Posted 26 April 2023

Easy way to find out phone number of an existing live 3 sim with 0 balance ( without purchasing topup )

Had a couple of three payg sims that when first put in , didn't send the initial welcome to three message that contains the phone number your given

This is slightly annoying to say the least . anyone have a way to find out without paying a topup through the menu and phoning yourself . tried all the menus but can't seem to find it at all . worst thing is to escalate help you need to input the phone number your phoning about so CS agents are a no go

( the simcard doesn't contain an actual number , its given too the sim when it first connects )
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  1. Blurryface's avatar
    Can you download a SIM app from the play store and see what info that gives?
  2. aLV426's avatar
    I too encountered this issue and the sim apps didn't work (they gave me the carrier number which is not the same thing as a phone number) I found the way to get though is to dial 444 and option 3 will call out your number. Information is a bit late, but I thought I'd add it as I found this page when I was searching for the answer!
    BTW this is for a 3 (Three) sim and it doesn't matter if you have any balance left or not! (edited)
    Munkee's avatar
    Author
    Handy tip cheers
  3. Ferris's avatar
    It's an awful system. Had this exact issue before. You have to contact Three and give the SIM serial number and they'll tell you the number.

    I later found that only one of my phones (a Xiaomi) was able to read the number in settings.
    Munkee's avatar
    Author
    anytime I've tried to contact CS it asks for a phone number in the menu now to escalate to a customer service agent . could phone regarding another number maybe

    Thought about caller collects , buts its insanely expensive and can't be done from mobiles . Can't use online top up tools to put a little bit off money in as don't have phone number

    I've tried sim apps but reading everything they don't put any info regarding phone numbers as the sim card is allocated its phone number dynamically when it first connects to the three network
  4. innocent's avatar
    Download one of the many sim card information applications as has suggested. Three numbers show up but some other networks like SKY don't.
  5. RadiantDuck's avatar
    On androids go to settings and about phone, the number is in there under sim
  6. smith2001uk's avatar
    *#*#4636#*#*

    phone information (or top menu if named differently), the sims are in there. i found my three PAYG 200mb free sim number in there (edited)
    Munkee's avatar
    Author
    Worked with one but the other is ( turns out it didn't , I added the SIMs phone number manually. The 2 without still don't have any info )

    blank Phone number : { CARRIER:, UICC , IMS: }

    Handy tips thank (edited)
  7. MadeDixonsCry's avatar
    Have u tried calling an 0800 number and asking the operator what comes up on screen?
  8. sm9690's avatar
    Have you tried *#100# and then call?
    KodaBear's avatar
    That USSD code will only work on the Vodafone network, or MVNOs that use their back end.

    For Three, the guidance is linked below:
    three.co.uk/sup…ber
  9. Munkee's avatar
    Author
    SIM card info tools and *#100# won't unfortunately work as the phone number is not actually allocated to the SIM card on production And not stored on it . Older ones came and occasionally you will get one stored on SIM but in the last year or 2 I've only had ones allocated on initial connection

    If you've ever used a PAYG three SIM recently. when you first pop it in your allocated your number with the welcome message in a few seconds.

    @ferris has probably went through the same shenanigans. It's only 2 simcards that it's happened and easily replaceable but it's just a peeve that these Sims are sitting here sadly. I hope they get spam texts as I could easily find out their number then
  10. chessecake's avatar
    Can't you do a call me back text to someone so they get a text with the number on it
    Ferris's avatar
    Not without credit...
  11. Westwoodo's avatar
    Start texting 01234567789 from a different phone and go up trying every number until you get the text on the new sim.

    Or call 999 and ask them for the number you are calling from?
  12. Munkee's avatar
    Author
    There's a slightly convoluted way to find out that takes about 2 minutes

    Need another 3 number , phone voicemail . And it will allow you to send message to another three mobile ( won't recognise another network unfortunately I think ) .

    The first message Won't contain number yet but just voiced prompted name . Reply to that one from 2nd three number .

    Then reply to the reply . You get the number in the header information along with time and date on the 2nd three numbers 2nd voice mail (edited)
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