My prepaid number has been assigned to someone else

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › My prepaid number has been assigned to someone else

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#669102 7-Aug-2012 15:55

Please do not take this personally. The only thing needed to keep the right a prepay mobile number is a topup every 12 months. This was not done.

Telecom, according to their T&Cs have put the number in a cooldown period, and then recycled it.

I think this is pretty much the case of "oh, well" and move on now. If a topup was purchased online and not used, perhaps get a refund, but that would be the extent of it.

dolsen

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#669127 7-Aug-2012 16:38

GrandMasterSaxay: and that is the only reason I am fighting for it. I have just started, will not give up at any cost.

This is probably going to seem harsh, but, I can't see why you think you have a right to the number? There were very simple conditions to keep "your number", well, "your number". You didn't adhere to those conditions, and, the number was (rightfully) given to someone else.

Ok, you may have been told incorrectly, post you letting the number expire, that the number was still yours, but, the error was with the notification to you that it was still yours, not, the actual release of your number. I don't see how you can think your rights to the number that you didn't use trump the rights of the person who now has that number legitimately?

I have a number nzyynnnnnn. You can be sure that I am not going to let that number expire and become someone elses through not topping it up. If, for some reason I did, I wouldn't expect that I could get the number off the next person to get it though.

Perhaps you could see if you could find a similar number with 2 degrees with their ability to select your own number?

scuwp

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#669131 7-Aug-2012 16:43

freitasm: Please do not take this personally. The only thing needed to keep the right a prepay mobile number is a topup every 12 months. This was not done.

Telecom, according to their T&Cs have put the number in a cooldown period, and then recycled it.

I think this is pretty much the case of "oh, well" and move on now. If a topup was purchased online and not used, perhaps get a refund, but that would be the extent of it.

Agree completely.

There is no argument. You cannot get the number back unless you can come to an agreement with the new owner. It has been asked several times if you have contacted them and I don't think you have answered.

There was no error in the re-allocation of the number. It doesn't matter if it was March or May or whenever, that's all irrelevant. You breached the T&C = number given to someone else = end of story.

Ask for a refund of the $10 and move on.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

quickymart

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#669161 7-Aug-2012 17:27

The way I look at this situation is:
- You forgot to top up, number deactivated
- Number reactivated by someone else as it was deactivated
- You remembered to top up, but credit was applied to reactivated number (inadvertently)
- Eventually you realise the number isn't working for you and then after calling and being offered something else you deem it unacceptable
- You lost the number through your forgetting to top up, and unless the new owner is happy to part with it the best you can hope for is the prepaid credit that was (inadvertently) applied to be refunded. As I say, unless the new owner says they don't mind returning the number to you, there is no "fight" to be had here.

oxnsox

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#669192 7-Aug-2012 18:09

GrandMasterSaxay: ...snip....I have just started, will not give up at any cost.

This is an ambitiously bold statement , unless you're corporate enough to be someone like Pizza Hutt,

Especially considering that based on what you've posted, and your own admission, you let the number go (expire).

Despite what may have subsequently happened at best you've identified a fault in their system. Which may not be a fault at all since you're simply making an on-line payment against a mobile number. Sure putting the sim in a phone showed signal, but that is no proof of service, or maybe again it's some obscure system error.

If you're lucky Telecom might thankyou for helping find these 'bugs', or not. But trying to make them responsible for your error and loss isn't going to endear you to them.... unless of course you are corporate Pizza Hut.

GrandMasterSaxay

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#669196 7-Aug-2012 18:18

I am still firm with that statement :) You guys are not getting the point so it is of no use explaining, I would recommend the new poster to read all the messages I posted right from page 1. Thanks one and all for the replies, I am waiting for reply from other two geniuses, will keep you guys updated.

Peace

SpookyAwol

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#669225 7-Aug-2012 19:24

Well, I read from the start - I think everyone did get the point and you dont really have a leg to stand on.

Talk nicely to the new owner, however - if I was the proud owner of 027xyxyxyxyx and I had given that number out to all my friends / customers, your chances of getting it back would be slim......

