New SIM card; number already in use.

[csearle]

I bought a pay-as-you-go SIM card yesterday from Virgin Media to use with a cellphone designed especially for the elderly. I chose Virgin Media (VM) because I'm with them and there may possibly be some deal my ancient mother can exploit when calling me.

Today I find that I can't register the number as it is already being used by another operator. Huh? How can that happen? I bought a brand new SIM in its original packaging (looks untampered with), pressed out the micro SIM and installed it in the phone.

Ok, so it only cost me a couple of quid for the thing (from a booth in a Tunbridge Wells shopping centre) but it is still irritating as I am now going to have to go somewhere to get another one. I will probably bike half an hour to Maidstone's VM shop as I've lost confidence in these booths now. I'll occupy the shop until it is all working. Such a waste of my day!

Regards,
Chris

[swill453]

Is it not something that Virgin can sort over the phone, if you persist strongly enough?

Being the cynical sort, I wouldn't even accept at face value the explanation you've been given (number in use at a different operator). Some other cockup is also possible and you're being fobbed off.

Scott.

[csearle]

You are probably right Scott. I am unwilling though to spend even more time on the phone to India. It was only £2. I'll put that down to experience and try always to use the applicable company shop. Wish there was one in Tunbridge Wells though. C.

[Lanark]

This can happen when someone setup the account and made a typo with the phone number.

Telcos are notoriously lax with the security around who gets which number, which incidentally is why I dont trust 2 factor logins whch rely on the phone system.

They understandably dont want to give you the number because that would discontinue service to another customer, but they should at least offer to give you service using a different number.

[UncleEbenezer]

Is it not something that Virgin can sort over the phone, if you persist strongly enough?
Scott.

You're presupposing you can contact Virgin over the phone in the first place.

In my experience, you simply can't. They'll lead you on with a robotic voice and a long series of menus, adverts and on-hold, but no humans.

[jackdaww]

just avoid virgin .

whats to like ???

[midnightcatprowl]

You're presupposing you can contact Virgin over the phone in the first place.

In my experience, you simply can't. They'll lead you on with a robotic voice and a long series of menus, adverts and on-hold, but no humans.

Exactly! I originally went with Virgin because, at the time, only they were offering fast fibre broadband in my area and I picked up TV service with them too. On the whole both services were fine but but as well as the slow but sure rises in the cost of the services which went beyond a level I felt to be reasonable, if there was something wrong you were on your own. I never got Virgin Media to answer telephone calls. Their chat facility was endlessly non available regardless of the time of day. Deciding to leave I had the inspired idea of sending them a letter stating so rather firmly - oddly enough this was the one time I was successful in getting a response from them.

[csearle]

Is it not something that Virgin can sort over the phone, if you persist strongly enough?

Ok, so an update. I went to the Virgin Media shop in Maidstone. The manager there was very helpful. He said that the SIM card packs with the phone numbers on them are eventually recycled. He used to sell them in his shop and the advice had been to sell the old stock before any new to avoid customer disappointment. In my case - you could just tell - the thing had been kicking around in the booth for possibly years. So once the number is recycled it can become allocated to a different network and the symptoms I observed are presented.

He advised me to simply get another one (I got one for 97p in a nearby shop) and all is well. My recourse is to take the previous SIM card back to the booth for a replacement. I really can't be bothered.

Anyway, all is fine now.

Thanks team,
Chris
PS Although it didn't get me anywhere I got through to Virgin with only two key entries: the first was "0", all other enquiries, the second was "4", I wish to leave Virgin. I wasn't being clever with this, the second selection didn't have an "Other" option so I had to choose something!