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Comment by Semaphor

3 years ago

> Most US people seem to think that it's normal to have "one" number for years on end. For the rest of the world, it's not true.

Uh, I’m from Germany and had the same mobile number for over 20 years.

Up to relatively recently (a few years ago) it was not possible to transfer numbers from one provider to another.

Even two years ago, I had to actually change a phone number because I couldn't transfer my number from one provider to their own reseller. O2 Scheißladen.

  • > Up to relatively recently (a few years ago) it was not possible to transfer numbers from one provider to another.

    Huh, I guess I got lucky staying with Viag Interkom and then O2 (which was an automatic switch when O2 bought them) for so long, I only really switched providers in 2020 which was long after the EU regulation was in effect.

    • Yes, I remember that, although EU regulation was in effect, I still couldn't keep my number when switching from O2 to Tchibo (O2 reseller) because O2 did not allow that "for technical reasons".

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