How to:Mass Update your Contacts' mobile network codes

I have been thinking for a while about a swift way to mass edit my phonebook so I wouldn't have to edit my contacts one by one.

I read that the mobile networks will have to automatically redirect my calls to the new numbers for at least 4 months after that I am on my own. But I don't think I will need 4 days for this matter.

First here is the mobile network new codes: 

Right now I am using linux and the only application I will use is an advanced text editor called kwrite but since 99.999% of the people who will be using this method are windows users then I will sadly use windows for this tutorial.

Requirements:

• Export your contacts as a ONE file Vcard "*.vcf"
• Advanced Text Editor: I will use wordpad -- looks fancy :) (DO NOT USE Microsoft Word)
• An average knowledge of text editors use.

The Method:
1. From your phone Export your contacts as a VCard .vcf file. 

NOTE:On my Android phone I can export all my contacts as a one vcard file, some other phone can only export one contact per file which will take a lot of time to edit so we need to merge all those files into one file only. To Merge all your files Check the file Merge section at the end of the tutorial.

2. Click on "Start" the type "wordpad"

3. Click on the drop down menu at the top of the word pad and then select "Open"

 

3.  Select "All documents" from the drop down list beside the address box then browse to your .vcf contacts file then click "Open"

4. Click "Replace" in the top menu bar

5. In the "Find what" text box type the old network code number after a colon
    In the "Replace with" text box type the new network code number after a colon
    Click on "Replace All"

6. Repeat the previous step for the other network numbers as shown in the table in the beginning of this page.

7. After finishing all the networks click on the drop down menu and point on "Save As" then click on "Plain text document"

8. Change the "File name" in the text box and click "Save"

9. Delete all your contacts from your phone and import the new contacts file to it.

10. If anything goes wrong you can always delete your contacts and import your original file back to your phone

Warning: I did NOT try this method yet. I will try it on 6/10/2011

 File Merge from Creative World 9 Blog

• 1. First Copy all your vcf files into one Folder/directory.
• 2. Open Windows command prompt (Windows + R),and then type “CMD” to open command prompt and navigate to the destination folder where all your contact files are stored (you can type CD YOUR PATH command to reach to your destination).
  Ex: you have copied your vcf files in folder named “singlevcf” then in command prompt type in “E” drive
  E:
  cd singlevcf 
• 3. Enter the following DOS command: copy *.vcf all.vcf 

  

That will be all, Please refer to my blog if you find it useful.

Update:  I found an Android application for the same purpose, although I will use my own method :)
https://market.android.com/details?id=net.tazbeet.mobile.pbu