Number porting means keeping the same mobile digits when the number moves between providers. With Create Numbers you usually receive a PAC by email after purchase, then give that PAC to your gaining UK network (or SIM / virtual setup) so the custom number lands on your service. Later, if you leave that network, you request a PAC (keep the number) or STAC (leave without keeping it) from the provider that currently hosts the line. Ofcom’s consumer switching rules require the gaining provider to complete a mobile switch within one working day once they have a valid code (Ofcom — Switching mobile phone provider).
What PAC and STAC mean
A PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) lets you keep your number when you switch; a STAC (Service Termination Authorisation Code) lets you switch without keeping the old number, while still ending the old service under Auto-Switch protections. For a single line you can text PAC to 65075 or STAC to 75075; providers must reply quickly (Ofcom’s consumer guide states within one minute for that SMS path), and codes are typically valid for 30 days (Ofcom switching guide). Multi-line accounts (for example family packs) usually need online account tools or a phone call instead of the single-SIM text short codes.
| Code | Keep the number? | Typical request | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAC | Yes | Text PAC to 65075, or account / phone | About 30 days |
| STAC | No | Text STAC to 75075, or account / phone | About 30 days |
Create Numbers’ standard fulfilment is a PAC by email so you can port the custom number onto a network or SIM you choose. That is the inbound path for most buyers — see Get connected.
Inbound porting with Create Numbers
Inbound porting is how your purchased custom number becomes live on your network: Create Numbers delivers a PAC (typically within 2–4 weeks, most within 2 weeks), then you start the port with the gaining provider. Custom numbers are designed to work on any UK network and with physical SIM, eSIM, or virtual-number setups on any tariff (Delivery). The UK mobile base is large enough that “any network” is a real choice: Ofcom reported 117 million mobile subscriptions in 2024 (Ofcom Communications Market Report 2025).
- Wait for the PAC email (and optional PAYG SIM if you ordered one).
- Open an account or plan with the network / SIM / virtual host you want (if you do not already have one).
- Give that provider the PAC and the mobile number exactly as instructed.
- Wait for confirmation that the port completed (gaining providers must aim to finish within one working day of a valid code under Ofcom’s rules).
- Test inbound calls and SMS before you publish the number.
| Path | What you use | Next read |
|---|---|---|
| Existing UK network SIM / eSIM | PAC + network port journey | Get connected |
| Optional Create Numbers PAYG SIM | PAC onto that SIM | Get connected |
| Virtual hosting partner | PAC / number + partner setup | Virtual number hosting |
Do not print, advertise or soft-launch the number until transfer of ownership has completed and you have tested the line.
Outbound porting when you leave a network
Outbound porting is when you leave the provider that currently hosts the Create Numbers mobile and take the digits with you — request a PAC from that losing provider, then give it to the new gaining provider. Ofcom’s Auto-Switch rules mean you should not be charged for a notice period after the switching date, and any loss of service must not last longer than one working day; delayed switches can trigger compensation routes set by regulation (Ofcom switching guide). Early termination charges (ETCs) for leaving a handset or airtime contract early can still apply — check the SMS/email that arrives with your PAC before you commit.
| Step | Who acts | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Request PAC | You → current (losing) provider | PAC + leaving info (ETCs, credit, etc.) |
| 2. Choose new plan | You → gaining provider | Account ready to receive the number |
| 3. Submit PAC | You → gaining provider | Port scheduled |
| 4. Switch day | Providers | Number live on new service; old service ends |
If you only need to replace a damaged or lost SIM on the same network, that is usually a SIM swap, not a port — see SIM swap.
Timing, downtime and what “one working day” means
Plan marketing and SIM logistics around two clocks: Create Numbers’ 2–4 week PAC fulfilment after purchase, then the network’s one working day switch once a valid PAC is lodged with the gaining provider. Ofcom’s rules cap permitted loss of service at one working day for the switch itself (Ofcom). Separately, UK postal buffers still matter if you wait for a physical SIM: Royal Mail’s First Class next-working-day performance was 76.5% in 2024/25 against a 93% target (Ofcom on Royal Mail 2024/25).
