Still not had landline number transferred to Virgin, 1 month on

[Ian916]

Switching my landline from Plus Net to Virgin has been a really difficult process. I requested this 1st February and was told by Virgin that it would happen 15th February, but the adapter to plug the phone into the back of the router never arrived. I had to make numerous requests to receive it, and eventually it arrived via post this week, Tuesday 1st March. But when I plug in the phone I find that I do not have my old landline number despite this being a condition of my using Virgin for my landline. Once again I call up and after a long wait I am told that it can take up to 14 days!!! Virgin you have had over 1 month to do this, so I have no confidence that it will ever be done. 
After using Plus Net for more than 20 years I never once had a problem, - but so far with Virgin it has been problem after problem and your customer services team have been really difficult to get hold of.
It has been two weeks without a landline, and I still do not have the number transferred to my Virgin account. It is not good enough. Will I ever ever get my correct landline setup?

[Tom_W1]

Hi @Ian916, thanks for your post although I'm very sorry to hear of the concerns you've raised.

In order to discuss this in further detail, I'll need to pop you a PM to explore the specifics of this.

Please expect this PM to arrive soon with some security questions, and respond directly when you can!

Many thanks

[nodrogd · Accepted solution]

I hope your landline account with PlusNet is still active. Any direct cancellation request by you to PlusNet will prevent the number port from happening (this is Virgin’s job under OFCOM rules). There is a risk you could lose your number if this procedure is not followed correctly.

[Ian916]

Thank you, no, the Plus Net contract finished 15th February and was supposed to be taken over by Virgin on that day, but Virgin failed to supply the adapter, and by the look of it failed to apply to Plus Net to take the number over. I now have a new telephone number on the line, which is not what was ordered.

[Tom_W1]

Hi @Ian916, thanks a lot for your PM confirming the details requested.

As we're having to submit another request for your landline number, I'm afraid this can take up to 14 days more from that particular date just like you've mentioned - sincere apologies for this.

I think what @nodrogd is querying though, is when you left Plus Net did you specifically tell them to keep your landline number over so we could action the port request? If you didn't advise them you wanted to keep your landline number, they may have deactivated this meaning we're unable to obtain the number - this wouldn't be Virgin Media's responsibility.

However, due to the fact we're waiting on updates now I can't confirm or deny if this is the case or not - please be assured we'll contact you as soon as we can with further updates regarding the number port.

Many thanks

[Ian916]

Hi, yes I did tell Plus Net that I wanted my landline number transferred to you, Virgin when I cancelled my contract with them on 1st February. They requested 14 days notice to cancel which was why the takeover date was supposed to be 15th February.

[Tom_W1]

Hi Ian916, thanks for confirming that information.

It's hard to state exactly why the number port hasn't gone through in that case then, although I do sincerely apologise for this.

Please don't hesitate to get back in touch if after the 14 day period that the number port appears not to have gone through for you, and we can definitely get this looked into further for you.

Many thanks

[Ian916]

To have to wait another 14 days for this is not acceptable. The order was made 1st February, giving you 14 days to sort this out, so why was it not done? I have been without a landline since 15th February until 1st March which is not good enough. The number I now have is not the number known by friends, family etc. If I tell them this new number, they will then have to change it back again, should you ever get your act together and supply what was ordered.
I have made a complaint and this has not been dealt with. I received a reply that made no sense and NOTHING was done. 
For a new customer I have to say that your customer service is the worst that I have ever received. I would not advise anybody to transfer their services to Virgin. I cannot easily get hold of Virgin staff, and why I do it takes hours and like you have done her no solutions are never given. It is not good enough. 

[nodrogd]

Giving notice to your old provider is only applicable to porting of mobile phone numbers. The porting of landline numbers is new provider led, so any notice you give directly to your old provider marks your line as “pending disconnection”. If the line is in this state any number port request will fail, even if the old number is active. Virgin can do nothing if a port is blocked in this way. Virgin can attempt to recover it but you will just have to keep your fingers crossed.

[Ian916]

Thanks again. The 14 day notice was needed for the contract of broadband and landline, my fibre broadband had already been added by Virgin with anew line into the house so I was running 2 broadband connections for a short period. It was only when I wanted to add the landline service to Virgin that the problem occurred. Plus Net were made aware that it was being taken over by Virgin, but despite 3 or 4 requests to Virgin to start this process it still has not been done, hence my frustration. I have heard 3 or 4 times that it will be done, but I am still waiting. As a CEV person to be without my landline for weeks is not good.