Can I retrieve my old number? Please help

[ua166]

So I recently cancelled my mum's Sky Broadband & Talk package when we realised my mum was paying 4 months out-of-contract. Unfortunately, I forgot to call up another provider to port over the number. Service was cancelled 4 days, this Monday 23rd of Nov 2022. I called up Sky and asked if I could start a new deal with them, and an error came up on their system when I asked for my old landline. I called them back, and they said that my old phone number is not available, and I would have to get a new number. The advisor first said, if I had cancelled from a previous advisor and am trying to move to sky, it is not possible, as the number is with the old provider. I had then said I was with Sky previously, and would like to stay with Sky, which he then replied to, it wasn't possible for him to transfer the number from Sky to Sky, which seems to me like he wasn't sure himself.

My mum has now gone into full panic mode, as she is quite elderly and has her number down for various medical contacts, and many family and old friends. Is there any way on god's earth I could retrieve this number? Desperately requesting help.

I'm wondering if moving to BT instead of Sky might be the most sure-fire way to get my number? Or perhaps do I call Ofcom?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@ua166 

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail Customers.

As a Sky customer you would need to post on the Sky user forum.

Sky Help Forum - Help & Support from the Official Sky Forum

As for any move to BT Retail, its not likely she would be able to get the number back unless it was originally issued by BT Retail, and has been returned to them when Sky was initially cancelled.

If she moved to Sky from a different provider, then that provider would own her number.

BT do not control the issuing of phone number, as each provider has their own number ranges.

[ua166]

I ran a check, and the number was indeed issued by BT Retail back in 15/07/1994, at the address that she is still currently living at. I'm sure there have been a number of various provider changes over the years, but originally she was with BT for the longest time. Do you think this would aid in retrieving the number if we decide to move to BT?

[Keith_Beddoe]

@ua166 

There is a possibility of getting the number back, but its never guaranteed, however the moderators on this forum have been successful on a number of occasions in the past. You need to be 100% sure that BT were her first supplier. Its possible to check the ownership of the number on the Ofcom website. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0029/227765/tran0109.xlsx

She would have to move her services back to BT Retail, provided she is not already in a contract with Sky, as she may incur large cancellation charged if she is outside of the cancellation period.

Once the BT service is active and working with a new number, then she can contact BT, and ask for a renumber back to her original number, there is normally a small charge for this.

If BT are unable to do this via a normal renumber order, then a forum moderator can be asked to help.