MAC codes who is right

tessal

I dont really understand what you mean. I had standard down the phone line broadband from Virgin and telephony from BT
I now have a phone line from you (but i suppose just rented from BT as you have not physically changed anything) and the broadband is supplied via the copper wires of the phone lines. There is not and was not any cable involved.
I have spoken to Virgin again today and managed to speak to a manager after much trying and she says she cannot confirm i cancelled in January just that i talked to them about broadband, that there position is no one told them about the cancellation until February, that Talk talk are lying when they say they asked for a MAC code and that they never supply the code to anyone but the individual customer, but no she was not prepared to put this in writing in an email.
Not only did i phone virgin once today and had the phone put down on me, the second time i was promised a manager would call me back but no one called so the third time i held until i spoke to a manager who just gave me the run around. My advice NEVER, EVER have anything to do with Virgin, they really are the worst customer service i have ever experienced, well no i think British Gas 10 years ago was about as bad but still.
Anyway yesterday someone from Talk Talk spoke to virgin and confirmed the mac code had been given but today virgin denies it.
I would like to take them to court to get some recompense from them as they have frustrated me beyond all reason, anyone think i might have a case of harrasement?

isofa

From your above post, you definitely have ADSL broadband (not cable from either supplier), and this can only be supplied to your house, via your telephone line, and only by one supplier (i.e. ISP) at any one time, so if your connection is now with TalkTalk (did you change settings in your router, or have a new one?) then a MAC code should have been given to enable the transfer from Virgin ADSL broadband to TalkTalk ADSL broadband.

It would be 100% impossible to have 2 different ISPs ADSL services supplied to your house, via the same phone line at the same time.

However if you didn't cancel your Virgin contract and are contracted to 12 or 18 months and only part way through it, Virgin have every right to charge you for the outstanding months.

Send a detailed letter listing everything you've said, to a senior manager at Virgin, CC it to your solicitor and ensure this copy to solicitor is mentioned on the letter.

tessal

Thanks for that, i really do feel infuriated with Virgin, its as if their customer service team is directed to be as difficult as possible. They seem to work on the assumption that everyone is trying to defraud them and so all their responses boil down to " I am not listening to you you crook, pay up or else".
I really really am frustrated that there is a system where despite my being in the right a large company can take money with threats and destroy my credit rating. Only with hours of work and i would imagine huge expense as their customer service is on a premium rate phone line, can i get an hope of a resolution with the use of a solicitor. Well in a way i am glad it has come to this and please everyone AVOID VIRGIN if you want to retain your sanity. I actively want to take them to the small claims court now.
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

DatabaseError

I might be wrong...but if you've gone from Virgin ADSL to TalkTalk LLU ADSL I'm not sure a MAC would need to be issue and used (which is why "slamming" is possible and not that uncommon..tt..).
I'm also inclined to believe the VM employee who stated that MACs would only be issued to the customer, not a rival comapany.

So...if I'm reading this correctly you didn't at any point cancel your contract with VM or request a MAC, relying, instead on TalkTalk to do it for you (which they undoubtedly claimed they would)..

I would think you then owe VM the charges they're requesting, and you need to get a copy of the converasation with the TT rep where they claimed they would do it all for you, and claim back the VM charges from TT.

I'd love to say this is a 1 off occurance...but search here, or elsewhere for talktalk and look at the results (though I do 'feel' they are getting better)

tessal

No one "told me" they would do it all for me, it states this clearly on the sign up page for talk talk. And although Virgin insist that Talk Talk always lie about this clearly it is no sort of business model to deliberately create this confusion, it has certainly wasted my time but also a lot of talk talk and virgins time, if i was to put a realistic price on what this confusion has cost it would be perhaps hundreds or thousands of pounds of customer service and managers and techies time and of course my time the customers time. And virgin is a large company so there would be lots of customers migrating from them to talk talk so i think unless the company is trying to run at a loss they would not officially offer to do something and then do something dodgy to connect me and then leave all three parties in some horrible muddle.

DatabaseError

So did you, yourself, contact VM to request a MAC..which you then gave to TT?

"Virgin insist that Talk Talk always lie about this" erm....there is a general feeling this may be true

"

TalkTalk

Hi Tessal,

Its really difficult to help without knowing exactly what service you have from TalkTalk and how this was transfered. Is it possible for you to register and post a topic at https://www.talktalkmembers.com/forums then I'll be able to take a look at your account. TalkTalk have obviously placed all orders correctly with BT Openreach or your service would not be active with us now. BT Openreach in turn should then advise Virgin your service is no longer being privided by them although I agree its always best to give notice to your provider yourself too to make sure you are following their Ts and Cs.

Cheers
EmmaL x

Kane99uk

Stupid question time - when you first signed up with TT, did you actually ring Virgin yourself to tell them that you wished to leave? Companies don't usually allow one of their competitors to just say "give us this person's details now" without the account holder giving them some kind of notice that they were planning on switching.

Laz123

If TalkTalk say in their sales patter they will organise everything then the wheels of progress to obtain the MAC code, of informing BT and in turn of Virgin being told should not be your responsibility. As others have said it is unusual for the customer to not get involved at any stage, but it would have been better to have emailed Virgin to obtain the MAC code (my isp is Eclipse and they have a specific button to request this). However, due to Virgin's attitude problems you can sue them in the small claims court online (hmcourts-service.gov.uk/). It won't cost much but you do run the risk of paying their costs too if you lose. If you have a good case and want head down this road it makes your case better if you write to them explaining what you are doing and why and give them say 10 days to reply or you will proceed, and send it recorded delivery.