TELL ORANGE YOUR GOING TO OFCOM......AND THEY HAVE TO BY LAW SUPPLY YOU WITH A MAC CODE....ive had my line tagged due to orange and ive told them im going to ofcom it seems that there getting popular with ofcom....

Well, the retractable baton sounds promising.......

Sorry Tracy, would help if I could....

Cat

I have been trying to obtain my MAC code from Tiscali since 16th February without any success. I have informed them of their legal obligations which seems to have no effect whatsoever! I have also informed Ofcom who were a complete waste of time and told me to follow the procedures set out in their website - HELLO - I HAVE BEEN DOING!!! The most frustrating aspect of this - apart from not being able to suggest what they should do with a retractable baton - is being told a different reason for the MAC code not being available on all 6 occasions! What can I do next- and remember I am not a violent person!

In fact, since I posted my tongue-pulling post, I have switched to Orange and have found them pretty good. I did have a slight glitch with Windows Vista on my new PC, but that was resolved in email (best way to contact them, I have found) and everything else has been plain sailing.

Their customer service over the phone was, on one occasion, excellent, and on the other, appalling. But I've no real complaints.

Cat

See The Times http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/money/article1395122.ece about MAC codes and changing broadband supplier. Also take a look at www.orangeproblems.co.uk

yeah its a 30 day risk free trial with a money back guarantee if youre unsatisfied with the service for any reasons or whatsoever....they will refund the 14.99 back to u if youre unpleased with the service....

Well I've only just signed up to orange, I hope the service is better than talktalk because I've heard that trying to cancel within the 30 days free trial is a nightmare.

oh i see..as what im seeing..youre very much happy with what youve got now..=)

I had been with them for about a year and a half. until October 2006. Like I said I had no problems with them but I just wasn't happy that I couldn't gain access while using Linux.

^how long have you been with AOL?..

=)

I also used AOL without incident for a year or so.
No downtime (which I noticed)
After working out I could use it without their software it was an excellent service.
The only reason I went with Talktalk in the end is because it was free* and I couldn't use AOL with linux.

* free apart from not actually having a connection for all but a week that I was with them (3 months.)

**hides head in shame**

I'm no IT bod; my expertise lies in other directions (let me know if you ever need to sue somebody)!

I can't say that AOL is better than Orange as I'm not going to try Orange, but I can honestly say that, apart from a few connection problems a while back (and they weren't major) I really and truly have not had any issues with AOL.

I have this terrible urge to poke my tongue out and sing 'na na na na na'. But I won't!

Cat

Hi Cat - still giggling to myself here ... this is a first in 25 years of IT Support - someone who has a case where AOL is better than something else ... If AOL is better than Orange, then Orange really must be the ISP Pond Life of the cyberworld!

Please keep the mails coming - I need a good laugh every now and then!

Shark!

AOL also offered me a good deal when I asked for my code. And, in all fairness, they also supplied it within a few hours, by email.

I've been reading that Ofcom have said that MACs must be supplied, and have even made special provision for customers affected by disputes within the industry that have led to MAC codes being unavailable. See Web User magazine, page 7, 4th Jan issue.

So would it be worth trying Ofcom for help with the Orange problem (the more I read and hear about Orange, the more I realise I am better off with AOL!!)?

HTH

Cat

Someone from my work was asked the same question and he replied "anywhere but orange" and they halved his bill and upped his speed.
Jason is correct though. They must give you a MAC code. It doesn't matter which provider you would be going to because MAC codes are not provider specific.