UK mobile operator Orange has bungled again after failing to register a new batch of phone numbers. As a result, a number of customers are only able to receive calls made from BT landlines and other Orange customers.

One punter who has been hit by the problem told us: "I received my pay as you go phone eight days ago. To date I am unable to receive calls and texts from anyone with the exception of BT landline or fellow Orange customers.

"The reason is that I am on a new batch of phone numbers - on the code 07891 - and I have to await all [mobile network] providers to update the databases to accept this code as a valid number.

"This leaves my phone completely useless as I am uncontactable by a large number of family and work colleagues when I am 'mobile'," he said.

A spokesman for Orange said that there was a "problem with the 07891 number range" leading to an "inability to receive calls from outside the Orange network".

At the time of writing, the mobilphoneco was unable to confirm the scale of the problem or explain how it could release new numbers, that are currently being flogged to end users, without ensuring that are fully operational.

Yesterday, Orange UK confirmed that a "small number" of its customers have been unable to use their mobile phones over the last couple of days because of a technical fault. The victims appear to be punters upgrading their phones or switching between contract and pay as you go (PAYG) services. ®

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