Lost phone line AND number - fibre upgrade (Now 3 weeks unresolved)

[Simon_Proctor]

I have been a Vodaphone landline & broadband customer for several years and decided to upgrade to FFTP (same provider)
On Monday 3rd April, contractors for Openreach installed my fibre connection and later that day, speeds improved but my landline (now connected to router) did not work.
I was NOT warned that i would loose my line for a period of time and have a family member who depends on being able to call me at any time using that number.
I waited as advised by VP but after contacting them again, was told that there was issue with porting my own number and it has been lost - i will need to be issued a new one. How can this be lost when i am with same provider and when calling my old number, it states i have dialled an incorrect number hence not allocated to anyone???
More to the point, it is now THREE WEEKs later and i still have no landline working
This is a disgrace and nobody from VP is helping to resolve this

[Mark]

This isn't the kind of experience we want our customers to have when changing services @Simon_Proctor. I can understand how frustrating this is and why it's causing you some concern. Please reach out to our team via an online chat and we'll be better placed to take a look at your account and see what's causing this issue. 

[net_chap]

Yup. I can relate to this. Came to end of contract and monthly payment jump, so contacted vodafone to renew contract at reduced price. This should have been simple financial adjustment to direct debit BUT NO. Have to become, in effect a NEW customer and have new router etc and needless engineer visit. Reluctantly I think to go ahead for this BUT can't keep my phone number! The new contract can't a have my old number because it is assigned to my old contract! Keeping my number is important to me so I cancelled order. To cut to the chase their systems are just plain wrong! And are going to cause a lot of trouble for customers until they are sorted.

[Jayach]

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@net_chap wrote:

Have to become, in effect a NEW customer and have new router etc and needless engineer visit. Reluctantly I think to go ahead for this BUT can't keep my phone number! The new contract can't a have my old number because it is assigned to my old contract! Keeping my number is important to me so I cancelled order. 

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That makes no sense, whenever you move from one contract to another, be that with the same ISP or a different one, obliviously the number is attached to the old contract, that's why you want to keep it!

Were you moving from FTTC to FTTP like the OP?

I think you were advised badly by the agent you spoke to, lots of posters on here have kept their number when moving from FTTC to FTTP, however too many seem to have ended up losing it.

[CrimsonLiar]

If Vodafone are unable to correct this for you then I think you ought to take legal advice - normally the T&Cs provide a way for VF to mitigate their liability substantially. Still, in this one specific example, I think you would have a case, not only for a refund but for compensatory damages (that's very rare).  Obviously, the ideal situation (and the goal of UK law) is to return the damaged party to their previous state.  When you next speak to VF I would be asking to speak to someone from their legal department, they may just be able to get the strings pulled enough to get this resolved.

I hope you get this resolved quickly.

[net_chap]

I have FTTC. Fttp is not available in my area. In the past I upgraded from Fibre1 to Fibre2 with no more than adjustment to direct debit amount. The vodafone guy I was talking to was perfectly polite and helpful but, at the end of the day, was only able to punch data into computer terminal. Clearly we are dealing with an inflexible automated system which has not been programmed correctly. VODAFONE NEEDS TO RECOGNISE IT HAS A PROBLEM, FIX IT and then communicate this to its customers and apologise, otherwise it risks losing reputation and customers.

[Jayach]

@net_chap 

I'm also on FTTC and  renewed my contract in June last year, and no problem keeping my number, in fact it wasn't even mentioned.

This was (just) before they started using VoIP for the telephone service, perhaps that makes a difference. (but I doubt it) 

[net_chap]

‘started using VoIP for the telephone service, perhaps that makes a difference’

I think that’s about right. Since full fibre and voip have become a consideration, no matter what your circumstances whether you are new customer or upgrading , whether you have FTTC or FTTP you must be sent new router and voip adapter and have engineer appointment. It also seems to involve disconnecting your existing connection the enabling a new one and because the old connection possesses your landline number your new one can’t have it. It’s an attempt at a one solution fits all answer. And, hey, all I wanted was a change to my direct debit amount.