Timescale for Porting BT Phone Numbers

I have noticed that many recent EE joiners have had their landline number changed unbeknownst to them and/or because EE has claimed that the losing provider won't release the number.

The latest, a BT migrant, was told by EE that BT won't release his number but if he agreed to a new number, EE would sort it out now. On checking with BT he was told, of course, that they had no problem releasing his number. On going back to EE and insisting that they pick up his old number, they agreed but thereupon delayed his migration by 2 weeks.

Presumably it takes longer to port a number. The losing provider has to be informed, write to the customer saying someone is seeking to take over his line and give him a deadline, say 2 weeks, to lodge an objection.

Are EE breaking Ofcom rules by not trying to port customer's existing numbers when they could/should? Are EE doing this in order to tie-in new BB + Phone customers sooner rather than later? Does the statutory 14-day cooling-off period from sign-up have any bearing on this matter?

I feel something stinks about EE's practice. There are too many new customers who have had their numbers changed when they didn't need to be.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Wed 08-Apr-15 07:18:43)

I think they don't like it because it gives you the right to cancel, which you lose if your service starts right away. Sneaky.

In reference to www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-contracts-regul...:

The new Consumer Contracts Regulations came into force in June 2014.

Summary

• Your right to cancel an order starts the moment you place your order and ends 14 days from the day you receive it
• Your right to cancel a service starts the moment you enter into the contract and lasts 14 days
• If you want to download digital content within the 14 day cancellation period you must agree to waive your cancellation rights
• Companies are not allowed to charge you for items they put in your online shopping basket or that you have bought as a result of a pre-ticked box

Edited by deleted (Wed 08-Apr-15 08:34:32)

Post deleted by XRaySpeX

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Are EE breaking Ofcom rules by not trying to port customer's existing numbers when they could/should?

Ofcom obligate the losing provider to release the number for porting, but they do not obligate the winning provider to take it. I very much doubt the losing provider (BT) is at fault here, but I'm unable to say why EE are reluctant to take up the existing number.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

Your right to cancel a service starts the moment you enter into the contract and lasts 14 days

I think you have misinterpreted it. The right to cancel lasts 14 days from making the contract regardless of when the actual service starts.

You have to be careful about interpreting legislation based on a secondary source.

If you read the regulations, specifically Regulation 36, you will see the rules relating to service provision when steps to provide service start within the 14 day cancellation period.

Yes, that's true.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

Ofcom ... do not obligate the winning provider to take it.

As I just found out when I reported this to Ofcom.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

I think you have misinterpreted it. The right to cancel lasts 14 days from making the contract regardless of when the actual service starts.

I think you have misinterpreted it. The interpretation was done by Which? not me and I supplied the appropriate link. I suggest you refer to clause 37 of the regulations David_W kindly posted.

You're right, I have, sorry. But I'm puzzled why you highlighted Digital Content and pointed to it in the Regs? That has nowt to do with this matter; Digital Content applies to the downloading of stuff (music, films) from the seller. This is a Supply of Service to which clause 36 of Regs applies as David_W correctly referred to.

Last time I looked, broadband involves downloading of stuff.

I too got the impression that the "Digital Content" section referred more to companies like Steam selling digital downloads. But I'm no lawyer.

It is usual for UK legislation to have one or more interpretation clauses that supply definitions of key terms.

In this case, Regulation 5 defines "digital content" as "data which are produced and supplied in digital form". Regulation 37 about "digital content" would therefore cover products such as downloadable music and e-books, as well as online movie rentals.

Telecommunications services would be a service, which comes under Regulation 36.