Process of porting landline FROM Virgin? How to contact the "porting department?"

[fxt_internet]

I'm moving to a new house which isn't supported by virgin so I'm having to change providers. I've been trying to find out how to take my landline number to a new provider and was told by the ISPs that I've spoken to that I need to ask Virgin to release the number.. but when I've phoned virgin customer service I've been transferred from department to department and no one seems able to help.. each customer service agent tells me that I need to speak to the 'Porting Department' but then they transfer me to billing or accounts or moving, etc.. it's incredibly frustrating as each person that I get transferred to makes me repeat the tedious security verification process again before telling me they can't help and that i've been transferred to the wrong department.. so my question is - is there a direct line or extension for reaching your mysterious "porting department"? What do I do? Please help?

Both telephone lines at new and old properties are within the 020 area. I haven't cancelled the virgin contract yet as still renting at old address whilst moving in. I understand that the line needs to remain active for a porting or release request to be placed. Can someone explain the process from Virgin's perspective?

Thanks.

[Kippies]

There are various complications with a port like this, personally Id go straight to Ofcom let them sort it out

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

[fxt_internet]

Thanks - that's really helpful.

So it's best to just submit a complaint straight to ofcom instead of trying to get Virgin to release the number? The customer service agents were awful today.. it feels like they try to make their customer service phone system as complicated and tenuous as possible until you just give up.

[jem101]

Hang on a minute, something's not right here! It's the responsibility of the new provider to request the number port from VM, you, as the customer, shouldn't have to get involved at all, certainly you shouldn't have to contact VM to ask them to release the number. It sounds to me like a bit of 'buck passing' or 'can't be bothered' is going on.

Who are you going with to provide telephony and internet at your new address? It really is up to them to organise the number port, and you are absolutely right to carry on paying for the existing phone contract as the one thing that will kill a number port stone dead, is if there is a pending cancellation flag on the number.

[fxt_internet]

I hadn’t selected a provider yet as wanted to go with whoever was able to port the number easily.. but I spoke to plusnet & BT and plusnet said they couldn’t guarantee it would be possible.. and BT started the order process and checked the number and said that Virgin have reserved the number or it’s in a different exchange or something (agent was a bit vague).. but that I would need to speak to virgin and get them to release the number... I don’t really understand what the process is, but given that I as a virgin customer can’t seem to get hold of anyone at virgin who knows about number porting and how to help me do it, and their porting department doesn’t seem to exist, I wouldn’t be suprised if other ISPs have a similar issue dealing with virgin.

It’s interesting that having rung around a few different providers in a short period of time virgin is the only one who do the super fun game of repeatedly putting you on hold, then transferring you to different people who have no idea why you’re calling and can’t help... and I tried to find an option to contact Virgin via live chat or send an email on my online account and couldn’t find how to do it... every time I went to contact page it would just reroute me back to the “call us and tell us you’re moving” page... hugely frustrating.

[David_Bn]

Hi fxt_internet

Thanks for your post on our Community Forums and a very warm welcome to you!

We would need your new provider to request the number from us before this can be released. A landline number port requires both lines to be kept open - before a port request can be processed.

It would also be worth knowing if you're moving to an area with a different dialing code, If you're moving to a completely different city for example, a number port would therefore not be possible.

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[Kippies]

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@fxt_internet wrote:

Thanks - that's really helpful.

So it's best to just submit a complaint straight to ofcom instead of trying to get Virgin to release the number? The customer service agents were awful today.. it feels like they try to make their customer service phone system as complicated and tenuous as possible until you just give up.

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As my original inference, and  subsequent replies have shown there are a lot of if and's and buts... which is why i suggested just making a complaint. That way you are likely to get what is actually possible, not what VM's systems are set up to do. If you read my post history you will see thats not usually my first choice at all, but in this case, the most effective solution IMHO...

No disrespect to any other posters meant, with the move to VOIP we really dont know what can and cant be facilitated. Ofcom kicking em might shake loose what IS possible.

[fxt_internet · Accepted solution]

I’ve now started a contract with talk talk who said they would be able to port the number.. but they’ve just sent me an update saying they’re having trouble porting the number. I don’t have any further info but I will call them tomorrow and ascertain what the issue is.

I’ll contact ofcom as well but if there is a contact number for virgin’s porting department or a senior customer experience / tech person at virgin media who might be able to help, that would be really useful to know?

I’m also having a separate issue where virgin will be charging me for 7 months of unusable services after I move as I was put onto a new 12 month contract in September (I’ve been with Virgin for 13 years and spent thousands on them over the years - the new contract was to rectify an overcharging issue, I did not change any of my services or ask for a new contract), and despite telling them that I would be looking to move and being assured that virgin cover most of London, unfortunately my new address is not covered for some reason (I found this out 17 days after agreeing to the new contract and they refused to cancel the 12 month agreement).. anyway - not related to my original post, and obviously kicking myself for trusting the customer service person who put me on the new contract - but pretty upsetting and really disappointed by virgin customer service and the way I’ve been treated as a loyal customer for many years. Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

[fxt_internet]

I’ve now submitted a complaint to ofcom. Their advice is to also submit a formal complaint to Virgin. I did submit a formal complaint over the phone about the billing issues & unreasonable exit fees when I discovered virgin did not cover my new address but I don’t have a reference number or any evidence that my complaint was escalated.

i don’t know how to submit a formal complaint about their refusal to release the number. And I still don’t know how to reach the porting department. Can anyone advise? is there a contact number or email address for submitting formal complaints?

Talk talk are saying they can’t force virgin to release it - which seems to contradict the info on the ofcom website. They also assured me that they could port the number when I agreed to start the contract yesterday.

[fxt_internet]

Further escalation; 

Received a message from talk talk: Thank you for your patience I have looked into your account and your order has been rejected due to number retention. Your order is not progressing as we are unable to takeover your number as your previous supplier mentioned that you no longer have active services with them. We can only take over an active line. 

— but I haven’t cancelled my contract with virgin. In fact I specifically told them NOT to cancel my account when I spoke to them on the phone to try and talk to the porting department, as I knew the line needed to remain active. I don’t know what is going on but if Virgin have placed a cancellation order they have done so against my specific instructions. I don’t know what to do. Please can someone help? Who can I call at virgin who will be able to resolve the issue?