Reactivation of old sim card (2024)

FAQs

Reactivation of old sim card? ›

Check with your provider: The first step is to contact your provider and ask if they can reactivate your expired SIM card. Some providers will allow you to reactivate your SIM card for a fee, while others may not offer this service at all.

Usually, deactivated sim cards can be reactivated and used on another phone number. Sim cards do have an expiration date, though. So, if the sim card is not active when that date comes up, they are “terminated” and cannot be reused.

Once your SIM card expires, you won't be able to reactivate it, and your number may be reassigned. While you can easily get a new SIM, it will come with a different number. Avoid the stress!

@Sureshsathirara It's not possible to reactivate a year old SIM card. You have 180 days after the sim has gone in to hibernation to get it reactivated and SIM cards go in to hibernation after 3 months of no usage. Thanks...

Once the sim is deactivated, the same number is recycled and becomes available in the market for a new user. In case you forgot about your secondary sim, and it has been 90 days of non-usage, do not worry! You still get a grace period of 15 days (about 2 weeks) to reactivate your sim.

Remove SIM and SD cards

If you're going to keep the same phone number, you may be able to transfer your SIM card to your new phone. If you're not going to reuse the SIM card, destroy it. If your phone has an SD memory card for storage, remove it.

Most mobile phone companies recycle deactivated phone numbers within three months, but the timing can vary [*]. Eventually, your phone carrier will assign your number to someone else, and your old SIM card will stop working entirely. When this happens, you can safely destroy and recycle the old SIM card.

Once activated under a carrier, that SIM card is forever registered under that carrier. To answer your question, an unused SIM card will not go bad, unless the company somehow goes out of business, which at that point it can no longer be used. A SIM card holds no information until activated.

If the SIM is switched off for more than 90 days (depends on the network, some may be for 60 days or 90 or 120) if no recharges are done to that number then the number will be disabled and after few more months the number will be recycled and released into the market.

How to activate a SIM card after a long time? ›

Check with your provider: The first step is to contact your provider and ask if they can reactivate your expired SIM card. Some providers will allow you to reactivate your SIM card for a fee, while others may not offer this service at all.

Yes, SIM Cards do expire. The specific policies of the carrier determine the expiration of SIM cards. Generally, an inactive SIM card expires within 90 to 180 days. When a SIM card expires, the associated phone number could be reassigned to another user.

Yes, you can switch SIM cards between phones as long as they are compatible with the same carrier network. Your SIM card should also be compatible with the new phone in terms of size (micro, nano, and standard size).

A SIM card is deactivated in the following situations: You transferred your number to another provider (port out) The SIM card has been banned following fraud or abuse.

To activate your SIM card online, simply go to your carrier's website. Chances are, the support page you'll need to visit will be listed on the card. Once you've done that, simply follow the steps listed. Usually, you'll have to enter the phone number or SIM card number.

Monitor phone calls and texts: Once someone has access to your SIM card, they can monitor all incoming calls and text messages as well as intercept them before they reach your phone. This allows them to gain access to sensitive information such as passwords or private conversations.