Virgin cut off my landline & lost my number!

[timtlb]

I also now have a story of problems with lost number, and, in particular, the total failure to restore the number after several agreements to do so.

Similar to others, this whole issue starts with a switch away from the BT line, to connection to the virgin media hub. This is actually for elderly parents, and lead to a lot of complexity getting access/control of the account.

The initial step, following loss of connected additional phones, was to make some long overdue adjustments to the services.

Unfortunately, this could not be done online, and I had to speak to a salesperson who offered a switch of 'package/bundle' (apparently there aren't really separate items which can be adjusted). I wanted a drop to a lower speed broadband and a drop of the extra free phone call minutes (which were not being used). I was sent an email to agree an updated package. I did not notice that the package included no phone at all, a complication that is not so clear when the loss of the BT line has just occurred.

So, the result was an unexpected disconnection and then a huge amount of trouble getting the package/bundle adjusted to include the phone. When this was arranged/agreed, near the end of March 2023, the restoration of the original (40 years+) old number was also agreed (changed package 23/03/2023).

I followed up after a while, to be told to wait another 10 day, and then 10 days later, to be told definitely within 48 hours.

It still didn't happen, and on at least another couple of occasions i was assured that the number was fine and could be 'ported' and this would be done and followed up.

Later again I phoned and was told that there are different sorts of number porting, and that a particular request had to be made to restore a disconnected number (a virgin media number).

It still didn't happen and later I was told that it would be done within 48 hours and that a manager would follow up with progress.

And finally, this week, I am told that the port doesn't work because the number is disconnected and that actually nothing can be done.

So, after an agreement at the end of march, and following up over the course of more than two months, customer services and technical support are now shrugging and, though some requests are outstanding, I am told that they probably won't restore the number.

[John_GS]

Hi @timtlb 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community. Please do make your own thread in the future 🙂 we have moved it this time.

I am sorry to hear of the experience you and your parents have had over the 21CV conversion. If it has been ceased, this does indicate we never received any communication back to the ones we have sent out regarding the conversion and sadly as it's happening area by area, it would have been ceased on the conversion date.

I will send you a PM though to discuss this further and see if there is anything we can do.

Best wishes.

[goslow]

Your story has been repeated many times over when a number port has failed and a long-held number is lost.

There have been many topics where the lost number has been eventually recovered but usually this has been as a result of a huge amount of effort on the part of the customer to chase and resolve (which should definitely not be the case).

Read this past topic which might offer you some encouragement

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Retention-of-landline-number-Complaint-address/td-p/...

The OP even managed to provide VM with an Openreach contact number to get her original number reactivated. You, as an individual, cannot make contact with Openreach so it is entirely on VM to make this happen. Don't get sidetracked into any suggestions from VM representatives that you contact BT to make the number available again. It is up to VM to resolve.

As of 15 May 2023 the 'General Conditions of Entitlement' for telecoms providers changed so that the gaining provider has to lead the porting process and the losing provider has to make a lost number available for it to be ported C7.5 and C7.7

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/256343/unofficial-consolidated-general-conditio...

This change post-dates your port but, even so, VM should still be in a postion to lead the porting process and recover your number.

Hope you succeed in getting your number back.

[timtlb]

This issue has been resolved by the Virgin Media community team.

A little while ago, the number 'port' was completed, and the original number has now been restored.

As mentioned by others, there is some sort of difference between the typical port from another provider (which requires an active number) and the 'port' that needs to be performed to restore a disconnected number (which is still held by the service provider from which there was disconnection).

I'm not sure exactly had to be done in my case, but it did not take all that long for the number to be restored.

[Ilyas_Y]

Thanks for the update and for the reply @timtlbon the forums. 👋🏼

I'm glad to hear about the update about the number port issue being rectified.
There is a difference in process to gain a number back if it the number is held with Virgin Media or with another provider, depending on where the number is assigned to should the number ever be disconnected, it usually goes back to the original owners of the number (other telecom providers), though it may be used with a different telecom provider for such services, it may get a bit confusing but it is the assignee of the number.

Reach out to us for any other queries you may have and we'll assist.

Kind regards,
Ilyas.

[amills100]

I have had a very similar experience to the OP resulting in Virgin Media “losing” the telephone number I have had for over 25 years. Any help the Virgin Media community team can give to restore it would be hugely appreciated. Thank you in advance 🙏

[Carley_S]

Hi @amills100 

Welcome back to the community forums 

So sorry to hear that your landline number has been lost.
Can you elaborate on own experience to see if we can support further? How long has the number been disconnected for please? 

[amills100]

Hi Carley

thank you for getting in touch. My move was initiated back in July. I’m not sure when the phone line was disconnected, I only know that up until yesterday I had been told by many different Virgin Media agents that the number would be transferred, and it just needed to be ported. I’ve been given a number of different anticipated dates, but as I said, it was only yesterday that I’ve been told it wouldn’t be possible. I don’t believe it’s been reallocated because when I try to dial it, it just comes up with the message “the number you have dialled has not been recognised”. 

[Carley_S]

Ah okay thanks for detailing this @amills100 

If the number is disconnected then after 14 days it will be ceased by the telecom company who owns the number, such as BT for example. Once the number is back with the owners we are unable to request the port as it would fail and be rejected by them unfortunately.  

I appreciate that this is not the answer you were hoping to hear after being told that it could be ported and given different dates for this to be completed. The owner of the number would be the one rejecting the port now as the number is disconnected and we would be unable to retrieve after the window has passed.  

[amills100]

Thanks Carley - can I request the number from BT? I also understood from posts in this thread that someone from your team has been able to magically retrieve a lost number? I (maybe mistakenly) live in hope!