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Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:22:33 GMT

A move of home less than hundred yards was a real mess up due to BT and Open Reach incompetence. The original property had copper circuit with BT and a broadband connection with all the BT bits of kit. The new property had a phone line but it had been disconnected as we were buying an unoccupied house. The move was discussed with BT well up front but we were told it could happen more or less as soon as we moved in. Then came the problems. BT could not use copper now so we had to re-negotiate our deal with them. Agreed to go fibre told we could keep our old number but the option would be a Halo package with a new router, a extension disc, an EE thing and a couple of their latest digital phones. The cost was significantly higher but again, told this was the best option and a good deal. This deal was agreed. A months later we were still waiting for a connection and finally with the help of a neighbour we managed to get an urgent connection to fibre. That took another couple of weeks and then some as although the broadband was connected after Open Reach left, the digital phone didn't. This problem meant that we were not contactable for hospital appointments and doctor contact even though one of us needed cancer care. Eventually we were told by BT that our original number was lost and they allocated a new number. Neighbour came to our help again to raise the problem and raise a complaint about the whole process. Then we were told that our original number would be re-installed. Eventually, that happened and it works but only it seems from another subscriber who is also on digital. The catch here is that local to local requires the area code prefix now. (So we were told). Where we still have a problem is with out of area calls from friends using a non digital phone and even though they automatically enter our area code prefix do not get a connection and cannot call us on our digital phone. Is this common or have we got a fault. Is it something that BT but not their telephone advisors know about as getting the call centre to understand the problem never gets answered, it isn't on their script. Any ideas.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:28:27 GMT

At the moment, the only solution I can see, would be to move your phone service back to copper, but you could not use the new digital voice handsets.

Sorry, that does not work. BT quite clearly told us that once we had fibre, there was no way possible that a new copper connection would be installed. Checkmate I'm afraid.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

imjolly — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 19:43:07 GMT

I moved your posts to start your own thread so any replies refer to your problem and are not confused with the originator of previous thread.

If you go to hub manager - enter 192.168.1.254 I to your address bar do you see your phone number on the left?

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 17:28:34 GMT

Sorry about the delay, I typed in the hub manager code and the box on the left shows Not connected or something similar. The strange thing about this was that at least the VoI was connected but it seemed to be only accessible from a mobile. There have been messages passed again from us to BT but now, the line is dead and we cannot call out on the internet phone nor receive any incoming calls at all. The BT support has promised to have us up and running by pm today. These BT promises do not work but to ensure that the subject is still alive we have sent the person who made the promise an email telling him/her what has happened in the past. We have been in the new property for over three months and are still without a landline service. Shocking customer service so far.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 18:53:59 GMT

The last straw, Bt have written to us and said that they are working hard on the problem but they have suggested we contact the Ombudsman regarding our complaint. We think we will do this as it's a bit of a joke really. They say that they will accept the Ombudsman's decision. If they do have to accept the decision, will that get our number connected on the VoI that we have been paying for if so why not do that in the beginning. I wonder what the next step is. Do Bt have a problem with VoI, there seem to be a lot of people not getting the service.?

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 19:52:14 GMT

You moved my post from a similar set of posts to my own discreet post. Was there any reason for this other than to deflect the question from BT. I answered the questions asked of me and now the subject appears to be closed. I wonder why that is. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it does seem a little strange. Perhaps you could reassure me.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

licquorice — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 20:15:58 GMT

The answer was given in message 3, so that your question gets discrete attention rather than lost in somebody else's problem.

As this is a customer to customer self help forum, no attention is deflected from BT.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Sun, 10 Jul 2022 23:17:47 GMT

Please do not patronise me. I am capable of reading what was posted but saw no reason why this was placed somewhere else. I see little point in this forum as from what I can see, the moderators or tech savvy people who answer on here rarely answer the question in simple terms and offer no advice how to deal with BT. The forum operates with the BT logo so who in BT takes any notice of the posts.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

imjolly — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 08:02:20 GMT

has BT issued you with a deadlock letter so you can now go to ombudsman?

if not have you tried writing to BT CEO and get executive level complaints involved. you can get email address from google as not permitted to post on forum.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 20:55:55 GMT

has BT issued you with a deadlock letter so you can now go to ombudsman?

if not have you tried writing to BT CEO and get executive level complaints involved. you can get email address from google as not permitted to post on forum.

Yes a letter advising contacting the ombudsman has been received although it doesn't mention deadlock.

That comprehensive letter to the Ombudsman has been sent as of Monday.

