What is everyone's veiws on this ?

In reference to www.ispreview.co.uk/story/2012/02/07/ofcom-to-reveal-new-broadband-...:

Ofcom to Reveal New Broadband Migration System for UK ISPs
By: MarkJ - 7 February, 2012 (12:32 PM) - Score: 256 - Fixed Line Broadband, Ofcom Regulation
The communications regulator, Ofcom, is about to reveal precisely how it intends to make migration between communication providers (i.e. broadband ISPs and telephone operators) "quicker, cheaper and easier for consumers". The new process, which should surface before the end of next week (i.e. "during early Feb 2012"), is due to be presented as part of the regulators somewhat delayed Strategic Review into Consumer Switching.

At present most broadband consumers can switch ISP by using the Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) process. Sadly this doesn't work for all ISPs (e.g. fully unbundled, cable and superfast fibre optic lines) and customers can still end up being trapped if their provider suddenly becomes unresponsive.

What are Broadband Migration Authorisation Codes?
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/new/complain/common_isp_c...
Ofcom's first consultation, which discovered that 39% of customers whom had switched ISPs using the MAC process felt that it was too much hassle, ended on 26th November 2010 (here). Since then the regulator has been held up by a significant number of complex issues that needed to be resolved, not to mention a few disagreements between ISPs.

ISPreview.co.uk understands that Ofcom is to publish a 2nd Consultation document before mid-February 2012, which will outline their chosen process option. The regulator is known to prefer a Gaining Provider Led (GPL) solution. Unlike the MAC system, GPL gives the customers NEW ISP all the power to manage their migration.

The new system would mark a significant change in how people switch ISP and could indeed make it a lot simpler. At the same time a GPL solution would also be easier to abuse. As a result Ofcom has sought to develop safeguards to protect against slamming (i.e. when a consumer is switched without consent).

Ofcom could resolve this problem by using either 3rd party validation and an account reference model or some form of new Unique Service Number (USN). We'll find out what they've picked soon enough.

I think in part it may make it easier migrating from Full LLU , but may create problems for the rest who currently rely on the MAC code for some protection against slamming
Ofcom are a toothless quango and should stop meddling as they don't have clue

Changing from one ISP to another have to be made easier and quicker, certainly for those on LLU. Slamming can and do happen even now, I know to households that have almost had that done and sadly both by Talk Talk.

There needs to be a system in place to stop that happening, thankfully one of the person who almost had it done to them had a letter from her old phone supplier saying they was sorry to lose her and she phoned them up asking what the hell they was on about.

The other household was a bit more complex, it started when he was using Talk Talk for phone only, got cut off over a bill dispute and then Talk Talk tried to connect him to their broadband as well.

The main problem with changing from one ISp to another is that it can cost and you can even lose your phone number, i wonder how many people have gone with Sky, Talk Talk and other Fully LLU services not realising how much of a pain it can be to get back to a Bt based system

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

Changing from one ISP to another have to be made easier and quicker, certainly for those on LLU. Slamming can and do happen even now, I know to households that have almost had that done and sadly both by Talk Talk.

There needs to be a system in place to stop that happening, thankfully one of the person who almost had it done to them had a letter from her old phone supplier saying they was sorry to lose her and she phoned them up asking what the hell they was on about.

The other household was a bit more complex, it started when he was using Talk Talk for phone only, got cut off over a bill dispute and then Talk Talk tried to connect him to their broadband as well.

The main problem with changing from one ISp to another is that it can cost and you can even lose your phone number, i wonder how many people have gone with Sky, Talk Talk and other Fully LLU services not realising how much of a pain it can be to get back to a Bt based system

Too many i would say, all enticed by the low costs or half price or free months offers that seem common place these days

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

Too many i would say, all enticed by the low costs or half price or free months offers that seem common place these days

That is the problem, people see these services as cheap, will cheaper than some others. I realise that ISPs that uses their own LLU equipment can cut costs and that is why they are cheaper, but is the hassle worth it?

i must admit I have no idea what I would have done if Cable and wireless did not unbundle our exchange, I may have gone for Sky when it first started here as at the time they was not on full LLU.

Thankfully Cable and Wireless have unbundled our Exchange and i am happy with what I got. where I could pay less, but it means going for fully unbundled.

Not sure what I will do when fibre come here either, seems to be more limits on fibre than there is on my ADSL service and yet I be paying more, just for a bit more speed. If I was getting 8megabits or more than I would not even think about fibre, but getting 4Megabits fibre seems a way of getting a bit more speed, but then do I really need all that speed?

I've seen posts from Xilo and Vivaciti indicating they can do a straightforward move from full LLU with no downtime involved.
Not sure if this is just for their own customers or if they can do the same for talk talk and Sky customers as well?