iPhone 3G (UK) Where's my number? How do I see my own number?

Question

Level 2

278 points

iPhone 3G (UK) Where's my number? How do I see my own number?

I thought I'd post this as I'm sure someone will encounter the experience for themselves and resort to this Apple iPhone support discussion hoping to find the solution...

Those who purchase their Apple iPhone 3G from the O2 / Car Phone Warehouse in the United Kingdom (UK / GB) - please note:

Your iPhone number is printed on the Car Phone Warehouse receipt that accompanies the phone when you receive it. It's printed in the middle area of this paper document and referred to as: iPhone number Contract ().

Unlike some line carriers and models of iPhone units purchased outside of the UK / GB, your iPhone number is not found or displayed in iTunes or in your Contacts. Neither is it printed / displayed or available anywhere on the physical packaging or in or on any of the iPhone / O2 / Car Phone Warehouse related product / service literature.

Your iPhone mobile / cell number is printed on the Car Phone Warehouse invoice / receipt in a very subtle place, so pay attention carefully when wondering where is my number? or how do I view my iPhone number?

Best,

Paul

QuickSilver G4, Mac Mini, iPod 30GB, iPod 4GB, 3G 16GB iPhone, Mac OS X (10.4.11), 17" Apple Studio Display

Posted on Oct 22, 2008 6:59 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 22, 2008 8:10 AM in response to Paul Irvine

You can either call another phone from your iPhone and ask them to read the caller ID back to you or connect your iPhone to iTunes - the Summary tab for your iPhone device will display the phone's phone number.

Most of the bold labels ( Name, Capacity, *Software Version*, etc.) are clickable. If yours reads IMEI or ICCID, then click on it until it reads: *Phone Number*.

Message was edited by: yardsaleskier

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Answer 2

Bryan Mick

Level 6

13,026 points

Oct 22, 2008 10:11 AM in response to steve copeland

Yeah... I issume it's something done (or not done) during the initial set-up.
I got mine on launch day and activated it at home because their servers were all backed up that day, so I imagine this just fell through the cracks.

Personally, it doen't bother me at all not being able to see it - I know my own number.

Cheers!
-Bryan

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Answer 3

Oct 22, 2008 12:54 PM in response to Bryan Mick

Having or not having your phone number displayed on your iPhone does not affect the service. Your phone number is stored in the network and is mapped to your SIM.

For your number to be displayed on your iPhone it must be added to a special place on the SIM. You can do this on some phones from makers like Sony Ericsson, but not Apple. I'm not sure if it can be sent to the SIM via the network. The iPhone will display it if it is on the SIM. If you really want the number then you can add it by putting your SIM in a phone that can update it and doing so.

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Answer 4

icebike

Level 3

740 points

Oct 22, 2008 3:51 PM in response to Ratz227

Ratz227 wrote:
Am I missing something?

The iPhone number is the very topmost number listed in the Contacts list.
It says, "My Number: # ### ###-####"

Nope. If it does, its because you (or your retailer) put it there. Its not normally there.

Normally, if you go to Settings, Phone, it will be at the top of your screen, but I have access to two phones and only one of them shows it there. Its a sim card problem. The Sim wasn't set up properly.

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Answer 5

icebike

Level 3

740 points

Oct 22, 2008 3:52 PM in response to gumsie

gumsie wrote:
Haven't got my iPhone next to me so not sure about this but on every other phone I've owned over past few years, typing ✱#100# and then pressing send would display your number.

Nope. not on my iPhone.

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Answer 6

Paul Irvine Author

Level 2

278 points

Oct 23, 2008 5:46 AM in response to Bryan Mick

Seems to be a different experience for everyone. Being a new O2 customer and not being informed of my number at any time during the pre and after order process with carphonewarehouse, it was not obvious where the number could be found or where in fact it was actually located.

Clicking on the clickable areas within iTunes with the iPhone connected does not return or display the expected information as other users have experienced.

Only upon careful study of the delivery receipt / invoice - it was seen buried amid a plethora of non-customer essential information - subtly disguised as looking like something else entirely.

On carphonewarehouse's paper receipt / invoice, it is printed as Phone Number/Contract () xxxxxxxxxxx

This is so far a United Kingdom experience associated with delivery and activation to the south-east of England. It involves O2 and Car Phone Warehouse. I cannot vouch for any other retail outlet, region or area.

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Answer 7

Oct 24, 2008 1:45 AM in response to Paul Irvine

It is an O2 'issue' full stop, the SIMS are not encoded with the number to allow as flexible a regime as possible. Remember that many people who buy an iPhone are porting across an existing number. When the phone is activated the SIM is given a temp number and then when the port is complete the number is matched the SIM.

O2 for some reason do not have the ability to over the flash the SIM field that contains the number display. Other providers may have done so. It is not a fault with the phone or the network, just the way O2 have implemented things.

As I said, I just put my SIM in a Nokia and typed the number into the field myself. Mostly out of interest as after 17 years I can remember my number!!

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Answer 8

gumsie

Level 4

2,185 points

Oct 24, 2008 2:42 AM in response to steve copeland

You are right, but not all Nokias offer this kind of 'write to SIM' functionality. The 6320 and 6233 don't that's for sure.
The 6210 and 5120 do though, as does the Samsung SGH-G600 that I just used to set my number with.

Once you've set it, it actually adds a fifth field to the summary tab in iTunes talked about by an earlier poster too.

Message was edited by: gumsie

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Answer 9

GhosTTY

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2009 12:54 PM in response to Paul Irvine

We have three iPhone 3G's in our family. All are 16Gb and bought at different times.
I used a Samsung SGH-D600 to set up "My Number" on the phone contacts screen as described above. On two it worked, on one it did not. Ugh! What's going on? The one that didn't work was bought first, the other two some months later.

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Answer 10

wullyjum

Level 1

85 points

Jan 12, 2009 3:14 PM in response to GhosTTY

I would hazard a guess that in the UK certainly it may have something to do with the difference betwen pay and go iPhones and contracted iPhones.

On pay and go iPhones the number is stored at the top of the contacts list. This may be because pay and go numbers are pre-generated and attached to the sim serial number.

Contract mobile phone numbers are generated at the very last point of the activation process (in the UK) and therefore not already on the sim card. Also as someone has previously mentioned it may have to do porting your number in from a different network.

Finally if looking for your contract number it'll be on the contract you signed (you should get a copy).

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Answer 11

Ratz227

Level 1

52 points

Oct 22, 2008 8:28 AM in response to Paul Irvine

Am I missing something?

The iPhone number is the very topmost number listed in the Contacts list.
It says, "My Number: # ### ###-####"

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Answer 12

Paul Irvine Author

Level 2

278 points

Oct 22, 2008 9:19 AM in response to Ratz227

Not in two separate iPhone 3G 16GB units that my wife and I each received and activated yesterday. The Contact list on each phone had no contacts listed - none - zero - nada.

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Answer 13

Oct 22, 2008 9:24 AM in response to Paul Irvine

It's above the search box, or at least it should be. But only if you view Contacts from within the Phone app. The separate Contacts app doesn't show it.

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Answer 14

Bryan Mick

Level 6

13,026 points

Oct 22, 2008 9:26 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

This has come up before - they don't all display the user's number - mine, for example doesn't.

Why some iPhones do, while others do not - I do not know.

Cheers!
-Bryan

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Answer 15

Oct 22, 2008 10:02 AM in response to Bryan Mick

It is something to do with O2 not encoding the number into the sim card. I put my sim into a my nokia and set up the own number on the sim and when I put it back into the iPhone the number appeared.

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