BT takes over EE, loses my number of 15+ years

HigginsPlantHire

Hi,

Please forgive any brevity in this post. I am not the most tech savvy of folk.

Long story short, BT assumed control of my mobile numbers 18 or so months ago. Service has been poor so I had been planning to leave.

I was recently informed, by BT, that my service would be moving to EE on October 26th.

I declined their offer and requested the necessary codes to leave and was told to expect these early in October.

At 6 pm on Wednesday 30th September I was mid-call when I lost signal.

Turns out they had cut me off without any prior warning.

BT have denied any accountability for this. Ofcom are advising I take legal action but really I just want (need!!) my number back.

I run an SME and have had this number for almost 20 years. BT have essentially laughed in my face and told me it's tough. They have lost the number.

I have opened a new account with Voda who, to their credit, have been trying repeatedly to get this sorted but to no avail.

My number is supposedly in something called quarantine.

Is there anything I can do? I am losing business by the day (most communication was via phone not email!!) so this is causing me real grief.

Thank you for any suggestions

Brian

grumbler

Quarantine is where numbers serve time before getting allocated to a new customer after the previous one lost it, typically because of not using for a long time or porting another number in.

Your story is very confusing.

I ...was told to expect these early in October.

At 6 pm on Wednesday 30th September I was mid-call when I lost signal.

What about the PAC?
Have you got it?
If not, how on earth could Voda "have been trying repeatedly to get this sorted"?

If you got the PAC and passed it Voda, then it's Voda to be blamed. Porting problems to Voda are a common place and they have to sort them out. You are deeply mistaken giving them credit for losing your number.

If it was BT alone that lost the number, then you are mistaken again thinking that Voda can help you. They are incapable of sorting out even their internal problems. In what form "BT have denied any accountability for this"? Get this in writing and take the case to the ombudsman. Otherwise start a formal complaint ASAP: Customer Complaints Code of Practice >

macman

Is this a business or residential contract? If the latter, you are not going to be able to claim any compo for loss of business, if that's what you have in mind, as you are in breach of the T&C's.
As above, if BT had screwed up (which may not be the case here), the last company I'd expect to assist me would be Voda.
Once a number has been recycled, it is gone.

grumbler

macman wrote: »

... as you are in breach of the T&C's.

:huh:................

System

Who originally provided your number?
As you've used it for a number of years, it's not BT

HigginsPlantHire

The number was originally with Voda. BT came along and offered me a bundle with my office phones & mobiles (which are business contracts).

My grievances with them started when my father passed away last year and they kept billing me for his contract (which was in his name). This dispute is STILL ongoing and they have said the only way to end it is if I also die, at which point the file goes to probate. Anyway, this is why I wanted to leave BT and doesn't really affect the current situation.

I was told about the move to EE, at which point I requested my codes for leaving. I was told the switch to EE would take place on 26th October and I would get my codes before that.

Phone signal went on last day in September. I opened a Voda contract as they had given me over a decade of good service before I ported to BT and I needed a phone immediately!

BT passed me from pillar to post and actually provided 4 sets of PAC codes but Voda kept saying they were invalid.

I got through to some manager somewhere in BT and he basically laughed at me saying the codes shouldn't have been issued as they would never have worked. My number is in quarantine and it was tough.

Needless to say I am fuming. If I ran my business this way I would be shut down overnight!

Ofcom old me to claim - same manager in BT said they/I didn't have a clue and then hung up.

Claims aside, I really just want my number. Comments so far suggesting this is actually going to be impossible ....

grumbler

HigginsPlantHire wrote: »

My grievances with them started when my father passed away last year and they kept billing me for his contract (which was in his name). This dispute is STILL ongoing and they have said the only way to end it is if I also die, at which point the file goes to probate. Anyway, this is why I wanted to leave BT and doesn't really affect the current situation.

Stop posting irrelevant information and concentrate on important facts.

I was told about the move to EE, at which point I requested my codes for leaving. I was told the switch to EE would take place on 26th October and I would get my codes before that.

BT couldn't give you the date as it's the new provider has to give it after you give the PAC to it. PAC lasts for 30 days, so BT have no control over the switching date. If you instructed BT to terminate the contract on the 26th, it was a huge mistake.

I got through to some manager somewhere in BT and he basically laughed at me saying the codes shouldn't have been issued as they would never have worked. My number is in quarantine and it was tough.

Why is it in quarantine? Have you terminated the contract? You shouldn't have done this before porting the numbers out.

Ofcom old me to claim - same manager in BT said they/I didn't have a clue and then hung up.

He was possibly right about Ofcom.

Claims aside, I really just want my number. Comments so far suggesting this is actually going to be impossible ....

If the number is in the quarantine, then it's possible, but only BT can do this. Stop wasting time on speaking to idiots over a phone and complain in writing. And the complaint hast to be clear and factual - not like your posts.

System

Ported numbers revert back to their original network once disconnected to be put in quarantine and subsequently re-issued.

You'll have to pursue this formally with BT/ EE but you could also approach Vodafone's number portability team to ask if they can assist.

HigginsPlantHire wrote: »

The number was originally with Voda.
My number is in quarantine and it was tough.

HigginsPlantHire

There seems to be an assumption I haven't complained in writing - this is not the case

Requests for communication to stay in writing are ignored and all incoming contact has been via telephone.

The current situation is that BT (via a complaints handler with an @bt.com address) are denying all responsibility.

They say they contacted me umpteen times with a form that had to be filled out to transfer my number. As I didn't do this they could never issue the relevant codes to do so (let's not forget they have since issued 3 pac codes that Voda told me didn't work and now say they never even issued them because I didn't fill in the form they supposedly sent me!!)

When asked for proof these forms were sent, they have none. When I ask for them to provide me with a copy of the call, they say they cannot do so because such requests can only be done by individuals and my account is in my company name.

When I pointed out my landlines are recorded they claim this is inadmissible (presumably knowing what was said in these conversations proves they are totally responsible for this situation!)

Any other suggestions? I can't find anyone to escalate the complaint to and the current chap dealing with it says he has handled everything satisfactorily and therefore won't escalate further.

Thank you in advance

grumbler

Ombudsman - as per the post #2.

Calls recorded by you are possibly inadmissible for a court, but perfectly admissible for the ombudsman.

That said, you keep ignoring the important question. Why was your contract terminated?
If the PAC was issued, but not used, the contract would go on.
So it would if the PAC wasn't issued.

What 'forms' did then sent to you allegedly and why?

diamonds

Ofcom, register the complaint, get a reference number and email a full complaint to Chief Exec office.