Pipex "stalling" my escape (no MAC code)

(also sent to in reply to Andrew Smiths' report of escaping Plusnet at
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02...ofcom_plusnet/)

-----
Just so you know it's not just Pusnet (sp?) screwing customers around,
Pipex are "stalling" my escape.

My service level had been declining rapidly and has been virtually
unusable at times over the last 2-3 months - a (text only) news server I
pay for seperately could take 20-30 minutes to just get the days' new
posts on 20 groups ! (it wasn't their end to blame, as I had it tested
from a different ISP)

As a customer for over 4 years (and still on 1Mbit) when I rang
requesting a MAC I was instantly offered an 8Mbit package with calls for
£9.99 per month rather than the £23.44 I pay now.

I declined and asked for a MAC code anyway, and was asked where I was
moving to - an LLU package on Sky. I was then told (by Tom) that I
didn't need a MAC code to move to an LLU connection, and he put a cease
on my account.

Tom did try hard to dissuade me - problems with ADSL2, connectivity,
service levels etc. and pointed out that i'm only likely to get 3Mbit on
my line - which when I referred to his "offer" of 8Mbit seemed to shoot
holes in his own argument.

On calling Sky, rightly or wrongly, they tell me I _do_ need a MAC code
to proceed with the migration, so off I go back to Pipex.

Now that the cease flag has been put on my line, Shamal (?) tells me
they are no longer able to give me a MAC code - what they need to do is
email another department to get it re-activated - which "may" be today,
but i'm not likely to get the MAC code until next Weds or Thurs. This, I
am assured, will not increase the 30 day cancellation notice which
should be in effect as of Saturday 10/03/07.
-----


Colin Wilson

"Colin Wilson" <(E-Mail Removed) o.uk> wrote
in message news:(E-Mail Removed) t...
(also sent to in reply to Andrew Smiths' report of escaping Plusnet at
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02...ofcom_plusnet/)

-----
Just so you know it's not just Pusnet (sp?) screwing customers around,
Pipex are "stalling" my escape.

My service level had been declining rapidly and has been virtually
unusable at times over the last 2-3 months - a (text only) news server I
pay for seperately could take 20-30 minutes to just get the days' new
posts on 20 groups ! (it wasn't their end to blame, as I had it tested
from a different ISP)

As a customer for over 4 years (and still on 1Mbit) when I rang
requesting a MAC I was instantly offered an 8Mbit package with calls for
£9.99 per month rather than the £23.44 I pay now.

I declined and asked for a MAC code anyway, and was asked where I was
moving to - an LLU package on Sky. I was then told (by Tom) that I
didn't need a MAC code to move to an LLU connection, and he put a cease
on my account.

Tom did try hard to dissuade me - problems with ADSL2, connectivity,
service levels etc. and pointed out that i'm only likely to get 3Mbit on
my line - which when I referred to his "offer" of 8Mbit seemed to shoot
holes in his own argument.

On calling Sky, rightly or wrongly, they tell me I _do_ need a MAC code
to proceed with the migration, so off I go back to Pipex.

Now that the cease flag has been put on my line, Shamal (?) tells me
they are no longer able to give me a MAC code - what they need to do is
email another department to get it re-activated - which "may" be today,
but i'm not likely to get the MAC code until next Weds or Thurs. This, I
am assured, will not increase the 30 day cancellation notice which
should be in effect as of Saturday 10/03/07.
-----

Tsk, too honest is your fault. Standard reply when asked where you were
moving should have been along the lines of "mind your own f-ing business".

> Tsk, too honest is your fault. Standard reply when asked where you were
> moving should have been along the lines of "mind your own f-ing business".

That's just me - I don't have a problem with them knowing who won their
customer from them as a result of falling standards and service levels.

I wonder whether it's worth having a word with Ofcom about it, might
also call Pipex back and insist they contact whoever they need to there
and then to resolve it while i'm on the phone...

Colin Wilson wrote:
> I declined and asked for a MAC code anyway, and was asked where I was
> moving to - an LLU package on Sky. I was then told (by Tom) that I
> didn't need a MAC code to move to an LLU connection, and he put a cease
> on my account.

A MAC is still required to migrate from Pipex to Sky - the only time
when a MAC is of no use is when the line is fully unbundled (i.e. is not
really a BT phone line anymore) - in this case a full cease would be
required.

