> Note that all telcos will prevent the number being ported out if you owe them any money on the account.

Wait really? Is there a way to force yourself to perpetually owe them a small amount of money then? Could be really worth the money.

This wouldn't prevent a SIM port attack (which is what occurred in the article). You don't leave your provider so account status isn't a factor.

The comment you replied to appears to be discussing porting a number to a different provider which is very different and doesn't happen same-day.

An attacker could just pay the balance.

Seems like a decent hurdle to make an attacker jump through? Given they'd want the payment to be untraceable etc.

You appear to be discussing porting a number from one provider to another but the attack in the article (and being discussed in the thread up to this point) is based on moving the number to another SIM within the same provider).