Recycled Numbers Grrr!!!!!

[guild]

Just returned to Virginmedia after 3 years, was with BT moved back to cable for better broadband speed which is is fine.
But.... as for the phone I could not take my old number with me, was given a new one by virgin, (new to me that is) sadly I was bombarded with calls regarding some guys IVA's and other sales calls, apparently the number was pre owned by a Mr Craig. I complained to virgin and was given a new number, 24 hrs later phone calls for a Mrs Williams Grrr!!!!:mad: on the new number. You would think they would hold the numbers back for a reasonable time so this does not occur. Anyone had anything similar with VM.

[nfs6600]

Yeah I've got that same problem too. They keep asking for Mr Driscoe. It's the same company too as I ask who is calling. Told them everytime to take the number off the records. I got one on Monday and the indian chap said that I must be mistaken when I said he has the wrong number....ok, I guess I don't actually live here or just squating. Yesterday the same company called, and she was based in a UK call centre. I told her of the problems and she said she has definetly removed my number from the records...lets see if she has...

[chamoan]

I know the feeling, had a new number for about 2 years now, but still get companys calling for people who used to have the number before, no matter how many times u explain to them this is whats happend, they still call back :(

[Akia]

The numbers are keep for a period of time before there reallocated to a customer. can't rembember if its 3 or 6 months.

[Stephen]

Numbers are supposed to be withheld for at least 6 months before they are reused.

[Graham M]

The Telephone number we had 3 or 4 years ago still hasn't been used

[danielf]

We had loads of unsolicited calls when the BT number for this house was reconnected. No problems with the number Telewest supplied. In a previous house NTL gave me a number that had previously been for a 'massage' parlour. I got a lot of silent calls at odd hours :erm:

[vbnmu]

Same problem here. One day got a call and we spoke in a rather deep,foreign,weird way. they hung up after a few second. called back after a minute and we did the same. happened 3 times in a row! Was quite funny really! :)

[Brainfish]

Our 1st number from TW had us being bombarded with calls at all hours of the day & night from the police, ex-girlfriends, lawyers and people threatening me convinced I was the person who previously had the number. After complaining to TW they grudgingly gave me a new number and told me I'd be charged £25. Needless to say, I went ballistic.

[awibble]

sorry but this isnt VMs fault in anyway... if they only ever used new numbers, we would quickly run out of phone numbers.

Any calls i have got i ask for the companys name, and say that i do not want any further calls from them, if they call again, then i go balistic.

[vbnmu]

sorry but this isnt VMs fault in anyway... if they only ever used new numbers, we would quickly run out of phone numbers.

Any calls i have got i ask for the companys name, and say that i do not want any further calls from them, if they call again, then i go balistic.
I don't think we are really blaming VM for that. What we are trying to say though, is, maybe they should hold on to it longer than what they do before recycling it!

[DJ Dave]

lol when i got my virgin phone line nearly 2 years ago we got loads of calls for Mrs Simpkins, told the place all the time to take us off the list but no joy, over the last few months it has gone quite though.

[Akia]

I don't think we are really blaming VM for that. What we are trying to say though, is, maybe they should hold on to it longer than what they do before recycling it!

I thought the time was set by OFCOM

[guild]

Thanks for the replies guys. Not blaming VM, infact very pleased with the internet package, living miles from the exchange adsl was nightmare, the calls are minor embuggerance compared to the slow internet speeds from the adsl we had before.

[MickeyIndiana]

I understand your anger and frustration at Recycled numbers, since we have had the service installed we have been disappointed as well, the telephone number they gave us has been bombarded with calls for the person who previously had this number. This person must of run up a lot of debt as the calls are always from collection agencies, despite registering my number with TPS to try and resolve the issue, the annoying calls have not stopped.

Virgin charge a premium for there line rental and lets face it in this day and age who needs a landline, but you are forced to have all 3 services to get a better deal across all your services. I know Virgin pride themselves on customer satisfaction as I used to work for them so why give new customers a poor service by giving them recycled numbers in the first place.

The complaints department is overrun and cannot deal with the influx half the time. A lot of customer complaints are dealt with by staff who they pay overtime too on a sunday in the retentions team in Stockton, who have no experience of dealing with complaints no authorisation to give credit or resolve issues so sadly you and I are probably not the last people who will complain in forums like this. As u say grrrr ;)

[nodrogd]

I thought the time was set by OFCOM

No, there is no minimum set time. "Churn" time between a customer releasing a number & it being allocated to a new customer can be from 3 months to a year. Virgin's churn times tend to be shorter, as their number allocation per STD code area is lot smaller than BT's.

[Ken W]

I thought the time was set by OFCOM

That is one option.

I am pretty sure that all phone companies (BT, TalkTalk, etc)

[alanbjames]

i still get calls for the previous owner of my number who was a woman and ive had this number since feb 2006.

[shanewestwood91]

you could try signing up got Telephone Preference Service and see if that stops them i know it stops other company that try selling you thing...

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

[MutleyF]

The TSP only "helps" prevent calls based in the UK - my experience is that all of mine originate from overseas

[everyday]

As u say grrrr ;)

Yes they said that 6 years ago... :)

[shanewestwood91]

same problem i get phones calls for someone else even tho my number has been changed by virgin media

---------- Post added at 17:53 ---------- Previous post was at 17:41 ----------

http://www.silentgard.com/register.aspx

try this aswell this is SA post to stop silent calls if u have them

[Nidge41]

I'm the same, I changed back to VM and within 2 days I was bombarded with calls for a Mr Yeomans.

I thought numbers had to be in the box for 5 years before they can be given out again?

[shanewestwood91]

its 6months they told me they dont do brandnew numbers

[Nidge41]

its 6months they told me they dont do brandnew numbers

Six months?? That's not long enough, they need to be in the box for at least 4-5 years before they're given out again.

[greyposter]

I agree.

[nodrogd]

Nice idea but not going to happen, as the phone companies pay a large sum of money for their number allocations, & having numbers lay dormant for 4 - 5 years is not an option.