UAN Question

Mr E

Hey guys, quick question.

We're moving office in the next few weeks and want to switch from BT to Eircom for our phone lines as part of the move.

It looks like BT (when they were ESAT BT) originally installed the lines in our building. We've asked them for a UAN so we can do the transfer. They're digging their heels and not giving it to us. They say:

BT numbers do not have a UAN as they are not part of the Eircom network. Only eircom related numbers have a UAN.

That sounds like a fob off to us - I thought all phone providers had to have a UAN? I found this page on Magnet's site which shows that all telecoms companies have a UAN. FWIW, there is no UAN shown on our BT bill, so maybe there is an element of truth to what they are saying.

We've also reached out to ComReg so I'm curious to see what they say.

Open to advice, thanks.

Dardania

Isn't it your account number?

Edit: I think it's a way for the receiving network to validate you're the bill payer when porting, so that no-one can just port a number they don't use...

Mr E

UAN is the account number on Eircom bills. On other bills (BT, Magnet etc.) UAN should be identified separately. See link I posted above.

Dardania

See this link from Comreg, where they mention the account number:
http://www.askcomreg.ie/business/switching_operator.338.LE.asp#L933

ItHurtsWhenIP

I worked in a company in Shannon for years and our Data line had been provided by Esat Telecom (and it was actually physically wired from whatever junction box Esat had in the area - i.e. not an Eircom line transferred to Esat) and we had a couple of BRAs from Eircom for our PABX and a handful of analogues for faxes, alarm monitoring, etc.

So a few years go by and sales guy from Esat persuades the boss to switch to a Fractional Rate PRA to give us 16 lines on our PBX, and this was provisioned over the same cable that Esat put in originally. We dumped the BRAs at that point.

More years pass and the boss gets a visit from Pure Telecom, promising earth moon and stars and massive savings to boot. The guy looks at all our bills (Esat BT now and Eircom for the Analogues), says no problemo ... we'll save you buckets of cash. Boss signs on the dotted line.

Our first bill from Pure comes in ... and it only has the Analogues. Boss calls Pure fella, who was very embarrassed and admitted that because the physical line was the property of Esat BT, he couldn't touch it. He let us cancel the Pure contract without a problem.

So ... OP ... If you are moving office, why not cancel BT and provision the new lines through Eircom? I presume you want to keep the numbers, but surely there must be a way for you to switch them across too.

ED E

Normally what you have is this:
Premises ----eircom copper path

---

MDF
The line can connect from the MDF to an eircom AXE/DSLAM or a BT AXE/DSLAM(LLU).

What you might have is a full BT owned copper path, not just LLU, then there would be potentially full BT ownership. Didnt think this still existed anywhere though.

If you're moving premise though, why do you care? Have eircom do a new provide to the new premises, that'll give it an active line, then submit a number port order to recover the BT circuit ID (They just need you BT account number and Phone Number). Skip the UAN shenanigans, thats only needed for an in situe operator transfer.

EDIT: I'd skimmed the thread, MMFIT kinda covered it.

65535

Eircom account manager should be doing all of this for you

Mr. G

BT may have a universal UAN which you could use but it shouldn't be needed. Eircom should be able to submit the port with a copy of your BT bill.

Ed E's advice is sound .