Any specific method to keep a prepaid number active when not using ?

raksrules

raksrules

Level N
I am currently not in India but have my airtel prepaid SIM card with me. The only use i have of the SIM here is keep it active on some network here (T mobile) and receive SMS messages. But suddenly 3 days back, i started getting INACTIVE SIM on my phone. I contacted airtel on twitter and today they called me and told that on first presumption they think that since i did not use my number for some time to make calls etc it is deactivated.

AFAIK the rule is like one needs to make some minimum recharge every 6 months to keep the number active right ?
But the lady who called me says that one has to make calls / sms upto 200rs per 3 months to keep it active as per TRAI rule and i think she was just BS ing.

Can anyone here tell me what is the way to keep my number active (that is after these people sort my issue) ??
 
It depends which type of validity you have. If you bought the sim recently then most likely it is the pseudo lifetime validity , where it is valid till 2014. If that's the case then the dictum to prevent your no from being reissued is to send or receive atleast 1 text message every 6 months , or a call once every 6 months. The phone does not have to be on for this. I hope you I am not confusing you.btw to keep your no active is a different thing and what vivek suggested should work out the best
 
aka911 said:
It depends which type of validity you have. If you bought the sim recently then most likely it is the pseudo lifetime validity , where it is valid till 2014. If that's the case then the dictum to prevent your no from being reissued is to send or receive atleast 1 text message every 6 months , or a call once every 6 months. The phone does not have to be on for this. I hope you I am not confusing you.btw to keep your no active is a different thing and what vivek suggested should work out the best
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True. The pseudo lifetime validity is actually not the validity of your card, but actually the validity of the license of the telecom operator. This date will keep on extending. Dont get carried away by it.

Make an outgoing call or sms every 3 months. For now, that is the only answer.
divyesh2129 said:
It's only applicable for Loop Mobile Users

Go to this link for Rules For keeping Lifetime Sim Active
Click to expand...

AFAIK, this hold true for Airtel/Docomo too.
 
vivek.krishnan said:
True. The pseudo lifetime validity is actually not the validity of your card, but actually the validity of the license of the telecom operator. This date will keep on extending. Dont get carried away by it.

Make an outgoing call or sms every 3 months. For now, that is the only answer.
AFAIK, this hold true for Airtel/Docomo too.
Click to expand...

yeah its true same thing happened even though my validity was just for 2 year and not lifetime but since i have not used it for few months they dc it and when i asked them they said its already activated for someone else
 
Its 90 days for airtel, I have confirmed it with an airtel guy who was into activating/deactivating nos. Just make a call once. Earlier there wasn't any rule, I had my no activitated for 1 years without keeping on, but due to multiple SIM cramping up, it has to be done to throw the unnecessary clutter.
 
I was told by the docomo people that i have to recharge for Rs 100 every 6 months and a sms/call every 3 months... but the sms/call rule does not apply to people who have old numbers. If u are a new user then the rule of sms/call applies to you.

Unfortunately they did not tell me how to diff between old and new customer. I think it is highly subjective.
 
@raks i had used Indian vodafone number the same way in NZ but i had to activate international roaming for which they were charging INR 75 per month.
 
My number is more than 5 years old so i am considered an old number right ?

The lady over the phone told me that generally in such conditions they have to send in a new SIM card but for my case she told that she will try to get the old one activated. Lets see how it goes. Guess i need to do some calls / SMS every month from now on to keep the number active.

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Metalspree said:
@raks i had used Indian vodafone number the same way in NZ but i had to activate international roaming for which they were charging INR 75 per month.
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I did not activate anything since it is prepaid and i think roaming (national / international) are sort of pre activated since my phone locks to T-Mobile here and i do receive calls (which i picked up once and got my balance cut by 100 Rs :@) and receive ICICI SMS etc etc.
 
Is there absolutely any way to get the same number again. I know it is so impossible but still ?

Anyone having inside contacts in Airtel ??

I cannot even imagine where all i will need to change the number. First comes Bank.
 
This happened to me also when I lost my 6 year old number.

Minimum is : 200 INR recharge in every 6 months. 1 Outgoing call or SMS every 90 months .

There is no way of getting Prepaid number back . :(
 
Guess i will have to search for a new number and a possibly better network provider when i am back.

Btw i have another vodafone number here which belongs to my wife. What should i do to ensure that this number is also not trashed ??

I am in US so what is the cheapest way to get this thing done ?
 
Metalspree said:
How about contacting the appelate authority did the same when lamers re cycled my number.
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^^So did that yield anything ?

The airtel lady who called me sounded very apologetic telling me she escalated my case and was trying to see if it is only deactivated and not recycled but going through the records she confirmed that it is recycled and there is no way to get the same number again :(

Guess i am SOL.
 
Blasted the appelate authority and with in minutes my number was back. They have no right to recycle your number even though you do not have sufficent balance. All pre paid numbers have certain validity iff the validity of the number is over they can recycle it. Just google for your city appelate authority number and talk to him/her.

PS: Nodal officers are useless.
 
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