How do I connect my phone to my service provider?

[WPCentral Question]

how do i connect my phone to my service provider

had a new phone as old one was stolen picked it up from carphone warehouse, have had my new sim today but still can't use phone its saying invalid number. can connect to the internet but

 

[TechFreak1]

Re: how do i connect my phone to my service provider

You're going to have to wait upto 24 hours before the number is ported over from your old SIM to your new SIM. Turn on aeroplane mode and then WiFi, basically not use the mobile radio at all - as if the phone is trying to authenticate it will hold up the porting.

I know this because I have moved numbers from provider to provider and the first time I put the new sim in, the porting didn't go through (waited three days). I called up my new provider and asked, they said to turn off the phone and leave it for awhile then turn it on again. Essentially stopping the phone trying to authenticate.

The easiest way is just take out the SIM and use it on WiFi for a few hours, then turn the phone off and then put the sim back in. Remember it will take upto 24 hours for the switch over.