If Pipex ceased your line when a MAC would have been sufficient, they
are in breach of Ofcom rules and I would request that you report them
for the same.

In article <45f2c50e.0@entanet>, (E-Mail Removed) says...

> A MAC is still required to migrate from Pipex to Sky - the only time
> when a MAC is of no use is when the line is fully unbundled (i.e. is not
> really a BT phone line anymore) - in this case a full cease would be
> required.
>
> If Pipex ceased your line when a MAC would have been sufficient, they
> are in breach of Ofcom rules and I would request that you report them
> for the same.
>

I am interested in switching to Sky Broadband from my present supplier
Tiscali (yes I know, but I did not start visiting this group until I
had adsl), but Sky told me only last week, that because I am on
Tiscali LLU, they cannot accept a Tiscali MAC and that I need to get
Tiscali to put a cease on the service.

Although I telephone is still provided by BT and will probably always
be so, as the other half is a BT pensioner and certain perks, make it
a reasonable deal!

> If Pipex ceased your line when a MAC would have been sufficient, they
> are in breach of Ofcom rules and I would request that you report them
> for the same.

I'll give it a couple of days, but it would appear that they're taking
the piss by way of misinformation and maladministration.

Ofcom suggest using the ISPs own dispute resolution service prior to
making a formal complaint via them, so i'll see how things pan out, and
if it's _not_ sorted by Thursday i'll certainly be taking it further.

"Colin Wilson" <(E-Mail Removed) o.uk> wrote
in message news:(E-Mail Removed) t...
>> Tsk, too honest is your fault. Standard reply when asked where you were
>> moving should have been along the lines of "mind your own f-ing
>> business".
>
> That's just me - I don't have a problem with them knowing who won their
> customer from them as a result of falling standards and service levels.
>
> I wonder whether it's worth having a word with Ofcom about it, might
> also call Pipex back and insist they contact whoever they need to there
> and then to resolve it while i'm on the phone...

Once a cease has been submitted to BT it is not always straight forward just
to cancel it off - If you need to keep kicking off keep your escalations
internal to pipex as ofcom require them to not resolve your issue within 30
days at which point you will be ceased weeks ago. Are you with 'Pipex' or
'Pipex homecall'?

"Paul Cupis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:45f2c50e.0@entanet...
> Colin Wilson wrote:
>> I declined and asked for a MAC code anyway, and was asked where I was
>> moving to - an LLU package on Sky. I was then told (by Tom) that I didn't
>> need a MAC code to move to an LLU connection, and he put a cease on my
>> account.
>
> A MAC is still required to migrate from Pipex to Sky - the only time when
> a MAC is of no use is when the line is fully unbundled (i.e. is not really
> a BT phone line anymore) - in this case a full cease would be required.

Are you saying you can get a mac on SMPF but not FMPF?

>
> If Pipex ceased your line when a MAC would have been sufficient, they are
> in breach of Ofcom rules and I would request that you report them for the
> same.

Capri-Sun wrote:
> "Paul Cupis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:45f2c50e.0@entanet...
>> Colin Wilson wrote:
>>> I declined and asked for a MAC code anyway, and was asked where I was
>>> moving to - an LLU package on Sky. I was then told (by Tom) that I didn't
>>> need a MAC code to move to an LLU connection, and he put a cease on my
>>> account.
>> A MAC is still required to migrate from Pipex to Sky - the only time when
>> a MAC is of no use is when the line is fully unbundled (i.e. is not really
>> a BT phone line anymore) - in this case a full cease would be required.
>
> Are you saying you can get a mac on SMPF but not FMPF?

Yes. A MAC code is of no use transfering from LLU MPF to BT Retail PSTN
+ SMPF. A MAC can be used to transfer from SMPF to another SMPF
(including BTwholesale IPStream/DataStream).

> Once a cease has been submitted to BT it is not always straight forward just
> to cancel it off - If you need to keep kicking off keep your escalations
> internal to pipex as ofcom require them to not resolve your issue within 30
> days at which point you will be ceased weeks ago. Are you with 'Pipex' or
> 'Pipex homecall'?

Pipex Xtreme ADSL (one of the old formerly 512Kbit connections, which
they regraded to 1Mbit a while ago)