Switch to Lyca Mobile and Keep Your Number (PAC Code Guide)

By the Lyca Referral (UK) team · Updated 12 Jul 2026 · Independent guide — not affiliated with Lyca Mobile.

Moving your mobile number to Lyca Mobile is free, protected by Ofcom rules, and mostly automatic — your current network has to hand the number over, and the text-to-switch system means you never have to phone them or sit through a retention pitch. The whole process runs on one text message and one short form.

Quick answer: Text PAC to 65075 from your current SIM (free on every UK network — the reply must arrive within one minute), order your Lyca SIM or eSIM, then give Lyca the code through its Number Transfer Form or by phone on 020 7132 0322. Your PAC is valid for 30 days, and once you’ve submitted it the switch must complete within one working day under Ofcom’s rules — Lyca’s own guidance says 1–2 working days.

This guide walks through the three steps in order, what actually happens on porting day, and the timing traps — including the one mistake that destroys a number permanently. There’s also an honest section for readers heading the other way: taking your number away from Lyca.

Step 1: Text PAC to 65075 to get your switching code

UK networks move numbers between them using a PAC — a Porting Authorisation Code. Under Ofcom’s text-to-switch rules, getting one takes a single free text from the SIM you’re switching away from:

Text PAC to 65075. It’s free and works on every UK network.
Your provider must reply within one minute. The reply contains your PAC along with any early-exit fees or outstanding handset costs your provider is required to disclose.
The code is valid for 30 days. If it expires unused, nothing bad happens — text 65075 again for a fresh one, free.

Requesting a PAC doesn’t cancel anything and doesn’t commit you to leaving. Your current plan carries on exactly as normal until you actually hand the code to Lyca in Step 3, so there’s no harm in getting it early while you compare plans.

💡 Tip: Still in contract? Text INFO to 85075 first. You get the same breakdown of early-exit charges and any handset balance without requesting a PAC — a useful dry run if you’re only weighing up the cost of leaving.

Step 2: Order your Lyca SIM — 50% off for three months via referral

Before your number can move, it needs somewhere to land: a live Lyca SIM. This is also the moment to make sure you don’t pay full price. Order through a referral link and Lyca gives new customers 50% off their SIM-only plan for the first three months. The discount applies automatically through the link journey — there’s no voucher code to type at checkout (our promo code guide explains why). The price is the same as buying direct, and this site may earn a referral reward.

Get 50% off Lyca for your first 3 months

The discount auto-applies through the referral link — no code to type. Same price for you, and this site may earn a referral reward.

Claim 50% Off Now

Two ordering decisions to make:

Physical SIM or eSIM? A physical SIM arrives by post; an eSIM QR code lands in your order confirmation email, so it’s much faster. Dial *#06# — if an EID number appears, your phone supports eSIM (it also needs to be unlocked). Full walkthrough in our Lyca eSIM guide.
PAYG or contract? The referral discount covers both, and Lyca’s pay-as-you-go bundles come with no credit check. Whichever you pick, the SIM itself costs nothing — see our free SIM guide.

One honest caveat: on several 24-month plans, Lyca’s own public intro offer was six months half price when we checked on 12 July 2026 — longer than the referral’s three. For pay-as-you-go and 1-month plans the referral link is clearly the better deal; on 24-month contracts, compare what the checkout shows you before committing.

Step 3: Give Lyca your PAC code

Activate your Lyca SIM first. It arrives with a temporary number — make sure it’s live and working before you hand over the PAC, because the port needs an active Lyca line to move your old number onto.

Then submit the PAC one of two ways:

Online: Lyca’s Number Transfer Form — the quickest route, and there’s no queue.
By phone: dial 322 free from your Lyca SIM, or 020 7132 0322 from any other phone. Lines are open 7:00–23:00 Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday.

Once Lyca has the code, the port is scheduled. Ofcom’s rule is that the switch must complete within one working day; Lyca’s own guidance says transfers typically take 1–2 working days — so treat next-working-day as the best case rather than a promise.

What happens on porting day

Porting is anticlimactic when it works, which is most of the time. The typical sequence on the day:

Your old SIM keeps working while the port is processed in the background.
At some point during the working day, the old SIM loses signal. That’s not a fault — it’s the sign your number has moved.
Restart your phone with the Lyca SIM in. Your old number is now live on Lyca, and the temporary number on the Lyca SIM is discarded automatically.

Expect a brief signal gap around the handover — usually short, occasionally a few hours. One restart after the old SIM dies is enough; there’s no need to keep rebooting.

If calls work but mobile data doesn’t after the port, your phone probably needs Lyca’s internet settings — the fix takes two minutes with our APN settings guide. And if the number still hasn’t moved by the end of the working day after you expected it, call Lyca on 322.

Timing traps that catch people out

⚠️ Warning: Never cancel your old contract before the port completes. A PAC only works while the old account is active. Cancel first and the number is gone permanently — no network can retrieve it. Get the PAC while the account is live and let the porting process close it for you: transferring the number ends your old service automatically.

