Ported Number Not Receiving Calls? Why You Can Make Calls but Not Receive Them

One of the most confusing mobile problems happens immediately after switching providers.

Your new SIM works.

You can browse.

You can call people.

But when someone calls you, nothing happens.

Maybe they hear an error message, or the call goes straight to your old voicemail

Maybe the phone does not ring at all.

This usually points to a number routing problem after porting.

Your new SIM is active.

Your number transfer has happened.

But incoming calls are not reaching the correct network yet.

The One-Way Number Transfer

Sarah moved her number to a new provider.

The first thing she tested was calling her brother.

It worked.

She assumed everything was fixed.

Later that day, her manager tried calling.

Nothing.

The manager heard:

“The number you have dialled is not recognised.”

Sarah could make calls because her new SIM was correctly connected.

But incoming calls were still being directed incorrectly.

This is one of the most common symptoms after a port.

Why Can You Make Calls But Not Receive Them?

Outgoing calls and incoming calls use different routing paths.

When you call someone:

Your phone → Your new network → Other person’s network

When someone calls you:

Their network → Mobile number routing system → Your network → Your phone

The second journey depends on other networks knowing that your number has moved.

If one network still has old routing information, incoming calls can fail.

How Long Should It Take?

UK mobile number transfers are designed to happen quickly.

Ofcom states that providers must usually complete mobile switching within one working day after receiving the PAC code request.

However, individual routing systems may take time to synchronise.

A few hours of disruption can happen.

If incoming calls still fail after the port completion window, contact your new provider.

Try These Fixes First

Restart Your Phone

This forces the SIM to register again.

Toggle Airplane Mode

Turn it on for 30 seconds.

Turn it off.

The phone will reconnect to the network.

Test From Different Numbers

Ask:

• Someone on the same network to call
• Someone on another network to call

If one works and another fails, that points strongly towards routing.

Check Your Old SIM

If your old SIM still receives calls, do not immediately assume the transfer failed.

It may indicate the old route has not fully closed.

Do Not Cancel the Old SIM Too Quickly

Many people cancel their old service immediately after switching.

Avoid doing this until your number transfer is fully stable.

The old SIM can sometimes provide useful evidence during troubleshooting.

If your old SIM receives calls while the new SIM does not, tell your provider.

That information is valuable.

Where Talk Home Mobile Fits

Talk Home Mobile supports number transfers using the standard UK PAC process.

If a customer moves their number to Talk Home Mobile and can make calls but cannot receive them, the issue is usually related to routing rather than the physical SIM.

The quickest support route is to provide:

• Number being transferred
• Port completion date
• Whether outgoing calls work
• Whether SMS works
• Whether old SIM still receives calls

That gives the network team enough information to investigate properly.

Final Thoughts

A number port is not just moving a number from one SIM to another.

It is updating thousands of network records that decide where calls should travel.

So when outgoing calls work but incoming calls do not, your phone probably is not broken.

Your number is simply still being directed through the wrong road.