This topic

Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 17:49:19 GMT

Hi, scenario (s) 4 off:

User 1 on BT (neighbour) tried to go full Sky i.e. stream, broadband and telephone moving from copper FTTC to FTTP fibre on Formby exchange been told cant retain home number and BT won't allow? Why? Process halted. They want Sky.

User 2 on PLUSNET (neighbour) waiting to go full SKY i.e. stream, broadband and telephone moving from copper FTTC to FTTP fibre on Formby exchange. FTTP for sky stream and broadband all in all working, but telephone not working no dial tone on rear of hub and FTTC no dial either. PLUSNET contract ends 25th August. No phone for a week, they have informed Sky numerous times and they say BT have told them quote ‘They can’t retain home number as BT won't allow?’ Why? They will lose number of some 50 years.

User 3 on PLUSNET (me) tried to go full Sky i.e., stream, broadband and telephone moving from copper FTTC to FTTP fibre on Formby exchange Been told can’t retain home number as BT won't allow? Why? They won’t say but as Plusnet no longer supporting analogue calls over FTTC going forward and they recommend other VOIP suppliers i.e., Vonage, BT Digital Voice Ooma etc. but say they can’t guarantee even then that I could retain my telephone number. Why?

User 4 (neighbour) was BT FTTC went BT FTTP was able to retain number???

As above all on Formby Exchange - 2 users in same road with PLUSNET, one BT round corner. Plusnet users can’t retain number, going to Sky, and BT going to Sky can’t, but BT to BT user can?

User1 (next road- same exchange) still on Formby exchange but been told can’t retain number going to Sky, so if they want to retain number have to stay with BT? Why?

Common denominator all on same exchange but if moving to Sky they can’t retain number. But if on BT moving to BT FFTC TO FTTP can. Strange!

I am seeing a pattern here? Let me spell it out for your, any ISP going to any other ISP other than BT you can’t keep your number. If you are BT and going to BT you can?

So is there a technical reason why BT Openreach can’t retain number. I.e. Is it something like FTTC is on Formby exchange and FTTP is on Southport, so technically on different exchanges so cant (maybe) ? But then BT FTTC to FTTP BT can? Why?

Or BT are just being problematic and refusing porting to anything other than BT monopoly. I smell a rat. Am I missing something?

Help

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

jac_95 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 17:52:06 GMT

Hi Liver_Diver,

Thanks for the post and welcome to the Community.

This is an automated response as I can see you have a question about BT’s Digital Voice service. Rather than waiting for a response from the Community, you may find an answer to your question by using the search bar on the Community homepage. We also have a thread that contains a wealth of info related to BT’s Digital Voice, click this link to take a look, Digital Voice FAQs.

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Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Keith_Beddoe — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:00:08 GMT

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

@Liver_Diver

Are you a BT Retail customer?

Bear in mind that telephone exchanges are closing, and calls are being routed over the Internet. This does place some limitations on what number ranges can be ported.

BT Retail now use BT Digital voice, and there is a process to move existing BT Retail customers onto that service, and retaining their number.

If the number is owned by another provider, then this can present issues.

Openreach do not allocate numbers, they are owned by individual Service Providers.

BT Retail have no control over number they do not own.

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

flycop2000 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:17:32 GMT

I moved from BT FTTC to an Altnet FTTP a couple of months ago. My number was ported to my new providers VOIP no problem.

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:22:25 GMT

Apologies I am not but my neighbour who is 70 with husband terminally asked if I could post on her behalf. Of course I could post on her account? I am Plusnet, but she is BT wanting to move to sky, so reading between the lines although you say BT is looking after BT customers are you saying if she doesn't move to BT Digital Voice she will lose her number 🤔. The one she needs to meet medical needs of her husband? And there are no other options? Thanks.

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

garybs29 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:25:32 GMT

Thr common demoninator appears to be Sky so have you asked them?

FWIW transfers are gaining provider led & BT wouldn't be blocking themparticularly if they're with plusnet

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:25:58 GMT

Yes as per post they quite simply say BT is blocking the porting

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

garybs29 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:34:29 GMT

And do you not think they could be lying?

A number port can never be guaranteed 100% BUT categorocally BT will not be blocking it. Sky saying they are is just an excuse. The fact you keep saying BT says a lot, BT retail have no control over transfers from plusnet, if Sky are telling you that it's incorrect info, oprenreach own/maintain the network & they clearly have no clue what they're talking about

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

imjolly — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:40:45 GMT

It could just as easily be SKY who are having problems porting number asthey are also moving to digital and just conveniently blaming the other ISP

From other forum posts where customers moving from SKY have problems porting number to BT Retail

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 18:52:44 GMT

Yes lying is one solution. Hence why asking the expert. Problem one user is half way through move and they say its BT causing issues. Other user, wife with terminally ill husband had tried moving to sky from BT and they say similar. So why would sky say that if they want the business? So I feel there are bigger issues than lying 🤥 🙄 . Cant disagree with the rest of your reply though. Just can't work out the real issue

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 19:05:01 GMT

Yes it could but two different users saying its a BT or Openreach problem preventing the move. So much so Sky are refusing the order blaming technical issues of exchange problems just can't find out why? I under no illusion that it may be Sky but why refuse a potential sale? And how do I find out what the real issue is?

