Moving from VM - keeping landline number

[1andrew1]

My mum is looking to move from VM to Vodafone. She's a pensioner and relies on her landline to stay in touch with her friends and relatives. However, VM is relatively expensive for her needs which are unlimited UK landline calls and basic broadband.

However, when she visited a Vodafone store to enquire about retaining the Virgin Media landline number, they said this could not always be done and they would check. They subsequently phoned her back and confirmed that it could not be ported to them.

Is this normal? I thought under Ofcom rules, landline numbers had to be portable to increase competition.

Background
- She's been with VM when it first came to the area as Nynex. No longer has the TV service.
- She's keen on keeping the landline number so she doesn't lose contact with people. She could obviously write to everybody with a new number but that's a bit of a faff.
-The approximate costs for basic broadband and unlimited calls are VM £51pm (£612pa) Vodafone £31pm (£372pa).

[punkrock101]

You might be able to switch the number to a no contract broadband supplier such as Now TV or Plusnet as they are two I know that offers no contract broadband and telephone then switch to Vodafone,

[1andrew1]

Thank you. I doubt she would want to do two changes but it might be that another provider could take the number even if Vodafone can't.