Recapture of PAC code

[Luke847]

I am having a very strange problem, I want to leave EE to transfer to another network provider and keep my number. I obtained the first PAC code which was supposed to expire on 3.18 by sending a message to 65075 and provided it to another provider who sent me a confirmation email but did not successfully transfer my number. When I realised that my number had not been successfully transferred I contacted them and they insisted that I needed to request a new PAC code from EE again and they couldn't explain it all. But my EE account has been closed and the staff said I can't request it again and my number has just been abandoned by both providers? Can anyone help me to find out what is the status of my number.

[bristolian]

The PAC serves two purposes.

1: Provides authority to the new network, to port your number (Hence the title, Porting Authority Code)

2: Provides cancellation to your existing network.

If your new provider has successfully taken & actioned the PAC, and EE has closed your account, then self-evidently the PAC has been used. That the number has not been ported, is the sole responsibility of your new provider and it sounds like they've given a shoulder-sloping answer to get you off the phone, rather than correctly deal with the problem.

If your EE account has been closed, they cannot issue a new PAC. Your point of contact is your new provider - they will have processes to resolve these sorts of issues, but some of them may not be familiar with them or may be keen to pass the buck. As seems to have happened here.

[Luke847]

I couldn't agree with you more, their response has left me disappointed with this provider. Do you have any suggestions on what I should do next to be able to move things forward, such as reporting it to a third party regulator? I now have no means of getting them to realise that this is an obvious logic problem other than replying to their customer service's irresponsible answers over and over again.

[bristolian · Accepted solution]

Every telecoms provider will have a formal complaints process for service issues, which will ultimately allow referral to an external arbitration should the problem not be resolved.

I'd like to think that frontline CS is where day-to-day queries should be directed, and the complaints process is best for mopping up the mess after a CS failure.... and thus your query should be escalated within their CS.

Depending who the provider is, that may be either an exercise in futility or may just need a foot-stamping "firm but fair" approach.

[Luke847]

Thank you very much, the problem has been fixed!

[bristolian]

Glad to hear.

Out of curiosity, who is the provider that seems to have discovered their escalation process?