Yes, you can switch mobile providers and keep your number.
In Australia, you can usually keep your mobile number when changing providers through mobile number porting, provided your existing service is active and you’re eligible to port it. In fact, around 95% of people who switch to Swoop keep the number they already have.
Here’s how switching works, what to expect during the transfer, and how to keep your number when moving to Swoop.
Quick links:
Thinking of switching?
Keep your number and move to a Swoop plan with unlimited talk and text and no lock-in contract.
Find out moreHow to switch mobile providers (and keep your number)
- Choose your Swoop mobile plan to suit your data needs.
- Select “transfer my number” during sign-up and enter your current number and account details.
- Do not cancel your current service first. Your existing plan needs to stay active for the transfer to work.
- Activate your new SIM or eSIM.
- Your number transfers to Swoop. Once the transfer is complete, your old service is disconnected and your Swoop service becomes active using the same mobile number.
Once you’ve submitted your request, Swoop manages the transfer with your current provider. You don’t need to contact your old provider yourself.
How to port your phone number, step by step
Porting is the process of transferring your existing mobile number from one provider to another. In Australia you can port your number as long as your current service is still active and eligible to transfer.
To port your phone number to Swoop you’ll need your current mobile number and your existing account details. Swoop will let you know if anything else is required as you sign up.
You start the port when you sign up and choose to transfer your number. Swoop closes your old account for you as part of the process, so you should never cancel your old service beforehand, because an inactive or cancelled service can’t usually be ported.
How long does it take to port your number?
For most people, porting a mobile number to Swoop takes just 1 to 4 hours. Transfer requests made between 9am and 5pm on weekdays are processed the same day, and anything outside those hours is actioned at 9am the next business day. You’ll know it’s gone through when your old service stops working and your Swoop service takes over.
Your existing service will continue working until the transfer completes. Once your old SIM stops working, insert your Swoop SIM (or activate your eSIM if applicable). If your service doesn’t start immediately, restart your phone.
Do you need a new SIM to switch?
You can choose a physical SIM or an eSIM at checkout. If your phone supports eSIM, you can activate it digitally, otherwise a physical SIM is posted to you. Either option lets you keep your existing number when you transfer it.
Why switch to Swoop?
- Keep your existing number, as 95% of customers do.
- No lock-in contract, month to month.
- Unlimited talk and text on every plan.
- Wi-Fi calling for clearer calls in low-signal spots.
- Friendly expert support when you need a hand.
Choose your Swoop plan, transfer your number during sign-up and you’re ready to switch. See Swoop Mobile SIM only plans here.
Check out our SIM only mobile plans
Hear from happy customers!
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch mobile providers and keep my number?
Yes. You can switch mobile providers and keep your number in Australia, because your number belongs to you, not your provider. When you join Swoop and choose to transfer your number, it ports across automatically, and around 95% of Swoop customers keep their existing number.
How do I port my number to Swoop?
To port your number to Swoop, choose a plan, select “transfer my number” at sign-up, and enter your current mobile number and account details. Swoop contacts your old provider and completes the transfer for you, so you don’t need to call them yourself. Keep your old service active until the transfer finishes.
Do I need to cancel my old plan first?
No, and you shouldn’t. Keep your current mobile service active until the transfer completes, because an inactive or cancelled service can’t usually be ported. Swoop closes your old account for you once the port is done.
How long does it take to port a mobile number?
Porting a mobile number to Swoop usually takes 1 to 4 hours. Requests made between 9am and 5pm on weekdays are processed the same day, while requests outside those hours are actioned at 9am the next business day. You’ll know it’s complete when your old service stops working.
Do I need a new SIM card to change providers?
You’ll get a SIM from Swoop, and you can choose a physical SIM or an eSIM at checkout. If your phone is eSIM compatible you can activate it digitally instead of waiting for a physical SIM to arrive. Changing your SIM doesn’t change your phone number when you port it across.
Does changing my SIM change my phone number?
No. Moving to a new SIM or eSIM doesn’t change your phone number when you port it across. You keep the same number either way.
Can you keep your number with an eSIM?
Yes. Keeping your number works exactly the same with an eSIM as it does with a physical SIM. When you port your number to Swoop, it stays with you no matter which type of SIM you use.
Switch to Swoop and keep your number
The Swoop Mobile Support team are available 9AM – 7PM on Weekdays, and 10AM – 5PM on Weekends. (AEST)
