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Message 1 of 10

Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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Hello

I moved from my old provider (Vodafone) when I moved house and I joined BT as they were the only broadband provider in our postcode.

I requested that my old landline number be ported over from Vodafone to my new BT account.  For some unknown reason it has not been possible, yet it's only 1.5 miles down the road so it's still the same area code.

However, I can dial out (and it shows the correct number) but I can't receive calls.  Possibly old copper wiring which comes from the telegraph pole.

I have been trying to get the matter resolved for 3 months now with no luck.  BT blame Vodafone.  Vodafone say BT can easily port it over and BT are at fault.

I'm at my wits end and have run out of ideas and people to ring.

Ideas welcome 🙂

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Message 2 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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@T1gercub 

Was your number originally issued by BT Retail?

Moving 1.5 miles, although the area code may be the same,  you may be connected to a different exchange building. That would not apply if you are on BT Digital Voice.

The fact that your outgoing calls are correct, would indicate that either your line is still connected to the Vodaphone equipment, or the incoming network routing is wrong.

Are you now on a direct fibre (FTTP) connection and are using BT Digital Voice, or on an FTTC connection and using BT Digital Voice, with your phone plugged into the socket on the back of the Smart Hub 2?

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Message 3 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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@Keith_Beddoe 

Many thanks for your reply.

I have had the number for 36 years (showing my age now) which was originally NTL, later taken over by Virgin.  When Fibre arrived we moved over to Vodafone, taking the number with us.  Same address.  No problems.

Then we moved house at the end of March which is when all the problems began.

We were originally using our old equipment but BT have supplied us with 2 new digital handsets.  Doesn't make any difference though.

Dumb question - how do I know if it's a direct fibre (FTTP) connection?  The BT internet is via overhead telephone cables as there is no fibre on our unadopted cul-de-sac.

We have BT Digital Voice to the best of my knowledge.

 

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Message 4 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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@T1gercub 

As the number is probably owned by Virgin, who have a totally different network from BT Retail, I suspect that there are issues with the network routing. I assume that you are on BT Digital Voice, and have phones which connect to the BT Smart Hub 2, and when you make calls using the BT supplied phones, the recipient of the call, sees the number you had with Virgin?

If that is the case, then its just an incoming call issue. What do people get if they call your number? You could try calling your number from a mobile phone?

 

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Message 5 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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If you have had the same phone number for 36 years,  and the cable industry Telco provided that number initially ,  rather than it being a BT number ported to cable, you must have been one of the very earliest cable company customers,   if you had ‘cable’ in 1986, when the cable industry didn’t really get going until the early to mid 1990’s.

Number portability is the arrangement that allows someone changing provider to keep the phone number at their current address , it’s not a mechanism to take a number with you to a new address.
If you have moved address and are hoping to take the number with you , but are also changing provider , then it’s likely that it will fail, technically that isn’t a number port request , as the addresses are different, the address the VF service was at is different to the address you want BT service at.
If you were not also changing provider and were simply moving address with BT , and both the old and new address were within the same ‘exchange’ area then that would be a ‘home mover’ service you needed ( not a number port ) and it would be possible to keep the same number but ,  although 1.5miles isn’t a particular large distance, it could still be enough of a distance that the addresses are not from the same exchange, you couldn’t move the number , if it were the same exchange you don’t qualify as you are changing provider,  if you are going to be DV that adds in another level of complexity.

Lastly , there aren’t any areas where BT are the only choice , if BT are available then others are available too, BT use Openreach , and Openreach are available to any Telco that wants to use them, a few years ago the well known competitor brands didn’t bother with OR FTTP ( that was their choice , they could have offered service if they wanted to ) but these days even those brands offer FTTP over OR now, and even back then , there were alternatives to BT 

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Message 6 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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@Keith_Beddoe 

In answer to your question - yes I can confirm that when I make an outbound call, the recipient sees the correct landline number that I've had for 36 years (the old Virgin one).

When someone calls my number - the message they receive is "the number you called is not recognised, please check the number and dial again.

 

 

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Message 7 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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Hi @T1gercub and welcome to our community.

I'll be happy to take a look at this for you. I'll need a few details so I'll drop you over a private message now so you can get in touch.

Cheers

David

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Message 8 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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@DavidM  I replied to your PM but haven't heard back from you, so nudging this post.

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Message 9 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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Hi, @T1gercub I'm sorry about the delay, we're really busy at the moment and will get back to you asap. 

Thanks

Neil

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Message 10 of 10

Re: Problems porting landline from Vodafone to BT

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@T1gercub 

Its likely to take a few days, as the small team of moderators deal with each request in strict order.