How to restore an MTS SIM card (number) via the Internet if you haven’t used it for a long time or lost it

How to restore an MTS SIM card - a similar question worries every subscriber who is faced with a SIM card malfunction. After all, purchasing a new number promises a lot of difficulties, including replacing the phone book and communicating updated contacts to friends. But restoration has its own advantages, the most important of which is maintaining the selected tariff plan and returning the funds available on the SIM card balance.

But not all people know that a lost number can be returned, and the features of the mentioned process are known only to a limited circle of subscribers who have already had to deal with the loss and return of a SIM card. But in reality, nothing complicated awaits users, since the operator, without any unnecessary hassle, returns to customers the right to use its services under the old conditions.

How to restore an MTS SIM card?

The first thing to note is that restoring an MTS SIM card is required in two situations:

if the old SIM card is damaged or destroyed;
if lost.

In the second case, blocking is required, since this will prevent the use of funds remaining on the balance by criminals or simply those who like to take advantage of other people’s money. To do this, just call the contact center and inform the consultants about the trouble that has arisen. The operators will do the rest themselves.

To receive a new card to replace a blocked number you will need:

Visit the nearest communication store.
Inform the manager working there about your desire to get a replacement.
Present your passport to identify yourself and confirm ownership of the old card.
Wait a few minutes.

The replacement received will fully match the lost one, including account balance, tariff plan and active options and add-ons.

What is needed to restore the card?

You can receive a duplicate SIM card only if you successfully complete the identification procedure, during which the identity of the owner of the lost card is established. Subscribers who have lost their phone must block the SIM card to prevent third parties from wasting funds on their account balance.

Blocking can be done in several ways:

Via USSD command. By calling 0890, the subscriber can leave a request to block a lost SIM card, provided that the phone number is provided; By calling a mobile operator. You can pause SIM card service using your phone by dialing *111*157# and pressing the call button. After this, the subscriber will have access to a menu with which it will be possible to activate or deactivate the required service.

To get a copy of the old card with the same number and the current tariff, you should contact the MTS center.

How to restore your MTS number if you haven’t used it for a long time?

Another question that cannot be answered in a way that is pleasant for subscribers is how to restore an MTS phone number if the client has not used a SIM card for a long time. The answer depends on the time during which the card was inactive. If the period without taking active actions is too long, recovery is impossible.

The difficulty is due to the fact that unused cards are deactivated over time, and the number again goes on sale. The only way to get it back would require:

Purchasing a new SIM card.
Independently select the previous combination, if available.

There are no other ways to solve such difficulties, so subscribers should think about returning their old phone in a timely manner.

The difficulty is due to the fact that unused cards are deactivated over time, and the number again goes on sale. The only way to get it back would require:

Purchasing a new SIM card.
Independently select the previous combination, if available.

There are no other ways to solve such difficulties, so subscribers should think about returning their old phone in a timely manner.

What to do if the number is blocked after a long period of inactivity?

If you haven't used the SIM card for a long time, it will stop working. This is explained by the fact that the operator deregisters inactive numbers in order to transfer them to other buyers of starter packages; old databases are not stored.

In order for the card to remain active, it must be topped up at least occasionally. If no funds are received into the account within 6 months, it is blocked. To find out when this time comes, you can look at the data on the last replenishment. The balance and expiration date are written there. if you miss this date, the subscriber will have another 3 months left to contact the operator and activate it again. Otherwise, it will not be subject to restoration and will be transferred to another person upon sale.

How to restore an MTS SIM card via the Internet?

To restore online you will need:

Log in to your personal account.
Open the section dedicated to card delivery.
Fill out the form provided.
Wait.

Courier delivery is carried out to almost all cities. Delivery time ranges from 1 to 9 days. The cost is set at 400 rubles, which will be debited from the SIM card balance.

If you have any difficulties or doubts, you should call the hotline and get advice from the contact center staff or simply follow their instructions.

Recovery methods

To obtain a duplicate with the same number, you will need the help of MTS specialists. You can contact them in two ways.

