Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[renluop]

He uses TT for internet but had his original BT phone number, so presumably was not LLU. Some fault or other developed and between them BT and TT managed mismanaged to reverse two digits to a number across town, but his number was lost (tested by me and not recognised).

For sometime he was without BB or phone, but eventually both resumed without AFAIK notification. BUT whilst he can phone out, no one can phone in.

Having a devious mind I suggested he phone me for me to pick his number up on CI. What do I find? He has a new number that clearly is not one allocated to BT lines. I suspect TT have slammed the phone line.

Now I would like to suggest the way forward for him to get his full service back. Even that I fear may be not easy, but he is also urologically challenged by the pair of incompetents and wants to change both telephone and BB provider.

Suggestions opinions &c &c! Please!                                     

[roseway]

He uses TT for internet but had his original BT phone number, so presumably was not LLU.

That's not necessarily correct. When TT take over the phone line the user normally still keeps the same phone number. For some years now the only option they offer is full LLU, where they take over the phone line as well as providing the internet connection.

Having a devious mind I suggested he phone me for me to pick his number up on CI. What do I find? He has a new number that clearly is not one allocated to BT lines. I suspect TT have slammed the phone line.

As above, if your friend signed up in the last few years, then TT ownership of the line will be part of the deal. The error they've made is to change his phone number as part of fixing the earlier problem. Perhaps the easiest solution now is for him to accept the new phone number and make sure that he isn't being billed for it by BT. No doubt his preferred option would be to get the number restored, but that may prove impossible at this stage.

[kitz]

I dont really have anything much to add Im afraid and what eric says is true. 

What isnt quite clear from your post is if he was paying his phone bill to BT or TT.   If he pays TT for telephony then he will most likely be on MPF (full) LLU.

If he is on MPF then it could be very difficult to get his phone number back, as BT will have passed ownership of that number over to TT.
Although TT can easily take the number over from BT, one of the common complaints about MFP LLU is the probable loss of the phone number if moving to another SP

If he paid his phone bill to BT, then they may be able to do something to help.

[renluop]

I have sent him my findings, and also deviously found by a fibre enquiry to TT that "However, it looks like you have another TalkTalk product waiting to go live on your account. Once this has gone live, you can upgrade. You can see all details of your orders in My Account". looks like a half done job.

I'll pass your comments on. Thanks!

[renluop]

Since my OP he has replied and have posted our correspondence below in case you may have further comments and suggestions to those made earlier, and as to what steps he needs to take.

It seems that he wants eventually to leave TT, hopefully with his old number (doubtful as you say). What problems or unexpected costs might arise with reconnection to a BT ISP with a phone package from that ISP or BT? Whatever the problems may be, my thoughts are that any provider change will need to wait on the resolution of the immediate mess up.




My first email
Hi D*! The Saga develops! You have a new number and the old one is not recognised at all. The new
one is 01*2* 8*94**. That would be a non-BT allocation. On that, when I phoned back, I got a
"number not in service" announcement.
When TT took over your BB originally, did they also take over the phone line too? if the phone was
not taken too, then the recent change of number makes me wonder if TT have not taken that
illegally (aka as slamming).
I have taken the liberty of posting your problem on one of my forums, as its members are very
astute. That is both in respect of the immediate aspects and also  if you migrate phone &/or BB to
other providers. Hope you do not mind.Will let you resonses.
G*

His reply
Hi G* I'm afraid that I'm out of my depth here. Hopefully these
notes will help.
When we changed to TT they took over both telephone and Broadband (inc
e-mails.)
In the last few days an engineer at Openreach told me that our actual
telephone cable was a TT cable (an MPS line) which BT were not allowed to
work on.

My second email
Did a bit of cheating and tried tofind out what fibre sped you would get (actually you can't being so
close to the exchange) bu the checker does not know that.
Got this message:
However, it looks like you have another TalkTalk product waiting to go live on your account. Once
this has gone live, you can upgrade. You can see all details of your orders in My Account

His reply
Your second e-mail - I have told TT that we want our old number back, not a
new one. At first (c 4th October) the only loss was that most (but
surprisingly not all) persons could not ring us. At that stage we could
ring out (although I confess we did not carefully check all codes such as
09
numbers),  Later (about 12th Oct) we also lost telephoning out, internet
and
e-mails. Much later I learnt that about 12th Oct TT deleted us from their
list of clients. When our Internet and E-mails disappeared I told TT that
we
wanted them all back, About a week after everything went, Internet and
E-mails mysteriously returned.
Apart from the above I know nothing of "another TT product waiting to go on
line" or of my" orders being in My Account".

[kitz]

Thanks for the additional information and confirmation that he pays his phone bill to TT. 
TT hasnt slammed the line, just done their normal procedure and put both phone and broadband onto FMP LLU, which they do at any exchange where they have their own equipment.  This is how they are able to offer their services so cheap, but most people arent aware of the technical aspects and the future problems that could lay in store if they want to come back to a BT line - in particular retention of the telephone number.

Because his number is 'owned' by TT, they may be able to get it back.  I dont honestly know, but he can but try and insist that they sort it. 

As regards to in the future moving back to a BTw based system,  then there is no guarantee that he would be able to retain the same number.   Once the above mess is sorted one way or other, then he would probably be best talking to someone at the likes of Plusnet to see what they could do.   The reason I say Plusnet rather than BT is that their CS are more likely to be knowledgeable and honest about what can and cant be done.   I would also say someone like Zen would also be able to give good & factual information, but if your friend has gone with TT to save £, then Zen may cost more than your friend is willing to pay.  Depends on his usage etc. 

[renluop]

Well it seems that the problem went to a higher level in TT &/or BT. Against odds he is to get his old number back (good news ). It won't happen to 9 December (bad news ).

Our local exchange must be having problems as my daughter and husband's line is completely out and they cannot even have their incoming calls diverted to a mobile according to faults.

[burakkucat]

. . . as my daughter and husband's line is completely out . . .

That made me laugh.    The way it has been written, it could be interpreted as "your daughter's line" and "your husband's line", etc, rather than the intended "your daughter's and her husband's line", etc. (I.e. Your daughter's and son-in-law's line.)

[kitz]

Thats excellent news that they say they can get the number back for him

The delay may be something to do with the fact that once a number is no longer in use, the CP passes the number back to BT and then after a certain length of time it can be re-allocated from the pool.   I dont know the actual mechanics or time scale though Im afraid.