On the 1st March I gave notice to my old broadband provider (Virgin) and signed up with Vodafone. The agreement for this service included the transfer of my phone number from Virgin to them.

My service allegedly went active on the 13th march, but my broadband wasn't working until the 21st March.

Whilst on the phone to them (my old cable line with virgin) I asked when the number would be transferred across, and was told it hadn't even been requested.

I was rather ****ed off by this, but they assured me it was being done there and then.

about 10 days later and still nothing, we go into a new month which incurs me more line rental charges from Virgin as my phone service isn't disconnected until the number is transferred.

I spend a further 95 mins on the phone with Vodafone and am assured that it's being done, I'm told that it's been sent direct to Openreach and they will do it within 72hrs. I am also told that they will be crediting my account with £30, but when I try to check... the online account I setup is mysterious non existent and I can't set it up again as it doesn't recognise my phone number or account number.

They are told that the 72hrs ends at 5pm on Friday 6th and if the number is not transferred by then, my services will be terminated due to breach of contract (they failed to transfer the number which was part of my agreement to use their services)

72hrs pass and nothing, virgin claim they've never even received any request to transfer my number over and confirmed this again as of the 16th April.

On the 7th April, I send an official complain both through Vodafones website, and via mail to their complaints dept. This complaint terminates my services with them for their failure to do something as simple as transfer my number. A process that has been simplified to make it so easy that a trained monkey could do it.

So far they have completely ignored my complaints and have not terminated my service.

I am now in limbo, I cannot switch to another provider because there is a temp number on my BT line that I have never used and have no intention of ever using... A new provider will try to transfer that number across instead of my virgin one. I am also still paying for a virgin line and number which I've had for many years and don't wish to lose, because it will cause so many problems.

Because they had credited my account with £30 (allegedly, I've not seen proof of this) I cancelled my DD and had the previous one of £27.06 returned to me.

Today I got a threatening email saying my 'April' bill is unpaid and I owe them £34 (which would be about right if there was a £30 credit as my normal bill would have been £37)

So far they have ignored my complaint, failed to transfer my number and failed to terminate my service.

They have been clearly informed of their breach of contract, and my service was terminated within the first 30 days (even if they claim 13th March as date service started, it's still less than 30 days).

I am now being threatened with my service being restricted, and if it's not paid service disconnection and payment for the full term of the contract will be pursued.

I think I need to escalate this to the regulator... But have no idea how to go about this.

Switching is supposed to be easy, but this has been the worst mistake and has caused me so much hassle and stress.

Hi Heckler

Welcome back to CAG - I would suggest sending an email to the below;

[email protected]

Vodafone's Staff and System Incompetence knows no bounds. They've been fined just under 5 million at one point for failures in service and issues with complaints.

They are situations where OR and Virgin can actually recover the line as it just goes back into the Allocation Pool / Quarantine.

I work for a CP so know all about this

Email Virgin too;

[email protected]

Both will need to talk to OR and create a restore to service for you. Get you back on the Virgin Network if that is an option.

Let me guess – you've been here since 2009 so luckily you know to record all your calls and you've done exactly that, right?

Let me guess – you've been here since 2009 so luckily you know to record all your calls and you've done exactly that, right?

OP - Bankfodder does raise a good point.

Let us know how you get on.

Vodafone's Staff and System Incompetence knows no bounds. They've been fined just under 5 million at one point for failures in service and issues with complaints.

They are situations where OR and Virgin can actually recover the line as it just goes back into the Allocation Pool / Quarantine.

 

I work for a CP so know all about this

 

Email Virgin too;

 

Both will need to talk to OR and create a restore to service for you. Get you back on the Virgin Network if that is an option.

I'm hopeful that virgin will refuse to transfer my number now, as they've been informed in writing that they are not authorised to do so... and as vodafone have never even bothered to attempt this... fingers crossed that it will remain with virgin until such a time as my vodafone line is terminated and I can get a new service elsewhere.

Let me guess – you've been here since 2009 so luckily you know to record all your calls and you've done exactly that, right?

Sadly no... I've never been able to afford a device to record them, I tried to put my cordless phone on speaker and record on my phone... but all I got was muffled/static recordings. It appears that if I have the phone on charge there's some interference with the mic... So lesson learned and I will try again. But I don't have a dedicated device for recording them at this time. I have repeatedly told vodafone to put everything in writing in my written complaints (4 of them)... but so far they have ignored all complaints.

I will email [email protected]

The oter email [email protected] is one I have used before and I had a reply saying the he's no longer in that dept, but they did pass it onto the relevant complaints team all the same.