Help guide
Operators, number format and compatibility
How we detect the operator, what to do when a line was ported, how an international number is written and why the product you are looking for sometimes is not listed.
The operator is the detail that decides whether a recharge can be delivered. It is detected from the number, but portability and reused prefixes mean it is sometimes worth confirming by hand. This guide explains how to get it right.
How the operator is detected
As you type the number we identify the country from the international code and the operator from the line prefix. That loads the operator's live catalogue: you only see products that operator can deliver at that moment.
Detection is right in the vast majority of cases, but it is not infallible. Numbering ranges are reassigned between operators and portability breaks the link between prefix and company, so the operator shown is a proposal worth confirming.
Ported lines
If the recipient changed company while keeping their number, the prefix still points to the old operator. Recharging the wrong operator causes a rejection, and in some countries a credit the recipient cannot use.
The safe way to know is to ask the person receiving which company holds the line today. After that, simply select that operator manually before choosing the product.
- Ask the recipient which company they currently use.
- Change the operator manually if detection does not match.
- Check the operator shown in the summary before paying.
- If the recharge is rejected for a wrong operator, the payment is returned.
Number format
The number is written in international format: plus sign, country code and national number, without spaces or dashes. International dialling prefixes such as 00 or 011 are not part of the number and must be omitted.
Some countries have a leading zero in the national format that disappears in the international one. If you copy the number from a chat or your contacts, check that it does not carry that zero or the exit prefix of the country you are calling from.
- Correct: +53 5 1234567 written as +5351234567.
- Incorrect: 0051234567, with an exit prefix and a national zero.
- No spaces, dashes or brackets.
- The country code determines which operators are offered.
Why the catalogue changes
Available products are defined by the destination operator and change often: a package can disappear when a promotion ends or show up for only a few days. That is why the catalogue is read live and is not always identical to last week's.
If you are looking for a specific product and it is not there, it is almost always because the operator pulled it temporarily. The country and operator hubs show what is live right now, with current promotions when there are any.
Picking the operator correctly
Four checks that prevent a rejection.
- 1Type the full numberWith the country code and no dialling prefixes. The country determines which catalogue is loaded.
- 2Confirm the detected operatorCompare it with what the recipient tells you, especially if they ever changed company.
- 3Change it if it does not matchYou can select the operator manually before choosing the product.
- 4Review the productCheck on the card what it delivers and how long it lasts before adding it to the cart.
- 5Verify the summaryThe pre-payment summary shows number, operator and product: it is the last chance to correct.
Compatibility checks
Five points before confirming a recharge.
- The country code matches the line's real destination.
- The operator shown matches the one the recipient uses today.
- The line is prepaid mobile, not a landline or a contract without top-ups.
- The chosen product exists in that operator's live catalogue.
- The number carries no dialling prefixes or extra zeros.
Questions about operators
What happens if I pick the wrong operator?
The operator rejects the order because the number does not belong to its network, delivery is not completed and the payment is returned. That is why it pays to confirm the company with the recipient when the line may have been ported.
Can I recharge a contract line?
Recharge products are credited to prepaid lines. Some contract lines accept extra airtime, but it depends on the operator and is not guaranteed in every destination.
I cannot find my recipient's operator, why?
Because we only list operators with live products at that moment. If the operator is missing, check the country hub: it shows the live catalogue and the available alternatives.
How do I know the right country code?
Selecting the country in the form fills in its code automatically. If you type the full number, check that the code matches the country you chose.
Are the products the same in every country?
No. Each operator defines its own catalogue, so amounts, data packages and bundles vary by country and change whenever the operator updates them.
Can I see the products before entering a number?
Yes. The country and operator hubs show the live catalogue and current promotions without starting the recharge flow.
Explore destinations
Check operators, products and live promotions by country before sending.