Switching to Virgin Plus: How to Keep Your Number and Port Over Instantly

Switching cell phone providers doesn’t have to mean losing your number, starting from scratch, or dealing with days of downtime. In fact, switching to Virgin Plus in Canada is one of the smoother carrier transitions, especially if you’re bringing your own phone. Virgin Plus is a flanker brand under Bell's umbrella, offering more affordable plans with 4G LTE speed across Canada. 

This guide walks you through how to switch to Virgin Plus and how to keep your existing phone number. We'll also highlight some of the best Virgin Plus plans of 2026, alongside some tips to consider before you make the jump (like moving to an eSIM). Here's everything you need to know about switching to Virgin Plus, including how to keep your existing number.

Before you switch to Virgin Plus: What to prepare

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Before you start the actual switch to Virgin Plus, take some time to get things in order. Doing this upfront helps avoid porting delays or accidental number cancellations.

It's incredibly important that you do not cancel your existing plan before activating your Virgin Plus service. As we'll cover below, you'll need to maintain your current service for a period of time in order to keep your phone number during this transition. So to reiterate, do not cancel your service if you want to port your phone number to Virgin Plus.

One of the major things to consider is whether your phone is unlocked and ready to work on the Virgin Plus network. In Canada, most phones at the point of purchase. If purchasing a device from a carrier, it may be locked to the carrier for 60 days or longer. Virgin uses Bell’s national network, so if your phone works on Bell, it will work on Virgin Plus.

Lastly, have all your account details ready when activating with Virgin Plus. To easethe transition from your current carrier to Virgin Plus, have your current phone number handy, your account number from your existing provider, the IMEI of your device, and the postal code linked to your existing account.

Why switch to Virgin Plus in 2026? Pros and cons

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As mentioned, Virgin Plus is one of the more affordable carriers in Canada. In 2026, there are enormous pros and cons to signing up with Virgin Plus. Ultimately, it'll depend on what matters the most to you and your wallet. Here are some notable pros and cons of Virgin Plus.

Pros

• Access to Bell’s nationwide LTE network

• Competitive Virgin Plus plan pricing

• Virgin Plus Member Benefits (discounts on food, entertainment, travel, etc.)

• eSIM support for compatible devices

Cons

• No 5G support

• No traditional shared-data family plans

• Customer support is mostly digital-first

• International roaming isn’t as flexible as some premium carriers

Here are some of the most popular plans available through Virgin Plus in 2026.

How to switch to Virgin Plus and keep your phone number

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If you have your plan already chosen and you're prepared to make the jump over to Virgin Plus, let’s got through how to bring your phone number over with you. This process is called "porting," and it's mostly automated and Virgin Plus will handle the technical steps.

Virgin Plus makes it quite easy to bring your phone number over when activating services with the carrier. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of what the porting process looks like:

1. Choose your Virgin Plus plan (BYOD or 2-year term).
2. Select “keep my number” during checkout online (or tell the in-store associate).
3. Confirm your old account details.
4. Approve the porting request via a text from your existing provider.
5. Wait for the switch to complete (up to 24 hours).

Important: It's worth noting that during this time, do not remove your SIM card from your device. Doing so can disrupt the porting process.

Using an eSIM when you switch to Virgin Plus

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In 2026, it's becoming more and more common to use an eSIM over a traditional SIM card. In some cases, like the iPhone 17 series, Apple has forced Canadians to jump to an eSIM if they wish to use the device. Switching to Virgin Plus could be an excuse to adopt an eSIM if you haven't.

Virgin Plus supports eSIM on most modern iPhones, Samsung Galaxy devices, and select Google Pixel phones. An eSIM has a few distinct advantages, including the ability to have multiple phone numbers active on a device. eSIMs are also easier to manage and switch between when travelling, so you won’t have to risk losing your SIM card when swapping out at a foreign airport. 

If your phone supports it, you can activate your Virgin Plus eSIM in minutes. Once the eSIM is active, you can remove your old SIM card and dispose of it as it no longer hosts your phone number or service.

What are Virgin Plus member benefits?

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By activating a BYOD or two-year contract with Virgin Plus, you're automatically enrolled in the carrier's Member Benefits program. Virgin Plus Member Benefits is a built-in rewards program available to most Virgin Plus customers with an active mobile or internet plan. Once enrolled, members gain access to rotating discounts, exclusive offers, giveaways, and contests through the Virgin Plus My Benefits app.

Perks include anything from discounts on food, savings on travel and experiences, as well as deals on streaming services. All Member Benefits are included at no cost and can be managed entirely through the app on iOS and Android. If you're a Virgin Plus customer, there's little reason not to use the program and save some money.