Elderly Couple Constantly Cut Off by TalkTalk: Family Demands Action!

In August, without any prior notice, the landline service of my 84-year-old parents, who are both significantly disabled, was suddenly disconnected by TalkTalk.

To restore their service, we were compelled to agree to a new contract, during which we were reassured that they could retain their phone number that they had used for the past 60 years.

However, a week before the scheduled installation, my father received notice that this new contract had been terminated, necessitating the arrangement of another contract at a higher cost.

Following this cancellation, TalkTalk informed us that they would also lose their longstanding phone number.

MH, Birmingham

You contacted me in late September, by which time they had been without their landline for over a month. During this period, your mother was particularly upset as she couldn’t make her regular calls to her 91-year-old sister.

TalkTalk explained that the trouble started in August 2024, when your father supposedly requested an upgrade to a full-fibre data-only plan, which inadvertently eliminated the landline component. Your father, who suffers from Parkinson’s, does not recall making such a request, and TalkTalk admitted that this crucial detail might not have been communicated effectively.

Due to a “technical glitch,” the termination of the landline service was delayed until August, a full year later than intended. After media intervention, TalkTalk managed to reconnect their service with a new number within three days of my inquiry and vowed to recover their original phone number, offering £100 as compensation. This occurred in early October.

Yet, three weeks later, the service was disrupted once more. A customer service representative then told your parents they needed to cancel their current plan, which now included both internet and landline, to sign up for yet another new contract, which would permanently prevent the recovery of their old number.

I contacted TalkTalk again, and it was discovered that they had mistakenly requested a disconnection of the restored service. The company quickly reinstated the line and increased its compensation offer to £150.

By early November, however, the line was disconnected yet again, with your parents being incorrectly informed that they had surpassed their nonexistent credit limit.

In the meantime, you discovered they had been billed £75 for calls made during the period their landline was inactive. In response, TalkTalk attributed this error to their previous mistakes, leading to further confusion and another disconnection.

TalkTalk once more restored the service and the original phone number, raising their apology fee to £200. As of now, the service remains functional. “We recognize the importance of a reliable landline service and regret not adhering to our usual standards,” a company representative stated.

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