How-To

How to switch mobile network UK with a PAC code in 2026

Switch mobile network UK in minutes: text PAC to 65075 to keep your number, see Ofcom timing, exit rights and eSIM transfer tips for 2026.

Hannah Foster 12 June 2026 11 min read

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To switch mobile network UK customers no longer have to phone a retentions line: you text PAC to 65075, your current provider must reply within one minute with a free Porting Authorisation Code, and your number moves to the new network by the end of the next working day. That is the heart of Ofcom’s text-to-switch rules, in force across the UK since 1 July 2019 and confirmed on the regulator’s switching pages in 2026. According to Ofcom, the provider cannot refuse to send the code, cannot charge for it, and cannot hold you on a 30-day notice period once the switch is under way.

Key facts

Keep your number: text PAC to 65075. Your provider must reply within one minute; the code is valid for 30 days (Ofcom).
Leave without keeping your number: text STAC to 75075 for a Service Termination Authorisation Code.
Check the cost first: text INFO to 85075 to see any early termination charge or credit balance before you commit.
Timing: the switch completes by the end of one working day after the new provider accepts your code, with no extra notice-period fee (notice-period charges were banned in July 2019).
Before you switch: confirm your handset is unlocked (mandatory on UK networks since 17 December 2021) and that your eSIM or physical SIM can transfer.

How to switch mobile network UK: the three short codes

The entire process runs on three short codes, and you only need one of them depending on what you want to do. Text PAC to 65075 if you want to keep your existing phone number. Text STAC to 75075 if you want a clean break and a brand-new number. Text INFO to 85075 if you simply want to see what leaving will cost before you decide. Ofcom mandates that your current provider replies to a PAC or STAC request within one minute, and to an INFO request within two hours. The reply is a text message, so you do not have to log into an account or speak to anyone.

A Vodafone UK summer sale promotion showing mobile plan deals for switchers keeping their number — Image: Vodafone

The reply text does more than hand you a code. It also confirms any early termination charge you would owe, plus any pay-as-you-go credit balance you have left. That single message is the most honest summary of your contract you will get, because the figures come straight from your provider’s billing system rather than a sales script. Read it carefully before you act, then pass the PAC or STAC to the network you are joining. With a PAC, the new provider arranges everything: you do not need to call your old network back, and you should never cancel your old contract yourself, because doing so can break the number transfer.

If you are still weighing up which network to join, our guides on EE versus Three after the VodafoneThree merger and Vodafone versus O2 in 2026 compare coverage, perks and pricing side by side, which is worth doing before you trigger a PAC you only have 30 days to use.

What to check before you request a PAC code

Switching is fast, but a few checks before you text 65075 will save you a headache. First, confirm your handset is unlocked. Since 17 December 2021, Ofcom has required UK networks to sell unlocked phones, so any device bought new from that date should already be open to other SIMs. If you bought an older handset on contract, ask your current provider to unlock it free of charge before you start. A locked phone will accept the new SIM only on the network it came from.

EE pay-as-you-go plan range showing data allowances UK switchers should check before moving network — Image: EE

Second, check your allowances. Compare the data, minutes and roaming on your current plan against the deal you are moving to, because a cheaper headline price can hide a smaller data cap or paid EU roaming. O2’s inclusive roaming across 75 countries and EE’s data rollover are the kind of perks that change the real value of a tariff, so weigh them properly. If you live in London, our look at Community Fibre’s cheap unlimited 5G shows how a smaller network can undercut the big four on price for the same coverage.

Third, decide how you will receive your new SIM. Most networks now offer an eSIM you can activate within minutes by scanning a QR code, which means you can keep your old SIM working right up until the moment the switch completes. If you prefer a physical SIM, order it in advance so it arrives before you trigger the port. Our eSIM setup guide for EE, VodafoneThree and O2 walks through the activation steps for each network in detail.

How the number transfer works next working day

Once you give your PAC to the new provider, the port runs on a fixed timetable. Ofcom’s rules say the switch must complete by the end of one working day after the new network accepts the code. In practice, if you switch on a Monday morning the transfer usually finishes the same business day or by close of play on Tuesday. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as working days, so a Saturday request typically lands on the following Monday or Tuesday.

Virgin Media O2 summer sale showing inclusive roaming across 75 countries for UK mobile customers — Image: Virgin Media O2

During the cutover there is usually a short window, often less than an hour, when your old SIM stops working before the new one fully activates. Plan around it: do not start a switch the morning of an important call or a flight where you rely on a verification text. You will keep your number, your contacts and your messaging history on the handset, because none of that lives on the SIM. What you may lose is any pay-as-you-go credit on the old account, which is why the INFO text to 85075 is worth sending first.

Text PAC to 65075, hand the code to your new network, and do nothing else: cancelling your old contract yourself is the one mistake that breaks the transfer.

The official Ofcom explainer below walks through the text-to-switch process in under two minutes, and it is the clearest first-party demonstration of how the codes work.

Mid-contract exit rights and early termination charges

You can switch at any time, including mid-contract, but leaving before your minimum term ends usually means paying an early termination charge. That charge is broadly the remaining monthly payments you owe, sometimes discounted to reflect that the provider no longer has to supply the service. The INFO text to 85075 gives you the exact figure, so you can compare it against the savings on the new deal. There is one important exception: if your provider raises your price mid-contract beyond what your agreement allows, you may have the right to leave penalty-free.

