to complete the SIM swap. Note that at this stage you will have to answer a set of security questions in order to continue with the SIM swap. You will have 3 minutes to answer all the questions. The questions will focus around the following topics:
What your most dialled numbers are (if you do call people);
What your last recharge amount was;
What price plan your old number was on;
What your most frequently SMS’d number was (if you do SMS people);
What your last airtime balance was;
What average amount of airtime you use per month; and
How long you have been using your old number for.
Note that whilst answering the questions, you may skip some of the above questions if you don’t know (or have the answer) to the specific question. All questions above will be related to your old number.
8. Once your answers are validated, you will be sent an SMS to let you know if the SIM swap was successful. If you experience any issues, please dial 173 for further assistance.
MTN Contract subscribers
In this type of situation, MTN Contract users will have to contact their service provider in order to get further assistance.
Situation 2
These are the steps to follow in the event that you want to do a SIM swap and your old SIM card is still active and you can receive an SMS.
MTN PayAsYouGo subscribers
1. Buy an MTN PayAsYouGo starter pack and insert it in your current (or new) device.
2. Please RICA the new SIM card before continuing.
3. Insert the new SIM into your current (or new) device. On older SIM cards, if prompted with a menu on first power up of your device, select “Get a new number” (ignore any other options).
4. Activate the new SIM card on the MTN network by dialling *141#.
5. SMS ‘Swap’ from your current (old) SIM to 44770.
6. You will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) which is valid for 15 minutes (please save or write it down).
7. Next FROM YOUR NEW SIM CARD, SMS the word ‘Swap’ and your “Old Number*OTP#” to 44770. For example, if your personal number is *** and the OTP you received in step 6 is 1234 then SMS the following to 44770: Swap ****1234#.
8. Once your existing (old) SIM stops working, insert your new SIM card into your handset and power it on.
9. Your device is now ready to use with your new SIM card. If you experience any issues, please dial 173 for further assistance.
MTN Contract subscribers
This method can only be followed if your service provider is MTN SP.
1. Obtain your new Contract SIM card from MTN SP.
2. You do not have to RICA this new SIM card to continue with the SIM swap.
3. SMS ‘Swap’ from your current (old) SIM to 44770.
4. You will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) which is valid for 15 minutes (please save or write it down).
5. Next, FROM YOUR OLD SIM CARD, SMS ‘Swap’ and your “New SIM Number*OTP#” to 44770. Please note that the new SIM number can be located on your new SIM card pack. For example if your new SIM number is *** and the OTP you received in step 4 is 1234 then SMS the following to 44770: Swap ****1234#.
6. Once your existing (old) SIM stops working, insert your new SIM card into your handset and power it on.
7. Your device is now ready to use with your new SIM card. If you experience any issues, please contact your service provider for further assistance.
Regards.
MTN SA.
Best regards,
Good day Siyabonga,
Thank you for your post.
We apologise for the inconvenience caused.
Please try the steps below:
There are two situations in which one would need to perform a SIM swap. These are as follows:
Situation 1 - You have lost or damaged your SIM (or phone), your SIM has been deactivated or blocked, or your old number has not been recycled and given to someone else. In this situation you cannot use your old SIM card.
Situation 2 – In this situation, you are upgrading your SIM card. For example, in this situation you may be upgrading to an LTE SIM card; or you need to change your SIM card because you need it in a different size (for example nano or micro size). In this situation, your old SIM is still active and you can still receive an SMS on your old number.
The steps to follow for each of the above situations are given below.
Situation 1
These are the steps to follow in the event that you want to do a SIM swap and can no longer use your old SIM card:
MTN PayAsYouGo subscribers
1. Buy an MTN PayAsYouGo starter pack.
2. Please RICA the new SIM card before continuing.
3. Insert the new SIM into your current (or new) device. On older SIM cards, if prompted with a menu on first power up of your device, select “Get a new number” (ignore any other options)
4. Activate the new SIM card on the MTN network by dialling *141#.
5. Once the new SIM card has been RICA’d and activated (by performing step 2 and 4 above), please dial *173*3# on the NEW SIM to start the SIM swap process. Alternatively, you may dial *173# and select option 3 to start the SIM swap process.
6. After performing step 5 above, you will be prompted to enter the cellphone number for which you are doing the SIM swap and the reason for the doing the SIM swap. The cellphone number you doing the SIM swap for is your old number (NOT the new number from step 1 above).
7. Once step 6 has been completed you will be sent an SMS containing the steps you need to take in order to complete the SIM swap. Note that at this stage you will have to answer a set of security questions in order to continue with the SIM swap. You will have 3 minutes to answer all the questions. The questions will focus around the following topics:
What your most dialled numbers are (if you do call people);
What your last recharge amount was;
What price plan your old number was on;
What your most frequently SMS’d number was (if you do SMS people);
What your last airtime balance was;
What average amount of airtime you use per month; and
How long you have been using your old number for.
Note that whilst answering the questions, you may skip some of the above questions if you don’t know (or have the answer) to the specific question. All questions above will be related to your old number.
8. Once your answers are validated, you will be sent an SMS to let you know if the SIM swap was successful. If you experience any issues, please dial 173 for further assistance.
MTN Contract subscribers
In this type of situation, MTN Contract users will have to contact their service provider in order to get further assistance.
Situation 2
These are the steps to follow in the event that you want to do a SIM swap and your old SIM card is still active and you can receive an SMS.
MTN PayAsYouGo subscribers
1. Buy an MTN PayAsYouGo starter pack and insert it in your current (or new) device.
2. Please RICA the new SIM card before continuing.
3. Insert the new SIM into your current (or new) device. On older SIM cards, if prompted with a menu on first power up of your device, select “Get a new number” (ignore any other options).
4. Activate the new SIM card on the MTN network by dialling *141#.
5. SMS ‘Swap’ from your current (old) SIM to 44770.
6. You will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) which is valid for 15 minutes (please save or write it down).
7. Next FROM YOUR NEW SIM CARD, SMS the word ‘Swap’ and your “Old Number*OTP#” to 44770. For example, if your personal number is *** and the OTP you received in step 6 is 1234 then SMS the following to 44770: Swap ****1234#.
8. Once your existing (old) SIM stops working, insert your new SIM card into your handset and power it on.
9. Your device is now ready to use with your new SIM card. If you experience any issues, please dial 173 for further assistance.
MTN Contract subscribers
This method can only be followed if your service provider is MTN SP.
1. Obtain your new Contract SIM card from MTN SP.
2. You do not have to RICA this new SIM card to continue with the SIM swap.
3. SMS ‘Swap’ from your current (old) SIM to 44770.
4. You will receive a One Time Pin (OTP) which is valid for 15 minutes (please save or write it down).
5. Next, FROM YOUR OLD SIM CARD, SMS ‘Swap’ and your “New SIM Number*OTP#” to 44770. Please note that the new SIM number can be located on your new SIM card pack. For example if your new SIM number is *** and the OTP you received in step 4 is 1234 then SMS the following to 44770: Swap ****1234#.
6. Once your existing (old) SIM stops working, insert your new SIM card into your handset and power it on.
7. Your device is now ready to use with your new SIM card. If you experience any issues, please contact your service provider for further assistance.
Regards.
MTN SA.
Best regards,