Solutions - Managed Security

How to migrate your broadband service or change your broadband provider

As the Broadband market grows and more customers take up broadband services, customers may wish to change providers to take advantage of innovative services or cheaper prices.

In order to change providers you will need to use the migration method and obtain a MAC.

Broadband migration works by means of a migration authorisation code (MAC), which customers obtain from their existing Internet Service Provider and give to their new provider. Customers will need to follow three simple steps.

• A customer wishing to change their broadband connection to another service provider must first contact their existing ISP and request a MAC. Make sure you do not request your ADSL circuit to be ceased.
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  The existing provider will send the MAC to the customer within 5 working days. The MAC is then valid for a period of 30 days from the date that it is issued. If you do not use the MAC within the allotted 30 days you will need to contact the service provider again and ask them to issue a new MAC.
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  Once you have received your MAC you must then present it to your new provider. Your new provider will then process the request / order and inform the customer of the specific install date (typically this will be between 5-10 working days depending on your provider).

FAQ’s

What does a MAC look like?

A MAC is an alphanumeric code starting in either BBIP or BBDS followed by a 13 digit alphanumeric code. BBIP is an IP Stream MAC and BBDS is a Data Stream MAC.

My existing service provider has issued a MAC starting in BBDS but my new provider cannot migrate this service, why?

BBDS MAC’s are for Data Stream broadband. The majority of UK ISP’s use IP Stream to provide broadband in the UK and you cannot migrate between Data Stream and IP stream. If you have a Data Stream broadband service the only thing you can do is either cease your existing service and reprovide with your new ISP (be warned this will lead to at least 10 days downtime) or install a new telephone line to provision broadband on and cease your old connection once the new service has been completed.

How much downtime can I expect when my broadband service migrates?

Typically users should not experience sizeable downtime when migrating. On the day of migration your existing service will drop at some point during the day. At this time you will need to reboot your existing router or plug in your new router with your new connection details provided by your new ISP and away you go.

What happens if my existing provider refuses to give me a MAC?

Your existing service provider cannot unreasonably refuse to issue a MAC, and can only withhold a MAC if:

The account holder does not make the request or the account holder is deceased.

The contract has already been terminated and the connection ceased.

The existing service provider might withhold an authorisation code to enforce debt collection or contractual rights. In cases where the MAC is issued, customers are not freed from contractual obligations they have entered in to with their existing service provider – i.e.: Customers will have to honour the remaining contract term of an existing contract or pay early cancellation fees, if applicable. An existing service provider will still be able to take reasonable action to enforce their contractual rights even after a customer has migrated to

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