Is my old landline phone number irretrievable ?

[imjolly]

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@Keith_Beddoe wrote:

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@imjolly wrote:
As long as they are aware that moving to BT could incur significant cancellation fees from SKY maybe it will be worth it

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That depends if they are still within their cancellation period, and possibly if they were promised that they could have their number back.

Until @neiloneil  posts back, it will not be possible to offer any more advice.

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Reading the original post @neiloneil did not request to keep number.  I was just making @neiloneil  aware there could be significant costs in moving to BT

[neiloneil]

broadband and talk service went online on the 5th of march (11 days ago). I asked Sky if it would be a seamless switchover , to which I was told it would. I dont regard losing our 45 year old telephone number seamless , as it has made quite some impact. I for one am right in the doghouse over the whole affair. My mother has now no way of being contacted by her accaintances of many years.,

[Keith_Beddoe]

You normally have 14 days to change your mind, so if Sky cannot get your number back, then the only option would be to return to BT Retail befor the 19th March, which does not give you much time.

Sky should have been able to port your BT number over.

Why did you change from BT Retail to Sky?

[neiloneil]

i was with talktalk for the past year, but have now changed to sky

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@neiloneil wrote:

i was with talktalk for the past year, but have now changed to sky

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That is why you cannot have your number back.

I assumed your number was originally issued by BT Retail, is that not correct?

[neiloneil]

it would have been issued by british telecom back in the early seventies.

[Keith_Beddoe · Accepted solution]

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@neiloneil wrote:

it would have been issued by british telecom back in the early seventies.

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Then that is the problem. Your number is owned by BT Retail.

You ported it to TalkTalk without any problems, however you cannot port it from TT to Sky, as TT do not own the phone number, so it reverts back to BT Retail, as the number owner.

The only way you can get your number back, would be to move back to BT Retail, assuming you are living at the same address. You will be given a temporary number to start with, but that can normally be renumbered back to your original one.

I suspect that it may be too late now.

There is no other option.

There is no way that Sky could have given you your number, and that should have been made clear when you signed up to them. You have very limited time to do that, as you would soon be out of your cancellation period, assuming 14 days is what they specify.

If its too late, then you could face large cancellation charges from Sky.

[neiloneil]

Many thanks for your time. You have been so much more responsive with clear information than Sky. I think we'll have to just let it go .

[Keith_Beddoe]

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@neiloneil wrote:

Many thanks for your time. You have been so much more responsive with clear information than Sky. I think we'll have to just let it go .

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The best option would be for your mother to ring or write to her contacts, and tell them your new number.

Your new number will be owned by Sky, so I am not sure what would happen in the future should you move to a different provider again.