Leaving Three — PAC and STAC requests
0333 338 1082Getting to the right team
We don't yet know how Three's phone menu is structured, so we're not going to guess. If you work it out, we'd like to hear from you.
Before you call
What to know first
The number everyone circulates for Three is the wrong one. Guides give 0333 338 1001. That is a real Three number, but Three publishes it as the general Personal customers line — its own leaving pages route cancellations, PACs and STACs to 0333 338 1082 instead.
Getting a code is not the same as closing your account. Three warns that if you do not give your PAC to the new provider within 30 days, and have not asked Three to close the account, it stays open and you keep being charged. Verified
You do not need to give notice. Mobile switching runs on the code, not a notice period — Three applies 30 days’ notice only to its home and mobile broadband. Verified
The codes
How to actually leave
Keep your numberText PAC and your date of birth as DDMMYY to 65075
A PAC ports your number to the new provider. Give it to them, not to Three.
Start freshText STAC and your date of birth as DDMMYY to 75075
A STAC closes the account without taking your number with you.
Three replies immediately. Codes are valid for 30 days, and a PAC is nine characters — three letters then six numbers. If you have more than one number on the account you must call rather than text. Verified
What it costs
Notice, exit fees and the handset
NoticeNone
Three is the only network we cover that asks for no notice on mobile at all — leaving runs on the switching code instead. Third-party guides claiming 30 days are confusing it with Three’s broadband, which does require notice.
Leaving earlyAirtime: the rest of your monthly charges.
Three states the early termination fee is equivalent to the monthly charges remaining in your minimum term.
Your handsetYour device plan does not go away.
Three states that if you cancel the airtime plan with a balance outstanding on the device plan, that balance must still be paid in full — either by carrying on with the monthly payments or by settling it by bank transfer. Cancelling the airtime does not cancel the handset debt.
Your rights
What you're entitled to
- Your code has to arrive within a minute. For residential customers Ofcom requires the losing provider to send a PAC or STAC no later than one minute after the request. Beware of guides quoting two hours or two working days — those are the rules for business customers. Verified
- Text is not the only route they must offer. Providers must give at least three free ways to get a code: by text, online through your account, and by phone. Text and online have to be available at all times. Codes last 30 days. Verified
- Switching kills the notice period. If you move using a code, your old contract terminates on the working day the switch completes, and your provider must not bill you for any notice period running past that date. This is the single most valuable rule here — it does not, however, cancel an early termination charge if you are still inside your minimum term. Verified
- They must tell you what you still owe on the handset. The switching information sent with your code must say whether the handset sits on a separate contract, and either what is still payable on it after you move or the date you stop paying. It must also give your total final charge as a single figure. Verified
- The switch itself is quick, and free. Porting must complete within one working day, any loss of service must not exceed one working day, and no charge may be made for taking your number with you. Your number stays portable for at least a month after you leave. Verified
One rule is worth more than any script: switch with a code and your provider cannot bill you for a notice period beyond the switch date. The full explainer, including what it does not cover, is here.
Where this comes from
| Claim | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Cancellation, PAC and STAC number 0333 338 1082 | Three’s own “Leave with your number” and “Leave without your number” pages | 26 July 2026 |
| PAC shortcode 65075 and STAC shortcode 75075, 30-day validity, PAC format | Three’s own leaving pages | 26 July 2026 |
| Account stays open if the code goes unused | Three’s own leaving pages | 26 July 2026 |
| Airtime early termination fee and device plan balance | Three’s own leaving pages | 26 July 2026 |
| Number 0333 338 1001 as the cancellation line | Cited by comparison and cancellation sites. It is a genuine Three number, but Three publishes it as general customer service, not for leaving | Unverified |
| A 30-day notice period for Three mobile | Claimed by third parties. Three applies notice only to broadband; mobile runs on PAC and STAC | Unverified |
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