Are you looking for information on how to do a Cell C Sim swap or replacement? If yes, then you have come to the right place. Cell C is the third largest mobile communications company in South Africa. It trails behind Vodacom and MTN. If you are one of their customer, there are instances where you could find yourself having to do a CellC SIM swap. The following is how to replace your Celll C SIM;
SIM Swap Cell C Procedure
The following is how to do a Cell C SIM swap;
- First, you need to buy a Cell C Starter pack.
- Do not RICA the SIM. Registration is not necessary when doing a CellC SIM swap.
- The easiest thing to do is to go to your nearest Cell C store to request for a SIM swap. Presumably, you will have bought a starter pack from a CellC store. So, you can just get everything done there.
- Another option is to call 084135. Request for a SIM swap from the agent that answers you.
- You can also call 135. Choose option 9. This allows you to talk to a Cell C agent.
Why would you need to swap your CellC SIM?
There are various instances where you may find yourself having to do a Cell C Sim replacement. In most instances, people replace their SIMs after losing their phones. Perhaps you have fallen victim to South African criminals who are renowned for their phone stealing prowess. Or many you just lost your phone in a completely innocent way.
A SIM swap that occurs due to loss is more or less a replacement. You are replacing the lost Cell C Sim with a new one. The whole idea is to keep your number even after such a loss. Your number will now be put onto the new SIM. In that case, losing your phone is not a calamity. Well, it is, but you can still keep your number.
There are also instances where you may find yourself having to replace your CellC SIM because your SIM is old and does not have the services that are available on newer SIM cards. As an example, you may have a SIM that does not have LTE. If that is the case, then you will need a SIM swap from Cell C if you have bought an LTE phone.
How long does it take for the new SIM to become activated?
That’s the cell c sim swap procedure. But how long do you need to wait before you can start using your new SIM? Well, it takes at least 2 hours for the new swapped Cell C SIM to become active. So, you need to wait that long before putting it into your phone. Or if you are replacing a SIM that’s still active, wait till the old SIM becomes inactive. Then replace it with the new one.
Hope this article has been useful to you. Meanwhile, you may be interested in learning how to port from Cell C to Telkom in South Africa. You may also wish to read our article on how to transfer airtime on Cell C. Please leave a comment below if you have anything to say.
But why you don’t want to help me. I use my cell c Sim for more than 5 years and have got important stuff on it. So is this a problem to lost or stolen your phone. Am not not happy with cell c anymore
Hey Sitabile. Sorry to hear about your issue. We have forwarded your message to Cell C. Maybe they will get back to you via email. Hopefully, they will resolve the issue. Meanwhile, you can try sending them a message on Twitter; https://twitter.com/CellC or on https://www.facebook.com/CellC.SouthAfrica/. They respond faster on these platforms
Hey Sitabile. Cell C has responded saying they can only help if they have further details. Here is their response; “Hi,
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. Unfortunately we wont be able to assist without the number in question or ID number. It sounds like she needed a SIM swap and was not assisted. This could probably be as a result of failing the security check or not having the number registered under their details. As per the SIM swap policy, the process can only be done if the SIM card was registered under your names and ID number.” I advise that you reach out to Cell C directly either via Twitter or by walking into your nearest Cell C shop. You need to be the one the SIM is registered to, however. If it’s not you, then get the original owner of the SIM to do it for you.
What do I do in a case where there is no Cell C store nearby and I urgently need to perform a sim swap
Buy a SIM and Rica it. That can be done without visiting a Cell C store. Next, call 13 and choose option 9 to talk to an agent. Tell them you want to do a SIM swap. Make sure you have written down a list of your frequently called numbers. This is where most people fail. They cant remember their most frequent contacts and Cell C refuses to do the swap.
You no longer ask about the numbers, you asking us stupid questions of how many times did we recharge, how many times did we buy once off data and how many emergency airtime did we take in the last 30 days, how can we remember those things? I’ve been trying to do sim swap but j can’t be helped because I don’t know answer’s to those questions. How can you ask us such stupid questions
What if cellc store isn’t available in my home town??so i wont get sim swap
Call 084135 and talk to a Cell C agent. When calling from another Cell C SIM, simply dial 135
What if details was my ex. He not going to do it. What now? Need to keep my number. We were engaged when he bought it. No longer see or speak
In this case you will need to approach Cell C but there is probably nothing that you can do to keep the number
Hi I lost my phone 2 months ago with my very important number so itry to make a sim swap 2 weeks ago but nothing happens I need this number
You better visit your nearby Cell C store
Cell c doesn’t help they customers i lost my sim card tried to do it but thy keep On saying i have failed to answer the question i also visted they office thy wanted 5 numbers gave them but they said they were wrong. Im reli disappointed with cell c service i need my number i have got important things to do but now i cant what must i do
It’s a big problem with Cell C. Just check out the number of questions on this article. Most of them are complaining about the issue.
