After a while of sitting and watching this forum chew over problems, I've finally got to the stage of registering and posting myself - so Hi Everyone!
I've got a major problem with Orange and their VoIP service at the moment. To understand why it's such a problem I'll need to ramble a little bit so bear with me!
I run my own business. I'm a mobile entertainer. I have a website, business cards, etc... I also place adverts in yearly publications aimed at the wedding industry - all designed to get me as much work as I can handle.
I was a customer of Freeserve a few years ago, moving over to Wanadoo when they changed and then again as the change to Orange happened. This gives you a rough idea of how long I've been a "valued" customer. My current package is their top package with the LiveBox and a VoIP line - Wireless & Talk... A while ago, I was allocated a number with an 0845 prefix, which became my VoIP number and so my phone number.
Now then... Last Saturday, I had a phone call (on my mobile) from a friend. He asked me where I'd been for the last couple of weeks, as he'd been trying to call me. This was a little worrying, as I've not been anywhere apart from working - and anyway, I have an answering machine built into my telephone that handles my calls on the VoIP system. I immediately called my number as supplied by Orange, and sure enough - although the telephone light flashed on the LiveBox, nothing rang. When I picked up the phone, the line was dead.
I called Orange. After waiting a few minutes to get through, I explained my problem and went through some tests (to make sure my handset was ok by plugging into the BT line, etc). They narrowed the fault down to the LiveBox - it was either the little adaptor that plugs into the back of the box, or the box itself. The technician arranged to send me a replacement adaptor which arrived yesterday - and didn't solve the problem.
Last night, around 6pm - I called back the technical department to try and arrange replacement of my LiveBox. After much explanation and referring to notes of previous calls, the technician said I would need the service de-activating and re-activating to reset the VoIP system in my LiveBox. They couldn't do that on the support desk I'd spoken to, but they gave me the number of the department that could. They also assured me that nothing would change with regard to my service and phone number.
I called the department I was asked to, and asked them to de-activate and re-activate my talk service as prescribed by tech support. The girl I spoke to allowed me to hold whilst this was done, and she came back to the phone some 8 minutes later. Her first words on taking me off hold were "Ok, that's done for you - here's your new telephone number"... At this point I went numb - I'd not expected this! I explained to her that I needed the number that I'd already been issued - she told me it was a closed off number and that I couldn't get it back. I explained what the number was used for and why it was so important... She told me that I couldn't get it back, and anyway - I wasn't supposed to use their service for business purposes...
At this point I rather lost my patience with her and asked to be put through to her supervisor. She refused and told me her supervisor would just tell me the same thing. I insisted on speaking to someone senior, she again refused... I asked for her name - she refused that as well to start with until I told her she was only making matters worse for herself as it wasn't her I'd had the problem with - it's losing my number.
I went through 2 or 3 more people before I finally managed to speak to someone who was calm and collected. He was in the Escallations department, and actually listened to the details of my problem in full. He told me that the number I'd had would be randomly re-allocated to another user in the future. I pointed out the obvious flaws with this (like 1 the calls are meant for me, and 2 the new owner of that number would get plagued with calls from potential brides & grooms looking for their wedding entertainment). The case has been left at the moment with the tech-team looking into how to re-allocate the number to me (as it's of no use to anyone else).
If they can't re-instate my number of course, then not only will I lose the hundreds of pounds that will be wasted by placing the adverts with a number that no longer comes to me, but I potentially lose thousands of pounds due to lost revenues as well.
They say I can't use their service for business purposes and this has always been the case - well I'm sorry, but my logon is ****@*****.fsbusiness.co.uk - Isn't that a clue as to why I signed up with Freeserve in the first place.
I honestly don't know what to do now! I'd love to hear your thoughts or comments!
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Dave.
At the end of someone else's tether!
I have had the same problem and they changed my number aswell. Still dont work though.
My line died in mid Sept 2006 after having worked fine since June2006 and numerous calls have not revived it. They changed my number around end sept. I've just tried ringing it to see if it's been re-allocated to someone else, but it's "not in use".
Does your phone work now (albeit with a new number), or is it still dead?
If fixed, did it require a replacement livebox?
...Her first words on taking me off hold were "Ok, that's done for you - here's your new telephone number"... At this point I went numb - I'd not expected this! I explained to her that I needed the number that I'd already been issued - she told me it was a closed off number and that I couldn't get it back.
...
I went through 2 or 3 more people before I finally managed to speak to someone who was calm and collected. He was in the Escallations department, and actually listened to the details of my problem in full. He told me that the number I'd had would be randomly re-allocated to another user in the future. I pointed out the obvious flaws with this (like 1 the calls are meant for me, and 2 the new owner of that number would get plagued with calls from potential brides & grooms looking for their wedding entertainment). The case has been left at the moment with the tech-team looking into how to re-allocate the number to me (as it's of no use to anyone else).
Normally talk accounts aren't closed and reopened like this, causes all sorts of other problems behind the scenes. It's done exactly what I'd have expected though and given you a brand new number. Has that made any difference to the original problem though?
I presume the pool of numbers is large enough so that previously used numbers can be left unused for long enough so you'd get very few if any calls for the previous user.
As far as I know I've never heard of someone getting a previous number back after it's been released like this though it may happen but just not get through to tech.
Quote:
They say I can't use their service for business purposes and this has always been the case - well I'm sorry, but my logon is ****@*****.fsbusiness.co.uk - Isn't that a clue as to why I signed up with Freeserve in the first place.
Here's where things get a little sketchy. That account would have been for dialup which freeserve did dally in business accounts with. However the broadband is a residential broadband service. Thats not to say you cannot run a business over it, saying you can't is just wrong, it's that they don't support it and any changes, outages, etc that cause loss of revenue/earnings cannot be claimed for from Orange.
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They changed my number around end sept. I've just tried ringing it to see if it's been re-allocated to someone else, but it's "not in use". 
