If you keep a prepaid or pay-as-you-go SIM you rarely use, the number behind it is on a clock. Stop using it for long enough and the carrier suspends the line, then recycles the number, then hands it to someone else. (For how that process works, see what happens when you stop using a prepaid SIM.)
The windows are not intuitive and they're not forgiving — they range from about 60 days to over a year depending on the carrier and the country. Below is a country-by-country comparison, each row linked to the carrier's own page or the regulator. Bookmark it.
How to read this. "Number at risk after" is roughly how long with no qualifying activity before your number can be lost — sometimes a suspension window, sometimes a balance/recharge expiry. A CONFIRM tag means the figure comes from a secondary source or the carrier doesn't publish an exact day count, so check it directly before relying on it. Policies change and depend on your exact plan.
United States
| Carrier | Number at risk after… | Can you get it back? | Source (verified Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile prepaid | Up to 120 days in "Not Paid" status (service stops the day a refill is missed) | Refill within the 120 days to keep the number; after that it's cancelled and lost | T-Mobile support |
| Metro by T-Mobile CONFIRM | Follows T-Mobile prepaid (~120 days unpaid) | Same as T-Mobile; Metro's own terms don't state a day count | T-Mobile support |
| AT&T prepaid | Balance expires by amount ($10–24 = 30d, $25–99 = 90d, $100+ = 1yr), then a 60-day grace to pay | Pay within 60 days of balance expiry to keep it; otherwise cancelled and lost | AT&T support |
| Verizon prepaid | 60 days to renew after the plan ends (accounts from Nov 2018+); older accounts: tiered 30/90/180/365 days | Renew within the window or the number may not be kept | Verizon support |
| Mint Mobile CONFIRM | ~60 days suspended after a plan lapses | Reactivate within ~60 days; then cancelled, balance forfeited, number released (figure from secondary sources) | Mint terms |
| Google Fi | No published no-usage cutoff. Pausing keeps your number and auto-resumes after 3 months | Number kept during a pause; loss on account closure is handled case-by-case (no fixed figure) | Google Fi help |
| Tracfone / Straight Talk | Add airtime before your Service End Date or the number is lost that day; also after 6 months (smartphones) / 12 months of no usage | Reactivate within 60 days to recover unused airtime — but you may get a new number | Tracfone terms |
| US Mobile | Cancelled after ~90 days of non-renewal | Or pay "Snooze" ($2.98 / 30 days) to hold the number indefinitely; no fixed number-hold window otherwise | US Mobile terms |
United Kingdom
| Carrier | Number at risk after… | Can you get it back? | Source (verified Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EE | 180 days with no "connection action" (top-up, chargeable call/text, or data) | Number + credit lost at disconnection; recovery only via EE, not guaranteed | EE PAYG terms (PDF) |
| Vodafone UK | 180 days with no chargeable use (reminders at 90 days and 45 days before) | Credit lost at disconnection; number quarantined then reissued to someone else | Vodafone PAYG terms (PDF) |
| Three UK | 180 days with no chargeable activity | No — a disconnected Three PAYG number can't be reconnected | Three support |
| O2 | 6 months with no chargeable activity | Reconnect only by contacting O2 — and you get a new number, not your old one | O2 PAYG terms |
| giffgaff | 6 months with no qualifying use (two warnings sent first) | 30-day window after deactivation to request a PAC and port the number out; then gone | giffgaff help |
| Lebara UK CONFIRM | 90 days no chargeable activity (lose credit); full disconnection after a further ~365 days | Terms reportedly tightened around Aug 2025 — verify the current Lebara terms directly | Lebara help |
| Smarty | 6 months with no plan purchase / chargeable activity (40-day warning) | Suspended first (still receives calls), then terminated; port out before then to keep the number | Smarty terms (PDF) |
| Lyca Mobile UK CONFIRM | 90 days no use → notice, then +30 days (~120 days total) | Number is reallocated after that; a paid "keep your number" option exists (confirm current price) | Lyca FAQ |
Australia
| Carrier | Number at risk after… | Can you get it back? | Source (verified Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra Prepaid | A 6-month "recharge-only period" after your recharge expiry date | Recharge any time in those 6 months to keep it; after that the number is reallocated | Telstra prepaid terms (PDF) |
| Optus Prepaid | 186 days (~6 months) from your credit expiry date | Recharge before day 186 to keep the number; otherwise disconnected and lost | Optus prepaid CIS (PDF) |
| Vodafone AU Prepaid | 120 days with no recharge (from last recharge expiry) | Then disconnected; number quarantined 6 months, during which Vodafone may reconnect it | Vodafone AU support |
| Boost Mobile (AU) | 6 months with no recharge (Telstra network/terms) | Recharge within the 6-month recharge-only period; after that the number is reallocated | Boost help |
