Permanent Number Withhold - not available?

[tycho]

Hi,

I have recently transferred my Phone from BT to virgin. On BT my number was automatically witheld on outgoing calls, and I know Virgin also have this service as it shows on the website in 'call features' as 'Permanent Number Withhold'

Howeve When I phoned to get this put on my line, the Indian call centre told me this is 'not compatible with my line?' and as such I cant have this added.

Anyone know why this is, or who I need to call to get it added? I dont understand how this can not be compatible when BT have been providing me the service for years, and VM's website clearly shows that they provide it too?

This might sound a bit petty, but my partner has a big issue with this, to the point that she is actually telling me to move the phone back to BT - I dont want to do this as I have just consolidated everything to VM (was previously on VM BB, Sky TV & BT phone) and got a good deal on all 3, however the saving isnt going to be worth the ongoing grief I'll get if I cant have the number withhold added!! :mad:

If anyone could advise/assist it would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[BenMcr]

It should be available to everyone.

[tycho]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for that - at least I now have some hope I can get this resolved :)

Could you suggest who I should speak to, as the department that Virgin tell me to speak to are telling me it can't be added?

Many thanks

[Peter_]

It is available to all and it is free, so call now and you will speak to a UK agent.

If need be ring 150 and choose the "Thinking of leaving us" option which does fit with your wifes wishes if you do not get it. ;)

http://shop.virginmedia.com/phone/calling-features.html

[tycho]

Just called again and got through to a really helpfull guy with a Scottish accent (so assume I wasn't bounced to India this time! ;) ).

Told me he has added it to my line and should be effective immediatly, although can sometimes take up to 24 hours to activate.

Thanks Masque / Ben for the help.

Can't beleive the difference in level of support when phoning exactly the same number 20 minutes apart - I have no idea what the 'cost saving' is of your Indina call centre, but it must be costing you literally millions in lost customers!!

Anyway, thanks again everyone

[Peter_]

Just called again and got through to a really helpfull guy with a Scottish accent (so assume I wasn't bounced to India this time! ;) ).

Told me he has added it to my line and should be effective immediatly, although can sometimes take up to 24 hours to activate.

Thanks Masque / Ben for the help.

Can't beleive the difference in level of support when phoning exactly the same number 20 minutes apart - I have no idea what the 'cost saving' is of your Indina call centre, but it must be costing you literally millions in lost customers!!

Anyway, thanks again everyone
Good to see that you are sorted ad i ensured that you had the link just in case they tried to say otherwise.:)

[Helen82]

Hi

I'm having the same problem. I have just moved all my services (last week), phone, tv and broadband over to Virgin Media from BT. During the sales call I stipulated that I wanted number withheld and was told that this was OK. (It's also promoted on the Virgin website as an available service) Last week I noticed that it wasn't on (together with caller display) and was assured that it would be on within 24 hours.

Caller display was on the next day but number withheld is still not on. I telephoned Virgin today to be told it is not possible to have this as it wasn't available in my area, it's not available on the switch that has been used to connect my services. I was then put through to a Customer Services Operator who told me exactly the same.

I can't believe a company the size of Virgin Media with the coverage round my area (about 85%) cannot accommodate number withheld.

I will be cancelling all my services with Virgin and either going back to BT (who did provide number withheld) or finding another company that does provide this service.

Ann

[BenMcr]

See my previous reply. I have personally never come across a switch that is not capable of doing the block

[Helen82]

Hi Ben,

Just talking to the 'thinking of leaving us' department as you posted. They insisting that it is just not available in my area.

Ann

[tycho]

Hi Ann,

Just to update you on what happened to me in case it helps you get this resolved.

Following my above post, after the 24 hours had elapsed, the number withold was still not active on my line. I called back and the guy I spoke to said he was very confused as it was definitly showing as being active according the the info on my account. He said he would put me through to to another department, forget what he said it was called, but it was a technical support dept (possibly a 2nd / 3rd line).

The guy I got put through to was clearly quite techie as after I had explained the problem to me he said something along the lines of 'ok, i'll check the exchange' and came back a bit later saying it wasnt active, but to give him 5 minutes and he'd enable it (which he did while I was on the phone). He then told me it should be working now, and when I checked it was!

So it 'seems' that it's quite possible that if no one else connected to the same switch as you has requested this service, that it might not 'currently' be enabled - but it does seem that someone within VM has the ability to enable this?.....

Hope you get sorted

[m419]

Hope my friends don't get this, because I don't answer private numbers anymore. I don't see the point of it.

In fact they should stop it completely, they go on about it being about protecting peoples privacy but what about my privacy! Sales people,freaks and just total weirdos ringing on private number.

[Helen82]

Hi Tycho

I've spoke to about 4 different people now and they all have had it checked and told me they can't do it.

Having a look at Plusnet who can do it.

Thanks for your reply

Ann

[Helen82]

Hi

Just wanted to update my post.

I have been with Virgin for just one week now and I have just received a phone call from an Indian call centre trying to offer me free insulation??? I'm supposed to be ex-directory too with a new telephone number.

So I have rung Virgin again and spoke once again to the 'Thinking of leaving us' Dept told them I wanted to cancel all my services and about the telephone call.

An extremely kind and helpful lady spoke to another department and I have been told I now have caller withheld and a new telephone number (which I did not ask for but they have given me anyway.)

Glad it's sorted.

Ann

[AndyCambs]

I added anonymous caller reject to stop the increasing number of nuisance calls.
Any call from "INTERNATIONAL" purposely doesn't get answered as it more likely to be a call centre in the Indian sub-continent. If it is a genuine call, then they'll start to speak and leave a message at which point I will pick the phone up.

[whitewineandsoda]

Hope my friends don't get this, because I don't answer private numbers anymore. I don't see the point of it.

In fact they should stop it completely, they go on about it being about protecting peoples privacy but what about my privacy! Sales people,freaks and just total weirdos ringing on private number.

If any of your friends do get the witheld function, just ask them to dial 1470 before they ring your number, and then their number will show on your caller display....;)