Chatr SIM Card Issues

[tajrina]

I am writing to seek assistance with issues I am currently experiencing with my Chatr SIM card while living abroad in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

To provide some context, my phone number, was previously part of my mother's Rogers family plan. I moved to the Netherlands last year to pursue my postgraduate studies. During a visit to Toronto over the summer holidays, I had some difficulties with getting cellular data on my original Rogers sim/plan. A Rogers representative suggested switching to Chatr, explaining that it was a more cost-effective, pre-paid alternative while remaining under the Rogers company. I was assured that I would keep my original phone number. Based on this information, I agreed to switch to Chatr and received my new SIM card with the same mobile phone number right there while I was in the shop. At the time, it seemed like a good idea.

For about the next week or so I was in Toronto, the Chatr SIM worked without any issues. However, a few days back I attempted to use my Canadian phone number for the first time since returning back to the Netherlands, and I realized the SIM card was showing no network signal. I needed to access my Canadian number to receive multi-factor authentication texts from my Canadian credit card. However, after inserting the Chatr SIM, I discovered there was no signal showing on my phone. I have tried all the troubleshooting steps, such as restarting my phone, toggling airplane mode on and off, cleaning the SIM card, resetting my iPhone's settings, and inserting the SIM into other devices. Despite all these efforts, the SIM has consistently failed to show any network signal. At the moment, I am not able to receive any calls or texts on this sim or number. It believe that Chatr may not be a network provider that is supported here in the Netherlands.

Given the importance of keeping my Canadian phone number, which is linked to all my accounts back home, I would like to switch back to my original Rogers plan. Before switching to Chatr, I experienced no network or signal issues while living in the Netherlands using my Rogers SIM card. My main priority here is to ensure the access to my original Canadian number. I do not want to loose this phone number, especially as I am no longer living in Canada and it is really important that I have access to this original phone number of mine. Please provide some guidance on how to proceed.

[LordDrakkon]

Do you have roaming enabled on your device? Are you sure your orepaid plan has enough funds to cover an active plan? Have you tried using WiFi Calling to see if you can get those texts? Most prepaid services that go more than 60 days without an active plan are automatically cancelled.

[Pauly]

Since this is a Chatr issue, why not give Chatr customer service a call and have them solve it for you?

[tajrina]

Hello and thank you very much for your response. Yes, I did ensure that roaming was enabled, but there was still no signal.

I want to note that I did not top-up my Chatr account/sim since leaving Toronto back in July… I do believe this may be the reason why my account was closed and my sim is not currently working.

Right now, I am not even able to check my Chatr account because whenever I try to log into MyChatr, it says that there is no account associated with my phone number.

Well…Even if my plan may have been cancelled due to inactivity for 60+ days, I still need to retrieve my account and Canadian phone number as soon as possible 😕 Could you please advise on the next steps to reactivate my account and recover my phone number?

[tajrina]

@LordDrakkon, @Pauly :

I got in touch with Chatr support and they told me that since I did not make a payment in over 90 days, my account was deactivated completely. They said they are not able to get the number back, as it may be used now with someone else… Any suggestions? 😕

[Pauly]

I suggest letting this be a lesson learned and get a new telephone number, and make sure you do not let it go inactive.  You can inquire with your new company what period of inactivity they have, then make sure you keep your new telephone line active.

You should go to all your accounts that need 2 factor authentication and update it to the new telephone number.

[57]

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@tajrina wrote:

@LordDrakkon, @Pauly :

I got in touch with Chatr support and they told me that since I did not make a payment in over 90 days, my account was deactivated completely. They said they are not able to get the number back, as it may be used now with someone else… Any suggestions? 😕

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When was your account deactivated?  Phone numbers are usually, but not always, kept in "limbo" for several months.  Sounds like Chatr didn't want to go to the effort to look to see if your number is still available.

[tajrina]

Thank you for your response. This is also what I think… I spoke with several Rogers representatives regarding the situation, and they informed me that if an account has been deactivated for less than 60 days, it is still possible to recover the phone number.

I first activated my Chatr SIM card on July 9th, and if it was deactivated on October 7th (90 days after activation), it should still fall within the 60-day window for recovery.

Rogers informed me that the only way to recover my phone number is if it is reactivated by Chatr…

[User7594]

Hi Tajrina,

Whoa, what a bust. I hope by now the good folks at Chatr would have informed you, that, whether you had topped up your Chatr account or not, their service does not work outside Canada. Perhaps the rep, when suggesting you migrate to Chatr, assumed you only used your phone when back in Canada. Guess they could have suggested a by-the-year Chatr plan at the very least... Customer service has majorly declined at both Fido and Rogers in the past decade. Just wow!

Hope the situation was resolvable to your satisfaction

[57]

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@User7594 wrote: ....Chatr ... service does not work outside Canada. 

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As we discussed in the other thread, Chatr works just fine internationally.

https://communityforums.rogers.com/t5/Pay-as-You-Go/Moving-to-Chatr/m-p/538751#M4236

(I want to clarify that because there is a lot of misleading information on the web (and by Rogers and other CSRs) regarding the topic).