Moving from Sky forces new number!

fastguy

I'm told by TalkTalk that I can only move my line/calls from Sky to them if I get a new number because Sky have "tagged" the line so no other company can use it. To move to anyone other phone provider involves sending an engineer out to the house to put a new line in & getting a new number. TalkTalk said they would at least pay for the engineer, but I want to keep my number that I've had for over 10 years.
How can Sky legally prevent me from transferring MY PHONE NUMBER? Is there something in the small print that I didn't read? Would it be legal if they did that? Do OFCOM know about this?

ktothema

Talk talk told me this too, but we successfully moved from sky to plusnet retaining our number (eventually). I think this is usually to do with switching from one LLU provider to another, without the line technically returning to bt in the middle. We were sky LLU, but not plusnet LLU so this seems to be why we were able to keep our number.

blisteringblue

ktothema wrote: »

Talk talk told me this too, but we successfully moved from sky to plusnet retaining our number (eventually). I think this is usually to do with switching from one LLU provider to another, without the line technically returning to bt in the middle. We were sky LLU, but not plusnet LLU so this seems to be why we were able to keep our number.

Plusnet is just rebadged BT, so you have in effect moved back to a BT subsidury product hence why you could keep your number. We've just done the same.

Plusnet don't do LLU they just use BT 21CN if it is available in your exchange, if not then it will be good old 8mb ADSL Max

macman

It's not Sky tagging the number, it's TT's inability to conduct an LLU to LLU transfer. The only reliable way to do this is to do a return to donor via BT. This is free, but requires a 12m line rental contract. LLU to LLU transfers are rarely possible.

fastguy

Found an OFCOM page about keeping your number.
"your current provider must allow it to be transferred to a new phone company"
However I'm beginning to think getting a new number might at least stop the sales calls for a while!

macman

It's nothing to do with the number. If you were moving to any company using BT Wholesale (non-LLU) then the line could be transferred and the number retained. But if a new line is installed then the old line is disconnected and the number is recycled for use by another new subscriber.

brewerdave

fastguy wrote: »

However I'm beginning to think getting a new number might at least stop the sales calls for a while!

...but that doesn't always work...as macman says you will be issued with a recycled number - sometimes this gets more sales/marketing calls than the original number ever did, PLUS you might get various debt companies trawling for the original owner of the number!!:(