Vodafone Together bundle showing how UK families can cut monthly mobile and broadband costs — Image: Vodafone

Ofcom now requires providers to set out mid-contract price rises in pounds and pence at the point of sale, rather than burying them in an inflation-linked formula. If your network has not done that, or has hiked beyond the stated amount, check your exit rights before you pay anything. Our guide to UK mid-contract price rises and your Ofcom rights explains exactly when a price change opens a penalty-free exit window, which can turn an expensive switch into a free one.

If you are out of contract and on a rolling monthly deal, there is no early termination charge at all: you simply text PAC and go. Many UK customers stay on an old tariff months after their minimum term ends, paying handset-inclusive prices long after the handset is paid off. The 3G shutdown is another reason to review an ageing plan, and our explainer on the UK 3G switch-off covers what older handsets need to keep working on 4G and 5G.

eSIM transfer and avoiding common switching mistakes

Modern handsets make the SIM side of switching almost invisible. If both your old and new networks support eSIM, you can download the new profile, complete the port, and delete the old profile once your number has moved, without ever touching a tray or a paperclip. On an iPhone or a recent Android phone you can hold both an eSIM and a physical SIM at once, which is handy if you want to test the new network’s coverage at home before you cut over fully.

A Virgin Media O2 store at Westfield White City in London where staff help customers switch network — Image: Virgin Media O2

A few mistakes catch people out. Do not cancel your old contract before the switch completes, because the number needs a live account to port from. Do not request a PAC and then leave it unused for 30 days, because it expires and you have to start again. Do not assume your perks travel with you: a discount tied to your old network’s broadband bundle, like a Volt or Together deal, ends when you leave. If you are moving carrier and changing phone, our guide to transferring an eSIM from iPhone to Android covers the device-to-device steps the network port does not handle.

It is also worth confirming the new network actually covers where you live and work before you commit. Coverage between EE, VodafoneThree and Virgin Media O2 varies street by street, and the cheapest deal is poor value if you have one bar at your desk. If you need a hand in person, every major network still runs high-street stores where staff can run the switch for you and test a SIM on the spot.

Where to check next in the UK

Before you text 65075, run these checks (last checked: 2026-06-12):

Ofcom switching pages: the official, free guide to PAC, STAC and INFO codes and your switching rights.
EE: check coverage and current SIM-only prices, plus data rollover and 5G Plus availability in your area.
Vodafone (VodafoneThree): compare the merged network’s tariffs and any Together broadband discount before you leave or join.
Virgin Media O2: weigh O2’s inclusive roaming across 75 countries and Priority perks against your current deal.
Your current provider: text INFO to 85075 to confirm any early termination charge and PAYG credit balance.
Handset settings: confirm your phone is unlocked and eSIM-capable before you trigger the port.

Our verdict

Text-to-switch is one of the genuinely consumer-friendly pieces of UK telecoms regulation, and most people who put off switching are simply unaware of how little effort it now takes. Text PAC to 65075, read the reply, hand the code to your new network, and your number moves by the next working day with no notice-period fee. The only real homework is checking your handset is unlocked, your allowances stack up, and any early termination charge is worth paying, all of which the INFO code at 85075 makes easy. If you are out of contract, there is no reason to keep overpaying: a single text starts the move, and from our buyer notes the whole thing rarely takes more than a working day. For most UK customers, switching network is now the quickest saving in the phone bill, and the codes above are all you need to claim it.

What number do I text to switch mobile network and keep my number?

Text the word PAC to 65075. Your current provider must reply within one minute with a free Porting Authorisation Code, which is valid for 30 days. Give that code to your new network and they arrange the transfer, keeping your existing phone number.

How do I leave my network without keeping my number?

Text STAC to 75075. You will get a Service Termination Authorisation Code, which lets you close your account and start fresh with a new number on a different network. Use a PAC instead if you want to keep your current number.

How long does the number transfer take?

Ofcom requires the switch to complete by the end of one working day after your new provider accepts your PAC. In practice many ports finish within hours. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as working days, so a Saturday request usually lands the following Monday or Tuesday.

Will I be charged for requesting a PAC code?

No. Ofcom rules say your provider must issue the PAC, STAC or INFO reply free of charge and cannot refuse. You may still owe an early termination charge if you leave mid-contract, but the code itself is always free to request.

How do I check what leaving will cost before I switch?

Text INFO to 85075. Your provider must reply within two hours with any early termination charge you would owe and any pay-as-you-go credit balance. It is the clearest way to see the real cost of switching before you commit to a new network.

Can I switch network mid-contract?

Yes, you can switch at any time. If you leave before your minimum term ends you usually pay an early termination charge, roughly the remaining monthly payments. If your provider raised your price beyond your agreement, you may be able to leave penalty-free, so check your exit rights first.

Do I need to cancel my old contract myself?

No, and you should not. When you use a PAC, your new provider handles the cancellation as part of the port. Cancelling the old account yourself can break the number transfer, because the number needs a live account to move from. Just hand over the code and wait.

Does my phone need to be unlocked to switch?

Yes. Your handset must be unlocked to accept another network’s SIM. Since 17 December 2021, UK networks have had to sell unlocked phones, so newer devices are fine. If you have an older contract phone, ask your provider to unlock it free of charge before you switch.

Can I transfer my eSIM when I switch network?

You do not transfer the eSIM itself; you download a fresh eSIM profile from your new network and the port moves your number to it. Keep the old profile active until the switch completes, then delete it. Most UK networks support eSIM activation by QR code within minutes.

What happens to my perks and bundle discounts when I leave?

Perks tied to your old network usually end when you leave. A Virgin Media O2 Volt boost or a Vodafone Together discount linked to your broadband bundle stops once you switch your mobile away. Factor any lost discount into the savings before you decide the new deal is cheaper.