Originally Posted by
mikew99
WhatsApp accounts are attached to the phone number, not the SIM. In my experience, WhatsApp continues to function until WhatsApp needs to verify the account; WhatsApp then sends a verification code to the attached phone number. Typically, WhatsApp asks me to verify my account whenever I reinstall WhatsApp or if it detects that I have configured WhatsApp with the same phone number on multiple devices simultaneously.
So you can continue to use your WhatsApp on the same device indefinitely, regardless of the phone number of the SIM card that is installed. However, if WhatsApp needs to verify your account for any reason, then you are stuck.
Thanks - I've never been asked to verify (I used a local sim in Vietnam but didn't use whatsapp when I was there) - so it sounds like I'd be safe while on Fi suspend and if I had a problem I could activate fi for a day then turn it off again.