Comparing UK Mobile Network Porting Times in 2026

Most UK mobile number transfers take one working day in 2026. 

That applies whether you are joining a major network or a smaller provider. Ofcom requires the new provider to complete the switch within one working day after receiving a valid PAC, so there is no network offering a secret five-minute express lane. 

The real differences are the daily cut-off times, weekend rules and how smoothly each provider communicates what is happening. 

Porting times compared 

Requests made after the cut-off, during a weekend or on a bank holiday are normally pushed into the following working-day cycle. 

So, submitting a PAC at 4pm on Tuesday may get the number moved on Wednesday. Submitting it late on Friday could leave you waiting until Monday or Tuesday. 

Mobile number porting respects weekends rather more enthusiastically than most of us do. 

The switch that appeared to go wrong 

Hannah moved networks on a Friday evening and expected her number to be active the next morning. 

Instead, her new SIM showed a temporary number all weekend. 

She assumed the transfer had failed and contacted both networks, only to learn that number ports are not normally processed on Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays. 

Her old number moved across on Tuesday morning. 

Nothing had gone wrong. Her timing had simply turned a one-working-day process into a four-calendar-day wait. 

That difference between working days and ordinary days catches people out more than the technology itself. 

How the PAC process works 

A PAC, or Porting Authorisation Code, allows you to take your existing number to another mobile provider. 

Text PAC to 65075 from the number you want to keep. The code is free and remains valid for 30 days. You then give it to the new network, which arranges the transfer and closes the old service when the port completes. 

Do not cancel the old account manually first. 

Without an active number and valid PAC, a straightforward switch can quickly become a customer-service treasure hunt. 

What happens on porting day? 

Your new SIM will normally begin with a temporary mobile number. 

On the agreed transfer date, the old SIM loses service and your existing number moves onto the new one. There may be a short period when calls, texts or mobile data behave oddly. 

Vodafone says customers may lose service for around 20 minutes during the transfer, although the interruption can vary between networks. Restarting the phone often helps once the port has completed. 

Calls may begin working before texts, or mobile data may return before incoming calls. This is sometimes called a split port. 

Give the process until the end of the transfer day before assuming the number has vanished into the telecom wilderness. 

Why ports sometimes take longer 

Delays are usually caused by fairly ordinary problems: 

• An incorrect PAC or mobile number 
• An expired PAC 
• A new SIM that has not been activated 
• A request submitted after the daily cut-off 
• A weekend or bank holiday 
• Technical issues between the old and new providers 

Make sure the new SIM works on its temporary number before requesting the transfer. Some providers will not begin porting until the SIM has been activated. 

It is also sensible to avoid switching on a day when receiving calls is absolutely critical. Your number will probably move smoothly, but perhaps do not schedule it for the morning of a job interview or while waiting for the hospital to ring. 

Which network ports numbers fastest? 

In practical terms, there is no clear winner. 

EE, O2, Vodafone, Three and most smaller networks all work to the same one-working-day standard. The main advantage comes from submitting the request early enough. 

Vodafone has the earliest published cut-off among the networks compared here at 4pm. EE accepts requests until 5:30pm, while Tesco Mobile gives customers until 6pm on certain weekdays. 

Talk Home Mobile states that requests made before 5pm will complete the next working day. 

The safest approach is simple: activate the new SIM, submit the PAC on a Monday-to-Thursday morning and keep both SIMs nearby until the old one loses service. 

The network matters less than the clock. 

Submit the request before lunch, and the whole process is far more likely to be boring—which, when your mobile number is involved, is exactly what you want.