help waiting for a MAC?

lympus48

Does anyone know if a Broadband supplier has to issue a MAC within a 'specific period' once requested. Please can someone help on this query as no one on E7 thread could answer this.

Madasafish_Customer_Care

Because E7 have not signed the Broadband migration - Industry code of practice via Ofcom, you are at their whim when it comes to when and if you get a MAC.


To review the Voluntary Code and who has signed it:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/codes/bbm_cop/

Under the code, the MAC must be provided within 5 working days, however most ISPs will send them prior to that.

lympus48

Thanks Madasafish customer care for your splendily clear and helpful answer. For us E7 customers its real purgatory at the moment and I have certainly learnt a lesson about cheap not being the best option although of course Martin has never recommended E7 and I hope no participant on this site ever would.

zenmaster

Forgive me if I am missing the point here but what is the point of a MAC? Surely you can just cancel with your current operator and sign up with another?

It's not like a mobile where you might want to keep your existing number.

I'm just off to the pub. If I decide to go on somewhere else do I need an authorisation code :rolleyes: ?

sloughflint

It is to prevent loss of service. Without a MAC code, your new provider would have to wait for your current provider to put a cease on the line I think ( something like that)before processing the order. I think you could be without broadband for a couple of weeks.

mhendo

In addition to preventing down time, it also allows for free migrations. If you were to cease an ADSL service, and then sign-up with another provider you're likely to:-
a) be restricted to 12 month contracts
or...
b) be liable to pay the BTw activation fee of £47

peter_the_piper

mhendo wrote:

In addition to preventing down time, it also allows for free migrations. If you were to cease an ADSL service, and then sign-up with another provider you're likely to:-
a) be restricted to 12 month contracts
or...
b) be liable to pay the BTw activation fee of £47

a) not necessarily, Newnet and others do Monthly contract
b) almost certainly.

mhendo

peter_the_piper wrote:

a) not necessarily, Newnet and others do Monthly contract
b) almost certainly.

Both a & b are "not necessarily". But as I said "or", you will note I meant either a or b will be in place for most ADSL ISPs now - you will have one or the other involved, as I don't think there are any ADSL providers now willing to give a monthly contract and free activation (some may appear to, but then impose a cancellation fee in you leave within 12 months).

Virgin.net were one of the last ISPs to scrap the ability to sign-up to a monthly contract, with no activation or cancellation fee. This used to allow people to sign-up without any activation charges, and then immediately ask for a MAC and move to a decent ISP