Lost Phone number in copper to VOIP switch

YBR

My mother was moved to digital landline last week and "they" have changed her phone number, she's not very tech savvy and all I know is what she's said.

Prior to the move there were lots of promises about how painless it would be and that her phone number wouldn't change. Then she got a message that that there'd been some issue, the result of which is they've given her a new number. This is a big problem as she relies on the landline - she's had that number for over 50 years and is very concerned she could miss calls about medical treatment and so on.

Now I don't know what the issue was, but communication seems to come from her provider "Zen" but the phone number will be controlled by BT, I assume. I gather that Zen have "put a hold" on the old number but is there a way to ensure that the number is switched back and fast, given that Mum can't hassle BT directly?

Given that Mum will now need to go round loads of people, companies, organisations and explain, give them the temporary number, is there a route to recompense for breaking their (Zen, I assume as the service provider) promises?

Brie

following as we got a call the other day that frankly sounded like a sales pitch to switch to BT.  I was rushing out the door to work so simply said for them to email me the details so I could look at it.  Nothing has been received.

So hijack question - do they need to have your consent to switch you?  I didn't consent to anything, not that I'm against it possibly but I don't quite understand how it will all continue to work.  I'm reasonably tech savvy but if I don't understand it what hope does someone who doesn't know anything beyond how to "dial" a number?

YBR

Brie said:

following as we got a call the other day that frankly sounded like a sales pitch to switch to BT.  I was rushing out the door to work so simply said for them to email me the details so I could look at it.  Nothing has been received.

So hijack question - do they need to have your consent to switch you?  I didn't consent to anything, not that I'm against it possibly but I don't quite understand how it will all continue to work.  I'm reasonably tech savvy but if I don't understand it what hope does someone who doesn't know anything beyond how to "dial" a number?

I know my Mum had arranged the date, and stays with Zen as service provider so not a pitch to switch. I'm aware that there is intention to switch off copper infrastructure so there may only be a choice to switch to Digital Landline or none (mobile, I suppose).

PHK

I’m not sure this is quite what it seems. Zen is a broadband provider who also offer Digital Voice. So I expect this is a change of provider for phone not broadband. 

In which case your mum will get letters from the old provider and Zen detailing the switch date etc. 

BUT because she has changed to Digital voice, she can’t use the old line so will have a temporary number. 

It’s best to confirm from the paperwork exactly what is happening. 

YBR

PHK said:

I’m not sure this is quite what it seems. Zen is a broadband provider who also offer Digital Voice. So I expect this is a change of provider for phone not broadband. 

In which case your mum will get letters from the old provider and Zen detailing the switch date etc.

BUT because she has changed to Digital voice, she can’t use the old line so will have a temporary number. 

It’s best to confirm from the paperwork exactly what is happening. 

She already had the switch date, and arranged it with them for a particular time. It seems that Zen promised that there would be no need for a temporary number, that the old number would be switched to the the new "line" immediately. That's all water under the bridge!

So the question is about ensuring the number is switched back quickly, and whether there should be recompense?

PHK

You need to confirm from the paperwork exactly what has happened, rather than what she has said and what seemed to have happened. 

It’s very unlikely that a number switch would happen immediately with a change of provider.