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[UncleUB]

Hi all. 

I have requested a MAC code to leave Origin Broadband and have been quoted up to 5 working days for it to be generated.What do you do if the Mac code doesn't arrive within that time scale?
The reason I ask is that Origin seem to be playing silly devils with people who want to leave.I know of at least 2 people whose Mac code hasn't arrived within the 5 working day time scale.
Any comments people make on their Facebook page are instantly deleted if they are to complain.As the Digital Region Network closes on the 14th August I will be put back onto ADSL.I don't want to stay with Origin for the simple reason their support is very poor.Promises of call backs never happen,can't get through via phone when there is an outage or other problem.All they do is post a message onto Facebook which imo is not good enough.
I have narrowed my new isp search down to either A&Aisp(who resell Talk Talk LLU) or possibly Zen and also someone recommended ICUK.net. I have a maximum budget of £20 a month.
As I requested my Mac on yesterday the 5 working days are up by the close of business on Thursday of next week.I remember when I left O2 their Mac code was generated instantly and according to A&Aisp they give them out within 1 working hour.

Any comments or help would be much appreciated. 

[Ixel]

Hi all. 

I have requested a MAC code to leave Origin Broadband and have been quoted up to 5 working days for it to be generated.What do you do if the Mac code doesn't arrive within that time scale?
The reason I ask is that Origin seem to be playing silly devils with people who want to leave.I know of at least 2 people whose Mac code hasn't arrived within the 5 working day time scale.
Any comments people make on their Facebook page are instantly deleted if they are to complain.As the Digital Region Network closes on the 14th August I will be put back onto ADSL.I don't want to stay with Origin for the simple reason their support is very poor.Promises of call backs never happen,can't get through via phone when there is an outage or other problem.All they do is post a message onto Facebook which imo is not good enough.
I have narrowed my new isp search down to either A&Aisp(who resell Talk Talk LLU) or possibly Zen and also someone recommended ICUK.net. I have a maximum budget of £20 a month.
As I requested my Mac on yesterday the 5 working days are up by the close of business on Thursday of next week.I remember when I left O2 their Mac code was generated instantly and according to A&Aisp they give them out within 1 working hour.

Any comments or help would be much appreciated. 

I had an issue with BT Business, ended up being a day overdue when I asked for my MAC, and without a formal threat I believe it would've been a further five working days wait.

What I did was record the phone calls (yes I actually did), Monday arrived and went by without any code as I was told to expect one by then, after midnight I wrote an email to them formally requesting a MAC and that it's now one day overdue, quoted the Ofcom general condition 22 regulations and that if I didn't get the MAC within 24 hours of that email I would take this to a higher level (pointing out that I have a recording proving the original request). Behold, the following morning I received an apology along with my MAC .

I'm not sure if this is something you'd want to do, but sometimes a bit of pushing is needed when things aren't right. All being well you'll get your code on time though.

The five working days excuse is a load of BS if you ask me, I'm pretty sure they can generate them much quicker. Pure marketing tactics if you ask me.

However, the official approach, some information that's useful is here: http://www.maccode.org.uk/switch-broadband/guide-to-switching-broadband-in-uk/

[guest]

OT but I wouldn't have thought £20/month goes very far with AAISP. Its probably OK if you're never at home during working hours (0800-1800?) but if you are then it gets expensive very very quickly.

[UncleUB]

OT but I wouldn't have thought £20/month goes very far with AAISP. Its probably OK if you're never at home during working hours (0800-1800?) but if you are then it gets expensive very very quickly.

I am at home most days during that time but saying that I am quite a light user.If it doesn't work out I can either upgrade to 100GB any time family package for £25 or find another isp.Its only 30 day contracts so its not as though I'm tied in for a lengthy contract.I just want a knowledgeable isp to get me through what could be an awkward migration off Digital Region.

[guest]

Shaun will sort that out for you, I wonder if his spelling got better over the last decade

If you manage to stick to 1GB/month on weekdays (0900-1800) then you're not a light user, you're an exceptionally light user IMHO

[UncleUB]

Shaun will sort that out for you, I wonder if his spelling got better over the last decade

If you manage to stick to 1GB/month on weekdays (0900-1800) then you're not a light user, you're an exceptionally light user IMHO

They have quoted 5GB peak time and 100GB non peak time,this is with Talk Talk LLU

Hi Phil,

Our minimum tariff is £20pcm and this provides 5GB download during peak
or 100GB during off-peak, you can mix both.

However we also offer a Home::1 product where you can purchase 100GB of
any time usage for £25psm. 

[guest]

Their "build your own tariff" doesn't agree with that :

TT, 5GB peak, 50GB off-peak = £23.90

http://aaisp.net/broadband-prices.html

Probably hasn't been updated but worth double-checking.

Edit : TT, 5GB peak, 100GB off-peak = £27.80 so quite a bit above what you've been quoted.

[UncleUB]

You get  2 units of 2.5GB = 5GB peak and either or 2 units of 50GB =100GB but they can be mixed and matched so for example if you use 1 unit of 2.5GB peak then you only have 1 unit of 50GB off peak...Thats how I read it but will double check tomorrow.Can't do anything till the MAC comes through anyway

[guest]

If you're going by units then :

5GB peak usage = 2 "AAISP Units" = your entire monthly allowance (both on & off-peak) on the £20 product. Any usage off peak would be billed.

In fact the only way to have ANY off-peak allowance is to stay below 4GB peak usage & even then that only allows 10GB off-peak.

This is going from their price calculator on the previous link.

I'm not trying to put you off, I've used AAISP before & unlike most ISPs they do actually DO what they say they will, when they say they will. Their pricing has always been inventive (I don't mean that in a bad way, for example unused "AAISP Units" carry over into the next month) but its always been expensive.

Edit - dear gods if I used them now I reckon my bill would be somewhere over £250/month!

[UncleUB]

Thanks for your input Rizla,much appreciated..Its not written in stone that I go with AAISP,I just basically want an isp that has good UK based support,a company that knows what it is doing.I know its quite hard to find one with financial limitations but I feel I don't want to pay the earth for what will be around a 2mb connection.
I have thought about Talk Talk business,which is separate from their residential side and has support based in Yorkshire,12 month contract for £4 amonth + vat and line rental.I really would like LLU but I'm limited.I'm certainly not going with Sky so TT seems the only other LLU in my exchange.

[tickmike]

Hi Phil.
Do you know about this ?  ....
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/07/alternative-superfast-broadband-plan-south-yorkshire-uk-progresses.html

[UncleUB]

Hi Phil.
Do you know about this ?  ....
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2014/07/alternative-superfast-broadband-plan-south-yorkshire-uk-progresses.html

Thanks Mike 

I had heard some rumours but it looks like there could be light at the end of the tunnel.I have emailed my MP to see if he can find anything out,in the mean time I have got my MAC code so its decision time.