Changing ADSL ISP & MAC numbers

A friend has a broadband account with OneTel which they acquired from
Global.

He wants to change ISP, but OneTel wont (they say Cant) give him a MAC
number for his connection.

Two things arise:

1) Although OneTel aren't a signatory on the OfCom migration
agreement, Global were. So surely there must be a way of persuading
them to do the decent thing?

2) New ISP says if he just cancels with OneTel (which, incidentally,
they, OneTel, seem very keen to have him do everytime he asks for a
MAC number) then BT Wholesale will treat it as a new connection and
the ISP will have to pay BT the standard £50.

Is there any other way he can get his MAC number? We're told he cannot
speak directly to BT Wholesale...

Whilst he was happy with Global, OneTel's attitude has made him
determined to migrate elsewhere but he does strongly object to being
forced to pay another connection charge.

TIA for any help,

JohnK

On Sun, 26 Jun 2005 20:12:15 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (John F
Kappler) wrote:

>He wants to change ISP, but OneTel wont (they say Cant) give him a MAC
>number for his connection.

depends why they "can't". Is it because they don't do them at all, or
that he is in a 12 month deal or owes them money or something else ?

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

On 26 Jun 2005 20:12 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (John F Kappler) wrote:

>Whilst he was happy with Global, OneTel's attitude has made him
>determined to migrate elsewhere but he does strongly object to being
>forced to pay another connection charge.

If they won't issue a MAC (Tiscali is another which seems terminally incapable
or simply dimwitted about this problem for customers, and a good reason to be
steered clear of them!) then there really is no option. Talking with BT W is
not going to get far - Freeserve did give me their 0800 number some time back
when FS managed not to cancel ADSL on my line for 3 months, but BT W will get
less and less happy if an end-user calls them. There are many deals where it
is possible to get ADSL service and not be charged the full (or any) fee that
matches the activation cost. Most ISPs which offer this will have a 12 month
minimum contract and that's really not so bad, though some want to be able to
'flit' from one to another ISP (really you are talking about 8+ weeks at each
ISP, it's nothing like dial-up for easy switching!).

Most ISPs have small print to claw back the cost if you do leave, so Pipex or
others might list an 'admin fee' (and while, in the past, Virgin had no setup
fee or exit fee, that has changed quite recently). Plus.Net has a 'you stay,
we pay' policy where the cost of setup is clawed back, but reduces 20% yearly
so it would cost 80% if you cease/migrate during your second year, 60% in the
third year, and so on. I see there's free setup on the 2000 kbps package and
cheap (25.00) setup for the 1000 kbps service, see <http://www.dcomms.co.uk/>
(see the Home ADSL options) with only 3 month contract, so cheap to get going
and the possibility of migration after that (but *worth contacting them about
their support of MAC issuing* before going any further!!!)

Watch out for V.21 which has a 30 pound fee for the luxury of cloing your a/c
but other ISPs are around with 12 month contracts, and cover the setup during
that first year (Freedom 2 Surf and Pipex are just a couple more to consider).

--

UK ADSL <http://tinyurl.com/5jpa4> - Happy to save cash with Plus.Net!!
E-mail + files - 30 day free trial - <http://web.vfm-deals.com/runbox/>
USENET news service? <http://tinyurl.com/3rjw4> (plans from under US$5)

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 00:31:20 +0100, Peter M <us-(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Most ISPs which offer this will have a 12 month
>minimum contract

OneTel are one of these - "Broadband subject to status, acceptance,
availability and a 12 months minimum contract." which may be a factor
here.

OFCOM thing on migration for reference
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/telec...m_cop/?a=87101

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

Thanks for the replies.

There's no contract issues here, nor owed money. As I said Onetel are
happy to accept his cancellation, they just say he cant have a MAC
number.

JohnK

As side question what is "MAC" in this context - (not Media Access Control
in Ethernet cards?)

--
obsidian


"John F Kappler" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for the replies.
>
> There's no contract issues here, nor owed money. As I said Onetel are
> happy to accept his cancellation, they just say he cant have a MAC
> number.
>
> JohnK

> As side question what is "MAC" in this context - (not Media Access Control
> in Ethernet cards?)

Migration Authentication Code

--
Graham.



%Profound_observation%

On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 20:27:07 +0200, "obsidian"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>As side question what is "MAC" in this context

Migration Authorisation Code

"permission to leave" plus the necessary database links.

Phil
--
Tiscali - dialup speeds at Broadband prices, see
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/postlist...&Board=tiscali

AOL - the unlimited ISP of choice for heavy downloaders.

"obsidian" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> As side question what is "MAC" in this context - (not Media Access Control
> in Ethernet cards?)

Does anyone else think it is very naughty of BT to use the MAC acronym
when it already has a longstanding and accepted meaning in the same
field (networking)?

"Graham Murray" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "obsidian" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:
>
>> As side question what is "MAC" in this context - (not Media Access
>> Control
>> in Ethernet cards?)
>
> Does anyone else think it is very naughty of BT to use the MAC acronym
> when it already has a longstanding and accepted meaning in the same
> field (networking)?

Oh, doesn't it stand for Media Access Control in BT-speak? I always thought
it did. I thought they were telling you the MAC address of the device in the
exchange that your line was connected to.

If not, yes it is *very* naughty. It's bad enough having SIM (subscriber
identity module) and SIMM (single in-line memory module) but at least these
are usually used in relation to different pieces of kit.