Help pls with order of events - leaving tiscali/talktalk

suered

Afternoon guys,

rat leaving tiscali/talktalk ship here:) but just wanted to check the order of things to do.

Is it:

1. request MAC from tiscali/talktalk
2. request bt to take back line rental
3. when date for that confirmed, ask O2 to take over broadband from that date?

Many thanks

macman

I would do it in order 2,1,3. Once you know when BT can take the line back, then get your MAC. Remember the MAC expires after 30 days if not used, and you can't order O2 until they recognise your number as a valid BT one again. So your MAC might have expired (depending on how long BT take to do a return to donor).

suered

Thanks, macman.
I've got a date now from BT (mid-March) - should I request the MAC now and give O2 the same date (or possibly the day after) as the start date for the broadband?

expectingstandards

Hi There,

An additional step for you to consider.

When I left Tiscali, their own advisor told me that once my final bill payment had gone out by direct debit, then I should cancel my direct debit.

This turned out to be good advice. This forum is littered with people that did not cancel their DD with Tiscali and have continued to be charged.

On the flip side though, those that did cancel their DD's (like me) are now being chased by Debt Collection Agencies for money they don't owe.

You're dammed if you do and you're dammed if you don't.

My view though is that it's easy to cancel a direct debit and dispute debts that you don't owe rather than have money taken off you in the first place and trying to claim it back.

My view on Talk Talk and Tiscali based on this experience is that they are a total shambles.

And to make it worse, you should see the stories on here about the clowns that they work with SRJ Debt Recoveries.

Search on the forum here for SRJ and see what you can find.

Be very careful when switching away from them. Make sure you save every letter and note down every conversation you have with them.

suered

Yes, indeed - I shall add that to my list - thank you!

macman

suered wrote: »

Thanks, macman.
I've got a date now from BT (mid-March) - should I request the MAC now and give O2 the same date (or possibly the day after) as the start date for the broadband?

Ask for your MAC now, that takes up to 5 working days. You can't apply for O2 until your BT line is up and running and recognised as a BT number (this is assuming you are placing the order online in order to get the cashback). You will probably not get your broadband until 7-10 days after your BT line is working.
Remember just to ask for a MAC, don't actually cancel your Tiscali service yet, or you maybe cut off before BT migrate your line.

suered

Thanks again macman. Bluddy talktalk - i was quite happy before they threatened to "upgrade" me from my tiscali package....

so. bt line ordered.
mac will be requested tonight

do i then tell tiscali/talktalk to cancel the service as of whatever start date O2 give me for the broadband? (whilst not forgetting to cancel my direct debit)

sorry for asking so many silly questions but i've never moved provider before and the horror stories on here are making me nervous!

macman

Just ask Tiscali for your MAC, don't cancel anything yet.
A MAC is just an 'option to quit' which expires after 30 days.
Once you have placed the order with O2 and got a migration date then you should talk to Tiscali.
Cancel the DD once you have received your final bill and Tiscali have taken payment.

mrJ_5

I would talk to Tiscali after the migration has successfully gone through - then make sure the account is settled and fully closed.

suered

Grrrr - back again.

I have just phoned Talktalk/Tiscali and asked very nicely for my MAC.

You can't have it, they said - you're an MPF customer (currently i have line, calls and broadband all with tiscali) - we can't give it to you - you have to wait until BT take back your line and then ask THEM for it.

Is this true? It will be getting dangerously close to my either/or date being moved over to the new downgraded package.

Grr again.

Thanks for any advice.

andipandi_2

Maybe this info and links might help

Metallic Path Facility
LLU Local Loop Unbundling

LLU comes in two flavours:

1. SMPF - Shared MPF where only the broadband is unbundled e.g. O2. You still have a choice over who provides your telephone line rental billing and calls billing. Use a MAC to migrate onto and off of.

2. MPF - fully unbundled - both the telephone line and broadband terminate in your chosen suppliers hardware. Bulldog have used it in the past, Talk Talk use it for almost 70% of customers. Tiscali use it but not to the scale of TalkTalk, Tiscali also employ SMPF, BT Datastream and BT IPStream to confuse the matter. To migrate to MPF does not require a MAC, migrating off of MPF requires a SIM provide, where you link the new telephone and broadband order using Linked Order Reference Number (LORN).

NOTE: It can be confusing as some firms do telephone line rental billing and broadband that can look like its MPF, but really it is based around the WLR (Wholesale Line Rental) product where it is still a BT line but all billing is handled by a non BT party. Tiscali amongst others is known to do this.

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq/sections/migration.html

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumeradvice/internet/service/switch/switching/singlesupplier/