topic You're switching your calls in Phone line

You're switching your calls

dje494 — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 03:21:29 GMT

Hi, I received an email today that I was moving my business calls to a new provider.

I only recently moved into new premises and took over the line and number that was there, the previous tenants having been put into liquidation, I have had the account for just 2 months and have the number registered with yell yelp google etc had new signs printing etc.

I contacted BT who are trying to stop the transfer as I have not spoken to another provider and have not agreed a transfer but they say they cannot guarantee anything and the transfer may take place anyway.

If it goes ahead I will owe over £400 for the remainder of the contract but I am more concerned about the disruption to business since I have a feeling that this is not a typical "slamming" but a director of the previous company trying to recover the number as he has set up again locally.

It was suggested I contact ofcom but other than getting me the details of the company requesting the number they cannot deal with individual case's and in any case, the request takes 4 working days and by then the transfer could have taken place.

Has anyone else been in this situation? I can't believe that this can happen without my authority.

Is the BT operator just covering his backside and the reality is it will be stopped?

Is there a way of blocking these requests as I did not receive a letter and only by chance spotted the email in my junk folder which was giving me 2 working days to respond

Sorry for the long post, any help or suggestions would be appreciated

Re: You're switching your calls

HowsThat — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 09:45:12 GMT

Hi, it is fairly common for someone else to try and take over a working line; this is where another party lives/works in another part of your building and their provider cannot be bothered to get a new line installed.

If another provider does try to take over a line Openreach will let the losing provider aware of this and give them opportunity to cancel the takeover. This is easy to do and takes less than a minute. Openreach will normally confirm the takeover line cancellation within an hour so I think the person you spoke to is coveing themselves but BT is a big organisation and the person you spoke to may not be the person who actually cancels the request.

Stuart

Re: You're switching your calls

dje494 — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 21:41:19 GMT

Thanks for taking the time to reply, hopefully, all good now got an email from BT "glad your staying" and telling me my service will be continuing with them.

Thanks