Help Center

Activation & Getting Started

How do I activate my SIM card?

Updated 2 years ago

To activate your SIM card, click this link to login to your account on the Customer Portal.

Once you have logged in to your account, select activate SIM from the services section.

It can take anywhere from 1 hour to 24-48 business hours for your SIM Card to Activate so we always recommend you keep using your old SIM Card in the meantime.

You'll notice that the old SIM card will stop working within this time frame. When your old SIM card stops working just place your Southern Phone SIM Card in the phone and you should be ready to go! 

If your SIM Card isn't working, start by removing it from your phone for 10 minutes and turn the phone off, re-insert it after 10 minutes and turn the phone back on.

This process is called a reboot and should bring your new SIM to life.

How do I know what size SIM Card my Handset takes?

Updated 3 years ago

Below you will find a picture detailing the different SIM Card sizes and a list of common handsets and which SIM Card sizes they take. All of our SIM Cards are triple punched meaning they are convertible to Standard, Micro and Nano SIM Cards.

Sim cards

How do I insert or remove my SIM card?

Updated 3 years ago

What is the mobile number pre-porting verification process?

Updated 3 years ago

What is Mobile Number Pre-Porting Additional Identity Verification? 

Prior to initiating the port of a mobile service number, Southern Phone must confirm that the person requesting the port is the rights of use holder of the mobile number to be ported.

 

Why do we perform Pre-Porting Additional Identity Verification? 

In line with the new Telecommunications (Mobile Number Pre-porting Additional Identity Verification) Industry Standard 2020 that came into effect on 30 April 2020, we have introduced an additional step to verify the identity of the person requesting the mobile porting.

This additional step protects consumers like you from unauthorized ports and the high level of harm that can result from mobile porting fraud.

What do we do for Pre-Porting Additional Identity Verification?

Whether you request to move your mobile number to Southern Phone online (via our website) or via our call center, our agents will confirm will confirm that you have immediate access to the mobile device associated with the mobile number you wish to port. We will then send you a 6-digit verification code via SMS so we can verify that you, as the owner of the service are authorising the transfer.

Simply, quote the code you’ve been sent and we’ll begin the porting process. Please note this code expires after 3 mins.

What do I do if I believe my mobile number has been fraudulently ported?

If you suspect that your mobile number has been fraudulently ported, we recommend that you immediately contact the following:

  1. Australian Federal Police or your relevant State or Territory Police,
  2. Government services that may assist you in this regard - www.scamwatch.gov.au/ or www.idcare.org
  3. Your financial institution
  4. Southern Phone Company - link to website page 'contact us' details

How long will it take to activate my SIM Card?

Updated 3 years ago

It can take anywhere between 1 hour to 24-48 business hours for your SIM Card to activate so we always recommend you keep using your old SIM Card in the meantime.

You'll notice that the old SIM card will stop working within the above time frame, when this happens, just place our SIM Card in your phone and you should be ready to go! 

If this time frame has surpassed and your SIM Card isn't working, start with removing it from your phone for 10 minutes and turn the phone off, re-insert it after 10 minutes and turn the phone back on.

This process is called a reboot and should bring your new SIM to life, if you're having no luck, please contact us.

How long will it take to receive my SIM Card?

Updated 3 years ago

Once you have ordered your SIM Card, it is posted within 48 business hours via standard mail.

You should receive it within 5 - 10 business days.

How do I turn my mobile data on/off?

Updated 3 years ago

Mobile data is automatically enabled on each mobile service upon SIM activation. If you would like Mobile Data turned off, just let us know and we will arrange this for you. You can also turn Mobile Data on/off on your handset.

Below is a quick guide to turning data On, however we recommend you refer to your mobile manual for assistance on how to do this. 

 

How to turn Data On on iPhone

  1. Open the Settings app. You can find this on your Home screen. The icon looks like a cog/gear.
  2. Tap the "Mobile" option. This should be located towards the top of the menu.
    Note: Older versions of iPhone may have a "Cellular" option instead.
  3. Tap the "Mobile data" slider. This will toggle your mobile data ON. On older versions of iPhone, tap the "Cellular Data" slider.
  4. Check that you have a data connection. Next to your reception bars, you may be able to see either "3G" or "4G". Note that not all devices display this when you have a data connection, so the best way to test is to open your web browser and try to visit a website.

 

How to turn Data On on Android

  1. Open the Settings app. You can find this in your App Drawer or on your Home screen. The icon looks like a cog/gear.
  2. Tap the "Data usage" option. This should be located towards the top of the menu.
    Note: Older versions of Android may have a "Mobile Networks" option instead.
  3. Tap the "Mobile data" slider. This will toggle your mobile data ON. On older versions of Android, check the "Data enabled" box.
  4. Check that you have a data connection. Next to your reception bars, you may be able to see either "3G" or "4G". Note that not all devices display this when you have a data connection, so the best way to test is to open your web browser and try to visit a website.

What if the transfer of my mobile number from my previous provider to Southern Phone was unsuccessful?

Updated 3 years ago

There could be a number of causes for an unsuccessful transfer of your mobile number, here are a few:

Incorrect Date Of Birth For A Pre-Paid Service:

The Date of Birth you have given us may not match the Date of Birth held by your previous provider for the mobile number you are trying to transfer. In this case, you will need to provide us with the Date of Birth held by your previous provider. If your mobile number was not Pre-Paid than we need to use an Account Number, you can normally locate this on the front page of your latest bill. 

Incorrect Account Number For A Post-Paid Service:

If the Account Number you have provided us does not match your Mobile Phone Number held with your previous provider, this will result in the transfer process failing. In this case, we would need you to confirm your Account Number with your previous provider before trying the transfer again. 

Un-Allocated Mobile Number:

If the mobile number that you are transferring does not exist, has been disconnected or is suspended, the transfer will fail. Sometimes, pre-paid numbers can be disconnected when they have not been recharged for a certain period of time. In this case, we can provide you with a brand new mobile number, woohoo!