Problem Porting Landline Number From Sky To EE

mokster

Hi all,

I think this has been discussed before but I haven't been able to find resolution so I am hoping someone here would be able to give me what I can do to resolve.

I've recently switched my landline and broadband from Sky to EE. Before I signed up with EE, I have asked EE to port the phone number and have also informed Sky that's what I wanted to do. Both has said there shouldn't be any problem and according to what I've read from Ofcom, porting phone number should not be difficult!

At first, EE couldn't port the number BEFORE the switch and have suggested to go ahead with the switch and I'll be provided a new number. I'll then need to phone EE AFTER the switch request EE to take over the old inactive number. However, after 1 week of daily calls to both EE and Sky, I am getting into a deadlock situation.

EE has told me that their number porting team (Openreach) could not port the number over because it's a Sky owned number, which needs Sky to "release" the number.

However, Sky has told me on 15/07 that the number is no longer owned by Sky and has been released back to the pool. The strange thing is that Sky has also told me on 14/07 the number will sit in the pool for 3 months before it gets recycled for new customer to use. I'll need to ask EE (via Openreach) to request Sky to port the number "as a favour".

Here is the deadlock: EE has contacted Openreach on 14/07 and concluded they cannot port the number over because it belongs to Sky and that They CANNOT CONTACT Sky direct to "request to port the number as a favour". Sky, on 15/07 has told me Sky no long owns the number and can't understand why EE / Openreach cannot take this number. :wall:

I've been spending hours this week phoning both EE and Sky on daily basis and have hit a brick wall. Therefore I am hoping someone will be able to advice what I should do next. Or if there is a Sky Rep and/or EE Rep here who can help.

I will be contacting Ombudsman Services on Monday to see if they can help too.

However, I must say that the agents at both Sky and EE have been very patient and I genuinely believe they have tried everything they can. Unfortunately I am not sure where the problem is.

societys_child

I'd blame Sky, know a number of Sky customers who've been unable to port their number. Of course it's never Sky's fault . . .

LazyTyper

I don't suppose you mind telling us the number, while masking the last 3 digits?

I have found Sky to be quite cooperative when porting numbers away (speaking as a gaining provider).

mokster

Sky was the first provider for the phone line (new build). Unfortunately I don't feel right for sharing any part of the number here but out of curiosity, what can I find out from the number?

I think it may have been easier if the number has been a BT number but I've/the line have not had BT provided the service previously.

Thanks

iniltous

I think we can assume the number in question is a 'Sky' number, from Sky's own LLU number range , as apposed to a number that was originally a 'BT' number that was previously ported to Sky sometime in the past ...so in effect this is a LLU to WLR port as EE will use WLR to provide phone service, so in effect porting the number from Sky to EE should be the same as if you were porting from Sky to BT, the only difference is you are dealing with EE, their customer service reps, and thier own 'front end' systems, not BT Consumer.

This has got nothing to do with 'BT' (consumer) or Openreach for that matter, EE need to indicate that the number needs to be ported from Sky, by using the correct order process, the only 'BT Group' involvement is at a BT Wholesale/TSO level to arrange that the number in question is presented when you make a call, Sky need to do the data changes required in thier network so that calls to the number are in effect 'forwarded' to the WLR equipment your line is connected to.

Normally, if the correct orders are raised by EE the number port is done on the day you require it, but if it goes wrong , or was never dealt with correctly, it should be recoverable , provided there is the will on both party's ( EE and Sky) to do something about it.

If your EE phone service is working but with a number you don't want, that suggests the wrong process was used by EE in the first place, or if the application was done on line, incorrectly completed by you, if Sky had ballsed up, rather than EE the chances are that if you dialled 17070 the AVR would read out the 'correct' number and any outgoing calls would 'present' the 'correct' number but you wouldn't get many if any , incoming calls, as 'incoming' calls would disappear into Sky's network, and not be redirected to your new provider.

All that is really required now is for a renumber order to be raised by EE , to renumber whatever number you currently have, to the number you want, and for Sky to process a port request, ( for either the first time if EE messed up, or the second time if Sky messed up ) ..if either or both say it cannot be done, I'm afraid that is down to them not putting your interest first rather than it not being possible, and says more about the 'quality' of them as CP's

FWIW, EE probably messed up with the incorrect order type, Sky have in effect returned 'your' number to thier 'stock' of numbers, because they were not told to port the number, so at the moment the number could be reallocated to a new Sky customer when a period of time expires.
Your CP could get the number back for you, if they were prepared to do the leg work, and obviously it would need Sky to not be pedantic and say to EE you should have done the correct thing in the first place, and do the porting work now, even though they have in effect already 'ceased' your number, ultimately though it's for EE to sort, not Sky, not any part of 'BT', although they will have to do work, Sky can say 'No' if they wanted to, BT Wholesale just do what they are requested to, so if a request is made they will deal with it

mokster

Thanks all, and iniltous for your in-depth response.

Yes, Sky has stated they will be "happy" to release the number to EE but would need EE to contact them directly (e.g. email).

EE kept saying they have no mean to contact Sky and the number porting is performed by BT / Openreach. It does sound like EE either don't want to do it or the "first line agents" don't know how to.

I've also asked Sky to "release the number" and then I'll tell EE to "take it". But apparently Sky cannot "just release the number".

It definitely sounds like all these are being bound by each of their own processes.

LazyTyper

Have you followed EE's complaint procedure? That should get the right person on the job to recover your number.

mokster

No, I haven't gone through the formal EE complaint process but have gone through a number of agents and their "manager". Each time they do appears to have tried their best without success.

I've raised it with Ombudsman now but just waiting for EE to send me a written confirmation they cannot do anything else to help.

Perhaps I should raise a formal complaint with EE as well!

Thanks

LazyTyper

mokster wrote: »

No, I haven't gone through the formal EE complaint process but have gone through a number of agents and their "manager". Each time they do appears to have tried their best without success.

I've raised it with Ombudsman now but just waiting for EE to send me a written confirmation they cannot do anything else to help.

Perhaps I should raise a formal complaint with EE as well!

Thanks

You need to raise a formal complaint with EE before you can take this to the Ombudsman.

mokster

EE is now sending me a deadlock letter and Sky has send me an email confirming it's not their problem.

The last conversation with EE is still that their provided, BT, does not recognize the number as a BT number and therefore couldn't port it over. Even though Sky said their system does not hold the number anymore.

I've raised with Ombudsman on both providers and will be forwarding the email / letter to them once I've received them.

iniltous

mokster wrote: »

EE is now sending me a deadlock letter and Sky has send me an email confirming it's not their problem.

The last conversation with EE is still that their provided, BT, does not recognize the number as a BT number and therefore couldn't port it over. Even though Sky said their system does not hold the number anymore.

I've raised with Ombudsman on both providers and will be forwarding the email / letter to them once I've received them.

Cannot EE see the nonsense they are spouting, if it were a 'BT' number then a port wouldn't be necessary as it would already be a BT number, , you don't need to port a BT number from BT to BT ( BT and EE effectively the 'same' from a WLR point of view ), presumably it's a Sky number that EE have to request to be ported from Sky to them, obviously porting is moving one providers 'number' to another provider,
Perhaps you could post the number, ( not the whole number , but enough to check who the number range holder is, something like 01325345***)