Oban man blasts BT’s divisive phone book

AN OBAN BT customer is angry his phone number has been missed out from the BT residential phone book.

Last week, The Oban Times reported on the Highlands and Islands phone book and the Lomond and Argyll edition dividing the town with PA35 4 numbers in one book and PA35 5 numbers in another.

John Watson of Polvinster Road said: ‘This is the third phone book which has excluded Polvinister Road where I live. I wrote and emailed BT after the first and second books were issued and was ignored each time. When telephoned, a Glasgow lady said she would take it up with the phone book department but admitted it may be a waste of time. I then discovered that PA35 4 numbers were in Lomond and Argyll and PA35 5 were Highland. So not only were the numbers for my neighbours missing, I had been given the wrong book for two years.’

A BT spokesman said: ‘Some parts of Oban share the PA34 5 postcode and these postcodes have been historically included in the Highlands and Islands phone book rather than the Lomond and Argyll edition. In this year’s Lomond and Argyll edition, we included businesses who were part of PA34 5 postcode ranges. Subject to stock availability, customers can request the neighbouring phone book to their own area free of charge.

‘The customer service team can be contacted on 0800 833 400. The phone book is also available to search for free online at thephonebook. bt.com.’