Managing lines on an e& account: additions, controls and handovers
Secondary lines, family numbers and control bars all sit under the same identity rules - which is why some of them can only be done by the account holder, in person, with an ID.
Adding or moving a line
New secondary numbers on a postpaid account normally require the primary line holder's authorisation and are subject to the same identity and credit checks as the primary. The number of lines one ID can hold is capped by the regulator's registration rules, so a rejection on 'limit reached' is a registration fact, not a sales obstruction.
Secondary numbers are tied to their primary: they move with it on a port, and they cannot be ported away on their own. That is worth knowing before someone asks to keep the family line when the account moves operators.
Spend control, content bars and device safety
Charge caps (international calls, premium numbers, roaming data, in-app purchases billed to the account) are switched per line through the account controls. Set them on a child's line the day it is activated, not after the first bill.
Roaming data on a line that travels with a child should be barred unless it is needed: the bar costs nothing and is reversible in the app.
Content filtering on the network level covers what the device does not: if the child uses someone else's phone on Wi-Fi, the bar is irrelevant. Say so plainly to yourself when you set these up.
Handing a line over, or closing one
A change of owner is a re-registration, not a rename in the app: both parties, IDs, and in practice both signatures. A line inherited from a deceased relative needs the estate documentation - this is the case where an informal handover always fails later, when the SIM needs a replacement and the registered owner is not the person holding it.
Closing a line: settle the final bill, export the call history if you need it, and do not port a number you are about to abandon - the 30-day re-port rule means a wasted port can lock the number for a month.
What to use, exactly
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Add or bar services on a line | e& UAE app > manage lines, or the account's self-care portal |
| Transfer ownership / close a line | business or individual care centre, both parties with Emirates IDs |
| Registration limit check | the app's registration view lists the lines on your ID |
Keep these open next to each other
Say it in one message
Tell us the number type (prepaid, postpaid, business), what the device shows and what you already tried. If it is ours to chase, we will draft the request for you.
Send it on WhatsAppWhere to check it yourself
- The operator's own plan and support pages - the text your order form was written from
- The regulator's complaint portal - what to file, in what order, with which evidence
These pages belong to the operator and the regulator - open them side by side with your own bill or app before acting on anything here.
Verify this yourself in two minutes
- Prices and inclusions: the operator's own plan page for your emirate, then the same figure on the order form you signed.
- Your line state: the My du app - Account > Services shows suspension, bar, data cap and contract end.
- Faults in your area: My du app > Support > Outage status, or 155 from a du mobile (free).
- Anything regulatory (billing disputes, escalation): TDRA - your complaint must cite the ticket number du gave you, dated.
Confirm the current fee and the exact menu path in the operator app before you act on anything here.
If a number on this page and a number in your app disagree, the app wins - and we would like to know: WhatsApp us the screenshot and we correct the page.