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[Paddy]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I've recently tried to change my internet connection from payg with Orange to the Post Office. However, when I contacted the PO I was told that there is already a broadband account with AOL on my line. I contacted AOL and they said that they couldn't give me the MAC number because it would cut off the other person's broadband!!!!!! But its MY line.  After NUMEROUS phone calls to different people I was told that someone who lives over 30 miles from me had this account. This person is served by a different exchange from me so no-one knows how this happened. I was told that I need to contact BT wholesale to get them to remove the tag but they were not helpful. Ofcom told me to get another server but this problem would still be there no matter who I went to. I chose the Post Office because I have the PO home phone but they are not helpful at all. Can anyone please tell me how this might have happened, and how I might resolve the situation.  Do I nedd a MAC code to move from my current payg connection?
I would appreciate any advice on this please.
Thank you
Paddy

[Ezzer]

Paddy If you want pm me with your number (I work for openreach) I'll be curious to see if there is any dsl mapping allocated to your number as this one sounds bizzare. It will be the most I could do but it sounds very odd as the mac should belong to a different number and exchange.

[kitz]

What a mix up!


Getting a MAC isn't the right way to go, since a MAC key transfers a service to another ISP, and in effect you'd simply be transferring the other persons adsl.. and sure as heck AOL wont help with that one.

BT Wholesale wont help because they will only speak with ISPs, However there is a special department which is was specifically set up to deal with MAC issues Tel: 0800 169 0934

I would have thought that the ISP you wish to go with is the one who should be chasing this for you, but it would need to be an ISP who understands the system and one who is able to take this up with BT Wholesale on your behalf.

I'm away for a couple of days now, but theres a few ISP reps that read this forum, so maybe one of them could comment what the proceedure would be and if they can help.

[kitz]

>> but it sounds very odd as the mac should belong to a different number and exchange.

It does indeed Ezzer,  I was going to suggest that they put their phone no into the adsl checker to see what the results of the RAG test would be  (bottom left hand side).

I'm also working on a new one that isnt quite yet ready for proper release which may also give a bit more info about the existing service - http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adslchecker.php

-----
Edited url since new version is now live.

[kitz]

PS - just thought I should add for Paddy's information.

Ezzer has been confirmed as a bona fide BT Openreach Engineer,
and also any members of this forum who are tagged with the silver ISP badge,
have been confirmed as genuine ISP representatives and it is safe to pass any information on to them.

[Jameseh]

Hello

I'm more than happy to contact BT on your behalf if you would like me to do so.

I'm not entirely sure if the Post Office have contacted BTs Tags Team - They should have done.  From what you're saying it sounds like the database that they are using is saying that you're not the account holder, but that depends on whether or not they've contacted BT Wholesale, which isn't your job, it's theirs.

Send me an email with your phone number and I'll give them a ring.

jbailey@plus.net

Kitz - Tags won't take calls from non-ISPs anymore as far as I'm aware and that telephone number has now changed.

[kitz]

>> Tags won't take calls from non-ISPs anymore as far as I'm aware and that telephone number has now changed

Thanks for that info James - is there a new number?   
I thought that was specifically set up after consultation with OFCOM for people who had problems exactly such as this..  wonder why they now think its ok to leave the customer in limbo.

[Jameseh]

There is a new number, but it's only for ISPs to use.

The gaining ISP should call Tags and find out what the tag is and progress from there.

[Paddy]

Hi Everyone. Thank you so much for all your replies. I'm overwhelmed by your advice and your kind offers to help. I did the ADSL check and this is what it showed.
RAG Test Results 

 Fixed:  1Mbps and 2Mbps available
 radsl:  512Kbps and 256Kbps available
 MAX:  ADSL Max is available
 SDSL:  Exchange Not Enabled
 TPON:  TPON/Fibre not recorded
 Check:  The check identified another service on your line which may prevent you from ordering a new ADSL connection. Examples are : Existing adsl connection, DACs, LLU, TPON
 
I haven't a clue what it means except that it seems to show there is another account. Does this mean that I can't get broadband? The PO identified the other person as being in another area. I have had my phone number for many years and I'm the only one in the house.
I can't understand it.
Thanks again to everyone.
Paddy

[Azzaka]

Could be a records issue. When you order Broadband let the ISP know what you have discovered about the other person and they should be able to have the records fixed.

[Jameseh]

I'm pretty sure it's completely different to that.

I've replied to your email.  Let me know a good number to call you on and we'll speak soon.

[Oranged]

I have had my phone number for many years and I'm the only one in the house.

It's the line that's tagged not the number.

It could be that a previous owner of your house has failed to cancel the AOL service or it has been transferred to his new address and AOL have failed to remove the tag off your line.

[Jameseh]

That's also the impression that I had.

[Ezzer]

I had a go at trying to see if any mapping existed for the line, but as things have changed some more we can't do that from the openreach side anyore unless there's a fault or a provide pending against the number.

Nearest thing to this I've come across was a line where the sync to the exchange was fine, but after a lot of digging it turned out the customer was sharing the same ip address with someone else. So when one was on line the other was locked out. What one of then should have had was a code ending 12 instead of 21 or visa verca. I was wondering if this was a case of a typos somewhere so an actual case of "The computer says no." 

[Jameseh]

From my personal opinion, it really does just look like an AOL tag being present on the line and nothing more sinister.

It doesn't look like a mapping issue, nor an incompatible rented product.  Just needs a MAC Code to allow the order or the the gaining ISP to contact the tags team to remove service from the line if possible.

The gaining ISP *should* have done this already, but to me, it doesn't look like this has happened/