What happens to expired mobile numbers?

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    207

    What happens to expired mobile numbers?

    When a mobile phone number expires, does the phone company recycle the number to be used again?

    I recently found my old sim card with a bunch of old numbers and when I added one of the numbers on my new phone and logged into Wechat, someone elses photo (someone I don't recognize) popped up in the new friend Request section and asked me if I wanted to add him. Also the photo on whatsapp was a different person. Could it be the original number has expired and someone else has it now?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    θ–„ζ‰Άζž—
    Posts
    47,964

    I think they're recycled on a six month schedule. Not sure about pre-paid sims.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Manchester, UK
    Posts
    7,789

    Yes they get recycled


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    57

    Yeah they get recycled, and if you had an old number tied to, for example, WhatsApp, you need to use their transfer number feature when you get a new number.