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quickymart

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#669305 7-Aug-2012 21:35

GrandMasterSaxay: I am still firm with that statement :) You guys are not getting the point so it is of no use explaining

What are we not getting exactly?

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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#669308 7-Aug-2012 21:44

I am pretty sure I got the thing, based on the questions I posted before and the answers received.

trig42

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#669438 8-Aug-2012 09:30

Pretty sure I got it too.

You think you are entiltled to your old number back after you topped it up online and someone in a store told you (but you did not verify) that the number was active on your SIM. Telecom reused your expired number, someone in a store mistakenly told you your SIM was still active - you do not know if that was the actual case - bars on a phone is different to making a call/sending a text.

Do you have a telecom home line account? If so, you should have put you number onto that (I have an 027 number I do not want to lose, but it is not in use and Telecom have parked it on my homeline account - I only get charged if I use it and since it is in an envelope in my drawer, not likely). Too late now for the OP, but for anyone else reading this and spending $10 a year topping up, you do not need to if you are a Telecom customer.

Shock

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#669557 8-Aug-2012 12:18

freitasm: I am pretty sure I got the thing, based on the questions I posted before and the answers received.

Had a read myself and cannot see how everyone is not getting it. Certified sane Mr Freitasm (all be it very loose certification ;P).

So I guess the question remains what resolution are you looking for if you cannot get the number back ?

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MurrayM

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#669740 8-Aug-2012 17:20

sbiddle:
GrandMasterSaxay: and that is the only reason I am fighting for it. I have just started, will not give up at any cost.

While this may sound harsh, unless you're willing to negotiate with the customer who does have it I don't think you have any grounds to get your number back from Telecom.

Firstly you don't own the number. The telco does, and they allocate this to you to use and this is made very clearly in the T&C.

Secondly you didn't top it up within the 12 month period which the number was disconnected and put back in the pool for recycling. THe implications of not topping up are very clear in the T&C.

Yup, I'm with you, it seems pretty cut and dry. The OP didn't keep up his side of the agreement (to top up the number every 12 months) and so he lost the use of the number. Same thing happened to my mother several years ago.

mattwnz

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#669743 8-Aug-2012 17:29

The thing is, how much does it cost an ISP to get taken to the TDR as the OP said they were doing. It used to be quite a bit, but I think they lowered the price recently. Even if the ISP wins, it sounds like they will be out of pocket if they have to pay for that. There are 2 sides to every story, but I think if they didn't top up as per the contract, then they should expect to lose teh number. Also I don't think anyone 'owns' a number either do they? With number portability I guess that may have changed.

sbiddle

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#669756 8-Aug-2012 18:01

mattwnz: The thing is, how much does it cost an ISP to get taken to the TDR as the OP said they were doing. It used to be quite a bit, but I think they lowered the price recently. Even if the ISP wins, it sounds like they will be out of pocket if they have to pay for that. There are 2 sides to every story, but I think if they didn't top up as per the contract, then they should expect to lose teh number. Also I don't think anyone 'owns' a number either do they? With number portability I guess that may have changed.

A TDR dispute requires a complaint to have been lodged with the ISP / telco first. You can't just lodge a complain directly with the TDR first, so in this case the TDR may not take any action immediately anyway.

As for number ownership the telco that was originally allocated a number by the NAD owns the number. Numbers are never owned by an end user. If you port a number to another carrier it can be used by that carrier, but if it's ever disconnected it is returned to the losing carrier. The carrier who has the port in isn't allowed to reallocate it.

Elpie

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#669884 9-Aug-2012 00:17

sbiddle: As for number ownership the telco that was originally allocated a number by the NAD owns the number. Numbers are never owned by an end user. If you port a number to another carrier it can be used by that carrier, but if it's ever disconnected it is returned to the losing carrier. The carrier who has the port in isn't allowed to reallocate it.

Spot on. The telco undertakes to provide services to you under that number AS LONG AS you meet their terms and conditions. If you break the contract by not paying within the set time it's not the telco's fault.

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