How can I tell who "owns" a telephone line

[pmeswani]

Try calling 150 and see what happens... or even better... try calling 100 and see what happens. You may find out who owns the line via one of these routes.

[NickFitz]

Here's an easier tip - read the number off the socket.

This man speaks sooth.

However, it's also very easy to find out which telco owns a particular range of codes right down to (the modern equivalent of) local exchange level, and is therefore most likely to own a particular number, nowadays.

For example, my home phone number is in the nnnn-nn range (where n is an integer between 0 and 9), which immediately narrows it down to ntl Group Ltd, now part of Virgin Media Ltd.

There's an iPhone app called "UK Numbers" that narrows down the search as you enter the number. But you can find the same information, but more up-to-date (in that it realises that ntl is now part of VM) via this useful phone number lookup web application. For example, a search for 01793 will give you Swindon; a search for 01793 59 will tell you that numbers within that range are mostly owned by BT.

However, be aware that number portability means that an individual phone might have a number within that range, but ownership of the subscriber line has been transferred by a disloyal customer to another telco such as Telewest (now part of Virgin Media, but no better for that).

[TheFaQQer]

Here is a tip!

Call the BT test number 17070 from the phone - The robot voice will read you your number back.

If the number is withheld - just put 1470 in from of the number - 147017070

Here's an easier tip - read the number off the socket.

I don't have to be too clever to identify the line number as someone kindly printed it on the socket

[wxman]

Here is a tip!

Call the BT test number 17070 from the phone - The robot voice will read you your number back.

If the number is withheld - just put 1470 in from of the number - 147017070

[Tingles]

On one contract I was sitting with a girlie who spent 3 months ringing numbers - only to find...

"Oh, your in the security hut of a building site?" or "It used to be a sports and social club of XX company?" or mostly just ringing out...

She saved over £11k in line rentals per month ongoing.

[Halcyon]

cheers y'all. I tried googling it, I don't have to be too clever to identify the line number as someone kindly printed it on the socket

I suppose it's just another big corp that hasn't got a clue what's going on with their customers

I did a quick job for a teleco once sanitising a database of where they had installed their equipment - whoever set up the original system put a free text field for customer name, you'd never believe how many variations of "Siemens" there were in there

[Jeebo72]

I know somebody who lived in a house and who the electric comapny would not admit that their house existed even though they supplied them. They had 5 years of no bills.

Same happened to my brother ... plug the phone in and keep quiet! If you were due to pay they would have sent a line rental bill ...

[ASB]

Ring you other line from it to find out the number and then bung the number into google and see if it can find it. There are some reverse enquriy sites as well which might find it.

[BoredBloke]

Keep using it - someone will eventually send a bill.

I know somebody who lived in a house and who the electric comapny would not admit that their house existed even though they supplied them. They had 5 years of no bills.

[original PM]

yep BT do still own all lines - stick a phone in the socket, ring BT and ask them if they can identify you

maybe

[VectraMan]

BT still own all the phone lines don't they?

Phone them up and ask?

[TheFaQQer]

Keep using it - someone will eventually send a bill.

[Halcyon]

I have two telephone lines coming to my house - the previous owner had an extra one put in as a business line.

They've been here since I came 2 and a half years ago, but I only use one for telephone and broadband (talk talk), it had never occurred to me that the business line might be live, but whilst messing around with my router yesterday I plugged the phone into the business line and it's got a ring tone. left it plugged in for an hour or so and got a spam phonecall on it.

Anyone got any idea how I can find out who the provider is or whether I should bother?