Weekends and bank holidays don’t count

Ports complete on working days. Submit your PAC on a Friday afternoon and you’re realistically looking at Monday or Tuesday — longer over a bank holiday. If timing matters, for example because your old plan renews on a fixed date, submit early in the week.

eSIM users: activate before you port

Going straight to a Lyca eSIM? Install and activate it from the QR code in your confirmation email before you submit the PAC, so it’s working on its temporary number — note Lyca requires its eSIMs to be activated in the UK. Keep the old SIM in a phone until it goes dead, or you’ll miss calls during the changeover.

Don’t let the PAC gather dust

The code lasts 30 days. Letting it expire costs nothing — you just request another — but submitting a nearly-expired PAC right before a bank holiday weekend is asking for a messy overlap. If you’ve sat on the code for weeks, get a fresh one and start clean.

Don’t want to keep your number? Use a STAC

If you’d rather start over with a new number, the parallel code is a STAC (Service Termination Authorisation Code): text STAC to 75075 and give the code to your new provider. Your old account closes without the number moving across — same free text, same 30-day validity, same working-day timescale. It beats simply cancelling because it times the closure to your new SIM going live. But be sure: once the old number is gone, it’s gone. If there’s any chance you’ll want it later, port it with a PAC instead.

Leaving Lyca instead? How to take your number with you

Fair’s fair — the process works identically in reverse, and plenty of people searching for a “Lyca PAC code” are on their way out. To take your number from Lyca to another network:

Text PAC to 65075 from your Lyca SIM — free, reply within a minute, valid 30 days. You can also request it by phone on 322 (free from a Lyca SIM) or 020 7132 0322, 7:00–23:00 Monday to Saturday.
Give the PAC to your new network — they run the port from their side.
Keep your Lyca SIM active until the old SIM goes dead; your Lyca service ends automatically when the port completes.

The never-cancel-first rule applies just as much on the way out. If you’re leaving over price, it’s worth a look at our Lyca vs Lebara comparison before you jump; if you’re done regardless, our cancelling Lyca guide covers ending the plan cleanly.

And if you’re reading this section from the other side — about to join, and reassured that the exit is easy — that’s the right takeaway. Number portability cuts both ways, which is exactly what makes trying Lyca at half price a low-risk experiment.

Get 50% off Lyca for your first 3 months

The discount auto-applies through the referral link — no code to type. Same price for you, and this site may earn a referral reward.

Claim 50% Off Now

Frequently asked questions

Can I transfer a pay-as-you-go number to Lyca?

Yes. The PAC process is identical for pay-as-you-go and contract numbers: text PAC to 65075 from the SIM that holds the number, then hand the code to Lyca. There’s no notice period on PAYG, so the only cost to think about is leftover credit — unused balance generally isn’t refunded when a number ports out, so run it down first if it’s worth anything. One catch: the old SIM must still be active. If it’s been unused for so long that the network has deactivated it, the PAC request can fail, so check the old SIM still gets signal before you start.

How much does it cost to switch to Lyca and keep my number?

Nothing. Texting PAC to 65075 is free on every UK network, and there’s no fee for the number transfer itself under the UK’s switching rules. What can cost money is leaving your old deal early: if you’re mid-contract, early-exit charges and any remaining handset balance still apply, and they’re set out in the text you get with your PAC. Text INFO to 85075 to see those figures without requesting a code. The Lyca side is cheap too — the SIM is free, and ordering through a referral link takes 50% off your first three months.

Can I move a landline number to Lyca Mobile?

No. The PAC system only moves mobile numbers between mobile networks — the 65075 text and Lyca’s Number Transfer Form both deal exclusively with mobile (07) numbers. A geographic landline number (01 or 02) can’t be ported onto a mobile SIM through this process. If you need calls to a landline number to reach your mobile, the usual workaround is a VoIP provider that hosts the landline number and forwards calls to any phone — a separate service that has nothing to do with Lyca or the PAC system.

What is a STAC code and when would I use one?

A STAC (Service Termination Authorisation Code) is the PAC’s opposite: it closes your old account without bringing the number with you. Text STAC to 75075, pass the code to your new provider, and the old service ends when your new SIM goes live. Like a PAC it’s free, arrives within a minute and is valid for 30 days. Use a STAC when you actively want a fresh number — and use a PAC in every other case, because a number released via STAC or a plain cancellation can’t be recovered later.

How long does the whole switch take, end to end?

The PAC itself arrives within a minute of texting 65075. Once you submit it to Lyca, Ofcom requires the port to complete within one working day, though Lyca’s guidance says 1–2 working days. The variable in the middle is getting your Lyca SIM: an eSIM QR code arrives by email with your order confirmation, while a physical SIM spends a few days in the post. Order early in the week and the whole switch typically fits inside that week — weekends and bank holidays pause the porting clock.

Will switching to Lyca cancel my old contract automatically?

Yes — that’s the point of the PAC system. When the port completes, your old service ends on its own; you don’t phone your old network to cancel, and you shouldn’t, because cancelling before the port kills the number. Automatic cancellation isn’t the same as a free exit, though: if you’re inside a minimum term, early-termination charges still apply and will appear on a final bill. Those charges are itemised in the text message that delivers your PAC, so you know the exact figure before you commit to moving.