Changing from Business to Residential Phone & Broadband

CuriousQuestions

Can anyone advise, please? After a nightmare 6 months following BT selling me a BB/Phone package that cannot be provided as that particular service isn't actually available in my area, and the subsequent incompetence of trying to reinstate my previous package, I am looking to change providers when the current contract ends in September (if not before once my complaint is resolved!)
We currently have a Business account that has BB and 1 landline. It is in my father's name. We want to change the account into my name, change it from Business to residential and move to another provider who can hopefully provide a better service. We also want to keep the existing phone number that we've had for 50 years.
What is the best way to go about doing this? Do I need to get the account transferred into my name first and swap to residential status before moving? I don't want to be tied into any further contracts with BT for even a short period of time. Would a new provider set up an account in my name and still be able to transfer the existing phone number across?
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

iniltous

TBH , these are questions you would need to ask of whatever provider you intend to use , the potential pitfalls are if the name of the old and new ‘accounts’ ( the old in your fathers name and the new in your name ) could cause an error ( because of the mismatch ) and the move from business to residential may also cause an exception and the order to fail.
Whatever the eventual outcome it’s the new provider that is responsible, not the old provider ( it a gaining provider led process ) so should it go wrong , you need to apportion blame appropriately, even if the new company state it’s not their error , the fact is , it is.
Some companies are going to be better at this than others , the better ones  tend to be at the more niche ( and expensive) end of the market , the budget and more mainstream alternatives to BT will often promise the earth , but if unsuccessful , simply point at the T&C’s that state that the phone number you will get is not guaranteed.
If you are prepared to be without a landline for a while , you could port the number to a traditional VoIP supplier , that would cause the cessation of the  business line , you then order a new ( residential) broadband line that comes with either a random number or no number at all , and use the broadband to access the VoIP service ( and the ported number ) , obviously there is a period without a landline at all.

CuriousQuestions

Thank you for the information iniltous. The phone number was ported over to the 'digital cloud'(?) a couple of months ago before they realised that the proposed upgrade to the BB service wasn't possible. I guess this means the phone number would remain in place if the BB service provider changes as it's already going via the cloud now? - I currently have an additional mini phone modem connected to my BB modem for this. 

CuriousQuestions

Are there any BT representatives on this forum who can help me? I have just received another bill which is ludicrously high and refers to a phone number that isn't even mine. I've tried contacting the sales rep who sold me the duff service in the first place but they simply don't respond to my calls.

ladruid

Only BT will be able to assist with your bill. Have you tried BT Business forum?
https://business.forums.bt.com/

Have you thought about simply porting the telephone number you want to keep to a VOIP provider in the short term?

Then once you know that's been done correctly, cancel all BT related services. Get new residential services installed, and either keep number with the VOIP provider or port back to new residential supplier.