Changing broadband supplier

degustibus

Hi folks

I am trying to determine the process by which one changes broadband suppliers and would appreciate any input. I have searched comreg.ie and askcomreg.ie and have found plenty of information regarding fixed line telephony (involving third party verification and various other safeguards) but am not sure if this applies equally to broadband or whether there is more or less regulation. I am particularly interested in whether transfer of provider requires the use of a MAC (Migration Access Code) and whether the new and old providers must be contacted, or whether only the new provider needs to be contacted (as is the case with fixed line telephony), and whether the migration process has given rise to mis-selling or other problems. Links or directions to comreg documents/other research/guidelines very welcome

Many thanks

degustibus

Have posted this question also in Broadband thread, so I guess this thread is redundant, apologies.

watty

Create a new identity on a 2nd phone line. Order new BB for that. Only cancel old one when new one working.

There are proposals to streamline it. Up till now for DSL you have to go back to eircom, then apply for new non-eircom. Each stage can leave you without BB for days/weeks/months. If the system worked you should have less downtime than 1 hr.

degustibus

Thanks Watty. Is there a MAC involved in the process at all? Have there been any problems with mis-selling or slamming because of the process? It sounds like it is quite different to other jurisdictions for changing supplier (which is partly what I am trying to get a handle on)

Solair

My only word of advice:

You may be completely cut off from DSL services during the move. Have an alternative means of access / have access from work, subscribe to BitBuzz (Wifi) or whatever it takes for that period.

It can be hellish, it's an utter nightmare to switch to an LLU provider. i.e. you can experience downtime of several weeks!

The process is about as transparent as 8ft of lead looked upon through very dark sunglasses and so complicated that it's advisable to commence by doing a masters in telecommunications engineering, then working for several years in eircom and a few other companies just so that you know enough to deal with the many hurdles you can expect to face.

To be quite honest, it's easier to just get a new phoneline installed put the new service on that, then port your old number over to it!

It's really at that level of lunacy.

The only easy supplier changes are to non-DSL companies i.e. moving from say eircom or BT to Digiweb Metro or some of those services or to UPC (Chorus & NTL) cable modem service.

p.s. also invest in a good, comfortable telephone handset (preferably with an ear cushion), a decent speaker phone, some flight socks (to prevent deep vein thrombosis), a comfortable chair, and a big stack of novels... (and take a week off work) you'll be spending a LONG time on the phone.

I'm not trying to put you off changing. Just, from experience, it really is that bad!

Fitzee

Calm down! What are you changing from/to? It's really not that bad! If you're just changing from eircom/eircom wholesaled to another the same then you should have little or no downtime. Problems mostly arise when moving from LLU DSL (e.g. Smart/Magnet/BT) to eircom/eircom wholesaled. That process :rolleyes: (using the term loosely..) is a bit messy. What are you changing from/to?