No, we haven't written to the CEO, with all the personnel getting paid to man help desks one would assume that there would be some upward correspondence within those services. Problem is that they, the foreign help desks, seem to work to a script and anything that is outside that is lost in translation. Despite requests to talk to a manager or supervisor, nothing gets passed on. The hope is that because BT is such a large empire it will get lost forever with no comeback.

However, my assumption here is that this forum is toothless and serves for people to waste time writing their stories. Then a few people called distinguished sage or some other nonsensical title get to post all sorts of knowledgeable rubbish with multitudes of acronyms that only they understand or ask stupid questions like the one above. Why is this forum under the heading of BT if we are not to know who is answering our queries.

If you like a post, or want to say thanks for a helpful answer, please click on the Ratings 'Thumbs up' on left hand side.
If someone answers your question correctly please let other members know by clicking on ’Mark as Accepted Solution’.

And if I don't believe my question has been dealt with properly, where do I comment on that or do you only want positives.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

jac_95 — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 21:22:38 GMT

@BrianKiln this is a community forum where other BT Consumer customers help each other with issues. The only BT employees here are the forum moderators who have the mod title under their display name.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

imjolly — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 21:27:20 GMT

Is have given you a suggestion to progress your problem assuming you have not had a deadlock letter

This is a customer help customer community forum which you obviously did not read the T&C when you signed up but just ticked the box. I am a customer just like you and I am not nor have I ever been a BT employee

As you don't want any help I am quite happy to let you carry on the way you are going

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

Bob1001 — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 11:25:54 GMT

@BrianKiln Openreach involment is largely irrelevant,as they just act as an agent for BT, but apart from the number transfer problem you seem to have been sold a more expensive package than you need. With fibre BT will have to provide a modem/hub that supports fibre to make it work, you don't say which fibre (FTTP, Fibre To The Premises or FTTC, Fibre To The Cabinet) FTTC still works over copper to the premises and needs the smarthub 2)

It seems BT have sold you Halo 3+ rather than Halo 3 which is more expensive and includes EE back up etc etc.

Unfortunately and it annoyed me as well you will have to dial the full national code for all numbers you dial or call you. It took me ages to update my directory list and tell other people who are/were on the same exchange but not changed to fibre that they would have to dial the full code.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 21:28:40 GMT

@Bob1001 From what you have identified, the system installed is FTTP in that the open reach engineer with his mate ran a new cable into the property which is fibre and has the all singing and dancing kit with a disc (which Open Reach failed to explain what it was for) an EE device which is plugged in but no idea what I am expected to do with it and two VOIP handsets. I should have had as promised my old phone number. As it happened, they didn't work anyway and Mr Open Reach shrugged his shoulders and told us to ring BT.. They still don't work and that is the whole point of my post. Halo 3 is a slimmed down system but that is not offered to new connections (so we were told).

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

Bob1001 — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 07:10:21 GMT

@BrianKilnHalo 3 is still offered on the BT web site.

The disk, is to give your home WiFi additional coverage and the EE is so you can use broadband over the mobile network if your fibre connection fails. This assumes you have any mains power to run anything.

The EE back up was useless to me as they had taken down the local mast and I had no EE reception.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 13:12:06 GMT

@Bob1001 Thanks for that. Our neighbour who has been trying to help us, did show us what to do with the disc whuch is now on top of a wardrobe at the other end of the property and as it has a solid blue light seems to work to extend the wifi. Not sure about the EE Device but we are well within their coverage so, if broadband fails and we still have power, does that cut in automatically or do we have to press a button somewhere.

All we need now is our landline so that the VOIP works as it should using our original number.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

Bob1001 — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 13:23:57 GMT

@BrianKilnIt "should" switch automatically otherwise there is little point, but unless someone has had one work it real use it is difficult to tell.

With Halo 3 they send out a separate EE hub if you lose broadband and this you have to connect, I did get sent one but by the time it arrived my broadband was back and without EE coverage it was a bit pointless anyway but BT sent one out "just in case" it would work.

Re: BT lost my landline number during Broadband switch. How can such poor service be possible? Anyon

BrianKiln — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:49:13 GMT

@Bob1001 BT seem to not care that we are still without our landline number and if I check my BT hub using the 192.168.1.254 it comes back and clearly shows that no number has been allocated. We wrote to the Ombudsman in the hope that this might poke BT where it hurts and they might take some action. We haven't heard from them regarding the number availability but we did get a refund of three months (roughly) but that was a "sorry for the poor service" without any effort to sort a number for us. We wondered if that was because we had contacted the Ombudsman or if it was just BT's way of shutting us up. All this technology at their fingertips yet they have us believe that they cannot provide a telephone landline number, the whole point of BT's existence in years gone by.