BT cuts off gran's phone line she's had for 50 years after she cancels broadband

13 October 2023 , 09:29

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Brena Rowles has been left furious by the unexpected switch (Image: Daily Echo/Solent News)

A grandmother has demanded BT return her 50-year-old landline number after they unexpectedly changed it when she removed broadband from her £209 package.

Brenda Rowles, 78, from Chandler's Ford, said she contacted the telecom provider to cancel her broadband in a bid to cut down the cost to help pay for her husband's care home. She was left stunned when her landline was cut off instead and handed a new number. The retired librarian said the switch has sparked "chaos" as the doctors could not get hold of her.

Speaking about her ordeal, Brenda said: "Everybody knows me by this number. It’s turned everything into chaos in the last five weeks.” The gran-of-four only spotted the issue when her doctor's surgery sent her a letter on October 5, after her doctor was unable to reach her via the phone

Brenda was unaware that she had a new number (Daily Echo/Solent News)

Brenda said a BT engineer visited her home later that day to rectify things, but said another problem was created, reports Southern Daily Echo. “Because of the cost of the care home, I decided to cut down and knew I didn’t need the broadband," she said. “I phoned BT and spoke to three people. I pleaded with them to not take away my landline, I just didn’t need the broadband. When the engineer came last Thursday to set my landline up again, I was given a new number."

The pensioner said she informed the engineer and he gave her a number to speak to the provider. She claims no one answered her calls for almost a week. She added: “I am not going to sit here and go around contacting everyone I know with my new number. And of course, it will have an effect on my husband as the care home has my old number. Why should I when I have had my number for 50 years? It’s disgusting and I’m angry. I would like my old number back. Everybody knows me by this number.”

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A spokesperson for BT told The Mirror: "We are very sorry that Mrs Rowles’ telephone number has been cut off and her experience has fallen below the high standard of service we aim to provide to our customers. Our complaints team have reached out to Mrs Rowles and are working to get her old telephone number reinstated as soon as possible. We have explained the next steps to Mrs Rowles and will be keeping her updated throughout.”

Monica Charsley