Where I stay there is no cell c store
Call 084135 and talk to a Cell C agent. When calling from another Cell C SIM, simply dial 135
Me too we didn’t lost our phones intentionally but their asking questions as if we wanted to loose it.s some of us applied for jobs
Lost my cell c sim 3 months ago went yesterday at greenacres paid r30 for a simswap they said after 2hrs I will be able to use it but still now the sim reads invalid I
I visited Westgate Cell C shop today after my sim card stopped working, I didn’t get help because I couldn’t remember the last 5 numbers. How can I be assisted please, I need that same number as it is linked to so many important accounts.
I once called customer care they said my sim is damaged.
Hmmmm. Didn’t you ever use the SIM to call other people who can give you it’s number? Anyway, let us forward the query to Cell C
Hi. my phone was taken by the traffic department over 2 months already and when i call the call center, its even more frustrating as i cant seem to pass the security check due to the fact i cant remember some of the info. this is extremely frustrating because i need my old number that i had over 5 years. can you help.
old cell number 0842702584
Hi. We reached out to Cell C and the send the following reply; “Please advise the customer to email us the query on the address sm@cellc.co.za.”
My Cell C SIM card lost network about e weeks ago. I had been using this card since octor 2016.The number had my important information and contact. I contacted the customer service to assist but the response was not satisfactory. Now I have completely lost all my important contacts
Hi. Please try them on Twitter; https://twitter.com/CellC. They are usually very responsive there. We have been hearing stories similar to yours. The issue appears to be that people were using SIMs not registered in their names, or the registration details are different, or some have forgotten their numbers etc. Anyway, reach out to them and you will hopefully be helped.
I’m experiencing the same problem, I just woke up with a “no service” and the sim swap team is not helping at all this is frustrating, it’s their fault for upgrading systems that don’t support our simcards or lose our data now we have to suffer for their faults? It ain’t fair we’ve been loyal cell c customers for years and this is how you repay us? No wonder why people switch to mtn and telkom it’s because of this, I’ve never heard anyone say they passed the security check even with correct answers I’m even beginning to think it’s just a scam so that we get new simcards , just tell people to go upgrade their simcards not waste our time with some security check that doesn’t exist it’s really pissing off .
Hey guy I’ve lost my Cell C number for years now and i still wanna get back using the same number, I can’t access some of my personal online stuff so is it possible for me get the same number again? I’ve tried calling it. Still on voicemail
Please help Thank you
Hi. Please reach out to CellC on Twitter; https://twitter.com/CellC. They are very responsive there.
Please help i lost my simcard i try to call they say idont answer the questions right so they i must go to cell c store in my town we dont havw cell store how can i do?
Hellow can you please help me i lost my simcard when i call they ask me questions and they say i failed to answer those question they wont able to assist me they say i must visit the cell c store and at my town we dont have cell c store how can i do please help because that simcard have my documents im worried
Hi Sikelelwa. Sorry to hear about your issue. It’s a typical issue affecting Cell C customers as you can see from the comments section on this very article. The problem is they really need to verify that you are the owner of the particular SIM or number you are claiming. Otherwise they could end up giving away numbers to people with bad intents which can be bad considering that our phones now act as our banks, among other important stuff. So, for now, try to find your way to the nearest Cell C shop. That’s probably the only solution.
Good evening
I my phone was stolen two days ago. I tried the Sim swap. They say I failed the questions.i went as far as cell c outlet the on in Trade Route Mall, an Indian guy said he can’t help me. I told him I have my id and affidavit from police station. He refused to help me. Worse part he did not allow me in the shop. I felt very bad. If you guys don’t wake up, you will lose customers. Come give years you will be bankrupt. If I may ask. What is the purpose of affidavit? And how can a person go as far as the shop if s/he is a fraudster? Cell c you are really frustrating us.
Hey. Sorry for your frustration. As you can see in the comments section, you are not the only one. For some reason, it’s very difficult to swap a cell c SIm because most people are failing the security questions. Anyway, you can reach out to Cell C directly on Twitter.
hello admin, please help us.do excecly as mtn.you know what they do? if you call them they have other alternative,they give a customer,an email number and tell the customer to go to shops to buy a new simcad then after that the customer suppose to go to polistation to get an affidavid that explain everything about what you need.please do that you know what you need to do,otherwise you are going to lose the customers
Thanks fo reaching out. We have forwarded your suggestion to Cell C. This is a big issue, based on what we have been getting from people. People are asked to remember their frequent called numbers, which is not as easy as it sounds. The result is that many people are not able to swap their SIM cards. Hopefully, Cell C will come up with a solution.
