EE moved me to digital voice and have lost my original landline number

[melw123]

This is on behalf of my eledrly mother.

We changed from BT Broadband to EE Broadband due to the merger in Jan 2024.

Recently, 10th July, EE have moved her line to Digital Home Phone and on that day her landline number was changed without her knowledge, she has had the same landline number for 26 years.

I called EE customer service on 12th July and was assured the number would be changed back to the original number, initially within 24hrs. This did not happen, called again on 13th July and was told it would take 5 working days to change back to original number.

5 working days later, I called 19th July and was told it would be changed by midnight last night. This morning the landline number still has not been changed. 

I called EE again this morning 20th July and have now been told it will require a specialist OpenReach team to revert the landline number back to original number and that EE will contact me next Wednesday 24th July.

I have raised this post as it feels like an elderly woman is being completely fobbed off by EE in order to run down the 30 day limit for reverting a number back to original and thereby forcing her to keep the new number.

This is very upsetting and stressful for her, and is not doing her mental health any good whatsover.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Mel

[JimM11]

@melw123 Initially what prompted the move for the Landline to go to DV from the previous connection. Did EE contact to say that all lines now have to be on DV system, this can be a OR forced change but if you know the circumstance you can reply. Does sound like either EE/OR are struggling to get the DV system with the correct number, and would be surprised if it gets lost to your mother at this point, can be frustrating as you are finding out.

[AndrewRye]

We have had the same problem changing from BT to ee to get full fibre broadband, despite our specific request to retain the old landline number. We only discovered this when our solicitors tried to contact us. I have been reassured several times that we can have the old number back, and had several messages to confirm this, but not only has this not happened but we have just been told that we are now outside the one month window so it probably isn’t possible. If we escalate this with a formal complaint to OFCOM we are further told that no negotiations or compensation can be pursued. We may have to change all our stationery and business cards, and notify our several hundred contacts.

Ridiculous. I have lost count of the number of service and complaints agents I have spoken to.

[AndrewRye]

I have been in regular contact with customer services who have failed to get my old number back, and after 6 weeks of trying I  have just been told I am now outside the 1 month window! I have has several emails confirming that I would get it back, and various excuses given why I haven’t. The whole system seems broken, not least because if I request a deadlock letter further discussion is not possible, and no compensation will be offered. So I am in a Catch-22 situation…