If Sky & Plusnet are both Openreach, why change number?

I have been on Sky for almost a year. When I bought the flat (a new build) the builder included Sky free for a year. So I was not involved in the detailed setup.

When I put my number & address in to the Plusnet checker it says it will have to get a new phone number if I change my internet and phone to them.

Ofcom (or at least their website) gave me the impression that I could keep the number unless I was transferring from a cable service, which is administratively more complex.

I thought both Sky and Plusnet used BT�s Openreach. If that is the case, why is a number change needed? Does it lead to more complexities?

TalkTalk does not mention any number change. I was under the impression they use BT Outreach too. So why does Plusnet require it to change?

My exchange is Ealing, and it does not support fibre yet, so this as ADSL. My phone number is 020 3722 xxxx.

There are phone numbers know as "BT" numbers, (possibly issued by Openreach to BT Wholesale but that is simply a supposition by me), and there are the numbers issued by LLU CPs such as Sky and TalkTalk. This gives three ranges of numbers. Vodafone may have a fourth and there may be more.

You may remember many ISPs would say you had to have a "BT" line to have broadband with them.

Until recently if you entered an LLU number into the BT Wholesale estimate checker it would simply not recognise it as existing. This may in fact still be the case, but as I have a "BT number" but not with BT Retail I can't check.

It was not possible to port an LLU number to the BT system so that BT Wholesale-based ISPs could take it over. But if you started with a BT number, then moved to LLU, you could port it back. (Whilst ported to LLU the checker linked above still would recognise it).

You say you get the impression from Ofcom that you should be able to transfer it. I believe you are correct, as recently Ofcom made this a requirement. But I could be mistaken and it hasn't yet been implemented. It's late and I'm tired and trawling through Ofcom output can be piggish! However, I have a feeling it is somewhere in this document.

If it isn't, if you search on the Ofcom website, which clearly you have been looking at about this, you should be able to find it.

It's possible the Plusnet adviser you spoke to isn't aware of this change, or it's possible Plusnet systems have not yet been changed to be able to port LLU numbers to themselves. All I can suggest for now is that you keep chasing this down.

Each Voice service provider have number ranges allocated to them for each exchange they serve. BT have HAD to port numbers to other CPs for many years so any BT allocated number can appear on any Service providers network that is set up to accept them.

Other CPs did not have that requirement, I believe they now do. However ithere has to be a technical setup in both service providers systems to enable it to work and these are Bi-lateral arrangements that sometimes have not been completed between two service providers.

So; Sky to TalkTalk may be possible but Sky to Plusnet may not be. IF Plusnet request the setup Sky HAVE to do it BUT this will depend on Plusnet systems and not an individual customer.

Practically all providers take ported numbers from BT but those that used to resell the BT service do not always have agreements with every other provider to take numbers ported from their ranges. ( Easy to piggy back on BT but complex to set-up systems to adapt to every provider)

Until comparitively recently it was difficult to get Sky to port numbers to anyone else, I believe this is why OFCOM mandated porting for every range owner. But the commercials and technicals still have to be agreed between each party and this enables slow implementation.

Thanks, this has helped

The �number change� and �no number change� came from the automated systems of Plusnet and TalkTalk respectively.

The BT Wholesale checker had no data about my number, and that is was therefore not a BT line.

It seems it would be better to get a BT number rather than stick with a Sky one. This might make future changes (if any) simpler.. It is not worth my while trying to get Plusnet to port over the Sky number as (1) I do not want to request anything non-standard, and (2) I have had the Sky number from less than a year, so am not invested in it in a big way.

Financially, there is not a lot of difference, after the call plan I want is included. With a �welcome� voucher, TalkTalk works out better for 12 months. Plusnet keeps their lower price for 18 months, and, when that is over, the ongoing price is less than TalkTalk. I do not expect to move in that period. Both allow me to cancel and restart the call plan when I am away for a few month (something that happens). I have not tried to analyze call rates.

I would expect the internet speed to be similar from all 3. (Sky, Plusnet, TalkTalk)

Also, based on family history with phone/internet services and reviews, I have a bit of a bias towards PlusNet. So I expect to order from them.

You may want to consider porting the Sky number to VOIP provider - tht way anyone who has it can still contacy you and teh cost could be as low as £1-2/month. Then after 3 months, cancel it.

I placed my order with Plusnet - through the web, so there was no interaction with a salesperson.

After a while, as promised, they sent me an email with my new phone number. It is identical to my old one!!!!!

So I will not miss any of the calls from nice guys in India who want to know how I am (I tell them at length) and want to fix my computer. Funny, they never seem to know whether it is the black one or the silver one they are talking about.

That's good, finally it appears some progress may have been made on porting numbers initially registered on Sky MPF to WLR3 providers.

I moved from Sky LLU to Plusnet 18 months ago and insisted I took my (originally) Sky provided number with me. The number ported, but I have had problems ever since with caller id that have not been resolved and I am now out of contract and moving again!!

It isn't a common problem, so hopefully your port will go as planned

Mark