Moving from BT to VirginMedia and porting landline number questions

tired_dad

Hi,

I'm in the process of this change.

Web says your BT contract does not end when VM supply starts and therefore one must ring BT to inform them of ending contract.

However, I phoned BT today who said if the number is ported then the BT contract for both internet and landline will automatically end when the porting happens.

Also although VM said the number will be  ported there is nothing explicitly stating  that in the contract.

Any pointers most welcome.

iniltous

If you ( or rather VM ) request the number to be ported from BT,  because the BT service needs a phone number  to exist, VM by requesting the number to be ported from BT , in effect serves notice to BT that you no longer want BT service , obviously if VM don’t request the number port your BT service will continue until it is ceased by you (the account holder )
Its also the case that if broadband  is on the BT  line, in the same way the line needs a number , broadband needs a line, so by default that service ( if it exists ) will also cease, but only if VM handle the number  port correctly.
Not everyone who moves between providers is bothered if the number is also moved, hence the possible confusion, if you didn’t ask to port the number, you would definitely have to serve notice to BT yourself otherwise you would have two services at the same address, one VM and one ‘BT’.
If you cease the BT service yourself but you want the number ported, (instead if leaving it to VM)  then the port will fail and the result will be a new number on the VM line and the ‘old’ number being lost , probably forever , unless you become a BT customer again, so the moral is, want to keep the number leave it to VM, not bothered about the number , cease the old service yourself, if it goes wrong , the company’s will blame each other but ultimately it’s VM that will be ‘responsible’ as it’s them that you are joining 

tired_dad

Thanks . Helpful