How to get out of a split transfer on a landline?

ColinD1

I found myself in a right mess after transferring between two telcos. My pain and distress is covered in other threads.
I have now embarked on the dangerous process of taking a temporary number then hopefully reclaiming my number I held since 1978 in two weeks time.
My new telco has not been able to describe how this will work, but have said if I do not do this some people will never be able to contact me.
The process has now started. The temporary number is accessible from our mobiles. We can dial out. Our old number is unavailable.
So far so good.
We asked our son to phone from his mobile. He is now able to reach us on the temporary number (this is the first time since 20 February), but he still received ring tone from our old number.
Should I expect anything to change before our number is reclaimed in two weeks time?

KeithP

Would this thread be better placed on the Mobiles board?

ColinD1

Not mobile as it is a landline.Mobiles not common in 1978.Looking for technical knowledge not service provider information. Was in two minds of where to go. Unsure of etiquette of posting the same issue on two boards.

J_B

We had a similar issue when we cancelled out plusnet broadband and they also ditched our landline that we'd had since the 60's

Signed up with BT as we thought there was a better chance or retrieving the number with them .... it worked.

Search back through my previous threads to find chapter and verse

ColinD1

I did ask if my telco would release me penalty free to go to a new provider as a means of resolving the problem. If their remedy does not work, I will ask again.

MinuteNoodles

ColinD1 said:

hopefully reclaiming my number I held since 1978

You've not had the same number since 1978. There have been at least two number changes, possibly three or more if you're in London, since it was issued in 1978. Telephone numbers changed to 6 digits in the early 80s, 1990 saw London's dialling code change, 1995 saw a "1" added to all dialling codes, 2000 saw London dialling codes change again.

glennevis

Why would @MinuteNoodles doubt what the OP says? Not everyone lives in London.

My mum has had the same 6 digit number since she moved house in 1974. The addition of an extra '1' to the STD code, which you prepend to the number if living out of the area, didn't affect the number.

ColinD1

MinuteNoodles said:

ColinD1 said:

hopefully reclaiming my number I held since 1978

You've not had the same number since 1978. There have been at least two number changes, possibly three or more if you're in London, since it was issued in 1978. Telephone numbers changed to 6 digits in the early 80s, 1990 saw London's dialling code change, 1995 saw a "1" added to all dialling codes, 2000 saw London dialling codes change again.

You are quite correct. If I wanted to be verbose and confusing to satisfy a complete pedant I should have said
I have had the same final 5 digits to my phone number since 1978. After the changes in the STD codes a local person has had to prefix these digits with the final digit of the old STD.
A person not in my local area had to add an additional 1 after the first digit.
So much clearer, but I think it would have muddied the water. 
In 1978 my number was Hicksville ***** now it is Hicksville 5***** most people in Hicksville would be able to work this out.

DoaM

You might get better help in the Phones & TV board (1 up from the Mobiles board).

glennevis said:

Why would @MinuteNoodles doubt what the OP says? Not everyone lives in London.

My mum has had the same 6 digit number since she moved house in 1974. The addition of an extra '1' to the STD code, which you prepend to the number if living out of the area, didn't affect the number.

When I was a kid I remember our 6 digit number changing to 7 digits. It use to be 40XXXX but was changed to 410XXXX, but the area code (0191) remained unchanged. The number of people who thought the change was to prepend the original number with 410 was unreal! 🙄 We got quite a few wrong number calls for weeks afterwards.

ColinD1

I did debate where to post. I did post a link back to here from an allied post there.
I remember reporting wrong numbers being routed to my phone in  short periid. Standard response from the engineer " no problem here". I pointed out this had suddenly started to happen and the number was one digit different from my own. Mysteriously the problem went away. I suspect a relay was cleaned.