This topic

Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

dqj999 — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 09:29:36 GMT

I recently ordered Full Fibre from BT together with Digital Voice, that was supposed to transfer my original account from PlusNet to BT including the phone number.

The Digital Voice service was never enabled successfully on my Smart Hub2 and despite numerous calls to the Fibre Team and Faults they were unable to enable the Digital Voice service. Finally they decided that they would have to do a cease and re-provide and I specifically reminded them that I needed to keep my original number.

I have now been allocated a new number and the Full Fibre team have told me that they are unable to re-allocate numbers on Digital Voice at present. If anyone knows that is incorrect please let me know.

So be warned, you can lose your number in switching to Digital Voice and there is no way to get it back.

Derek

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

RIC9380 — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 17:33:43 GMT

Similar thing happened to me back in March. Without any notice to me BT ceased my DV line with my old landline number of 40 years and reinstated it with an entirely new number. I had had DV for 2 years having been on the trial. I was constantly told that I couldn't get my old number back but eventually with the right help from the right person I finally got it back. My advice is to raise a complaint and then just persist. It can be done.

RIC9380

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

dqj999 — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 01:33:02 GMT

Thanks Ric, I will persist with this. I'll add this to existing complaint about service provision.

Derek

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

dqj999 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 16:47:37 GMT

@RIC9380

Ric, A quick query - in the 40 years with having the same number has your official address with Royal Mail changed in any way? I'm beginning to suspect that a change to my property name made by Royal Mail has not made its way into the UPRN · Unique Property Reference Number database. My theory is that PlusNet has a different UPRN for my property than the one that BT are using, hence a transfer of service looked like a house move as well as a change of service; Ofcom allow loss of numbers when a house move takes place.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

RIC9380 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 16:49:33 GMT

Hi, dqj999.
No. I moved into the property in 1982 as a new build then, just under a year after the GPO became BT. I had to wait for a while for the landline to be connected as there was a waiting list. Good luck in your quest!
RIC9380

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

RIC9380 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 16:56:36 GMT

Just to add an update to my DV problems, earlier this week I went to stay with my elderly mum who had had a fall and tried to activate Call Divert which is comes with the DV service. Not on my line it doesn't! It used to before BT cut off my DV service in March without any warning. Anyway, CS were very apologetic but could not find a solution so I've reopened my complaint again as of yesterday...

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

dqj999 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 17:09:49 GMT

@RIC9380

BT really don't seem to be on top of the service aspects of Digital Voice. I found that I could use call diversion once I had done the following:
1. Log onto MyBT and look at My Products - Digital Voice.
2. Scroll down to Digital Voice Features and look at the Call Diversion section.
3. If it says "Manage", click though and set up your diversion. If it says "Upgrade", go ahead and add this feature to Digital Voice. Once activated you should now be able to program your diversion through MyBT.

Hope this helps
Derek

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

RIC9380 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 18:16:05 GMT

Hi, Derek and thanks for that. The problem is that when I go to that section I only have the option to "Activate" which I've tried but that just fails. CS agents have tried to activate it from their end but that has also failed. Their next suggestion was to send an engineer to my home!! I'll be back on the case on Monday.

Richard

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

stevebrass — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 21:11:35 GMT

It may be possible! My story is BT to VM back to BT (this time on DV ).

At first my phone number was not ported; however BT have been trying valiantly to put it right - basically stopping my DV service, then restarting it and then renumbering it with my old number (which was s BT number originally).

It they succeed I will post back here.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

dqj999 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 23:41:19 GMT

@stevebrass
You sound hopeful about getting your number back. Good luck, and if you succeed let us know how you did it. I think we need a super complaint to Ofcom to make BT fix this for all of us.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

stevebrass — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 11:56:48 GMT

Number now ported.

The BT team kept at it; I get the impression the "workflow" was something new but hopefully it will be established for future people who move to DV from another provider OR BT copper.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 12:43:44 GMT

As its purely a core network routing task, and no longer involves the local exchange equipment, it should be easy, once the new process is understood.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

dqj999 — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 12:53:16 GMT

@Keith_Beddoe

" it should be easy, once the new process is understood."

That implies that they have a process rather than a huddle of confused ants in Camp 3.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

Keith_Beddoe — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 13:01:03 GMT

@dqj999 wrote:

@Keith_Beddoe

" it should be easy, once the new process is understood."

That implies that they have a process rather than a huddle of confused ants in Camp 3.

There is a lot of inertia within BT, as those of us here, who have worked for them in the past, would understand 😉

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

Nevalti — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 19:20:23 GMT

Ditto, I just got my number back after BT kept telling me for 8 months that it couldn't be done. It CAN be done so just keep insisting and have a look at your original order. My contract said I would get my number transferred and maybe yours does too.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

Seanb1 — Mon, 30 May 2022 08:15:07 GMT

Hi Richard,

Did you have any success with activating call divert?

I have been through the same problems here; switched to DV, my old landline number was not retained, BT eventually renamed new number back to old number, now call divert is showing as 'activate' in MY BT. Clicking on activate generates an order number but nothing more.

Is there a solution to this problem?

Call divert to a mobile is invaluable, as the digital phone must be positioned near the router.

Regards,

Sean.

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

RIC9380 — Tue, 31 May 2022 15:07:34 GMT

Hi Sean.
Call Divert is now set to route all incoming calls (to my DV line) to my mobile phone if not answered after 15 seconds. From memory, once CS had activated it on the line I was able to set everything up using My BT.
Cheers,
RIC9380

Re: Digital Voice - Lost my phone number on transfer

Seanb1 — Tue, 31 May 2022 15:20:46 GMT

Thank you for the update. I have raised a fault with CS.