Changing from Pipex to sky broadband? Frankly terrified./MAC code.

hollydays

My son has told me my Pipex broadband is running at about one eigth of the speed it should be?

He has also suggested I may get a similar but cheaper broadband plus free geographical calls ,daytime and nightime if I switch to sky.

Obviously i need to check out the prices (We already have sky digital),and sports with Setanta.

I am worried about swopping because of my previous experiences with Pipex Customer Services.:eek:

I have read that you need to request the MAC code before you change,rather than just cancel.

Any more tips for haggling or how to make this painless.


Help-the thought of doing the swop is frankly terrifying.

I think when I joined them they said the changeover would " not be seemless",it took 3 weeks or more.

I normally cut dwn all my bills to the bone,but have been too scared to contact them to change. My son now tells\me I am paying way over the odds for a very slow service.

penrhyn

If you have a speed issue then you should sort that out first before you start swapping your ISP.
You also need to check if you can get Sky broadband on your exchange, either check on Sky's website or Samknows to see if the have LLU'd it.
If so its either free/£5/£10 depending on the option.

hollydays

How would he go about sorting out the speed issues? OMG do I have to contact them?( Falls to floor,sobbing hysterically..)
Thanks,have checked Skys site and broadband seems to be available.

penrhyn

First establish what you are paying for, i.e up to 2Mb, 8Mb, 16Mb etc.
Try running a speed test like this one (loads available)
http://www.skyuser.co.uk/index.php?category=7
If possible he should log into the router and see what speed it is synchronising with the exchange, and the attenuation of the line.

Plug his router into the master socket(if not already) and try again.
You could also try using the test socket, see here for how:-
http://www.dslzoneuk.net/socket.php

Should keep him amused for a while.

MrsTinks

Firstly they're not that bad when you call them just ask them if you're not happy to speak to customer service in Stoke Mandeville
I would definitely check sam knows first to see what speed the exchange etc is capable off! And what speed the your son believes you're currently running at. And of course what plan you're on
It may be that the copper can't support a faster service - changing to Sky won't make any difference in that case. If your exchange is still on DataStream or IPstream then again there is nothing that can be done to speed it up. All the providers do is change who you pay and in turn who of them pay BTOpenreach for the priveledge of having you on their books.
There is little or no profit margin if you are on either of these and little control for the ISP.
LLU... this is where you might be able to get some speed going But it depends on how far from the exchange you are and the quality of the copper and junction boxes etc. The provider might be able to change the line profile and get you faster speeds - but if you don't ask you don't get
Remember - if Pipex is more expensive than Tiscali then change to Tiscali - Pipex is owned by Tiscali and basically it's just a marketing thing that they have kept the pipex brand - the hardware is the same

hollydays

Thanks Mrs Tine,but for you to say you are not that bad,you can't have dealt with them.Last time I asked to speak to a supervisor,I was kept holding for three quaters of an hour,then told she had gone home.That was after about 15 calls to them..

Myrtle

Good luck: I cancelled Pipex two months ago, after trying unsuccessfully to speak to someone on the phone for weeks. Since then they have carried on taking money out of my bank AND bombarding me with phone calls from their Credit department AND sending me letters apologizing for problems with my (now non-existent) service! Hope fully got it sorted now anyway with promises of a full refund.
So once again I wish you GOOD LUCK!

hollydays

I just explained about the speed tests to my son,he says he has already done them.
He says We are paying £25 for half a megabite.
He says we don't want to complain,we just want the MAC codes.
Does this sound ok?
Don't want to get it wrong.

PaulK_3

Call em up, tell them you want your MAC and that you are aware that they are now expected to supply the MAC to you when requested. If they start trying to fob you off mention contacting OFCOM to complain.

hollydays

It's just that there is another post on here today about Pipex who says she was refused her MAC codes because she was with Bulldog.Now When I first went with them they were called Homecall.
What if they say the same to me.

penrhyn

You need to get him to do the tests I outlined in my previous post, have you tried connecting to the master test socket, or taken your router statistics?
Can your line support more than 0.5Mbps?

Your ISP has to give you your Migration Authorisation Code, they are breaking OFCOMs rules if they don't.