SKY removed my home phone number after 40 odd years

[skynomore]

Was transferring to SKY from NOW for our phone and Broadband I repeatedly advised that after 40 odd years with the same phone number we required to keep that number.  After some time with no calls from family and friends we tried to find out what was the problem with NO CALLS only to be told by SKY that they had changed our  phone number and allocated another number.  

SKY then had the brass neck to say that they had advised me on there online SKY account that they were doing this. No email No phone call nothing. We are in our seventy's and require clear information and advise in circumstances like this. We connected to SKY on 25 Aug 26  and cancelled our agreement on 2 Sep 26 and  insisted they returned the original number and sorted the matter out with there subsidiary company NOW which hasn't happened. They are now claiming that our original number cant be returned as we have passed 30 days. Disgraceful behavior by SKY. Can anyone help? Thanks.

[Kimberlin]

@skynomore  With much respect, why are you posting this on a BT forum? This has nothing to do with BT. SKY are your ISP, or do you have a separate phone connection with BT?

[skynomore]

 Thanks for responding. The number was initially provided by BT so I believe SKY has to return it to BT.   Whether that is right or wrong I hope someone here can help me with some advise on getting my number back.

[Kimberlin]

@skynomore  Unfortunately, as you are no longer a BT customer and the number was transferred to NOW or SKY at some point in the past, then it is for them to sort out and you must converse with them. When was the last time that you were a BT customer?

I suspect your old number will now be moved to a dormant pool, unlikely to be used again for possibly years to come.

[iniltous]

A number held for 40+ years is likely to be one originally allocated to BT , and numbers that were ported to a different provider and then surrendered by that provider are eventually returned to the number range holder , in this case presumably BT.

As you  are posting here and asking for ‘help’ , something you could do is join BT , and request that the original number you had be reallocated to your ‘line’ , however you would have to accept that it’s a best efforts type situation and not a guarantee…if that’s not acceptable and you would only join on the understanding the number was guaranteed then there probably isn’t much you can do , and if joining BT isn't something you’d consider at all  , but you think BT should assist in some way because it’s a BT number , that’s not the way things work , without being a customer BT your issue is none of their concern.

[skynomore]

Thanks Kimberlin,   It is proving almost impossible to get SKY to get it sorted ,they say it cant be retrieved but it must be back with BT so they should deal with BT and get it returned to my account. Their may be a financial charge from BT to SKY for this that they may trying to avoid paying . They have offered me £50 in payment,but not interested in that. I want them to retrieve and return our original phone number. Do BT charge the likes of SKY for returning customers numbers and if so have you any idea what the cost is and how long it takes to be returned and activated. Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks again.

[Kimberlin]

@skynomore  I'll leave any further answers to someone more conversed with how BT deal with dormant numbers. I am I'm afraid one of those who has personally never been attached to phone numbers at all, I change my mobile number every couple of years, so I'm not the best person to give advice on number retention. I wish you the very best of luck with it.

[skynomore]

Thanks for taking the trouble to respond, hopefully someone with some understanding of how this returned numbers practice works will see these requests for help and be able to give us some  idea how this all works. Thanks again ,Keep well.