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Fiona
Say Sorry To China Mobile; You Have The Right To Sell My Phone Number To Others
I lend a mobile phone SIM card to a colleagues yesterday because her parents will come to visit her from US today and will need a Chinese SIM card to replace their US SIM card during the visit.
Since the SIM card I lend to her has not been in use for over a year, I told her the number should be suspended until you recharge the card to activate the number. However, she called me this morning said, "Fiona, I called the number and a lady answered the phone."
I was so astonished and tried calling the number also, and found the number is activate, "That's totally unbelievable!", I said to myself.
Waited for a few seconds, a girl answered my phone. I asked her, "This is my phone number, why you are using it?" She also asked me, "Are you not using the nubmer for long time?" "Yes", I said. "That's it," she said, "I spend money to buy this number, it's mine now."
The conversation makes me feel that she know she has purchased a number belong to another person, this is just like a steal. I have heard about steal on QQ numbers, online game accounts but this time, it's phone number! How can they do this ?
When I met our telecom industry expert later, I got my answer:
China Mobile's phone number resources is limited, when some numbers have not been used for long time, the numbers become sleeping numbers, and China Mobile may sell these number again. However, this is absolutely a grey market.
So, China Mobile sold one SIM card twice!
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This happens in many telecoms markets around the world, especially prepay accounts.
There are a finite number of phone numbers available and recycling has to happen.
If a number has not been used for a predetermined amount of time set out by the provider, then they have the right to recycle the number. Typically users are notified of the impending loss of there number so they can top up, or pay a renewal to keep the number.
Many Prepay cards get used a few times and are then lost, thrown away or simply not used. It is not unreasonable to have an unused number recycled. Users need to read any terms and conditions and adhere to them to make sure they keep their number. A small cost can prevent a huge amount of inconvenience.
A "Top Tip" - Use it or Loose it
Telco Ed
<a href="http://www.globalsimcard.co.uk" target="_blank">www.globalsimcard.co.uk</a>
Posted by: Telco_Ed on Mar 14, 08 | 4:36 pm
Thanks to Telco Ed's notice, I checked the original contract I signed with China Mobile more than two years ago. There is a clause on the back-side of the contract, saying China Mobile has the right to cancel the contract if I do not use the card for long time or owe money to China Mobile for a certain period of time.
So, I want to say sorry to China Mobile if anybody from China Mobile would read this blog, though there is very little possibility.
I just found that my wife's number also been sold to others. I only stop to use this number for less than 6 months and with some money in the account. China Mobile robbed my money.
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