Switching broadband providers has just undergone its largest change for many
years and to help people cope with the new process we have updated our broadband switching guide and various migration FAQ
entries.
The new system means no need to sit on the phone waiting for hours to get
your migration authorisation code to have a snooty call centre employee tell
you to send an email to request it. With the new system all you should have to
do is contact your new chosen provider and order a migration, the new provider
is meant to take charge of the whole process informing your old provider.
The immediate reaction is that a gaining provider led system will lead to
massive amounts of slamming with people being switched without their
permission, this is where the notification letter comes into play, since the
existing account holder is sent a letter by their old provider detailing the
costs of leaving if there are any and how to contact them to cancel the
migration if you did not authorise it.
This process will be familiar to those who have migration to a fully
unbundled broadband solution or switched their voice line rental in the last
few years as the same system applies. One major change to try and stop cowboy
operators is that the records of consent people make when ordering a service
must be kept so that if slamming does occur it will be possible to trace what
went on.
The new rules DO NOT apply to switching to or between FTTH and cable
providers, even if this is a switch between two providers using the same
infrastructure, e.g. Openreach FTTP, but providers are encouraged by Ofcom to
try and make the process as seamless as possible.
The system is not perfect, SME type providers were able to migrate people
within a couple of days, but now with a 10 day notification period switching
will be significantly slower. Another old trick of asking for your MAC to see
what your old provider will offer has been cut-off since once the provider
learns via the notification system you intend to migrate they are not allowed
to make contact with a counter offer – this means you need to chase your
existing provider before contacting a new provider to see what deals can be
made.
With the new unified system being something that millions have essentially
already used the transition should be smooth, but we will keep an eye open for
glitches and confusion that may arise.
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Does this mean that you can now move between full LLU ISPs without having to go back to BT first?
Should have been no need to do that anyway
10 days notice is a fat lot of good if you are away on 10 or more days holiday! I like the AAISP approach “you can pre-emptively tell us you are not planning to transfer so we reject a request (anti-slamming).”
Yup slammin will no doubt make a come back, thank’s to all bark no bit ofcom, useless quango
@jelv
I opened a forum thread earlier this evening about the AAISP facility. Wondering if other ISPs will follow.
http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/general/t/4415452-new-migration-process-started-today-safeguard.html
I think baby_frogmella mean moving from MPF to SMPF. If that is the case then no, these changes don’t really affect that move process as that was already like this. It would be a cease and reprovide usually.
I wish they’d have stayed with the MAC system tbh. It was a good way of phoning up and getting a deal.
I think you can still ring up and say you’re thinking of leaving to wrangle a deal.