topic Forced change of landline number in Digital Home Phone

Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 08:17:31 GMT

When I agreed to transfer to EE from BT on 29th July 2024 I only found out that my landline number had changed when I checked the EE-app to know when the new service would be operative ( 13th Aug). I rang EE immediately and was told there was nothing that could be done and complaining would be ineffective! I have a dependent 97 year old mother with dementia who is not able to cope with change and am self employed and my landline number is important to maintain client contact. I see no reason why my previous number could not have been maintained and this was NOT explained to me when I agreed to transfer to EE. Please help me to retrieve my original landline number as a matter of urgency.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 07:31:42 GMT

Hi Paddy
Inhad the same experience when I agreed to transfer to EE from BT on 29th July 2024. I only found out that my landline number had changed when I checked the EE-app to know when the new service would be operative ( 13th Aug). I rang EE yesterday and was told there was nothing that could be done and complaining would be ineffective! I have a dependent 97 year old mother with dementia who is not able to cope with change and am self employed and my landline number is important to maintain client contact. I see no reason why my previous number could not have been maintained and this was NOT explained to me when I agreed to transfer to EE. Please help me to retrieve my original landline number as a matter of urgency.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 09:00:50 GMT

Re: Forced change of landline number

JimM11 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 09:59:29 GMT

@JLN1 This public forum has no access to customer account information, mostly customers like yourself, with a few EE support, you really need to call EE CS 150 from your landline and talk to a guide to help you fix before it runs out of time, and there may be a specific reason why you could not keep your original landline number so you also have to ask that question!

You could try to call your old number to see if it is in use but that can be hard to tell.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 10:38:48 GMT

Thanks Jim. As I explained in my post I did ring 150 as soon as I realised and was basically told to grin and bear it - ‘that’s the way it is in the modern era’ type response. Until I saw mention of a 30 day limit to get number transferred on this forum I was inclined to believe that operative/guide. As usual it’s impossible to speak to a manager. Not sure where to go next but VERY unhappy with BT and EE atm.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JimM11 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 10:56:35 GMT

@JLN1 Fully understand your original post, and as time is rolling on it is important that you do pursue this with EE CS, the forum is not able to help, unless one of the EE support pick it up and run with it for you, it has always been the way with telephone numbers going back into the pool, longer it is left, less chance of getting it back if that is even possible.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Schockwave — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:35:49 GMT

@JLN1 , did you not let them know you wanted to keep your landline number? That is what you should have done when moving over. You will have to ring them, as if you are within the time limit, they should be able to do so.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:44:48 GMT

I didn’t know that I needed to notify them I wished to keep my number. It was never mentioned to me as an issue.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Schockwave — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 11:47:36 GMT

@JLN1 , it should have come up as you made the change to move to EE, I believe that there was a tick box or something like that. Sorry you did not see it.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:12:19 GMT

I did the whole thing on the phone and it was never mentioned. The screen sharing to accept the T&C’s were very small but I don’t recall anything like that to tick.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 14:36:21 GMT

Just wanted to thank you for your help. I rang EE again this morning and got through I initially to the Doncaster team. They were very helpful and passed me in to technical support and I should have my old phone number back within 10 days. I have had an email confirming such since. So glad I checked Community as the original Guide was adamant that nothing could be done and made me feel like a technophobe for wanting to keep the same landline number. I am concerned that some Guides are poorly trained and just giving their best guess for any given situation. Glad I persisted. Thanks again

Re: Forced change of landline number

Leanne_T — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:24:51 GMT

Hi there @JLN1

Thanks so much for coming back and letting us know you have called again and the team have helped you with the landline number.

Please keep us updated if you can 🙂

Thank you.

Leanne.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Jennyg6365 — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 21:29:36 GMT

Did you get your number back yet? Exactly same thing happened to me - said it would be back in 10 days but it’s day 8 now and I’m getting worried!

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 22:34:52 GMT

Hi Jenny. Pleased to report I DID get my number back. It took the whole 10 days but all ok. I received a text and an email to say it had happened. So hopefully yours will too. I am SO glad I didn’t take no for an answer because as it turned out that was an incorrect and misleading answer from the first guide. 🤞you will get your number back by the weekend.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Lesley_W — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 08:10:52 GMT

Thanks for popping back to let us know @JLN1

I'm so pleased you are sorted and got your number back, I'm sorry it wasn't as smooth of an experience as we'd expect.

Take care.

Lesley

Re: Forced change of landline number

Alibagz — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:19:26 GMT

Same here. From the "new" number, I rang my daughter to ask what my number was. She did a 1471, then rang me back to tell me it. Now it turns out the number is "lost". A ridiculous system.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Alibagz — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:21:52 GMT

You were lucky. BT Wholesale have told E that my 15 year old number is lost. Ridiculous to issue alternative numbers to people. Annoyed.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Alibagz — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:31:47 GMT

Have just spent 90 mins on phone trying to get EE to reinstate 15 year old number. To no avail. The number is now "lost".

Have decided to pick a day and time slot, here, call all the numbers in my address book, then tell friends, medicals etc the new number.

When the bill comes in, will check the date etc, see how much that comes too, raise a dispute with EE, decline to pay those costs in that time slot, and see what happens. Their fault I have to do this. They can pay for my time. Not vice versa.

Ridiculous handing out new numbers when of no obvious benefit to them. Just more hassle for them.

Pointless.

Re: Forced change of landline number

JLN1 — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:54:10 GMT

If the number change is within 30 days it CAN be reversed. It took me several phone calls to EE to get it done. Some call handlers try to fob you off and others genuinely don’t know - poor training. I also got a £200 refund for ‘deprivation of service’ when my landline was cut off for 6 weeks during the transfer. But I had to chase that hard too. If you are within the time limit do press your case. Keep Tino g until you get a ‘guide’ who can help. Good luck. I know how draining it is.

Re: Forced change of landline number

Alibagz — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:27:55 GMT

Tried, in vain after a fortnight, but now am too late, over the 30 day limit.

Reaching out to BT Wholesale, who are EE's suppliers, to see if they can sort, or offer me a number with an area code, and district code, so showing where I live, as opposed to a random place. And one easier to remember.

Absolute nonsense EE do this to new customers. Its to their disadvantage. Puts customers' backs up, and not popular. It's ridiculous. And exhausting.

Thanks for the reply.