Moving supplier

ericpode

I'm thinking of changing to Be using an offer which expires in a couple of days.

My present broadband supplier needs 1 month notice of leaving, and I suspect that depending on when in the month you give notice you might actually end up paying for up to 2 months.

As I would need to apply to the new supplier within the next day or two, how does this work with need to provide 1 month's notice to the old supplier?

Would I end up paying TWO suppliers for 1 or 2 months?

Will the new supplier only actually take over when the old supplier's notice period ends?

I believe I need to get a Mac code from my old supplier before I can apply to the new supplier - are they normally issued immediately or is it likely to be issued too late for this offer?

tedsui

Hi,
You will certainly need to ask for your MAC code before approaching a new ISP. Hopefully you will be lucky and not have to wait 2 weeks like I did, but then I was dealing with Pipex! Mind you, I only got my MAC code issued because I involved OFCOM due to the c--p customer services at Pipex.

ericpode

Thanks. If anyone decides to move and asks for their MAC code, does that mean that they will always have to factor-in the cost of paying TWO suppliers for the 1 month notice period?

I may be wrong but it sounds like the sequence of steps is:

1. Decide to change suppliers
2. Ask current supplier for a MAC code which triggers the start of their notice period
3. Apply to new supplier, giving them the MAC code
4. A few days(?) later you are now with the new supplier and their billing starts NOW.
5. Old supplier continues to bill you for 1 extra month.

So there is 1 month overlap where you are paying both suppliers.

Is this right?

tedsui

Hi,
I might be wrong in my thinking, and I stand open to correction, but I have ceased with Pipex at the end of my year's contract (rather than buy myself out early) and once I give my new ISP my MAC code I will then start paying them for service. This, I am reliably informed, will take place within 5 days after I give them my code. I have ceased the DD to Pipex as, I understand after a year's contract you are free to leave, and as I have had such s--t service from them, I don't intend to have them taking anything else from my account (as another posting on this forum had happen). If I am without service for a couple of days, so be it, but I have just paid for the next month in advance so they are not out of pocket anyway. Hope this is of some help to you.

MrsTinks

If you are out of contract there should be no "penalty" for leaving - your new provider can only charge you for a service you actually recieve so no both providers can't charge you (as it's not possible to have more than one provider on the same line at any one time). When the service ceases from Pipex (or whoever) then the billing should stop, and the new billing should then kick in from THAT point with your new provider. If either try to tell you different then argue with them because they are wrong They can legally only charge you for a service they have provided - unless we're talking charges for leaving early etc etc etc

You need to speak to be though if you would still qualify for the special deal (I would have thought so as you placed the order whilst the offer was on) when you move over. Usually it takes a week or two at least to migrate the line from one reseller to another (not down to the reseller - this is purely due to BT I'm afraid... Only BT Openreach engineers are allowed to go and move the wires over - that means both resellers will be slightly at BTs mercy if the engineer is having a bad day or calls in sick and they're short staffed... let's just say that migrations and new installs were SERIOUSLY delayed during the snow we had earlier this year Also BT won't actually notify your new provider if it's going to be delayed... first they will know is probably at the end of the day when the line still isn't with them - then they start the fun task of trying to get information from BT... like pulling teeth because if the engineer hasn't updated his notes BT themselves don't know what has happened... and by then he's gone home...FUN!)

MrsTinks

tedsui wrote: »

I have ceased the DD to Pipex as, I understand after a year's contract you are free to leave, and as I have had such s--t service from them, I don't intend to have them taking anything else from my account (as another posting on this forum had happen).

I'd be real careful doing that... with ANY BB provider... :cool:

Edinburghlass_2

ericpode wrote: »

I'm thinking of changing to Be using an offer which expires in a couple of days.

My present broadband supplier needs 1 month notice of leaving, and I suspect that depending on when in the month you give notice you might actually end up paying for up to 2 months.

As I would need to apply to the new supplier within the next day or two, how does this work with need to provide 1 month's notice to the old supplier?

Would I end up paying TWO suppliers for 1 or 2 months?

Will the new supplier only actually take over when the old supplier's notice period ends?

I believe I need to get a Mac code from my old supplier before I can apply to the new supplier - are they normally issued immediately or is it likely to be issued too late for this offer?

Don't forget to go through Quidco for £40 cashback

Your current supplier must supply the code within 5/7 days, some will give it over the phone there and then, I was with Tesco and they waited until the last day to email it to me but a friend got hers over the phone when she asked for it. It does seem that Be want the mac as you order whereas with o2 you could order and give it at a later stage, I'd phone Be and confirm with them what their procedure is.

You should only be without broadband for a short time in the same day, I was without for around half an hour as o2 recommended I give it half an hour from the time they texted me before connecting up with them.

Quentin

ericpode wrote: »

2. Ask current supplier for a MAC code which triggers the start of their notice period......
5. Old supplier continues to bill you for 1 extra month.

So there is 1 month overlap where you are paying both suppliers.

Is this right?

You should give your notice as well as request a MAC at the same time.

If you are outside your minimum period, then you should only now pay your old supplier for one month (if that is the notice required) from the date you hand in your notice, irrespective of when the MAC is completed. This will probably involve a final pro rata invoice.

You normally don't have to have a whole month's overlap as a MAC is valid a month. To get the best value, apply for your new ISP 14 days before the end of the months notice, then it will complete with just a few days overlap. Though to take advantage of the offer you are after, (which is supposed to end this month), you will have to apply for your new ISP earlier.

To be safe, once the MAC has completed, and you are with your new ISP write and confirm this to your old company, some have been known to carry on billing when a MAC is involved and they have had no confirmation that it has been used from the customer.

Quentin

MrsTine wrote: »

If you are out of contract there should be no "penalty" for leaving - your new provider can only charge you for a service you actually recieve so no both providers can't charge you (as it's not possible to have more than one provider on the same line at any one time). When the service ceases from Pipex (or whoever) then the billing should stop

Not quite right.

Even when you are out of contract, you cannot just leave and not pay any more.

You have to give notice, and pay until the notice expires, irrespective of when the changeover to the new ISP takes place. Unless you are very clever, and get the changeover to take place on the last day of your notice period, then an overlap when you are paying 2 isps is inevitable. (Unless you cease and start as a brand new customer without using a MAC, but as you now have to pay a cease charge to most ISPs if you leave without using a MAC, then this would be a false economy.)