Port number from Virgin to BT

[jamesbuchanan66]

I currently have Virgin and BT in my property. I am trying to get BT to request my number from Virgin. My Virgin cancels on the 1/3/2021.

Ive tried twice to call up to organise this.

The first time they said I need to put a cancellation in.

The second time they wanted ME to ring Virgin to see if it's been released.

1. The Indian call centre at virgin won't understand this or know

2. I simply don't have the time to do this chasing and would expect the winning provider to find this out.

Could a mod please PM me to look into this 

Many thanks

James

[imjolly]

Is it an original virgin number or did you previously port it from another ISP

[jamesbuchanan66]

It's been everywhere. It originally was a sky number then to BT to plusnet to BT to virgin and now hopefully back to BT

[imjolly]

I expect  the number has been returned to original ISP SKY as per standard practice   many similar posts on the forum 

[Keith_Beddoe]

@jamesbuchanan66 

As @imjolly  has said, the number would now have returned to Sky, if they were the number range holder. Its not going to be possible to port it to BT Retail.

A moderator would not be able to help with this, as the number does not belong to BT Retail.

If you are unsure of the number range owner, then if you can specify the first six digits only,of the number, I can look it up.

[zoltronix1972]

Having previously worked in assignments at Virgin Media. As long as the service isn’t cancelled with Virgin Media it won’t be re-pooled and returned back to its original assignee, which you stated is Sky.

You said the service is pending a disconnect on the 1st March 2021. The reason why the port won’t happen is because it’s a pending disconnect, seen it many times at Virgin Media.

It doesn’t matter where the number has been or how many times it been ported. What I would do is call Virgin Media back and speak to Customer Relations. This is where it gets tricky, is your phone line delivered over copper or is it plugged into the back of the SuperHub? If it’s delivered over copper then cancel the TV and Broadband but leave the phone active. If the phone is plugged into the SuperHub then cancel just the TV. Your disconnect date may change to the 3rd March.

You then need to contact BT on the 4th a March and ask them to put a port request from Virgin Media. They should then be able to take the number in 9-10 days. This will then disconnect the phone from Virgin Media. If as advised your phone was plugged into your SuperHub you can then cancel the Broadband, which will close down 9-10 days after your TV service.

The issue is this is BT’s problem to remedy, the ownership of the port taking place is the current provider you are transferring to. If BT still drag their feet, complain to BT and insist they escalate to Openreach.

As long as the line is still live and there is no pending disconnect at a virgin Media’s end then the port should go though.

But if you want to keep this number then fight for it with BT, they have to do everything possible to retain this number for you.

The rules changed about 18 months ago on number porting, which states customers must not be frustrated by number porting issues. If you are frustrated by the process OFCOM can become involved.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/features-and-news/new-protections-stamp-out-switching-fr...

If you continue to have problems tell BT you are submitting a POR request to OFCOM, you will be given a code by OFCOM to give to BT to force the number port through, but the line must remain active for this to happen, you may even be entitled to compensation from either Virgin Media or BT depending where the problem is.

[mybigtoe]

Is the BT line you have already working? I don’t think you can ask them to renumber an  active BT line with a number that is currently with another provider. Should you not be asking BT do a line takeover order? As said before the current cancellation request you have in place on the Virgin line  will stop you from even doing this. 

[zoltronix1972]

BT can do an active port, but the line with Virgin must still be active and not pending cancellation.

As I said before it’s the pending cancellation on the Virgin line which is the problem, seen it loads of times before in assignments.

The only way to sort it is to speak to Retentions at Virgin, definitely cancel the TV, and the Broadband may also have to stay active with the phone line if the phone line is a VoIP service, if the phone line is a copper PTSN line then only the phone line has to stay active, the broadband can be cancelled with the TV.

Once the cancellation is cleared on the phone line, request an active port on the BT line. To be honest you are best being put through to Activations at BT and get them to put the active port on.

[imjolly]

I and I am sure many others look forward to see the outcome of the phone number porting

[jamesbuchanan66]

Annoyingly I actually asked for the port before I cancelled on the first call and VM and they said I need to have a cease date.

Will be intresring to here an official response