Home phone clarification for non-techie

[#1]

One confusing thing about this process is that:

 @Baldrick1 's Step 4 "At this time, you will have no working phone. Don’t panic, the number will have been quarantined in your name for 30 days. After this time, it will be lost forever."

appears to conflict with this text in the legal section at the bottom of my Plusnet renewal offer:

"You will lose your home phone number and will not be able to get it back. You'll have to get a brand new number if you decide you need a home phone in the future."

Like the OP we have FTTC + landline, our renewal offer is for FTTC only. I was planning on moving the number we've had for 30 years to a VOIP service, but the Plusnet wording doesn't inspire confidence this isn't without risk.

[#2]

@julianb If you decide to move to SoGEA - FTTC only - the number is quarantined in your name for  30 days to enable you to find an alternative VOIP service/supplier. This is an OFCOM mandated requirement, which that comment at the foot of your notice appears to be in contravention of. 

[#3]

@julianb 

Your quote refers to moving your data and phone service to EE. My post applies if you stay with Plusnet and move the phone number to a third party VoIP provider.

It’s not that the number can’t be recovered, it’s that EE do not offer to recover it.

[#4]

@Baldrick1 If @julianb 's offer is to renew FTTC (SOGEA) with PN, that comment does not apply.

[#5]

@Baldrick1 This is being shown on my only renewal offer to stay with Plusnet. Under "offers and upgrades" | Explore your packages. Moving from "Unlimited Fibre Extra" to a package called "Fibre" with the Plustnet Full Fibre guarantee. I am sure this is still a Plusnet service. The text I quoted is below the "Here’s the legal bit" section, second bullet point under the "Broadband without a landline" heading. It is quite prominent. @jab1 I'm pleased to hear that it should not apply, but the presence of that text on the page is confusing.

[#6]

@julianb Could you please attach the full text of your offer (obscuring personal details) to a reply please,rather than as an image within the reply - these need 'approving' before us mere mortals can see them, and getting that done can be a little 'hit and miss'.

[#7]

@jab1 Image approved if it helps

[#8]

@julianb  @jab1 

Thanks for correcting my incorrect assumption.

I guess that it's the case of the truth being time varying. After 30 days it is correct. 

Once you lose the number, I suspect and would love to know whether it's just me being pessimistic, that you can't get it back and have to have a new number, even if you cancel during the 14 day 'cooling off' period.

[#9]

@MisterW many thanks - that appears to be in contravention of OFCOM rules, unless I am missing something?

[#10]

If we're getting legal, It could be argued that initially it's just quarantined, it is not 'lost' for 30 days. The BT group policy re willingness to recover quarantined numbers in this context is irrelevant .

[#11]

I have no wish to get into an argument, but that extract appears to be in opposition to the OFCOM  requirement, as it clearly states that the number is 'lost' - not quarantined. .

[#12]

From Ofcom GC's https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for...

I believe that sections B3 and C7 are the relevant sections

So I'm not sure that BT have any scope for willingness or not, they're a regulated provider , they have to provide number portability

[#13]

Thanks for your replies.

The same legal text section appears if you start the process of choosing that offer. I am unwilling to proceed with something that says in writing "You will lose your home phone number and will not be able to get it back" that I have to agree to. We also have the same concern with an elderly relative who is on Plusnet (on our recommendation) and still using ADSL. I am not in a hurry to do anything so I will wait and see if anything changes. I am guessing the only documented way of keeping a landline number is to move to another internet provider that does support VOIP.

[#14]

@julianb As said - in so many words - by @MisterW above - that 'you will lose your number' comment is in contravention of OFCOM regulations, and should be treated with suspicion. 

[#15]

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@julianb wrote:

One confusing thing about this process is that:

 @Baldrick1 's Step 4 "At this time, you will have no working phone. Don’t panic, the number will have been quarantined in your name for 30 days. After this time, it will be lost forever."

appears to conflict with this text in the legal section at the bottom of my Plusnet renewal offer:

"You will lose your home phone number and will not be able to get it back. You'll have to get a brand new number if you decide you need a home phone in the future."

Like the OP we have FTTC + landline, our renewal offer is for FTTC only. I was planning on moving the number we've had for 30 years to a VOIP service, but the Plusnet wording doesn't inspire confidence this isn't without risk.

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Put simply, PlusNet are lying to make you more likely to transfer to EE and stay in BT group.  It is all embedded in the phone scripts as well.

There are no reports on the forum that I have noticed of people not being able to port to the likes of A&A in the required timescales (AFTER installation and acitvation, and within 30 days hence)