Port-In Delay

[Jaybird]

Received an email saying there's been a delay in transferring my number over from Plusnet to Smarty. I've contacted the webchat team and I'm waiting for a reply at current, but in general what happens in these situations? What kind of compensation is involved?

I'm getting quite anxious now after reading this topic https://community.smarty.co.uk/t5/chats-hacks/sim-transfer-went-wrong-and-support-keeps-fobbing-me-o... where this poor member, also transferring over from Plusnet, had their number LOST. And anyone who's had the same phone number for the last 20 years or so can imagine what an absolutely terrifying thought that must be.

Needless to say, not off to a good start.

[Strandloper]

@Jaybird , thankfully the case you raise is an example of very few that go wrong.  Most port ins go well (and we don't hear about them).  We all make mistakes occasionally.

Hopefully your port in will be sorted out soon

[Jaybird]

I understand things can go wrong on occasion and of course we all make mistakes, but can't say I'm feeling very reassured here.

My webchat agent has also apparently decided to go offline given I've been waiting for a response to a simple question for over 12 minutes now, and the green 'active' spot over his profile picture has now disappeared. Still no further information.

[Chalkychap]

The OFCOM number porting rules mean that SMARTY are 100% responsible for getting your number transferred from Plusnet @Jaybird.

I'm not sure the web chat team have an effective communication channel with the number porting team, but if you're not happy ask to make a complaint and ask for compensation, which are the only 'sticks' you've got. 

As @Strandloper said, most number transfers are successful. I've ported my number over to SMARTY twice now, without any issues.
🤞

[WarrenR_2243590]

The same thing has happened to me "Mahesh" from support in India has left my chat window open for over 24hrs now, so I am unable to contact another chat support member until he/she closes the window. I now have to contact support via email. Shoddy service so far. Not happy at all.

[WarrenR_2243590]

The same thing has happened to me "Mahesh" from support in India has left my chat window open for over 24hrs now, so I am unable to contact another chat support member until he/she closes the window. I now have to contact support via email. Shoddy service so far. Not happy at all.

[MSF]

@WarrenR_2243590  Why not raise it as a complaint then?

[Jaybird]

Thank you @Chalkychap, that's good to know even if it's a last port of call for myself. (Only 'port' I've got right now I suppose given the situation.) I have an important phone call due tomorrow so needless to say I hope this gets fixed very soon. If not I might go chasing for a goodwill gesture, because not being able to provide a reason for the delay is not exactly a good start for a new customer.

I'll keep everyone posted with what happens in case others fall prey to the same issue. It just helps to be heard and to see what happens, rather than be told 'you're one of the few exceptions'. 😐

[Strandloper]

@Jaybird, who are you quoting when you say "rather than be told 'you're one of the few exceptions'. 😐"?

[Jaybird]

I meant it as a generalisation, not as a direct quote.

[Strandloper]

Then please, make that clear when you post generalisations, as it is too easy for such comments to cause offense, especially when on forums such as this.

Part of what to remember here is, we on this forum, are Smarty users, just like you, and any posting we (including me) make are there to help, rather than be offensive.

[Jaybird]

I'm sorry but maybe you're reading comments too closely? If I have to walk on eggshells around here it makes me just want to port my number straight out of Smarty and close my account. Far too much hassle already to be dealing with overtly-sensitive readers lecturing that my port delay concerns can 'cause offense'. 

[Strandloper]

@Jaybird, might I suggest reading the House Rules.

Your "port delay concerns" are not a problem at all, I perfectly understand them. I can appreciate wanting your port to be in place for your call later today.

I have been asking for clarification of what you have been posting as some of your words have been open to interpretation. 

If you feel that that request for clarification, and my other responses, make you feel like you need to walk on eggshells, then perhaps you need to consider "how you would feel" if someone had posted in a similar manner, with you as the object of the comments.

In your post above you say "Far too much hassle already to be dealing with overtly-sensitive readers lecturing that my port delay concerns can 'cause offense'". This, to me, is passive aggressive phrasing.

If you don't like being held responsible for the words you use, then either stop using them, or consider their effect on others (whether that's on forums or at work) before using them, and if needed rephrase your comments.

Although you don't seem to like my responses, they have made me wish I had never tried to help.  If you treat others in a similar way, some will stay silent. Others will stand up for themselves, just as I have done.

Good luck with your call later today.

