In reply to a post by adebov:

I just don't get why some people react as if you've insulted them, just because you post some negative comments about a product or service they chose.

I tried to get BT to take back a Virgin phone and keep the number. They couldn't, but Sky could.

In reply to a post by adebov:

My existing number is on the TPS register, yet I received a call from some scamming PPI mis-selling claims company this very morning, so it appears many companies simply ignore the law.

Or just call from outside the UK (and EU) using these new super-cheap telephone offerings. I get cold calls from India now

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

I tried to get BT to take back a Virgin phone and keep the number. They couldn't, but Sky could.

I think all of this shows that there are people (out there) in larger companies who are either poorly trained, incompetent, or simply don't care.
BT should have been able to take back a phone number (if Sky could), as that means Virgin have measures in place to allow release of their phone numbers.
So; either BT and Virgin don't have an agreement, or BT don't have methods to do this, or the people at BT couldn't be bothered (or didn't know how).
Or; as I believe in my case, it's simply easier for BT to allocate a new number, than bother trying to claim back the old one.
Of all companies (given their past history of pointless spats) I'd have thought it would be Sky & Virgin (not to have a routine for migrating phone numbers), rather than BT & Virgin.

But watch out.....They'll come after you......You've posted a negative comment about BT

In reply to a post by jchamier:

Or just call from outside the UK (and EU) using these new super-cheap telephone offerings. I get cold calls from India now

Exactly; which is where the TPS becomes totally ineffective.

I wonder if the call has to originate in the UK (to be bound by the law), or if simply routing the call via India (but the person at the other end of the phone can be sitting somewhere in the UK) gets round the law.
Providing the person in the UK doesn't 'make' the call (it being dialed from outside the EU) does the TPS and the EU law still apply?

In reply to a post by adebov:

I can cancel both SkyTalk (line rental and calls) and BE internet at pretty much anytime (both are out of initial contracts - 12 months for Sky and 3 months for BE) so are each on a one month notice period.

The 3 month contract is a rolling one it never drops to 1 month notice, I think you are confusing it with the old 12 month bevalue ones.

It's worth the effort. The service itself is superb.

In reply to a post by adebov:

... it won't be the end of the World (and will serve to rid my phone of stupid spam calls)

Including those from BT one hopes.

the new number is actually a very good one (very easy to remember)

That's probably a vey useful at your age .

In reply to a post by kamelion:

The 3 month contract is a rolling one it never drops to 1 month notice, I think you are confusing it with the old 12 month bevalue ones.

BE appear to disagree with you.
From the e-mail they sent

If you want to cancel the service there are two types of cancellation. 1. Express cancellation- will terminate the service in 10 days and it has a 40.85 pounds express cancellation fee. 2. Standard cancellation- requires 1 month notice and your service will be terminated after that month.

From the 'my account' section of the BE website

01295xxxxxx

0 month contract

£18.26 /month

Not only that; I cancelled our work connection last August with BE indicating a one month notice period.

In reply to a post by orly:

It's worth the effort. The service itself is superb.

That's the only thing keeping me going (that and it'll cost twice as much to send my FTTC custom elsewhere)!

In reply to a post by adebov:

Trust me; the TPS register doesn't always work (although I will take your advice and pre-register the new number).

And call number two for today.
The first one was a spamming claims-direct type company (but they witheld their number).
Call #2 (15 minutes ago) from Tameside Insulation (in Manchester) trying to sell me loft/cavity insulation. Stupidly; they didn't withold their number, so TPS complaint has already gone in.

TPS doesn't work, it just gives a complaint point when spamming calls still get through.

EDIT: Starting to wonder if asking BT of the possibility of keeping my old number was a monumentally stupid thing to do

Edited by adebov (Sat 20-Aug-11 12:58:49)