The most popular topics on our broadband forum come from users looking for
advice on how they can change broadband provider. In response to this
we've created an impartial guide with some advice on what to do when you
are considering changing provider, what you might expect and how to go
about doing it.
You can download a PDF version of this guide here:
Why is changing provider difficult?
The reason why it's so difficult to change operates on many levels but
it's mainly down to the nature of changing broadband provider itself.
When you change broadband provider it can involve up to four different
groups of people or companies, and each of these groups has its own
interests in the change:
-
The customer wants to change provider because he or she thinks
they can get better service, more features or save money elsewhere.
-
The provider you are leaving does not want you to leave and
will do what they can to prevent you from moving away. This can
involve a number of what are called 'retention' strategies, and these
can range from being hard to contact, charging a cancellation fee,
all the way through to offering you a better deal to stop you from
leaving.
-
The provider you are moving to wants you to change to its
service as quickly and easily as possible. It's in its interest to
make sure you can change, but the provider also wants assurances
that you will be a good customer. Many run a credit check or request
you sign up to a minimum contract period.
-
A British Telecom engineer is the person responsible for
making the change of provider possible. The engineer is motivated
by making sure your broadband connection works, but ultimately their
role is to service the needs of the providers and not individual
customers.
With so many competing interests it's not hard to see why changing
broadband provider can be so difficult!
For this system to work more proficiently and to enable you to change
provider without losing your broadband service, Ofcom, BT and the ISP
industry have created a code of conduct called the MAC code of conduct.
Understanding the MAC code of conduct
A MAC (Migration Authorisation Code) is a 10 to 15 -digit/letter code
created to identify your broadband connection. A BT Wholesale system
will generate the MAC for your existing provider. This is then passed
to you and you in turn pass it on to your new provider who will then
pass the MAC to a BT engineer. A BT engineer then uses the MAC to locate
your broadband connection and switch it over or 'change the tag'
(marker) on the line to the new provider.
As of February 14, 2007, the MAC code of conduct is mandatory
for all providers. This means that all providers must adhere to the
code's main principles:
1) If a customer asks for a MAC the provider must then issue the code
within five working days of request, regardless of any dispute. The MAC
is free the first time it is requested but a cancellation fee for the
service may still apply- if asked for more than once it may incur a
charge. Once issued, a MAC lasts 30 days before it becomes out of date
and unusable.
2) Once a customer has passed their MAC to the provider they are switching
to, the new provider must try to switch across their service within 30
days. The new supplier will inform the customer the exact date when they
will be connected to the new service.
The aim of the MAC scheme is to reduce the number of customer complaints
and reduce cost to BT, ISP´s and the consumer also to make it easier
to change provider.
These rule changes will help many people change providers more easily but
it doesn't cover every possible situation that customers might face, for
example LLU to LLU is still a fairly unresolved issue among providers.
Indeed the rule changes do not resolve all the problems associated with
getting a broadband service - but it's an important step in the right
direction.
If you have a problem that you think cannot be resolved by the MAC scheme
or the information in this guide, moneysupermarket.com offers a unique
service called ´Ask the Expert´.
You can send a message to our expert who will try to answer your broadband
queries as soon as possible (normally within 24hrs).