[Jaybird]

I have read the house rules and I'm curious about your continued overreaction to my comment when it was a generalisation and nothing more. I can delete it if it upsets you so much. I'm sorry you seem to taken such personal offense to something that, frankly, isn't there.

If my frustration over the situation is coming across as passive-aggressive to you then noted, but it's not aimed at any one person. So telling me to read the rules over something you see and something I didn't intend at all seems a little patronising. I really don't appreciate your lecturing and if you say I don't seem to like your comments, well I certainly don't now?

Perhaps you should hold your own feelings accountable before you jump in pointing the finger at me for my broad statement. I realise now it could have been misread, as you've most certainly proven, and I'm sorry for that. But that doesn't mean I need to go reviewing my own responsibilities for my actions. Pot kettle black here as far as I'm concerned.

Have a good day.

[Strandloper]

Good luck with your call, if you ever get it.  I hope you use a better attitude with new customers.  

[JJP2]

Whilst I appreciate that this won’t be any consolation to you @Jaybird  the faults , yes faults, lay with PlusNet Mobile, who are well known for causing problems when people port away from them. PlusNet know full well that ultimately, it’s responsibility of the receiving network, in this case Smarty, when numbers are ported away from PlusNet, so they are just shirking their responsibility.

You only have to Google “Problems porting mobile phone number away from PlusNet” to get an idea of the amount of issues PlusNet are causing when people port numbers away from them. As PlusNet mobile will soon cease to exist, they don’t give a monkeys about their exiting customers.

These issues go back over a year by the way. 

https://community.plus.net/t5/Mobile/Plusnet-issues-porting-numbers/td-p/1867530 

[Jaybird]

I'm currently on their own Forum boards trying to glean more answers but, like usual, customers are stuck between what seems to be two companies pointing the finger at each other. I've been told it's both sides to blame at this point, so just going to sit back and watch what happens.

Thanks for the information.

[JJP2]

The issue you currently have is that number porting “takes two to tango”, in this case PlusNet and Smarty, but PlusNet aren’t leading the dance properly. 

Until such time as PlusNet release your number properly, allowing Smarty to take it over, Smarty and yourself and stuck between a rock and a hard place. With their poor porting history, plus the fact that PlusNet will soon cease to exist, due to BT Group deciding that EE will be the mobile arm of their group, it’s likely the soon to be unemployed PlusNet staff just don’t care, perhaps understandably (BT Mobile is also affected, it’s no longer accepting new customers and will soon be subsumed into EE)

Again, this won’t make you feel better, but when I ported my number from EE to Smarty on June 2nd this year, it worked flawlessly, because EE played their part in releasing my number promptly and properly.

[Jaybird]

I've been on Plusnet forums throughout this and they've been nothing but polite and helpful. I certainly don't get the impression that their teams are being lazy or 'not leading the dance' so to speak. They told me that if numbers are 'well-travelled' across different providers, which mine has been over the years I've had it, then each one needs to update their records to show that it's with the new provider, and this can take time.

Most concise explanation I've had for days. I did contact Smarty chat again and was told to be patient as the number transferred during system downtime and they also have a higher volume of enquiries than normal, so that to me says it's mostly on Smarty's end. As is their responsibility according to ChalkyChap, too.

My Plusnet sim has also stopped working so the account has officially been closed with little further trouble, and I'm officially using Smarty's sim but it still carries the wrong number. I managed to get my important call yesterday using other half's phone, but not exactly convenient. Ah well, at least I'm avoiding any possible spam calls while I wait. And ghosting all the people that nag me with an actual reason to do so, lol.

[JJP2]

That’s certainly a new one, that every single network someone has used has to update their records each time a number is ported, never ever heard that before, nor have I read or heard about it on various mobile phone forums. If that was really the case, I am sure it would be common knowledge by now. 

Hopefully, as PlusNet have cancelled your account, your number can still be ported, as usually, accounts and numbers need to be active and live to be ported. 

[Jaybird · Accepted solution]

Phone port finally went through this afternoon after I took up my case with three or four of Smarty's webchat agents. They escalated my case after I badgered them yesterday citing technical issues on their end. 

Took a whole week. Good luck to anyone else doing number ports.

[MSF]

@Jaybird  Glad you've had a result.

[JJP2]

 

Good news that’s it sorted. 

Far too many porting issues involving PlusNet for it to be coincidence.