Keeping existing phone number

I have had my BT phone number for many years.

I am considering moving over to Virgin broadband and phone; already have Virgin TV package.

I assume that Virgin will be able to take over my existing BT phone number so I don't have to change that. However what if things go wrong and I have to leave Virgin; being the pessimist I am I would like to know in advance whether or not I can get my number back off Virgin to go back, say, to BT?

" can get my number back off Virgin"

Yes!

In reply to a post by broadband66:

" can get my number back off Virgin"

Yes!

Be warned, I went from BT to Sky and took my phone number with me. Whilst on Sky I transferred to Sky's own line rental. When I tried to move back to BT, I was told by BT that Sky had control over my number and that I wouldn't be able to keep it as the numbers go into a central pool and its first come first served basis mean't my number was given to someone else.

So when I finally went back to BT I had to choose a new number.

Different scenario

The BT - VM - BT porting situation has existed a lot longer, and thus deals on porting are in place. No requirement on the LLU phone providers to let you port numbers back...

Andrew

From your reply I read that I can get my number back should I leave Virgin?

I've just tried to move a phone number from Virgin back to BT, where it originated. BT said I would lose the number, so I moved it to Sky instead with no problem.

I don't know why BT were unable to do that - they blamed Virgin and asked me to call Virgin to sort it out. Virgin insisted they weren't the problem, so it looks like the problem was BT.

I understand that - once again- there is yet another organisation that allocates telephone numbers.
When BT cut me off (by accident) I found I couldn't have my old number back unless I really shouted at them as they said it was out of their hands. This after just a few hours, by the way!
I got it back after 3 weeks having lost my broadband connection (tied to telephone number) and that was another battle.

I can't believe that BT manage to be so absolutely incompetent sometimes and other time brilliant. One 'branch' will not talk to another, but they have the same banking and accounting, so exactly where is this separation that seems to be the cause of so much trouble?

In reply to a post by athegn:

I assume that Virgin will be able to take over my existing BT phone number so I don't have to change that.

NEVER assume!

In reply to a post by athegn:

I would like to know in advance whether or not I can get my number back off Virgin to go back, say, to BT?

In theory you should be able to keep your number. In practice it's usually a lottery.

I managed to port my VM number to BT then back to VM, but as far as I know there are no rules in place.