Signing up before having Mac

I know it is possible to sign up with PlusNet before getting Mac code (from BT in my case), and then telling them the Mac when you get it.

I seem to remember reading a few cases where people did this and it caused confusion, including at worst complete cancellation of the line. I can't think of what to search for in the forum to find these posts. I'd be very grateful if anyone who has done this could post their experiences of the migration (good or bad).

Doesn't look like I'll get my Mac till Monday and some good Topcashback deals end tomorrow (Sunday). Many thanks.

Edited by deleted (Sat 30-Aug-14 15:44:58)

I signed up without a MAC, IIRC(it was over a year ago) your order is just basically held until you provide it - as pcoventry76 suggests.

I signed up without a MAC a few weeks ago. BT did not email the MAC code within 5 days. I had to prise it out of them by phone.
I think you can supply PlusNet with your MAC by replying to a SMS message, as well as updating a ticket.

Thankyou everybody for your helpful advice. I have just signed up (using Topcashback) and asked for service on 26 Sept (to give me a little leeway from by one month BT cancellation). I should get my BT Mac tomorrow or Tuesday at latest.

I signed up for the 40/20. I get around 60 or better download at the moment on Infinity 2; I hardly ever take advantage of the download but I do like the 20 download.

I'll keep posted how it goes in case anybody else in similar situation is interested.
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Step 1. Topcashack has tracked very quickly .... obviously not paid yet but a good start.

Edited by StephenTodd (Sun 31-Aug-14 13:22:25)

In reply to a post by StephenTodd:

I signed up for the 40/20. I get around 60 or better download at the moment on Infinity 2; I hardly ever take advantage of the download but I do like the 20 download.

Welcome aboard

@jchamier. Thanks for the welcome

Step 2: My BT Mac arrived without any prompting ... 4 working days. (4 identical emails and 2 identical SMS messages so far)
Mac submitted online to PlusNet. If I haven't got email with confirmed date by tomorrow I'll call customer service as well; it seems from some comments that sometimes the kickstart of the order can get dropped between cracks in the PlusNet system.

~~~
Step 3: I rang with my Mac as well and to confirm dates. The order wasn't yet going through, I don't know how long it would have been delayed if I hadn't rang as well. They started the order and said precise date would follow in text.
Step 4: Text arrived, but with date of 9th, despite the fact that I had requested 26th on my order. Doubly awkward as we will be away then, and it gives us too much overlap with our BT broadband cancellation.
Step 5: Rang again, date corrected to 26th.

Impressions so far.
* Shame about the date mixup, but not at all serious.
* Really helpful and easy to understand support staff on both telephone calls.
* I'd rather have even shorter wait times, but I guess 15 mins or so counts as pretty good in this industry. (I've got used to First Direct apologizing if its over 30 seconds).
* I'd rather have very different music while waiting; but I guess most of their customers wouldn't want Bach either so I'll have to live with it.

Edited by StephenTodd (Mon 01-Sep-14 17:50:53)

In reply to a post by pcoventry76:

Yes mine was stuck for 3 days until I called

Likewise - RobertoS suggested I call up back in June

I think mine fell into the hole too. The order went through today following a post on the community forums after been placed 8 days ago. Thankfully I'm in no hurry to migrate as I'm paying BT for 30 days.

There is another glitch point - activation. More noticeable, as your old ISP stops working for you, but PlusNet is not yet active. When I whinged about this, my line was activated in seconds.

In reply to a post by awontroba:

There is another glitch point - activation. More noticeable, as your old ISP stops working for you, but PlusNet is not yet active. When I whinged about this, my line was activated in seconds.

Thanks for the warning, I'll keep an eye open come the changeover date. I guess it should be pretty obvious when my BT broadband stops working! I assume that the modem (I still have modem/HH3) continues connection but the PPPoE session is lost; is that correct?

I'll probably continue to use the HH3 as I won't have to reconfigure devices and I know its wireless works over the house somewhat better than the old BE box did. It looks as if the PlusNet router is pretty similar to the BE box, though maybe its a newer model.

I'm pleased they separate the broadband move and phone move; that seems as if it should reduce the risk of a mixup.

In reply to a post by StephenTodd:

Thanks for the warning, I'll keep an eye open come the changeover date. I guess it should be pretty obvious when my BT broadband stops working! I assume that the modem (I still have modem/HH3) continues connection but the PPPoE session is lost; is that correct?

Correct, you have to put your Plusnet credentials into the router, they're different for each customer, unlike BT who use a generic "bthomehub" credential.

I'll probably continue to use the HH3 as I won't have to reconfigure devices and I know its wireless works over the house somewhat better than the old BE box did. It looks as if the PlusNet router is pretty similar to the BE box, though maybe its a newer model.

I've also got the separate modem , but decided against the plusnet router as I already have two in my house, my ASUS RT-AC68U that I'm using now, and my old HH3.

I'm pleased they separate the broadband move and phone move; that seems as if it should reduce the risk of a mixup.

Yes, it worked for me - but BT screwed up and kept billing, but BTcare fixed that, it wasn't Plusnet's problem. BT admitted they were wrong!