Virgin Gave My Number Away

[notcrack]

I haven't really ever complained about a company because non have really had it coming but over the last week i noticed that home phone line hasn't rang once (strange in it's self as i'm self employed and a lot of my business comes through the phone). Yesterday i got a call on my mobile (not virgin thank god) from an old friend and he told me that he had just called the house and a woman answered who claimed not to know who i was, so assuming he got the wrong number rang again and got the same woman.
After speaking to him i called my OWN number and it was answered by a young lady, after explaining why i was calling, who told me she had just had the phone line installed and this was the number she was given.

Now what i want to know is how can a company give my number to another customer. I have been with NTL/Virgin for 10 years +, I've taken the internet blackouts with a spoonful of sugar, I didn't rant and rave when they thought it was a good idea to bar my number from calling mobiles and international calls even though i've never been late with a payment because in they're own words ' I had been using the phone a lot recently'. Frankly I have begun to lose my rag and i'm not even sure they can rectify this issue.

Has anyone else had this problem or are virgin deciding to 'bend me over and do me dry' to see how a good customer reacts.

[Toto]

I haven't really ever complained about a company because non have really had it coming but over the last week i noticed that home phone line hasn't rang once (strange in it's self as i'm self employed and a lot of my business comes through the phone). Yesterday i got a call on my mobile (not virgin thank god) from an old friend and he told me that he had just called the house and a woman answered who claimed not to know who i was, so assuming he got the wrong number rang again and got the same woman.
After speaking to him i called my OWN number and it was answered by a young lady, after explaining why i was calling, who told me she had just had the phone line installed and this was the number she was given.

Now what i want to know is how can a company give my number to another customer. I have been with NTL/Virgin for 10 years +, I've taken the internet blackouts with a spoonful of sugar, I didn't rant and rave when they thought it was a good idea to bar my number from calling mobiles and international calls even though i've never been late with a payment because in they're own words ' I had been using the phone a lot recently'. Frankly I have begun to lose my rag and i'm not even sure they can rectify this issue.

Has anyone else had this problem or are virgin deciding to 'bend me over and do me dry' to see how a good customer reacts.

I've not heard of this before, and by now you should have been in touch with VM and got a good explanation as to how this could happen.

[notcrack]

just on the phone with them now so fingers crossed. the man on the phone sounds a bit confused though.

[bopdude]

just on the phone with them now so fingers crossed. the man on the phone sounds a bit confused though.

If he sounds confused thats a good start, means your through to the right place :dozey: I hope you get this sorted out, let us know what the excuse is tho please, should be good :D

[mmm]

Has anyone else had this problem or are virgin deciding to 'bend me over and do me dry' to see how a good customer reacts.

Yes I had this problem, and managed to get my number back eventually - but did catch it before the number had been given to a new customer (they had removed it from my line and reserved it for a new install). Took weeks and the intervention of a senior guy in NTL to take ownership. Problem is caused by inconsistencies between multiple databases not linking the virtual exchange/billing/ routing correctly. In my case apparently not properly reserved for me due to patch to get around postcode database error years ago.

Also happened to a colleague who was originally told to wait 4 weeks for a new install as the whole account had just been deleted...

Keep calm and exhaust all formal channels of complaint, keep a note of who you talk to when for your future compensation claim/ formal complaint to Oftel/ trading standards/BBC Watchdog/Local paper...

- maybe a mod here can give you new senior contacts if you don't get any joy through the normal routes.

[punky]

Good luck with it. Let us know it goes...

I'd be interested to know how they deal with it. Technically you have a residential line service and so running a business isn't covered on it.

[handyman]

Good luck with it. Let us know it goes...

I'd be interested to know how they deal with it. Technically you have a residential line service and so running a business isn't covered on it.

If he's an IT contractor then he probably would have no need to have a dedicated phone line. All of our contractors use a home line / mobile and normally a gmail / yahoo or hotmail address as contacts.

[Hugh]

Good luck with it. Let us know it goes...

I'd be interested to know how they deal with it. Technically you have a residential line service and so running a business isn't covered on it.

If he's an IT contractor then he probably would have no need to have a dedicated phone line. All of our contractors use a home line / mobile and normally a gmail / yahoo or hotmail address as contacts.

I think the point Gavin was making that Business lines have better SLA's than Residential (because they pay for it), and the OP pointed out that he was self-employed and received a lot of his business through his phone.

[punky]

I think the point Gavin was making that Business lines have better SLA's than Residential (because they pay for it), and the OP pointed out that he was self-employed and received a lot of his business through his phone.

Indeed. For many companies, doing this sort of thing is against the T&Cs and so he might receive little in the way of sympathy and compensation.

That said, do VM do business phone services? I think they only do business broadband.

[mmm]

Good luck with it. Let us know it goes...

I'd be interested to know how they deal with it. Technically you have a residential line service and so running a business isn't covered on it.

But VM cannot hide behind any obscure contract clause, I am not a lawyer but what ntl have done is simple negligence and no court will accept this an excuse to hide behind. It is not reasonable to expect that the supplier can randomly disconnect your phone without notice and give the number to someone else. Of course mistakes can happen but must be rectified as soon as possible.

VM also have legal duties in providing fixed line phone services, they would appear to have failed here as well. It is very disappointing to hear they have done it again.

Of course legal action to claim for damages will be a last resort, and it will be difficult to prove actual loss if VM get their finger out and correct the problem promptly.

I trust the OP doesn't get the same fault management individuals I had the misfortune to deal with initially (they won't work for NTL now if my complaint to the Chairman had any effect). I hope it doesn't take as long to fix as it did in my case...

[notcrack]

Thanks for everyone's replies
I have just got off the phone to them they have decided that they better send out a technician to have a look at the 'junction box' i think she called it, so i guess my saturday is going to be fun. The woman on the phone did confirm that the number was still associated with my account so the other person who has the number doesn't have any right to it. Basically it looks like they will be able to fix it and soon.
Apart from the obvious problem their level of service has been good as usual what with getting the repairman out tomorrow, but i will keep you posted as to how it all works out

[Hugh]

Glad to hear this - good luck.

[Toto]

Ahh, someboy has been mucking around in the box perhaps.....do yourself a favour, make carefull notes of when you noticed the problem, when you reported it and when it was fixed. Then check your next bill very carefully, as during that time you will need to question every billed call.

[v0id]

If he's an IT contractor then he probably would have no need to have a dedicated phone line. All of our contractors use a home line / mobile and normally a gmail / yahoo or hotmail address as contacts.

Very professional. :rolleyes:

[on in an hour!]

Indeed. For many companies, doing this sort of thing is against the T&Cs and so he might receive little in the way of sympathy and compensation.

That said, do VM do business phone services? I think they only do business broadband.
yes they do business lines gavin.a load of local councils in the north west have our systems in their civic buildings along with local authority schools.to the OP,that lady by the sounds of things wasnt assigned your No from source,i think youll find when the tech sorts the problem it'll be that the installers incorrectly 'jumpered' your No to her house (youll find she lives close by you if this is the case) at the time of install,thereby proving that they didnt do a ring back when the install was complete (which they should do on every telco job) because if they had have done they would have realised their mistake.my moneys on them.;) what makes it worse is that if this is the case the tech can jumper the No back to you but he wont have any details for the new install which then leaves her without a line!!!

[Florence]

He could phone the number first to get her to ring in with her account details so he can sort her aswell.

[piggy]

He could phone the number first to get her to ring in with her account details so he can sort her aswell.

indeed he could if he had the time but meanwhile in the real world................

[on in an hour!]

indeed he could if he had the time but meanwhile in the real world................
absolutely!!!