Retrieve my landline number

[Jenni3]

Hi can anyone help I have just moved from sky to now broadband today, I told them I wanted to keep my landline number (on a number of occasions). But today I found out that they have changed the number. Not by them though and now they say there is nothing they can do! We have had our number for over 50 years then in 1 day it’s gone; and why is it no one can help me… saying it’s a very slim chance of getting it back!

please help

thanks 

[Keith_Beddoe · Accepted solution]

@Jenni3 

If it was originally issued by BT Retail, and you are still living at the same address, or an address that is served by the same BT Exchange building, then the only way you would be able to get it back, is by moving your services to BT.

Its never 100% guaranteed, but its normally happens.

Number ranges belong to individual Service Providers.

If you originally moved to Sky from BT, then Sky would not actually own your number, so when you ceased your Sky service, the number would have returned back to BT.

[Jenni3]

Thank you Keith

[Jenni3]

Quick update I contacted BT and they said there’s no way to retrieve my old number. Also I was originally with BT but have moved to different provides over the years. Shall I just switch my services to BT and hope for the best? Don’t know what to do please help! I’m on day 2 of cooling off period, and I don’t want anyone else to be given my old number.

[imjolly]

Nobody will be allocated your number so that is not a concern  you can still try for a number reallocation now account setup but as already said there is no guarantee that it will happen

[iniltous]

Provided the number was issued originally by BT, and the address is the same as when BT delivered the number in the past , then it’s very  likely that you can ( eventually ) get the number back, there are plenty of examples it  being done, generally you would need to order service with BT , accepting any ‘BT’ number , then once the line is working , arranging a ‘renumber’ order to get the wanted number onto the line….

if the regular customer service representatives can’t help, the moderators on this forum generally can arrange the renumber once the line is in, but an absolute guarantee won’t be offered , just in case something beyond their control happens, but there seems to be a really good success rate doing exactly what you want to do.

[Keith_Beddoe]

BT will not be able to see your number available for allocation, but assuming you have not moved house, it should still be available on the local exchange. You would initially have to accept a new number, but could then request a renumber.

[Andy_N]

---

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

@Jenni3 

If it was originally issued by BT Retail, and you are still living at the same address, or an address that is served by the same BT Exchange building, then the only way you would be able to get it back, is by moving your services to BT.

I don't think that's the case anymore. If the customer wanted TalkTalk (after having moved to Sky from BT), then I believe this is not an issue. It's a simple change in the (original) BT exchange to divert the number to the new ISP host - indeed it's only a one line software change. Assuming that the new host has provided the service on their exchange.

[Andy_N]

---

@Keith_Beddoewrote:

BT will not be able to see your number available for allocation, but assuming you have not moved house, it should still be available on the local exchange. You would initially have to accept a new number, but could then request a renumber.

---

Why can't the old number be available for reallocation? A number cease (say if it was ported to Sky) could also trigger a request from Sky to BT to cease the port. Then the number will set as available like all the other spare numbers in the relevant range. Of course, there could be a time delay flag for re-allocation (3 months?).