Restoring a card in an MTS salon

The first is to come to any operator’s office with such a request. The main thing is to have your ID with you. You need to fill out an application for a duplicate with the number of the lost SIM card. Next, the subscriber is given a copy, which he can use immediately.

When you insert a SIM card into the phone, it is reactivated. The balance and all services that were connected to the number before blocking are restored.

If the owner cannot visit the operator’s office himself, he can send a representative with a notarized power of attorney.

After the SIM card is restored, there are restrictions on payments through MTS Money and the SMS service does not work for 24 hours.

Application via the Internet

If it is not possible to visit the salon, you can send a request on the MTS website:

On the main page, select the “Help” tab in the main menu.
On the left, in the “Mobile communications” section, click on the “Actions with SIM card” item.
Next – “Get a SIM card”.

Here you can order a SIM card and choose how to receive it. The first is delivery within the city. To do this, you need to fill out the order form or call 8-800-250-0890 and contact the operator.

For some cities and regions, courier delivery is not available, so they need to contact the MTS salon themselves. Residents of remote regions of the Russian Federation can use delivery through Russian Post. You need to make a request by calling customer support. The specialist will require you to provide your phone number, full name, passport details, as well as the address where the letter will be delivered.

Reasons for recovery

Let's agree that restoring and replacing SIM means absolutely identical actions. So, why is it necessary to change your SIM card?

Loss of the phone, or loss of the chip itself;
Replacement with a new smartphone model that does not support the old-style chip
Do you want to update your USIM to a more spacious one, up to 1000 contacts (the card can store information in its memory, this is a very convenient scheme for backing up your data);
There is a need for technology that can work in difficult weather conditions. It will not be free; you will have to pay a one-time fee. Price varies by region;
A private version of the first point: you forgot your phone at home, but at work you really need a mobile gadget;
The microcircuit has failed.

Types of SIM cards

Sim cards vary in size and are divided into the following types:

Mini-SIM (25x15 mm) is a classic SIM card format that has been used since the advent of mobile phones. If the phone was released earlier than 2012, then its slot is adapted specifically for this SIM card size. They are almost never used in modern smartphones, as they take up a lot of space inside the case. Most often they can be found in old models or regular push-button phones.
Micro-SIM (15x12 mm) was first used in the iPhone 4. Following this, Nokia and Samsung also began to produce devices with slots for this SIM card format.
Nano-SIM (12×5 mm) – the smallest type of SIM card is now the most popular. They are installed in new smartphone models from most manufacturers. In size it practically corresponds to the electronic chip of a SIM card, only the plastic base extends slightly beyond the boundaries of the microcircuit, framing it.

After purchasing a new phone or tablet, it may turn out that the old SIM card does not fit into the slot installed in the device. In this case, it can be exchanged for an option with the same number and suitable size.

Trimming a SIM card: pros and cons

In communication shops they can cut the SIM card to the required size, but this service is paid. Consultants cut the SIM card using a special device - a SIM cutter. It looks like a stapler with holes to create micro and apply.

Trimming is always associated with risk - if you make a mistake with the location of the SIM card in the tool, you can damage the chip. In this case, it will no longer work.

In order not to overpay, you can cut the card yourself - with sharp scissors. It’s good if there is another SIM card of a suitable size - it should be used as a template:

Take the SIM card for cutting with the chip facing up.
Place the template on top so that the chip is completely covered.
Press firmly.
Using scissors, cut the plastic along the contour of the template.

When cutting yourself, it is very easy to accidentally snag a chip with scissors. Then the SIM card will fail and you will need to get a replacement from the operator’s office. It is especially difficult to cut it yourself, because the plastic base is cut very close to the chip.

Pros of self-pruning:

There is no need to go to a communication salon and waste your time.
No need to pay money for the service.

Minuses:

You must have a template of the appropriate size. You can try without it, but there is a high probability of making a mistake with the size and contours.
There is a danger of damaging the chip - then the SIM card will stop working. In this case, the only way out is to contact the operator’s office with a passport and write an application to receive a duplicate of your card.

