How long will it take for your SIM card to expire or deactivate for inactivity or unused in the Philippines? Your prepaid SIM will only start to expire when your account balance reaches zero (0) or no load, and you'll be given a certain amount of days to reload your account to remain active. If you do not top up your SIM card with regular load or promo before the specified deadline, your SIM card will automatically expire, resulting in the permanent disconnection of your prepaid account.
UPDATE: With the introduction of SIM card registration in the Philippines, new SIM cards are sold in deactivated mode, which needs to be registered first in order to activate its services. Meanwhile, existing SIM users, prior to the start of SIM registration, were given a deadline of July 25, 2023, to register their SIMs. Failure to do so will result in permanent SIM deactivation. Check out the SIM card registration process of Globe, Smart, and other telcos.
In this article, you will know how many days before your SIM expire if it didn't receive any load after the zero load balance date. Below are the various terms and conditions for SIM card expiration of local telco providers, including Globe, TM (Touch Mobile), Smart, TNT (Talk 'N Text), Sun Cellular, DITO, GOMO, and Cherry Prepaid.
How long before Globe or TM SIM expires?
The following are the number of days before a Globe or TM SIM card expires when its load balance reaches zero.
- Globe Prepaid SIM - 60 days or 2 months
- TM SIM - 60 days or 2 months
- Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi SIM - 180 days or 6 months
- Globe Xtreme Home Prepaid WiFi SIM - 180 days or 6 months
See also:
How long before Smart, TNT, or Sun SIM expires?
The following are the number of days before a Smart, TNT, or Sun SIM card expires when it was not loaded.
- Smart Prepaid SIM - 120 days or 4 months
- Smart Bro Prepaid SIM - 120 days or 4 months
- TNT SIM - 120 days or 4 months
- Sun Cellular SIM - 120 days or 4 months
- PLDT/Smart Bro Home WiFi SIM - 180 days or 6 months
How long before DITO SIM expires?
The DITO SIM will expire or become inactive if not loaded after 90 days or 3 months from the zero balance date.
How long before GOMO SIM expires?
Your GOMO SIM card will expire if no load transaction has been made within 365 days or 1 year.
How long before Cherry Prepaid SIM expires?
The Cherry Prepaid SIM will be deactivated if no paid transaction has been made within 60 days or 2 months.
Tips to prevent your SIM card from expiring
Here are some tips to prevent your prepaid SIM Card from expiring:
- To extend the life of your SIM card, reload your account with at least 1 Peso load. The validity of prepaid load, regardless of amount, is 1 year.
- While promos like Magic Data of Smart, FunSagad of TM, and No Expiry Data of GOMO are non-expiry, they can't keep your SIM active once your balance reaches zero. You still need to reload your account on a regular basis, depending on your telco's terms and conditions for SIM expiration.
It's also a good habit to check your balance regularly to monitor the status of your load or promo. If you're a Globe or TM user, you can dial *143# or download the GlobeOne app. For Smart, TNT, and Sun users, dial *123# or download the GigaLife app. On the other hand, DITO and GOMO also have their respective mobile apps available on Google Play and Apple App Store.
Will I receive an SMS notification before my SIM expires?
Usually, telecoms will notify you before your SIM card expires by sending a text message.
For example, Globe subscribers will receive a text message like this:
Hi! Your number will expire soon. To keep your number and stay connected with your loved ones, reload and dial *143# to register your favorite promos. Thanks!
How to check if your SIM card has expired?
Here are the checklists to know if your prepaid SIM card has expired.
- Your mobile phone, tablet, pocket WiFi, or LTE modem has no signal (0 bars) or shows a "No service" error.
- You can't send a message or make an outgoing call.
- You can't receive incoming calls and text messages.
- You can't browse the internet.
- You can't receive a load.
Your prepaid SIM should still be valid if it is still receiving a signal, text messages, or calls.
Can an expired SIM card be reactivated?
Once your SIM card has expired, it will be permanently disabled and disconnected from the network. In that case, there are no ways to recover or reactivate a SIM card that has expired. The only solution is to purchase a new prepaid SIM card to continue using its service.
Moreover, most networks don't replace expired SIM except for Globe Home Prepaid WiFi (HPW) and Smart Bro Home WiFi. You can replace your expired Globe Home Prepaid WiFi SIM or Smart Bro Prepaid Home WiFi SIM for free. Note that this process is not SIM reactivation that will keep your mobile number. Instead, it's a SIM replacement where you will receive a SIM with a new number.
Also read:
- How to replace expired Globe Home Prepaid WiFi SIM for free
- How to replace lost or expired Smart/PLDT Prepaid Home WiFi SIM for free
- Guide for replacing lost SIM with the same number for each network: Globe/TM, Smart/TNT, DITO, and GOMO.
For further assistance with your expired SIM card, you can contact your respective telco provider's customer service hotline. Below are the toll-free numbers of each telco that you can call.
- Globe - dial 211
- TM - dial 808
- Smart/TNT/Sun Cellular - dial *888
- DITO - dial 185
Meanwhile, GOMO users can send a message to the official Facebook page of the respective telco.
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Conclusion
Most of us connect our SIM cards to various services, such as email, online banking, social media, government-related services, and other mobile apps that require a one-time PIN (OTP). When it expires, it will be tiresome as we'll need to change the mobile number linked to all our accounts. To keep your SIM active, check your load balance regularly and maintain at least 1 PHP regular load for the 1-year validity of your account.
*This article was updated to reflect the latest info made available.
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