Giffgaff to CTExcel: UK Number Porting and China Activation Guide

Moving an existing Giffgaff UK number to CTExcel has to be done in the right order: obtain the PAC, order and activate the CTExcel physical SIM, then submit the old number and PAC from the CTExcel account. Do not cancel or discard the Giffgaff SIM before the new card is working.

The China activation sequence below records a real test on an iPhone running iOS 16.7.16. The phone found the CTExcel network in about one minute in that test, but this is not a promised activation time. The method does not apply to iOS 26, and no other software version should be assumed to be verified.

Who this guide is for

Use this workflow if you:

• have a working Giffgaff UK number that can still send and receive texts;
• want to retain that number when moving to CTExcel;
• are ordering a CTExcel UK physical SIM;
• will receive and activate the card in mainland China; and
• have a second phone and a working UK SIM available.

If you want to close the old service without keeping its number, you need to understand STAC rather than PAC. This guide does not cover selecting a new number or activating an eSIM.

What to prepare

• Phone A for the CTExcel SIM: the tested device was an iPhone on iOS 16.7.16
• Phone B with Giffgaff or another working UK SIM to provide a hotspot
• The new CTExcel physical SIM
• Access to both Giffgaff and CTExcel account details
• WLOC and its setup guide
• Enough uninterrupted time to complete the checks

WLOC is a third-party location tool. Check its source, permissions and privacy implications before using it, then restore your real location afterwards. Location modification may be restricted by the OS or conflict with service terms. If that risk is unacceptable, ask CTExcel support for an official activation route instead.

PAC, MNP and the temporary number

A Porting Authorisation Code (PAC) authorises a UK number transfer. Ofcom states that a PAC is normally valid for 30 days.

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is the transfer itself. CTExcel may label the relevant account area as MNP, Porting or number transfer.

The new CTExcel SIM initially has its own temporary number. Once the port completes, the Giffgaff number replaces it. There can be a short transition period, so do not rely on the number as the sole recovery method for an important account during the move.

Step 1: Get the Giffgaff PAC

From the Giffgaff number being transferred, send:

PAC

to:

65075

This is the free UK Text to Switch service. You can also request a PAC through the relevant transfer or account area after signing in to Giffgaff. Save the code, its expiry date and any balance or contract information returned with it. Do not post the PAC publicly.

If no reply arrives:

1. Confirm that the message was sent from the number being moved.
2. Check that the Giffgaff SIM can connect and send ordinary texts.
3. For a multi-number account, use the online or support route instead of repeated texts.
4. Request a new code if the existing PAC has expired.

Step 2: Order the CTExcel physical SIM

Open the CTExcel SIM order page. This link carries the referral code QHBQIH, which should be passed into the referral field when the order reaches the customer-information form. Plans, promotional benefits and prices can change, so rely on the live checkout page.

Check the order in this sequence:

1. Start by choosing the route that fits your budget:
   • Return-to-China annual plan: suitable for longer-term use and currently priced at £22 for 365 days;
   • £1 SIM-first option: if you do not want to commit as much initially, select the lowest £9.9 plan, then use the “I haven’t chosen a plan yet; get the SIM only” option shown below. The page states that the £1 prepayment is credited to the airtime balance after activation. Confirm the actual benefits shown by the final order. (Go directly to the £1 SIM option)
2. Choose a physical SIM.
3. Confirm that QHBQIH has been inserted in the referral field. If it was not filled automatically, you may skip this item; successfully using the code can provide a 5GB data bonus.
4. Enter your real mainland China delivery address if the current checkout supports it.
5. Verify the name, phone number, email and postcode.
6. Confirm delivery availability, shipping cost, final plan total and promotional benefits before paying.

The referral code supplied with this tested workflow is:

QHBQIH

You can also try this promotional code at checkout:

DEAL50OFF

DEAL50OFF may already have expired. It only counts if the checkout explicitly accepts it and updates the total. Do not budget around an old advertised discount or pay a third party for access to a code.

Step 3: Prepare the activation environment in China

Keep the following sequence intact. First verify that Phone A is within the tested setup: this record covers iOS 16.7.16, not iOS 26.

1. Reset connectivity on both phones

On Phones A and B:

1. Enable Airplane Mode.
2. Turn off cellular data.
3. Disconnect every Wi-Fi network.
4. Restart both phones.

Do not insert the CTExcel SIM into Phone A yet.

2. Create the hotspot on Phone B

Insert Giffgaff or another working UK SIM into Phone B, then:

1. Disable Airplane Mode.
2. Enable cellular data.
3. Confirm that the data connection works.
4. Turn on Personal Hotspot.

A hotspot supplied by a UK-issued SIM does not necessarily have a UK exit IP. SIM origin, IP location and GPS location are separate signals and should not be confused.

