BT phone line

[Steve]

2 weeks ago, I signed up for a BT phone line. At the time of signing up, I requested they make the line ex-directory, and TPS too (just to make sure).

Monday night (in the middle of eating my tea) I get this idiot ringing from a company called "design solutions" if i remember correctly, and asking me how I am. Rather than hang up, I asked him where he got this number from. "its on a national database". "well it shouldnt be, its an ex directory and TPS line". He gave me some number to have it taken off. Rather helpful, but he shouldnt have rung me to start with.

Does anyone know if BT re-use numbers? So my "new" number might have been in use, say, in this house, before?

 

[Nige F]

They certainly did A M8 moved house and got LOADS of phone calls from people asking questions about the ( seaside) town he lived in - turned out they gave him an old number from local tourist board

 

[merlin50]

mine was from a shop 8 miles away I had it changed

 

[snico]

My previous number was the number of an old boat yard, where they sold small off shore and close shore fishing boats.

The amount of times people would call me and ask if I still had that 18ft open cabin fishing boat forsale

 

[Bodgeitandleggit]

I must have got the old coast guards number.............some guy keeps on ringing up saying " is the coast clear"

 

[HERTS P&D]

My number is from the local vets.

I am so tempted to tell people when they ring up that their beloved pet has passed away.

But so far I haven't , I'm not that cruel.

Andy

 

[conny]

Sure ours belonged to a chinese bloke.

"Is that the wong number?"

"How should I know? What number are you ringing?"

 

[securespark]

When I was S/E, I had a business number ending 8292.

When I moved, I could not keep the same exchange, so had the old number forwarded for a while. At the same time I ordered a new number also ending 8292 but with our new local exchange prefix. For a good few years after, everyone rang me up asking for Mr Murphy.... I gather he owed a lot of money...

 

[Infidel]

Yep as an Ex telecoms person they always reuse old numbers no point in not, just wasting exchange capacity otherwise.

 

[Mickymoody]

I've had the same number as someone else; so gets a call Dad pick me up. No eff off!

I've even called my number and got through to the person with my number, and they said 'Oh no not again!' I'll sort it.

And a stalker or two, that ring me, so I don't answer the phone anymore.