It happens that the subscriber, on the contrary, needs to increase the size of the SIM card. To turn the application into regular or micro, adapters are used. They can be bought in communication stores or ordered from Chinese online stores. This is a plastic plate that follows the dimensions and contours of a SIM card. For a smaller SIM card, a hole is made in which it is tightly fixed. So you can turn a nano or micro into a regular large SIM.

All modern SIM cards are available in three formats. In the plastic base they are inserted into each other as they become smaller. The subscriber can break out a SIM card of the required size himself. There is no need to throw away the base - the sim can always be inserted in its original place and made into a larger format. It can serve as the same adapter.

Replacing a SIM card or cutting it in an MTS communication store is available only to official owners. If the SIM card is registered to another person, then the company’s employees will not be able to help, as this is illegal. In this case, you can try to cut the card yourself, but if this leads to damage, you will no longer be able to restore your number - you will have to purchase a new SIM in your name.

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Author

Vyacheslav

For several years he worked in mobile phone stores of two large operators. I understand tariffs well and see all the pitfalls. I love gadgets, especially Android ones.

Replacement while maintaining number

When changing an old SIM card, many users of the MTS television system do not want to lose their current phone number. And this is understandable, because after changing the mobile number, you will have to restore the phone book contacts again. What can we say about corporate clients, for whom replacing a work phone is generally extremely undesirable.

Replacing an MTS SIM card with a nano SIM while maintaining the number after losing or blocking the SIM card is possible only in specialized centers of the telecom operator - employees will reconnect the number to another card.

Nano sim is the same SIM card as the previously developed micro-sd. It differs from the usual form of a SIM card in its smaller size, but phone developers claim that this format meets the new security parameters for storing personal data. Smartphone manufacturers are gradually converting gadgets to this form of SIM cards; operators, in turn, offer subscribers an exchange of cards from the old format to the new one.

MTS subscribers can change their SIM card to a nano SIM both in communication stores and in hardware stores and service centers.

When contacting the mobile communication center, be sure to take your identity document with you. Our specialists will be happy to help you make an exchange absolutely free of charge, including keeping your number.
You can contact service centers and equipment stores. Often, they exchange cards simply by cutting off the old one. But a relatively small number of stores have a special device for cutting SIM cards, and there is no guarantee that after this procedure the data on the card will not be damaged. When purchasing a new gadget, a SIM card from an old phone is usually adjusted to the new size for free; in other cases, a separate payment will be required. Be sure to check the functionality of the updated SIM card without leaving the place where it was cut to make sure that the data on it is not damaged.
You can trim the card yourself; there are many instructions on the Internet for changing the size of SIM cards. If you and your loved ones are often faced with changing numbers or purchasing new smartphones, buy a special device for cutting cards. However, please note that if the SIM card is damaged, you will not be able to replace it for free - you will have to buy a new starter pack.

Read about operators: How to restore a SIM card (number) Tele2

Conditions for changing the owner of an MTS number

If the true owner of the number cannot come with you, you need him to issue a power of attorney for the right to re-register the number. The power of attorney must be notarized. Neither copies of the owner’s passport nor the original, even if you have it in your hands, will do. Handwritten powers of attorney are also not accepted.

Another necessary condition: there should be no debt on the number. Be sure to pay them off before heading to the office.

After changing the owner of the number, the balance, tariff and connected services on the SIM card will remain the same.

paid: its cost depends on the region of your residence. In Moscow and the Moscow region they will charge you 340 rubles, while, for example, in the Rostov region - only 50. By the way, the fee is taken from the new owner.

Restoration prices

Many people are interested in the question, how much does it cost to restore an MTS SIM card? The operator returns the old number free of charge. If you need a new identification module, you will have to go to the company office. Customers who have ordered courier delivery will still have to pay. The cost of transporting goods is 90-200 rubles. It all depends on the distance. To clarify prices, contact the call center.

Clients have the right to change the SIM card if it is lost or blocked. You just need to choose the appropriate method. If necessary, order delivery to your door, but then you will have to pay. The only thing worth remembering is that you have 3 months to restore your phone number. If after the specified period the client does not contact the operator, the SIM will be put up for sale.