I feel a bit embarrassed asking but I'm clueless - UPDATED

No, the number is transferred to your new sim card when you get through.

Have the phone, SIM and PAC all to hand when you phone, you might need to give them numbers of the SIM so they can transfer it all. Or something like that.

Right. So I would need to put the new sim card into my existing phone once the transfer has taken place? My existing number will "replace" the number on that new sim card and I can chuck the old one away?

Yes.

Do double check with Orange first, but that should be how it works (or at least how it did when I last transferred numbers).

You see this is where I have no confidence. I don't have a clue and I'm worried that I won't be able to make myself understood on the phone when it's obvious I don't really know what the system is and I'll struggle to understand the person on the other end.

I'm wondering if I can just get my H to make the call for me. I know that's pathetic but I've had problems with mobiles/call centres before. The last time I had to ring one (T-Mobile) I was literally in floods of tears. The bloke on the end would not let me get a word in and was shouting at me - refusing to let me cancel a deal I had been missold over the phone - and ever since then I just can't bring myself to deal with call centres.

God I'm pathetic but I'm shaking at the thought of having to make the call. ?

Aww thats horrible. At least this time, you are going through with a legitimate query with an easy solution so it should be sorted in a flash.

However, if it is going to traumatise you, get H to do it.

Calm yourself CBH, don't worry so much about this! It's a routine thing for the call centre to deal with so they will know what you are talking about. I'm surprised there isn't an auto-route through the 'press one' style recorded message when you call them, but anyhow the conversation should go as follows: Hello, I recently took out a mobile phone contract with you and am phoning with my PAC from Vodafone to transfer my old number. They should then ask you for your new number (the one you are replacing), your SIM card number (printed on the SIM) and the PAC number. They may also ask you to confirm the number you are porting over. Then they will tell you how long it takes (usually a matter of hours) and probably ask you to turn your phone off for a period of time / when you receive a SIM update message.

Make you sure you come back and let us know that you've managed it without doing yourself any damage!

Which sim will they ask me for? The new one in the box or the one in my existing phone?

I really appreciate you all trying to calm me down and sort this out. I want to make the call myself but I think I'm suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the last time! [feeble laugh]

When I rang Orange earlier there wasn't an option to press 1 or whatever - and the bloke I spoke to said the system was down and to call back "at some time passed" which is why I started panicking about not being able to understand/make myself understand.

Have everything in front of you for both phones and that way, whatever they ask for you will have to hand. They are likely to ask you for the number of the new SIM, as this is the one that you will be using, albeit with your existing number. Don't worry yourself about not being understood, they should deal with routine queries a lot so should be able to make their way through a simple process like proting your number. Good Luck!

Well it's solved itself. I've got the back off my existing phone but I can't get even see a sim card inside and what I think is the battery is immovable - or at least, I can't get it out. It'll have to wait til H gets home. I'm stumped.