But even if you go to the Cell C shop with an ID and proof of residence you still going to ask the questions, which do not make sense if the ID is produced for verification.
I went to Cell C Shop Festival Mall Kempton Park for sim swap with my ID and proof of residence and was asked these questions but came out the shop with nothing.
But there should be a better way of asking questions like confirming our id number ;adres because that’s what they want when you buy SIM card
Very true. Many people are simply giving up, particularly with Cell C
My 4n was stolen a month ago.i reached cell C to assist in Sim swap as I was using that nmber as our business what’s app number.the Sim card was bought from the airtym agents which clearly means it was not registered under my name.they asked for 5last numbers that called but honestly I can’t rember the numbers it was a busnes what’s app number that completely means it gets high volume of calls.i tried explaining all that yet to no avail.the agent I spoke to on that call was very RUDE in responses. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE GIVEN TO US BY CELL C ☹️☹️ we have been using other cell c numbers for over 4yrs but on that bsnes nmber it’s over a year but still they don’t even care to assist
Yes, that’s a huge problem. We have been getting a lot of stories about people not able to recover their numbers after their Cell C phones were stolen. In this case, it’s probably too late to recover the number. You have to also look at it from their point; they cant just hand over numbers to people without foolproof evidence, ie proof of registration or something else. Otherwise they could end up giving away numbers to criminals. I don’t know how this issue can be resolved honestly. We will forward your message to cell c
So what is the use of asking for the ID and proof of residence then?
What is the purpose of serving our proof of our address and Id number when we Rica our SIM cards
So when a phone is used to steal, the police can track you
Is there a time frame within which a sim swap should be done? My number stopped working about a year ago…is it possible to still do a swap?
Hi. We reached out to Cell C and here is there answer; “Please ask them to DM us the Cell C number in question so we can check if it is still available.
Numbers are recycled if not used for more that 120 days.” Anyway, you can contact Cell C on Twitter here. They are very responsive on the platform.
IM NOT HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT I CANT GO BACK TO MY OLD NUMBER BECAUSE I FAILED TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ASKED BY THHE AGENT….THIS IS SAD REALLY I MEAN IVE JUST LOST MY PHONE AND NOW CELLC IS ALSO STRESSING ME
This is a very common issue with Cell C. You only have to check the comments section here to understand what we are saying. The problem appears to be that there were come gaps in registration of numbers. Some people use lines registered in other people’s names, hence the issue. Cell C refuses to hand over a SIM till a person has answered their questions satisfactorily. You may want to go to your nearest Cell C shop. Maybe they will be able to help you.
DISAPPOINTED FRUSTRATED BY THE WAY CELL C MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THEIR CLIENTS
Yes, it’s a major issue. It appears it’s very difficult to recover a cell c SIM. Try reaching out to them here https://twitter.com/CellC. Maybe they will help you.
I phoned the Cell C number , and failed the security test. I went to the nearest Cell C store and gave the last 5 numbers I remember I phoned in the last month, because thats what they wanted. And they said a few is wrong , and they didn’t tell me which ones were correct, so that I can try other numbers.
Then I showed them my bank account information that has my ID number and cell number, they said that is not enough proof. Then I told them I have a university data bundle that is active on that number. I even logged into my University portal in front of the consultant , to show them that the number is under my name. That wasn’t enough, and they told me to come again in 24 hours to try again with different numbers.
This is so unfair. And I really need this number.
Yeah, it’s a difficult situation that hundreds of people are finding themselves having to deal with on a daily basis. Honestly, if you ask me what numbers I recently called, I probably will have difficulty remembering. In your case, I think you had provided sufficient proof. Unfortunately, Cell C people appear to be working under strict orders not to approve SIM replacements till the set conditions have all be fulfilled. So, that’s a challenge but we have notified Cell C of your plight.
Hi,itriedto do swim swap some months ago and i called the customer line and they told me to go to police and proof of residence how is that concernd with swiping my simcard? Iwas really disappointed with this un tremendous response.thanks
Hi. Cell C really has an issue with this. It appears they are ultra careful when it comes to SIM replacements. It appears a lot of people on the network do not quite have the right registration credentials. As as result, when they lose their SIMs, it becomes an issue because people are unable to prove beyond doubt that they are the real owners of the SIM in question. At least they told you what you are supposed to do. Many people are just left hanging.