| amaysim | 365-day active period + a 90-day passive period (~455 days total) | Recharge before the passive period ends; after that the service (and number) is cancelled | amaysim service description (PDF) |
| ALDI Mobile | 365-day credit validity + a 120-day "additional period" | Recharge within the 120-day window; otherwise the service is cancelled and the number lost | ALDI Mobile terms (PDF) |
Canada
| Carrier | Number at risk after… | Can you get it back? | Source (verified Jun 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers (Pay As You Go) | Balance at $0 for 6 consecutive months | Keep a positive balance / top up before then; after deactivation the number is released | Rogers Terms of Service |
| Fido prepaid | Balance at $0 for 6 consecutive months | Top up before then; after deactivation the number is released | Fido Terms of Service (PDF) |
| Bell prepaid | 90 consecutive days with no payment | Top up before 90 days; otherwise auto-cancelled, balance lost, number released | Bell support |
| Lucky Mobile | Suspended on the charge date if underfunded; deactivated after 4 consecutive months | Pay before the 4 months end; after deactivation you get a new number, not your old one | Lucky Mobile support |
| Telus (Pay As You Go) | 90 days with a zero balance (7-day carry-over for credits) | Keep a balance / auto-renewing plan; otherwise auto-deactivated and the number lost | TELUS service terms (PDF) |
| Koodo | 90 days without an active base plan (58 days for new activations) | No — service is cancelled, the account permanently deactivated, and the number lost | Koodo service terms |
| Public Mobile | Suspended if you can't renew; 90+ days suspended → permanently closed | Reinstate any time within 90 days; on day 91 the number is lost and can't be ported | Public Mobile terms (PDF) |
| Chatr | New accounts: inactive on day 58; existing: balance below the monthly fee for 3 consecutive months | Keep the balance at/above the monthly fee; after deactivation a new SIM and new number are required | chatr terms (PDF) |
What the regulators actually require
The day-to-day window is set by your carrier, not the regulator. But regulators do govern what happens to a number after it's disconnected:
- US (FCC): a disconnected number must be "aged" at least 45 days before reassignment (residential numbers up to 90 days, business up to 365). 47 CFR § 52.15
- UK (Ofcom): no single mandated period. It's "use it or lose it," providers set their own windows (commonly ~90 days to 12 months) and should warn you first. Ofcom guidance
- Australia (ACMA): a disconnected number is quarantined for 6 months before it can be reissued (12 months if disconnected for nuisance calls). ACMA
- Canada (CRTC): disconnected numbers are aged up to about 2 months for residential landlines, about 3 months for wireless, and about 6 months for business landlines before reassignment. CRTC / CSCN numbering guidelines
What counts as "activity"
Across almost every carrier above, the rule is the same: it has to be something the carrier bills.
- Usually counts: an outgoing billable call or SMS, paid mobile data on the carrier network, or a top-up / paid add-on.
- Usually doesn't count: WhatsApp, iMessage, FaceTime and other internet apps — they run over data and never touch carrier billing. Incoming calls, texts, and voicemail often don't count either.
So the cheapest way to keep a number is one small billable action before the window closes — more on that in how to keep a prepaid SIM active without spending money.
Stop tracking this in your head
Different carriers, different windows, none of them forgiving. KeepSim turns each row above into a per-SIM countdown, warns you before the deadline, and lets you fire a keep-alive action in one tap. Local-first, no account.
Get KeepSim on the App StoreCommon questions
Which prepaid carrier holds your number the longest?
The longest runways come from long-validity plans — e.g. amaysim (~365 days active + 90-day passive) and ALDI Mobile (365 + 120 days) in Australia. Most US and UK prepaid lines are shorter, often 60–180 days. Confirm your own plan.
Does a regulator decide how long before my number is recycled?
Not the day-to-day window. The US FCC sets a 45-day minimum aging before reassignment; Ofcom sets none; Australia requires a 6-month quarantine; Canada ages residential landlines up to ~2 months, wireless up to ~3 months, and business landlines up to ~6 months. The window before your line is disconnected is set by your carrier.
What counts as activity to keep a prepaid number?
Generally a billable action: an outgoing call or SMS, paid mobile data, or a top-up. WhatsApp/iMessage/FaceTime run over data and usually don't count. Incoming calls and voicemail often don't either.
Last verified June 2026 against the source linked in each row. Carrier policies change frequently and depend on your exact plan, account age, and country — treat this table as a starting point, not legal advice, and confirm the current rule with your carrier before relying on it. Rows tagged CONFIRM come from secondary sources or carriers that don't publish an exact day count. KeepSim is a personal reminder tool; it does not provide telecom service or keep numbers active on your behalf.