My daughter gets her phone / broadband via TalkTalk. She is about to move house and they have told her that can continue her account at the new address but cannot transfer her number. I guess this is bacuase the line will be BT's responsibility. I wonder if the option is to cancel Talktalk and go with BT and then move to the new property (time permitting) although I guess this is costly.
How far is she moving? There are limits to how far a number may be moved. It used to be limited to your local exchange but I think now a number can be carried within an STD code area.
It could be across the street but if her number is on one part of the exchange and can't be moved to the other then porting out of BT is the only option (other than a changed number announcement which costs money).
However TalkTalk staff in India seem completely clueless about telephony ...
Sipgate used to do porting on basic accounts but now don't; a 'team' account is now required.
Yes, I was told by an Offcom chap about five years ago that all the telecom people should be able to move existing numbers, I'd certainly query it as Talk Talk are hardly the greatest company when it comes to customer service. Brian
BT have defined exchange areas and don't move numbers outside these areas except in very exceptional (and expensive) circumstances.
You can check the approximate BT exchange area coverage at
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Enter your existing post code; click on the exchange name and then on the building on the map, then there is an option for showing the area covered. Try again with your new address and see if you are in the same exchange. But be aware it's not definitive as the map borders are straight lines and in practice the real borders follow roads. Are the two addresses covered by Virgin media tv/cable, if so it may be possible to move to VM and then to the new address.
Number portability was originally implemented (mid 1990's) to allow a user to transfer their service to a new provider specifically at the same address, it was not designed to move numbers around the country.
AAISP, Voipfone and others do VOIP 'line rental' for 1-2 quid a month and accept ports in (plus do cheap calls). Be aware though that porting will cause a Cease on the BT/TalkTalk line - if you want to continue to have TalkTalk service (as well as VOIP) you'd have to open a new account at the new address (or at a new number at the old address and change that number when you move). This could cause complications if you're on a fixed term contract as the Cease would count as early termination.
I had a similar situation with Tesco.net. Moving only a couple miles, new property on same exchange but they would only do a "cease and reprovide" which meant a new number.
Migrated to Plusnet, who said they could move the line and retain the number, and they were as good as their word.
Had no broadband for a week now, btw, but that's another issue.
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