Retaining Phone Number

[#1]

Hi.
Was wondering has any1 else recently been having the same issue.

So i decided to sign up to plusnet and move my service over from talk talk. I wanted to keep my old number which iv had for over 20+ years.

I keep getting messages from plusnet saying they cant retain my old number as talk talk havent or wont release it. Iv contacted talk talk who are saying “its illegal for them to stop another service provider from taking over the service” they can see plusnet have placed a order to take over the service they have no bars or any reason to not realease the number. But plunet keep saying talk talk are rejecting the switch over? What is goin on. Surely it cant be that difficult to transfeer over a number.

Im getting plusnet saying talk talk are rejecting or not releasing the number. Talk talk are saying they have accepted plusnet order so there should be no issues. Im just stuck in limbo. I was told by plusnet it wouldnt be a issue now they messaging me saying they cant retain my old number.

Has anybody else been through this? What was the outcome? I cant afford to loose my old number as i need it for medical reasons and hospital contacts. Its just soo annoying cant get clear answer fr plusnet or talk talk. Each company keeps passing the buck to each other?

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): A duplicat thread was removed.

[#2]

Hi there.

I'm sorry to hear we're not able to retain your telephone number.

Whilst we can retain a number in most cases, unfortunately there are a few cases where we're unable to.

I've contacted the Openreach number porting team and I'm sorry to say that your number isn't built into the BT equipment at your exchange, which means that we can't import it to the BT network.

Therefore, I've sent an e-mail over to the appropriate team within Openreach to build your number into the exchange, however from experience it can take up to 60 days for a response and there's no guarantee that it'll be successful.

I do sincerely apologise for the frustration and inconvenience caused.

Anoush

[#3]

That makes no sense to me. How can it not be built into BT network if the orginal number was always a BT number? Iv never moved adresses or ever had any notfication of my number ever being moved to a different exchange if that is the case? If you cant retain my number then id like for you to cancel my order with plusnet. Only reason i went ahead with the order was because i was told by your team from provisioning my old number would be retainable. Since you cant fulfil that request id like you to refund my money and cancel the order.

[#4]

Thanks for getting back to us.

It's likely your current provider is using their own equipment at the exchange (Known as LLU).

Unfortunately as your number doesn't exist on the BT Wholesale equipment it'll need to be built into their records etc.

I'm very sorry if you were advised definitively we'll be able to retain your number. I'll make sure feedback is passed on internally where appropriate.

With regards to cancelling your order, I updated your ticket which you can view and reply to over here.

Anoush

[#5]

I thought OFCOM G.C. 18 obliged CP's to provide number portability within a 'reasonable' timeframe. I'm not sure that 60 days would be considered reasonable

[#6]

GC 18

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/86273/CONSOLIDATED_VERSION_OF_GENERAL_CONDITION... page 71

18.1 The Communications Provider shall provide Number Portability within the shortest possible time, including subsequent activation, on reasonable terms and conditions, including charges, to any of its Subscribers who so request.

18.3   The Communications Provider shall ensure:

(a) in the case of Mobile Number Portability, porting of these numbers and their subsequent activation shall be completed within one business day from the receipt by the Recipient Provider of the Subscriber Request to Port from its new Subscriber.

(b) In all other cases, porting of these numbers and their subsequent activation shall be completed within one business day once all necessary validation processes have been completed, the network connection is ready for use by the Subscriber, and the Donor Provider has received a request to activate the porting of these numbers from the Recipient Provider.

There is a lot more in this GC, but read simply, the above suggests that once requested the current holder of the number is obliged to release it without delay.  If numbers can be transferred between the entirely different systems of Virgin & BT surely there should be no obstacle to transferring from TT to BT ... beyond TT being difficult?

[#7]

I don’t think this is the previous provider being difficult but in this instance the number doesn’t exist in the BT exchange so we’ve been advised it can’t be imported.

[#8]

Is
It is worth asking BT about compliance with GC18?

[#9]

For future reference, who is responsible? Surely by having equipment that doesn’t allow a smooth transition of numbers is being non-complient with ofcom regulations. Does this mean im stuck with one service provider? Aa mentioned above is this something i can take up with BT since they own all exchanges? Seems just rediculous we as consumers got to go through all this nonsense through no fault of our own. plusnet need tobe more clear about what they can and cant do before people place orders. There was never any explanation given until i mentioned i was goin to cancel the order.

[#10]

in this instance the number doesn’t exist in the BT exchange

Surely that's got to be rubbish! The exchange must know about the existing number, if not then how are incoming calls currently being routed to the existing TT line? 

[#11]

It's likely that the OP's current provider uses LLU equipment at the exchange.

As we use BT equipment it's possible this is where the issue lies. I've not yet received a response back from the e-mail I sent to the relevant team within Openreach but it would be interesting to see their response when I do receive one.

[#12]

It's likely that the OP's current provider uses LLU equipment at the exchange.

@Gandalf that's a given, the OP is on TT. What I'm saying is that irrespective of whether the connection in the exchange is LLU or BT, the BT Openreach systems MUST know about the existing number so that incoming calls can be routed to the correct connection in the exchange.

[#13]

Leave this with me to look into, and I'll come back here shortly.

[#14]

I've taken the time to discuss this with our suppliers.

The actual error message received in these instances is "address not in built serving exchange".

This means that the exchange is not coming under the address or postcode where we are trying to provide the number, and the e-mail I've sent to the relevant team should fix that (Not received a response yet).

With regards to how this number is active and working, if TalkTalk are using LLU equipment/systems then the number would be provided on their own network/systems, as opposed to Openreach's.

Hope this helps clear things up.

[#15]

This means that the exchange is not coming under the address or postcode where we are trying to provide the number, and the e-mail I've sent to the relevant team should fix that

Now that makes a bit more sense. I can see how maybe BTw/OR's database doesn't contain the address if it's an LLU line.

With regards to how this number is active and working, if TalkTalk are using LLU equipment/systems then the number would be provided on their own network/systems, as opposed to Openreach's.

Yes, I get that, but the BT Openreach system must somewhere have knowledge of that number so that incoming calls are routed onto the LLU network. However it seems from the above answer that it is really the address rather than the number that isn't in the database.

Anyway, if BTw/OR are saying that they will take up to 60 days to amend the database then surely they are not complying with GC18 porting obligations.