Minimum recharge to Keep number alive (not active)

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saurabh1

I have 2 numbers which I wish to use in future like 2-3 years from now. I just want to keep these numbers active. Non receipt of any SMS/OTP is also fine.

I don't want to go with Jio as I don't have any 4G phone to keep that number connected to a network.

I have option of Airtel/Vi at my location (Mumbai).

What are the recharge options to keep that number active considering the minimum recharge + grace validity?

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Benevolent Benevolent
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Airtel and Vi don't seem to deactivate the connection even after no recharge for over a year or more. G-Gowda reported his Airtel no.(s) being alive despite 4+ years of no recharge. Vi does send messages regarding deactivation due to non-usage occasionally but also mentions Rs 20 deduction to keep the no. alive. Anyway since Vi keeps on crediting free OG for 3/7 days almost every month it's easy to keep the no. active by just making 1-2 OG calls in a month. IC SMS doesn't stop excluding some circles but it doesn't count anyway. Maintaining balance above Rs 20 is a good move. In my case IC calls stop immediately after IC expiry whether after a recharge or after the freebie expires. 

Jio is much more unpredictable but recharging with Rs 119 once every 90 days should be enough. Both IC calls and SMS could continue to work after service expiry. Reportedly as long as the SIM is inserted in a device and hence continuing to access the network Jio is more lenient. 

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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If you have any spare jiophone (or can source one), port to jio, put SIM and recharge 26 (2GB data only for 28 days) , then after expiry, recharge on 80th day to be safe (they purge after 84 days if rules are followed strictly). Can be used on other 4G phones for receiving calls+sms, only recharging needs jiophone.

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Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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Take both connections vi.. It will mostly work without recharge also... They credit 1gb/day for 7 days per. Month.... And 90% of time incoming is active..... 

In airtel incoming wil stop the day the recharge ends... No workaround... And in Mumbai circle 2g is good for vi

Benevolent Benevolent
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Airtel and Vi don't seem to deactivate the connection even after no recharge for over a year or more. G-Gowda reported his Airtel no.(s) being alive despite 4+ years of no recharge. Vi does send messages regarding deactivation due to non-usage occasionally but also mentions Rs 20 deduction to keep the no. alive. Anyway since Vi keeps on crediting free OG for 3/7 days almost every month it's easy to keep the no. active by just making 1-2 OG calls in a month. IC SMS doesn't stop excluding some circles but it doesn't count anyway. Maintaining balance above Rs 20 is a good move. In my case IC calls stop immediately after IC expiry whether after a recharge or after the freebie expires. 

Jio is much more unpredictable but recharging with Rs 119 once every 90 days should be enough. Both IC calls and SMS could continue to work after service expiry. Reportedly as long as the SIM is inserted in a device and hence continuing to access the network Jio is more lenient. 

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Thank you. Will keep this in mind.

Deal Subedar Deal Subedar
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If you have any spare jiophone (or can source one), port to jio, put SIM and recharge 26 (2GB data only for 28 days) , then after expiry, recharge on 80th day to be safe (they purge after 84 days if rules are followed strictly). Can be used on other 4G phones for receiving calls+sms, only recharging needs jiophone.

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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Bsnl. Bsnl clearly shows date of disconnection which is approx 180 days from outgoing stops. No risk of random no. disconnection. Just note the date of disconnection, recharge with eligible pack few days before that date.

Preferably with rc 201 (90 days validity, 300 minutes, 6gb, 99sms)

rc 201 (3 months) + 6 months (no recharge) => approx 200 cost in 9 months => Approx Rs. 22 per month

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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For Jio 4g sim what is the cheapest recharge to keep sim alive

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Utesydkdoyrr wrote:

Bsnl. Bsnl clearly shows date of disconnection which is approx 180 days from outgoing stops. No risk of random no. disconnection. Just note the date of disconnection, recharge with eligible pack few days before that date.

Preferably with rc 201 (90 days validity, 300 minutes, 6gb, 99sms)

rc 201 (3 months) + 6 months (no recharge) => approx 200 cost in 9 months => Approx Rs. 22 per month

No BSNL in Mumbai circle

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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saurabh1 wrote:

No BSNL in Mumbai circle

Palghar, Thane or nearby are not too far off.

By the way: 😉MTNL B9mbzy also gives 365 days incoming for https://mtnlmumbai.in/index.php/prepaid-vouchers#tariff-validity-vouchers less than ₹250 

And unless I am mistaken, the talktime/ main balance can be used for calling, data, SMS (as per need).

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melonmusk wrote:

Palekar, Thane or nearby are not too far off.

By the way: 😉MTNL B9mbzy also gives 365 days incoming for https://mtnlmumbai.in/index.php/prepaid-vouchers#tariff-validity-vouchers less than ₹250 

And unless I am mistaken, the talktime/ main balance can be used for calling, data, SMS (as per need).

Try searching for MTNL network in prominent areas. You will have to go to open space. Then too no guarantee that you'll see their network. Pathetic coverage.

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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I'm using vi and I hardly recharged even once in last 12 months but still it's active. Sometimes I get messages to recharge but I ignored. I get free 4g data now and then which is useless.

IG/OG calls will be barred but I get OTPs. 

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melonmusk wrote:

Palghar, Thane or nearby are not too far off.

