Keep WhatsApp number with different phone number

[Bladery]

Hey guys,

I hope, someone knows the answer here despite WhatsApp is not as popular in the US than iMessage.

I have a cell phone contract and this number is linked to WhatsApp.
Now I’ll go abroad for a longer time and will deactivate my phone contract in the meantime. So I won’t have access to this number anymore.
In WhatsApp it doesn’t matter which SIM card is inserted. WhatsApp will still use the phone contract number (which will be deactivated).
But the question is, what will happen if for some reason I have to reinstall my phone and therefor WhatsApp as well? I would restore from a backup (iOS and WhatsApp). Will I be able to use my deactivated WhatsApp address?

Thanks for your help!

Bladery

 

[twisted-pixel]

I restored from a back up with an old number, and used a new sim in my phone and WhatsApp still used the old number. But I *think* the sim card still has to be active.

 

[Bladery]

But they ask for a verification number and send you one to your originale phone number. How could you pass that?

 

[twisted-pixel]

hence the still activated bit. I'm pretty sure you can't use a phone number you no longer have access to. but it doesn't have to be the phone number of the sim you have in your phone

eg my phone has a sim card in it for number 1234, but I use WhatsApp for number 9876

 

[Bladery]

Yeah but if you restore your phone with your 1234 sim inserted, you cannot use WhatsApp with 9876 anymore, right?
Because you need to have access to the SIM card 9876