How did you notify your contacts of your new mobile phone number?
July 25, 2012 11:17 AM   Subscribe

I have a new mobile phone number, replacing the one I've had for years. I want to notify my (many hundreds) of contacts of this new number. What is the right way to do this? How did you handle this situation?

It's an Android phone, if that helps. My number can't be ported, unfortunately.
posted by fake to Technology (11 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
mass text seems to be the standard these days
posted by Oktober at 11:19 AM on July 25, 2012


Response by poster: Is there a good app for that? (or for this problem in general)
posted by fake at 11:20 AM on July 25, 2012


Either text everyone saying "Hey this is fake and I got a new number" or, if applicable, create a heavily locked-down post on Facebook/Google+/whatever and tag everyone who needs to know.
posted by griphus at 11:21 AM on July 25, 2012


I would:

mass bcc email work/formal contacts for those whose emails you have
call/individually text close friends and family
mass text acquaintances
posted by phunniemee at 11:31 AM on July 25, 2012 [2 favorites]


I sent out a mass bcc email to both work and personal contacts.

I've gotten a few mass texts as well. I think those are easier because you can automatically save the number.

I found it was a good time to weed out old/unwanted contacts.
posted by manicure12 at 12:00 PM on July 25, 2012


I usually do mass bcc emails, but that's mostly because I don't know how to mass bcc a text. Depending on your use of facebook, that also works.

I have also kept the old number for 30 days with a voicemail indicating the new number.
posted by dpx.mfx at 12:40 PM on July 25, 2012


As an aside, I got myself a Google Voice number and told everyone to use that. Then it didn't matter what my actual number was anymore. Google Voice may not be for everyone, and it does have its limits, but it also has lots of awesome features.

Since you have to inform all your contacts anyway, why not get a Google Voice number and make this the last time you have update the world with a new number?
posted by jpeacock at 1:40 PM on July 25, 2012 [1 favorite]


When you send the mass text (only way I've done it before) make sure you avoid using 'I' and put your full name in there somewhere. Otherwise you'll just get loads of replies saying, 'who is this?' and then you'll have to send another mass text.
posted by Nufkin at 1:54 PM on July 25, 2012


I would send an email. I have also sent actual postcards with new addresses and phone numbers.
posted by gjc at 7:51 PM on July 25, 2012


Ask MeFi is apparently somewhat effective, as at least now I know that my old number for you will no longer work.
posted by afiler at 3:25 PM on August 23, 2012


Response by poster: Ha ha, pretty good afiler! My solution was to transfer the old number to Google Voice and forward calls/texts/vm to the new number.
posted by fake at 3:17 PM on December 18, 2012


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