Offboarded from Spur but still getting "Service temporarily unavailable, try again after an hour" when trying to use your WhatsApp Business mobile app? Your number is likely still connected to your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA).
What's Actually Happening
When you used Spur, your WhatsApp Business number was connected to a WABA (WhatsApp Business Account) for API access. Even after offboarding, your number might still be linked to that WABA, preventing you from using it on the mobile app.
WhatsApp doesn't allow the same number to be active on both the API (through platforms like Spur) and the mobile app simultaneously.
How to Fix This
Step 1: Check Your WABA Connection
Go to your WhatsApp Business Account management page: https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/phone-numbers/
Step 2: Log In with Admin Access
Use your Facebook profile that has full admin access to your Business Manager or business portfolio.
If you don't have admin access, you'll need to contact whoever set up your original WABA.
Step 3: Look for Your Number
Once logged in, check if your phone number is still listed in the connected numbers.
Step 4: Remove Your Number
If you see your number listed:
Click on the number
Look for a "Remove" or "Delete" option that will look like a trash icon.
Confirm the removal
This disconnects your number from the WABA and frees it up for mobile app use.
What to Expect After Removal
Once you remove your number from the WABA:
Wait 5-10 minutes for the change to process
Try setting up WhatsApp Business mobile app again
The "WhatsApp is temporarily unavailable" error should be gone
Troubleshooting Common Issues
"I don't see my number listed"
Make sure you're logged in with the right Facebook account, in the right portfolio and are looking into the right WABA.
Check if someone else in your organization has admin access
The number might already be disconnected (try the mobile app again)
"I don't have access to Business Manager"
Contact whoever originally set up your Spur integration
They may need to remove the number for you
Or they can grant you admin access to manage it yourself
"I removed the number but still can't use mobile app"
Wait up to 30 minutes for changes to fully process
Restart your phone and try again
Make sure you're using the same phone number that was connected to Spur
Why This Happens
WhatsApp's Business API has strict rules about number usage:
A number can only be active on one platform at a time
API connections (like Spur) take priority over mobile apps
Manual disconnection is required to switch back to mobile
This isn't a bug - it's how WhatsApp prevents conflicts between different business tools.
The "Service temporarily unavailable" error is usually resolved within minutes of properly disconnecting your number from the WABA.