You would like to switch to a different service provider and keep your current phone number? No problem, just take note of the following requirements for a successful mobile number portability.

1. Cancel your current contract and request immediate portability
You should end your current plan in time, so that you don’t have to pay for two phone plans. Once you have cancelled the contract, you can take your phone number to other providers even 120 days before your contract actually ends. If your contract has already ended, you can take your number to another provider within 30 days after the termination date.

Documents to send to your current provider to request the number portability before your contract has actually ended:

See portability request templates for all German providers

Congstar template for an early mobile number portability

 

2. Cancel your contract and request portability after termination

If you just want to transfer your number to a different carrier after your current contract ends, you just need to send them a letter saying that you would like to retain your phone number while using a different service provider.

Documents to send to your current provider:

See portability request templates for all German providers

Congstar template for mobile number portability after a contract has ended

 

3. For PREPAID users: Request portability from your prepaid provider

For prepaid users it is a bit easier, you just need to send a letter of request a few days before you are ordering your new plan. Your new service provider will then request the mobile number portability from your old carrier.

Documents to send to your current prepaid provider:

See portability request templates for all German providers

Congstar template for an prepaid mobile number portability

 

4. Order your new phone plan

Look for your desired phone plan and don’t forget to inform your new carrier that you would like to retain your old number. This needs to be done within the order process. For Congstar this would look like this:

congstar phone number retainment

You need to select “Rufnummer sofort mitnehmen” for an immediate portability and “Rufnummer am Ende der Vertragslaufzeit mitnehmen” for a mobile number portability (MNP) after your contract ended. This should look similar for all German providers.

The cost of keeping your old phone number is usually 25€, but can not be more than 30,72€. You usually get these 25€ refunded by your new phone carrier.

Congstar offers support if you like to keep your old phone number and request MNP (mobile number portability).

 

49 Responses

  1. jana

    Hi! i have a prepaid telekom sim card and i want to change to a Vodafone contract with same number; what are the steps i should take to do that?

  2. Claude

    I have callmobile.de that is being discontinued. I use the number when I am in Germany, but wish to keep it active when overseas. With Callmobile I only had to put a small amount on the phone every 18 months. Is there a plan by any German provider that keeps the phone number active for 12 months or more with no monthly fees, and only a small top up? I wish to port my existing number.

  3. ajay

    I have telecom Sim card , I want to switch from it to O2 . I want to keep my old Number

  4. Daniel

    Thank you for the info!
    I would like to perserve a German number for future use,
    what is the cheapest way to do that?
    Thanks

    • MyGermanPhone

      Hi Daniel, the cheapest way would be to get a Congstar plan and simply select the 0€ plan, which does not charge you at all if you don’t use it. You can even use the number as an additional eSIM in your phone so people could still call you under that number.

  5. Eron Gashi

    Hello, I had an number two years ago, but then I changed it and now I need a code that I will enter in that number to open my iCloud, is there any solution?

  6. Ankita

    Hey I have lyca simcard but I would like to change it to winsim with same number. Is it possible ? I have prepaid plan

  7. Ben

    Hi,

    I’m moving to Berlin from the UK in January. I’ve had my current UK number for years and want to keep it – it’s also used a lot for 2FA for several apps I use.

    Is it possible to port over a UK number with a German package?

  8. Adarsh

    Hi! My postpaid contract with WinSim ended just yesterday and now I want to switch to a prepaid plan of Aldi Talk. I want to keep my old number in Aldi Talk which was originally of WinSim.
    1. Is there a fees which I will have to pay to WinSim for taking the number with me to Aldi Talk? If yes, roughly how much?
    2. Is it true that Aldi Talk will give me a credit of 25 Euros in my account as a refund of the fees charged by WiSim? (I read it on Aldi Talk’s website that they give a credit of 25 Euros for porting customers)
    3.Will the credit be a flat rate of 25 Euros even if WinSim charges me less than 25 Euros for porting?
    4. Will there be a validity to use this 25 Euros credited by Aldi Talk? Is it something like I will have to use this credit within 28 days and after that it will be no longer available in my account? I would like to use this credit to do my future top-ups at Aldi Talk. Will it be possible to use this credit over months to do recharges?
    Thanks in advance

    • MyGermanPhone

      Hi Adarsh,

      Sorry for the delayed answer, but just for people who have the same questions in the future:
      1. Since 01.12.2021, porting your number is free.
      2. Yes, ALDITalk currently gives a credit if you port your number to them. At the moment it is 10€.
      3. Yes, the credit is independent from the fee you need to pay your previous provider.
      4. You need to use the credit for ALDITalk, a payout is not possible. So far, we are not aware that it expires.

  9. Sai Raja Neel Swetha Adurthi

    what will happen to remaining balance in that prepaid sim after port is done?

  10. sayad

    Hello
    i have question as i have bought a new contract with o2 with a new number. But i have so many contacts on my old number. Is there any possibility or way to keep my old number on new 02 contract ??
    Please share your experience.
    thankyou in advance

  11. Usman

    I recently lost my phone. I wish to retrieve my line i.e. get the same phone number. What is the process of doing that?

  12. Mihael

    Hi there . I have to find way to get back my 2 mobile number from o2 . I have my contract ended in January with my old numbers and i get new contract from 02 with 2 new number and i supposed to came back end of January and this guy in MediaMarkt from o2 to transfer my old number to my new sim carts ( new contracts) .Now i can not get my old phone numbers back because in Media Markt is closed during Covid. I try contact o2 but they can not help me to get my numbers back.
    Thank you in advance.

  13. Emilie

    Hi, I am on a monthly prepaid with O2. I would like to keep my number and switch over to Vodafone. Would I have to submit the form to o2 or to vodafone?

    • MyGermanPhone

      Hi Emilie, You would need to submit the form to O2 in this case (your current provider) to let them know that you would like to port that number to Vodafone.

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