3 wont let me take my number

[jimmytbag]

So I have had the same number for 24 years. I ported my number to a new business i joined in february this year. I am now leaving the business and want my phone number back. 

The business intends to keep the phone and plan and have a new number which someone may then PAC their own number to.

3 are not allowing me to take my number and stating the entire contract has to be paid up and then the contract will be cancelled.

The business does not want to do this and have now not paid the last months bill. I cant request a pac code or anything and am about to lose my number i have had for 24 years.

Is this legal. the phone and the contract is 3 mobiles the number is my phone number i have owned for 24 years.

[PeteG]

Hello, Jimmy. 

It sounds like a tricky situation. Since the number was ported into a business account, the business have effectively become the owner of the number. The team can't provide you with a PAC, it would need to be requested by whoever is managing the business account. 

If they don't intend on requesting a PAC for you, the number would be lost when some one else ports their number over onto the account. I can't think of a way to work around for that except for to convince the business to go ahead with the PAC. I don't know if it's an option, but worth mentioning, you could offer to pay the early termination fee and see if the business would consider it then.

Pete.