| Clock | Typical window | What to schedule after it |
|---|---|---|
| Create Numbers PAC fulfilment | 2–4 weeks (most ≤ 2 weeks) | Start network port |
| PAC / STAC validity | About 30 days | Use or request a fresh code |
| Network switch after valid code | Within one working day | Live test, then publish |
| Issue updates from Create Numbers | Email within 3 working days when something is wrong on their side | Keep purchase emails |
Common failure points and what to do
Most port failures are operational (expired code, wrong account, unfinished ID checks), not “the digits do not exist.” Re-request a PAC if the 30-day window lapsed; confirm the gaining account is in the same customer name your network expects; and keep Create Numbers copied only when the emailed PAC itself looks wrong. Mobile remains a high-volume market — Ofcom’s Q4 2024 update recorded 88.9 million active mobile subscriptions excluding M2M and £3.53bn mobile retail revenue that quarter (Ofcom Q4 2024 Telecommunications Market Data Update) — so networks are used to Auto-Switch, but your account still has to match their checks.
| Symptom | Likely cause | First action |
|---|---|---|
| Port rejected | Expired PAC | Request a new PAC |
| Port delayed | Gaining side validation / backlog | Chase gaining provider with PAC + number |
| No service after switch day | Handset APN / SIM not seated / eSIM profile | Network troubleshooting, then Network resources |
| PAC email missing | Fulfilment still in 2–4 week window | Wait; contact Create Numbers after the window or if no update |
How porting fits Create Numbers fulfilment
Treat Create Numbers as the number source and your chosen network (or virtual host) as the day-to-day host once the PAC has been used. Purchase starts from hyperlinked options in your email (Purchase); delivery is PAC-first (Delivery); going live is Get connected. Pricing for the number itself sits in Pricing overview — Bronze from £205 — and is separate from any airtime tariff you pay your network.
| Stage | Create Numbers | Your network / host |
|---|---|---|
| Buy custom ending | Checkout from options email | — |
| Fulfilment | PAC (± optional PAYG SIM) | — |
| Go live | Support if PAC wrong | Completes inbound port |
| Later move | — | Issues outbound PAC/STAC |
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I request a PAC from my old network before Create Numbers delivers?
No — wait for Create Numbers’ fulfilment PAC for the custom number. A PAC from an unrelated old line will not move the new custom digits. Use outbound PAC/STAC only when leaving a network that already hosts the Create Numbers mobile.
Should I use STAC instead of PAC when I leave a network?
Only if you are happy to lose that number. STAC ends the old service under Auto-Switch without porting the digits; PAC keeps them. Ofcom documents both paths on its switching pages.
Should I port onto a contract or stay on the optional PAYG SIM?
Choose based on coverage and cost, not the custom ending — Create Numbers numbers work on any UK tariff. Ofcom’s CMR 2025 still shows a large post-pay majority within 117 million subscriptions. Many buyers port straight onto a network deal.
Should I worry if the switch takes longer than one working day?
Yes — raise it with the gaining provider first and keep timestamps of when you submitted the PAC. Ofcom expects completion within one working day and sets expectations on loss of service and compensation for delay. Copy Create Numbers only if the PAC details themselves are defective.
Should I cancel my old tariff the day I request a PAC?
No — let Auto-Switch end the old service on switch day when you use PAC/STAC correctly. Cancelling early can strand the number or complicate the port. Read the leaving information that arrives with the code.
Should I port into a virtual number host instead of a traditional SIM?
Yes, if that is how you want to run the line — Create Numbers supports virtual-number setups, and Create Numbers partners with gosimless.com for hosting. Follow Virtual number hosting and confirm the partner’s PAC / onboarding steps before your PAC expires.
Should I buy a second custom number if a port fails once?
Usually no — fix the port (new PAC, correct gaining account) before spending again. Numbers are non-refundable except in narrow cases on Purchase. Contact Create Numbers if fulfilment exceeded 4 weeks or the purchased number is unavailable.
Should multi-line business accounts use the PAC-to-65075 text?
Often no — Ofcom notes that multi-number accounts typically need online tools or a phone request. Confirm with your losing provider before relying on the single-SIM short code. Keep written confirmation of every PAC issued.
Should I publish the number while the PAC is still valid but unused?
No — validity only means the code can still be lodged, not that you own a live service on your chosen network. Publish after a successful inbound test. Soft-launch plans belong after Get connected.
Should I keep screenshots of PAC emails for finance or audit?
Yes — store the PAC email, order confirmation and gaining-provider port confirmation. Airtime invoices will come from the hosting network, while the custom-number receipt comes from Create Numbers. That split matters for bookkeeping.