Vodacoms recycled numbers

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bboy

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On my brand new contract I am receiving spam sms's and getting phone calls all the time, obviously somebody owned this number before me. Why give me a number like this, what is vodacom doing to avoid this crap?
 
to my knowledge there is no cellular provider who dishes out recycled numbers. if this is really a problem request a MSISDN swop.
 
MagicDude4Eva said:
to my knowledge there is no cellular provider who dishes out recycled numbers. if this is really a problem request a MSISDN swop.
Click to expand...

so i just got a new contract on the 18th march and registered on vodacom4me yesterday
it says the the no was in a few other devices from 2003 to 2006/????
wtf??? and i have only inserted into my modem since i got it! so wats goin on then?
 
so i just got a new contract on the 18th march and registered on vodacom4me yesterday
it says the the no was in a few other devices from 2003 to 2006/????
wtf??? and i have only inserted into my modem since i got it! so wats goin on then?
Click to expand...

To answer your question: I really don't know. But what I DO know is that, when I went back to Vodacom (after spending three agonising months with MTN), I tried to get my old number back. Despite going to the top of every call centre I ever spoke to, and going into stores, etc. I couldn't get my number back. The answer from everyone I spoke to was consistent: Vodacom has never and will never recycle numbers. Once it has been used, it is gone for ever. Even if the original owner wants it back, sorry.

Did you get a brand new simcard, sealed in an envelope?
 
yep it was brand new
ill take a screenshot abit later if i can
 
Mtn does recycle numbers, i had endless spam,calls but managed to get it sorted by asking the caller what their site, email address etc. was and then just flashing their bios and by being very rude.
 
yea.. vodacom4me shows

Nokia 3310 354313009054362 2004-10-29

LG Electronics B1200 350863155512220 2003-10-26

Nokia 3310 350145206934211 2003-05-02

Ericsson GA 628 490511420733380 2000-05-03


so much for NOT recycling
 
of course they recycle. I'm in a similar boat. Changed my number as I was using my old cellc 084 number ported to vodacom and was sick of all the hassles of the ported number. Went and changed to a 082 voda number, sat with the guy, saw all the available numbers which were recyclyed and not in use, chose a nice one and off i went. Registered on vodaomc4me and saw the same thing. Lists of all the cellphones my new number had been used in years ago. The last usage was back in 2003 or something so I only get the odd call now and again, no spam SMS luckily so I'm guessing the okie that had my number before me was not very popular.

Pity the poor oke that got Rudolph Straeuli's old number, I remember reading in the paper he was getting up to 20 'hate' calls and SMS'es PER DAY!!!!
 
Of course the networks re-cycle numbers. It's the only way we can work with the limited numbers available.

When a number is re-cycled all information about it should be deleted. I've escalated the 'previous device' issue on 4me, thanks.

One thing that *might* happen with re-cycled numbers: When we delete a number, we also inform all WASP's of this, so they can also delete it from their systems. But not all do and you might start receiving SMS's, etc. from them still meant for the original owner.
 
Great.. so now im stuck with someone elses ****.
Thanks
 
Just to add, even prepaid numbers are recycled. I opened a new 082 prefix starter pack last night (the window on the package said activate by the 5th of May 2009 - so I thought I better use it or lose it). I needed a new prepaid card to use in a 3G modem. I put it in a spare mobile phone and registered on VC4me. I've just checked online and the following info is listed on VC4me for this same number:
Motorola C115 35390501482975 2007-06-03
Motorola V171 355087004011930 2005-03-19
Nokia 3310 352508003127090 2004-07-04
Nokia 3310 352508003127092 2003-12-03

I don't know how long this prepaid starter pack has been around for waiting to be activated, but seeing as though it was going to 'expire' on 05/05/2009, I'm guessing it was recycled to prepaid very soon after the previous user terminated the number.
 
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