Hello Cynthiaek,
Welcome to the communtiy!
In general, some plans are Province-specific. In order to change your phone number to one from another Province, you would also need to change the plan. Unfortunately, the system is not designed to allow for changing both the phone number and plan at the same time.
If you would like to change your phone number and plan, you will need to contact customer service so they can access your account to perform the change. As mentioned, I don't think My Account will allow both changes at the same time. In addition, they can also be contacted via Live Chat, Facebook, or Twitter. Those methods can be accessed via the contact page posted above.
Since the number change will involve a different calling area, I don't believe there would be a charge for their assistance with the change (see here).
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hello again,
Thank you for the additional information. There is nothing preventing your wife from using her phone and services in Québec. She can port her phone number to Fido, but since her phone number is an Ontario phone number, she will need to obtain a plan from Ontario.
The phone numbers and their associated areas are regulated by the Canadian Numbering Administration Consortium. The area codes, by definition, are designated by a region or area. In addition, the area code and prefix combination determine local calling areas (LCAs; see here).
Your brother, who lives in Brampton, obtaining a phone number with 514 area code does not make his phone number from Brampton. His phone number is still based in Québec and he would require a plan from that Province. The caveat is that a call from people in Brampton (or anyone with an Ontario area code) to his phone number would be considered long-distance (LD) unless they have Canada-wide calling. In addition, as explained below, if his plan does not include Canada-wide calling, all calls he receives while in Brampton would be considered long-distance.
@hriday wrote:..This is like saying a number from Ontario cannot ever go to any other place...
That is not exactly true. People regularly travel with their mobile phones and phone numbers. People also often keep their phone numbers after they move cities or Provinces. However, their phone numbers' home areas do not change. Travelling does affect LCAs, though.
The incoming LCA is based on the geographical location that is associated with your number. It has nothing to do with your own physical location at the time you receive a call. On the other hand, the outgoing LCA is determined entirely by your physical location at the time of a call, and has no ties to any specific geographical location, other than the one in which you’re standing.
All incoming and outgoing calls are considered airtime. Receiving calls while outside of your incoming LCA is considered LD. Making calls while travelling can either be local or LD, depending on whether the call destinations are within or outside of your outgoing LCA.
As mentioned previously, there is nothing preventing your wife from using her Ontario phone number and services in Québec. While she might be living in Québec, rather than visiting, the same LCA and LD rules would apply. Similarly, those same rules would also apply to your brother with his Québec number in Ontario.
I understand you are referring to obtaining plans based on where one lives rather than phone number. I suppose persective matters. For example, your brother is benefitting from being able to have a plan from Québec while living in Ontario. He might not appreciate having to give up his out-of-Province plan because his address is in Ontario.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hello again,
@hriday wrote: I understand you talking about perspective but this is acceptable to you only because it seems as a benefit to you...
Not that it matters, but my area code is within the same Province in which I reside so it is not applicable to my situation. However, I do live outside the local calling area specified by my area code. As such, my calls are governed by the same local calling rules outlined previously.
If your brother did not request a montreal phone number, I do not know why he was provided with one. It's possible that if he set-up his plan online under Québec, that could explain why the system gave him a phone number from that Province. On the other hand, if he activated his plan in Brampton, they would have had to provide an Ontario phone number. It is not possible for customer service to offer an out-of-Province phone number if they knew he was living in Ontario. Their systems would not provide options outside of local calling area. If he does not wish to keep his Québec phone number, he could request a change to a local phone number.
@hriday wrote:...if you have province specific plans then they should be available to subscribers from that province...
They have Province-specific plans which are available to phone numbers with area codes from that Province. Subscribers from that Province would need to have a Province-specific phone number. People with out-of-Province phone numbers would not be considered a subscriber from that Province.
@hriday wrote:... My simple question is why can't a person living in quebec get plans that are meant for Quebec...
If you wife chose to keep her phone number, she would still be a subscriber from her previous Province. However, your wife living in Québec can get those Provincial plans. Though, she would have to switch her phone number to one from Québec. It's her decision: keep her Ontario phone number and plan or switch to a Québec phone number and get a plan meant for that Province.
In a similar vein, is she wants to live in Québec, she will need to get a Québec driver's licence (assuming she drives), Québec Health, etc...
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hello Hriday,
Welcome to the community!
I understand it might be upsetting not being able to obtain a Québec plan while living in that Province for her phone number. Unfortunately, it just isn't possible. You should be able to port her phone number from her previous provider to Fido, however, her phone number would necessarily have to remain an Ontario phone number with associated plan. None of the telecommunications providers would be able to accomplish that task. According to the North American Numbering Plan, the area code 437 is from Ontario (see here). It isn't possible to re-assign the location of that area code for a single phone number. Similarly, it wouldn't be possible to re-assign the city location either (area code & prefix).
Since the plans are determined and associated by the phone number (and not address) your wife would need to retain an Ontario plan if she wishes to keep her current phone number. Alternatively, she would be able to change her phone number to one with a Québec area code which would correspondingly have a Québec plan.
**edit** You and your wife should also note that if she wishes to keep her Ontario phone number, people from Québec calling her number might incur long-distance charges if their plans do not include Canada-wide calling**
**edit** In addition, you should also note that Ontario taxes would apply if she kept her current phone number**
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
