Moving from one cellular network to another (called ‘porting’) needn’t be a nightmare. If you’re thinking about porting to Vodacom with your iPhone – or getting a new one – here’s what you need to do to get the most out of the switch.

Confirm costs

Before you begin the process of porting from your current cellular service provider to Vodacom, you’ll need to confirm what it will cost you to cancel or terminate your current contract early. You can either wait until your contract expires, or let your service provider know that you’d like to cancel your contract and pay the termination fee.

You’ll need to give your current service provider at least 30 days’ notice of your intention to cancel and they’ll need to let you know about any costs. Check in with your current service provider to confirm all the details you need before you port your iPhone to Vodacom. 


Has your iPhone been network locked?

Then – and this is most important with an iPhone – check if your device has been network locked or not. If you bought your mobile phone in South Africa, it’s unlikely you’ll have any issues, but if you’ve imported your iPhone from overseas or your provider has network locked it for some reason, you may run into hassles.

Port your number

You’ll need to port your number from your current service provider to Vodacom. This means you can keep the same number you’ve always had and don’t need to get a new one. Vodacom has made this process super simple. If you’re looking to port to a Vodacom contract, all you have to do is call 082 17844 (free from a Vodacom number), where a customer service agent will help you switch networks. 


Switch to Vodacom Prepaid

If you’d like to switch to a Vodacom PrePaid account, simply purchase a RICA-registered Vodacom SIM card. Then, using your existing cellphone number and SIM card in your iPhone, simply SMS the phrase ‘portme’, followed by your new SIM number, to 082 767 8287. For example, the SMS will read ‘portme 082 123 4567’. 


Dial 100

Once that’s done, you’ll receive two SMSs. One SMS will confirm that your device will be porting to Vodacom, and the second SMS will confirm the date on which your device will port. All you need to do is dial 100 one day after your port date and your iPhone will be activated on the Vodacom network.


Remember to back up

Before your port date, it’s important that you back up the contents of your iPhone to iCloud or synchronise it with your computer. This will ensure that your treasured photos, important contacts and other files are safely backed up in case of any issues that could arise during the porting process. 

It’s important to back up your phone’s information on a regular basis, so make this a task you do once a week or once a month, whether you’re porting your iPhone to a new network or not. 

Get great deals

Porting cellular networks is an exciting time as it means you can take advantage of great specials. If you’d like to keep your current iPhone, we’re happy to have you. But if you’ve spied a sweet deal on the iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c for example, let a Vodacom customer service agent help you find the phone and contract that’s perfect for you. 

Vodacom will assess your current contract needs with you, figure out what you need in terms of data, voice and SMS packages, and help put that shiny new iPhone into your hands.