Market For "Memorable" Phone Numbers?

[EnglishTeacher]

I was just wondering if there is any market for telephone numbers (and if so, which places), please? I am making a career change into a vocational area, so a memorable number is not particularly important to me at this time/in future: "0208-123-0-579" (it is a Skype number that can redirect to other landlines, etc.).

 

[stevelook2]

I know there is a market for ‘gold’ mobile numbers.

They are on eBay all the time, but as ever never look at what people are asking a completed listing search would give a better idea of what they are getting. landlines may be different you would have to check the T&Cs of your agreement on if you are allowed to sell the number on as a single entity rather than a complete business.

I use Voipfone and they offer different tiers of memorable landline numbers starting at £50. One like yours would likely be in that category if not free.

 

[EnglishTeacher]

I know there is a market for ‘gold’ mobile numbers.

They are on eBay all the time, but as ever never look at what people are asking a completed listing search would give a better idea of what they are getting. landlines may be different you would have to check the T&Cs of your agreement on if you are allowed to sell the number on as a single entity rather than a complete business.

I use Voipfone and they offer different tiers of memorable landline numbers starting at £50. One like yours would likely be in that category.

Noted, thank you.

 

[webber]

0208-123-0-579

I don't think that would class as memorable.
See https://www.ttnc.co.uk/phone-numbers/memorable-numbers
I paid low £xxx for some numbers over the years.
I had 07xxx123123 a while ago and now I use 07xxxxx6666 and 0333 444 xxxx

 

[DJ]

I think you find it difficult to sell a landline number as they remain the property of the provider. I have a very good one which I inherited when I bought the house, BT have tried to take it off me on 3 different occasions, because it has been reserved by a company apparently.

I've got a few good mobile numbers which I bought off eBay a few years ago.

 

[webber]

You can port a landline to a voip provider:
https://help.ttnc.co.uk/docs/porting-a-number-to-ttnc

 

[DJ]

I have nothing but trouble when I try to port.

The first time they tried to take the number off me was when we first moved in about 15 years ago and they said that I couldn't keep the number as it was a new account. Weeks or arguing and I got the number back.

A few months after that I switched to virgin and requested the number be ported over, they refused to port the number and it again took weeks of arguing to get them to do it. This was when I was told it was reserved by a local business.

No problem porting the number away from Virgin back to BT about 5 years ago.

However, I tried to switch to Sky a few months ago and after waiting almost 3 months the installation was cancelled 5 days before it was due to be installed. When speaking to Sky's customer service I was advised BT had blocked the number transfer. I tried to call BT but after being on hold for ages I gave up and I am still with them. I figured I would sort it out when they are no longer running a skeleton staff and I wasn't impressed with how Sky handled the whole situation so thought I dodged a bullet.

Thanks!

 

[DJ]

I should add I looked into selling it myself when I was advised it had been reserved and that's when I found out it remains their property:

"The answer to your question is no, you cannot sell your telephone number as it is only allocated to you, you do not own it. However if were to relinquish your number (cancel contract/change number) you could notify prospective number wanters "so to speak" of its impending availability..................for a fee!!!!!!!"

When we opened our office we had to pay BT to be allocated a premium number, can't remember how much.

 

[DJ]

Found an old thread I posted at the time:

https://www.digitalworldz.co.uk/threads/can-i-sell-my-bt-landline-number.115793/

 

[webber]

your telephone number as it is only allocated to you, you do not own it.

Indeed you don't own it, but that's also the case with domain names or leasehold properties. The moment you stop paying a subscription / renewal / rent, you will loose rights over it.
If I was you, I would immediately try to get the number away from BT and into a Voip provider (TTNC have been around for years and are very good). From then on you can sell / use it as you like.
Complain to Ofcom if they refuse to port the number.

 

[DJ]

Indeed you don't own it, but that's also the case with domain names or leasehold properties. The moment you stop paying a subscription / renewal / rent, you will loose rights over it.
If I was you, I would immediately try to get the number away from BT and into a Voip provider (TTNC have been around for years and are very good). From then on you can sell / use it as you like.
Complain to Ofcom if they refuse to port the number.

We use VOIP at work and will eventually port it over - just don't have the time and also can't be bothered at the moment to have the fight, as they will undoubtedly make it difficult again.

Cheers!

 

[stevelook2]

We use VOIP at work and will eventually port it over - just don't have the time and also can't be bothered at the moment to have the fight, as they will undoubtedly make it difficult again.

Cheers!

If they refuse it would be a clear case for Ofcom to intervene.

I recently moved my memorable number from Virgin to Voipfone, the process was seamless.

Once a number is moved if you were to cancel it the new provider has to return it to the provider who originally had/own the number.

 

[Siusaidh]

Personally I wish, with advancing tech, we could reserve memorable words or phrases as well as numbers. I have strong verbal memory and poor numerical memory. I realise we can 'save' numbers on our phones, and so the cool idea of kind of owning a domain-style phone word is rendered unnecessary, but I'd love my kids to be able to key in 'OurCatJemima' (who no-one else knows was called Jemima) and press 'call'. Or a customer to be granted access to a memorable verbal password, key it in, and get put through to me. I don't see why we need to be limited to numbers. I guess because numbers is the system we have, it's simple, and it works.

I've often day-dreamed about how domain names (or a similar registry system) could be developed for wider use in other walks of life. (And of course, in the day dream, suddenly domain values go up significantly - I bet I'm not the only person who's day-dreamed that.) Probably the risk from advancing tech is in the other direction, with DNS getting superceded by a different access system

I have a number that includes 007 which really helps someone with a weak numerical memory like me, but rather like the 123 mentioned above, on its own I wouldn't think that has much value.

 

[DropCatcher-co-uk]

I paid about £100 for 07xxx 600 900 over 10 years ago. Was happy with the purchase and porting was easy. I would say the market is small because once you obtained one there is little need to go on and purchase more or change it ever.