By the way: 😉MTNL B9mbzy also gives 365 days incoming for https://mtnlmumbai.in/index.php/prepaid-vouchers#tariff-validity-vouchers less than ₹250 

And unless I am mistaken, the talktime/ main balance can be used for calling, data, SMS (as per need).

Although this seems to be good to keep the number active, where no incoming calls/sms are required.

SIM would be out of coverage area though.

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harshak9045 wrote:

I'm using vi and I hardly recharged even once in last 12 months but still it's active. Sometimes I get messages to recharge but I ignored. I get free 4g data now and then which is useless.

IG/OG calls will be barred but I get OTPs. 

This seems to be applicable for old Vodafone customers who haven't ported to Vodafone after a certain date.

I do get OTPs too without doing the recharge 

Deal Newbie Deal Newbie
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saurabh1 wrote:

This seems to be applicable for old Vodafone customers who haven't ported to Vodafone after a certain date.

I do get OTPs too without doing the recharge 

May be it's vi's strategy to reward the loyality...
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Utesydkdoyrr wrote:

Bsnl. Bsnl clearly shows date of disconnection which is approx 180 days from outgoing stops. No risk of random no. disconnection. Just note the date of disconnection, recharge with eligible pack few days before that date.

Preferably with rc 201 (90 days validity, 300 minutes, 6gb, 99sms)

rc 201 (3 months) + 6 months (no recharge) => approx 200 cost in 9 months => Approx Rs. 22 per month

Is this 201 plan validity not reduced in latest changes?


BSNL reduced Rs 94,107,397 validity extension plans again | DesiDime
Benevolent Benevolent
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No longer receiving SMS after IC expiry in at least 2 Vi nos(Karnataka circle). Took Vi a few months to finally plug this loophole after first sending messages to that effect. It's good that Axis sends OTP over email for Netbanking transactions. My plan to consolidate the bank registered nos. will have to be brought forward. 

Deal Cadet Deal Cadet
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LIMBO wrote:

No longer receiving SMS after IC expiry in at least 2 Vi nos(Karnataka circle). Took Vi a few months to finally plug this loophole. It's good that Axis sends OTP over email for Netbanking transactions. My plan to consolidate the bank registered nos. will have to be brought forward. 

Same here in Vi kolkata circle.OTPs are not coming after IC validity expiry🤬🤬

Benevolent Benevolent
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LIMBO wrote:

No longer receiving SMS after IC expiry in at least 2 Vi nos(Karnataka circle). Took Vi a few months to finally plug this loophole after first sending messages to that effect. It's good that Axis sends OTP over email for Netbanking transactions. My plan to consolidate the bank registered nos. will have to be brought forward. 

Ohh that's bad I even felt the same but then there were bank messages which I were receiving.

Now they are crediting free outgoing call minutes to other vi no also 😅.

Benevolent Benevolent
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Ash-D wrote:

Ohh that's bad I even felt the same but then there were bank messages which I were receiving.

Now they are crediting free outgoing call minutes to other vi no also 😅.

Yes the OG freebie is the only saving grace. I had already dropped my plan of porting one Airtel no. to Vi in favor of Jio due to minimum Rs 299 FRC. I don't know if Jio continues IC service after recharge expiry in recent connections/ported nos. or not. 

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LIMBO wrote:

No longer receiving SMS after IC expiry in at least 2 Vi nos(Karnataka circle). Took Vi a few months to finally plug this loophole after first sending messages to that effect. It's good that Axis sends OTP over email for Netbanking transactions. My plan to consolidate the bank registered nos. will have to be brought forward. 

Can you please let me know if you were able to activate the number again ? If so, what is the minimum plan to extend validity. Thanks

Benevolent Benevolent
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Random123 wrote:

Can you please let me know if you were able to activate the number again ? If so, what is the minimum plan to extend validity. Thanks

Why do you think there would be any issue in activating the no. again? Recharging once every 90 days is sufficient. Just making (short duration ) OG calls and/or data usage when Vi credits free OG for 1/2/3/7 days will keep the no. active indefinitely without any recharge. Since Vi kept on crediting 7 days OG , 3-4 times in a row I haven't needed to recharge yet. 99 is the current minimum recharge. For some nos. 79 pack acts as a standalone pack which gives 14 days validity. 


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LIMBO wrote:

Why do you think there would be any issue in activating the no. again? Recharging once every 90 days is sufficient. Just making (short duration ) OG calls and/or data usage when Vi credits free OG for 1/2/3/7 days will keep the no. active indefinitely without any recharge. Since Vi kept on crediting 7 days OG , 3-4 times in a row I haven't needed to recharge yet. 99 is the current minimum recharge. For some nos. 79 pack acts as a standalone pack which gives 14 days validity. 


Thank you for the details. Sorry I generally have postpaid and this number was getting incoming atleast till last month without recharge. So was checking the minimum amount needed for incoming and keeping it alive. There was one 79 in list but for 21 days and it was 99 for 28 days.

Benevolent Benevolent
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Random123 wrote:

Thank you for the details. Sorry I generally have postpaid and this number was getting incoming atleast till last month without recharge. So was checking the minimum amount needed for incoming and keeping it alive. There was one 79 in list but for 21 days and it was 99 for 28 days.

Yeah. It seems when the 79 pack doesn't have offer any SV it's valid point for 14 days and 21 days otherwise. 

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