3. Set up connectivity and location on Phone A

Connect Phone A to Phone B’s hotspot. Follow the Shadowrocket WLOC virtual location guide, set Phone A’s virtual location to London, then verify that:

• Phone A remains connected to Phone B’s hotspot;
• Wi-Fi Calling is enabled in the iPhone settings on Phone A;
• the location tool displays London;
• internet access works on Phone A; and
• no other Wi-Fi or cellular data connection is active.

This is a record of the tested environment, not an official CTExcel requirement or a guarantee that every device will reproduce the result.

4. Insert the CTExcel SIM and wait for registration

Keep the environment in place, insert the physical CTExcel SIM into Phone A, then disable Airplane Mode on Phone A and leave it to search for a network.

In the iOS 16.7.16 test, CTExcel signal appeared in about one minute. Useful signs of progress are:

• CTExcel or a usable network indicator in the status bar;
• an activation text; or
• an activation email containing account details.

The text or email may arrive after network registration. Do not repeatedly remove the SIM, reset the phone or place another order merely because no email appears within the first minute.

Step 4: Submit the PAC to CTExcel

The activation email may contain initial account credentials. Sign in from an official CTExcel email or website route, not a link from an unknown message, and change any temporary password when prompted.

Find Number Porting, MNP or Porting in the account, then enter:

1. the original Giffgaff number to retain;
2. the valid PAC;
3. any account or SIM details requested; and
4. a preferred port date if the page provides that option.

Check the number and PAC carefully before submitting, then save the confirmation page or email. Ofcom currently says a number should normally be transferred within one working day after the new provider receives the PAC. Do not treat two working days as a fixed promise; weekends, holidays, incorrect details or a manual review can affect the timing.

After the transfer, use another phone to test:

• an incoming call to the former Giffgaff number;
• an ordinary incoming text;
• outgoing calls and texts from the CTExcel SIM; and
• verification messages from any important linked accounts.

Troubleshooting

Phone A never finds a signal

Check the SIM orientation, confirm that the phone is carrier-unlocked, leave network selection on automatic, and verify that Phone A is still connected to Phone B’s hotspot. Avoid rapidly removing and reinserting the SIM. If it remains offline, record the time, iOS version and exact screen message for CTExcel support.

WLoc cannot change the location

Do not install an unknown profile or certificate, and do not give a stranger remote control of the phone. The iOS 16.7.16 result cannot be extrapolated to iOS 26. Stop this workflow on iOS 26 and ask CTExcel for an available activation method.

Signal appears but no activation email arrives

Check spam, the spelling of the order email and the order status. Allow the account email time to synchronise after network registration. If credentials are still missing, contact CTExcel through its website instead of giving a third party access to your inbox or SIM serial number.

CTExcel rejects the PAC

Confirm that the code is within its 30-day validity period, that the original number is formatted correctly, and that the PAC belongs to this Giffgaff SIM. Do not mix codes from multiple requests.

Outgoing service works but incoming calls fail

A port can be partially completed for a short period. Restart the phone and retest calls, texts and data separately. If the issue outlasts the normal porting window, give CTExcel the old number, temporary number, PAC submission time and exact symptoms—but never publish the full PAC.

English support template

Subject: Help with CTExcel SIM activation and number porting

Hello CTExcel Support,

I have received and inserted my CTExcel UK SIM, but I need help with
[activation / porting my Giffgaff number].

CTExcel temporary number: [number]
Number to be ported: [Giffgaff number]
Order number: [order number]
PAC submission date: [date and time]
Phone model and iOS version: [model, iOS 16.7.16]
Current status or error: [describe exactly what you see]

Please check the activation or porting status and let me know the next
official step. I can provide additional account verification through a
secure channel if required.

Thank you.

CTExcel currently lists help@ctexcel.com, +44 787 002 0888, and 888 from a CTExcel line as support channels. Recheck the website footer before use because contact details can change.

Security checklist

• Never share a PAC, verification code, temporary password or full SIM serial number publicly.
• Check Giffgaff recurring payments and save balance records before the move.
• Keep the old Giffgaff SIM until incoming and outgoing service both work.
• Add a backup recovery method to banking and payment accounts.
• Restore real location and remove unnecessary permissions after using a third-party tool.
• Trust only the final price, promotion and shipping status shown by CTExcel at checkout.

If unused credit remains after the port, continue with the Giffgaff credit refund guide. For a separate travel data connection, see the 2026 global eSIM buying guide.

Conclusion

The important part of this process is its order: obtain the Giffgaff PAC, order and activate the CTExcel physical SIM, and submit the PAC only after the new card registers. The China activation record is limited to iOS 16.7.16, where signal appeared in about one minute; it is not a universal guarantee and does not apply to iOS 26. Keep both SIMs and every confirmation until incoming calls, outgoing calls and texts all work on the retained number.