Hi .my problem is I managed to do sim swap and it’s been 12 hours yet my new sim not yet activated…. there’s bars if network yes but but I can not be process anything…so how much longer should I wait
Hi. They say you need to wait 24 hours before the new SIM is activated. If you are still having issues after that; reach out to Cell C here.
I have lost my phone last week friday the date was 18 of September 2021, I would like to do a sim swap to restore my old number and I only remember 3 of the numbers that Ihave called on that day, what must i do?
Hi. Could you please chat with Cell C directly on Twitter.
I would like to do sim swap but l dont have variety information
Hi. If you cannot remember the needed information, you are probably out of luck. It appears most Cell C users use SIMs registered in other people’s names and it’s a problem when it comes to doing a SIM swap.
I am not happy with the service I got today at Chatsworth Centre in a Cell C shop I’ve been there for almost 5 days requesting a Sim swap. For 4 days I’ve been told the system is offline when I finally got to speak to someone I was told it won’t be done I’ve used this number for over 6 years everything is linked to it from my school details bursaries and work. I’m not happy at all with the service I got today.
Hi sir /mam
I’m chipo l damage my line so l was trying to cut it, so l need to do Sim swap l was using this line since 2014 my baking details funeral policy everything bl use this line , please can you assist me . I call you l didn’t manage to answer your questions ,and here to my area there’s no cell c shop
Hesi Chipo. Dambudziko rako rinoita kunge rine vanhu vakawanda. Mibvunzo iri kubvunzwa ne Cell C inenge isina mhinduro. But now that wakuziva zvichabvunzwa, chimbogara pasi uwane mhinduro dzacho. Then wozoedza zvakare by reaching out to Cell C. Otherwise hapana hapana. Ivo vanoti they need to protect their other clients. Imagine if the wrong people could SIM swap? It would mean munhu anongootora line reumwe.
I have been using my cellc number 0616897824 for more than 5 years but you have alot of questions to fix it back & I really need it bcz with the same number I’m still using all my interest & I really need it back…I lost it 7month ago & coast me alot of money to simswap it but still not working… please assist me I need this sim card
Please reach out to Cell C directly; https://twitter.com/CellC
Hey there hope everything is going well.
I just wanted to know how did you get your number back after 7 months being lost. I also lost my phone number 6 months back. Now I really need it because I registered the same number for second step verification on my Gmail account. Please help me if you can?
I lost my number ‘sim’ over 6 months now so if I dnt remember the last 5 number I called means I cnt get back my number even if it’s under my I’D?
Hi. This is a fairly common problem. For a definitive answer, please reach out to Cell C. But it appears as if if you don’t have a way of verifying usage of your number, you are out of luck.
Good day
Please help with simswap ,do i need airtime to do a simswap from another number or can i insert the cellc sim on my phone and do the simswap from there.
You don’t need airtime as far as we know. But you can talk to Cell C on Twitter for further clarification.
It heppans to me currently I use the number for business I have clients I can not afford to lose which I think some iv lost already please can I get help
If at first you don’t succeed, you may wish to try at a different place. That’s one trick used by some people.
I did a sim swap more than six months ago and I had my ID with when I bought the new sim card. Now the sim card got lost. If I go to the Cell C Store with my ID again, would I be able to do a sim swap even if it has been more than 3 months since the sim card got lost ?
You can try that. They will probably ask you a bunch of questions, such as the numbers you used to call on the SIM. Cell C gives people 3 months after which unused SIMs may be cancelled. So, you need to hurry to stop your number from being reallocated.
Good morning, can I make a sim swap on CellC by a registered SIM card?
No you need a new SIM. Once you have bought that, it needs to be Ricaed. Then you can swap.
Hi i have lost my phone and when i tried doing simswap, they say i faile 2 quetion and passed three. Told them the number is linked to my bank account, nsfas, Gmail, and university. The agent said i neex to passed all. And i could not give 3 numbers i recently called because i dont know other people’s name and my phone is lost.
I want to know if i go to cellc outlet with proof that my number is linked to these things will i be able to do simswap. Worse part i bought that simcard long time ago from the airtime person.
Yes, Cell C has been giving issues relating to this. By any means go to a Cell C outlet and they should be able to help you.
Hi I’m not happy with cell C, went to the branch and they can not assist me with the Sim swap due to I I not recall 5 last dialed numbers only one is showing
What was the reason of registered the numbers if they can not assist in this case?
So strange that I bought bought contract cellphone 7 years back if I’m not mistaken from cell c with this number where they fail to help now.
Hi I have been trying to do sim swap with cell c but have been failing the security check questions ..my simcard was registered in my name.please help
Yah, Cell C has issues in this regard. Reach out to them directly.