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

imjolly — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 19:21:04 GMT

There is no point in SKY taking new business with assurance that they can port the number knowing that it is just going to be unhappy customer when porting fails and they cancel looking for compensation. Far easier to blame other ISP and decline business

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

-Richie- — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 19:48:35 GMT

@Liver_Diverwrote:
Common denominator all on same exchange but if moving to Sky they can’t retain number. But if on BT moving to BT FFTC TO FTTP can. Strange!

The reason they can retain on FTTC to FTTP is there is no number port involved in that scenario, the number is with BT and the broadband is updated, it's a change of BBEU and billing, the number remains with the same provider.

The common denominator is Sky unable to port a number from different ISP's.

Sky are nortorious for failed ports, this forum is littered with porting issues the other way, Sky customers moving to BT.

If BT were blocking number ports, then Sky and other communication providers would raise an industry complaint about it as it's not allowed, they do it all the time with adverts to the ASA, it's proper **bleep** for tat.

Next time you speak with Sky and they say BT have blocked it, ask for it in writing and see if they'll send that, I will bet they won't.

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 20:49:32 GMT

Ok I'm starting to understand, interesting. You probably can't answer this but A guess would serfice. But I have sort of jumped to that answer and requested why in writing sky are having problems but now its explains why BT to BT is not a problem.

The question I have, well two. Please.

Q1. What would make it easier for sky to make sure porting number does happen .i.e. request BBEU from Plusnet or BT? Request why in writing Sky are having problems (in progress) or what?

Q2. Why would Sky refuse an order/sale saying they cant guarantee the number porting (knowing the number is needed for a terminally ill patient) and refuse sale of sky broadband, sky calling and sky stream/puck if something not more technical challenging or is this an honest sky agent? The move is from BT to Sky.

Q3. Sorry I lied. Why in this day and age and technology is the process not made simple. Given 2025 thers a lot of uses having to migrate to FTTP with the elderly or needed to Port numbers. Will the process be made easier or more streamlined. And if Sky are a issue should that itself not be addressed by a higher authority i.e Ofcom. Heaven help us all

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

-Richie- — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 07:43:46 GMT

@Liver_Diverwrote:
Q1. What would make it easier for sky to make sure porting number does happen .i.e. request BBEU from Plusnet or BT? Request why in writing Sky are having problems (in progress) or what?

Porting comes with risks, there's never a guarantee, the porting process is an industry agreed way of working, Sky don't contact BT or any provider, a switch is 2 orders with the supplier systems, a provider raises an order to say they are taking over the line at an address, it's already working so that generates a cease with the losing provider, the order includes the port request to retain the same DN (telephone number).

ISPs are also not allowed to denegrate, it's bad practise and why nobody at Sky will confirm in writing that BT are actively blocking the port, it's incorrect and they are just pointing fingers, switching to another provider is gainer led, it's Sky's responsibility to ensure the switch, you never have to contact the losing provider, it's designed that way and has been for many years now.

@Liver_Diverwrote:
Q2. Why would Sky refuse an order/sale saying they cant guarantee the number porting (knowing the number is needed for a terminally ill patient) and refuse sale of sky broadband, sky calling and sky stream/puck if something not more technical challenging or is this an honest sky agent? The move is from BT to Sky.

BT also state the same, with porting there is no guarantee, any reputable provider will make customers aware before rasing the order, if it's a deal breaker don't go ahead with the switch, it's been an issue for years and only recently has the right to port been discussed, it's still for the gaining provider to arrange:

@Liver_Diverwrote:
Q3. Sorry I lied. Why in this day and age and technology is the process not made simple. Given 2025 thers a lot of uses having to migrate to FTTP with the elderly or needed to Port numbers. Will the process be made easier or more streamlined. And if Sky are a issue should that itself not be addressed by a higher authority i.e Ofcom. Heaven help us all

It's not a new problem, it's been common for years, as previously mentioned there was never a right to port, it's a complex process with the number range holders and limited to exchanges, as we switch from the old analogue PSTN to a new digital network, things might improve, I can only guess as I don't know how different ISPs intend to address it.

I hope you get the answers you're looking for, I also hope you now understand the responsibility lies with the gaining provider, BT don't block number porting, they can't do it because the market is competative and doing so would be against competition rules.

Re: Porting telephone number from FTTC to FTTP on Formby exchange blocked by BT

Liver_Diver — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 08:31:39 GMT

Thankyou