In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

If they are around to get the letter.

Broadband slamming is rare. I'm happy to be corrected on this point if there is evidence to the contrary, but I for one have not seen it.

Um, given that until Saturday (eg 2 days ago), it wasn't an issue because the MAC system made slamming practically unviable, you'd struggle to find evidence.

However, look at the telephone market where this same "gaining lead" model is used and there is plenty of such evidence.

In reply to a post by therioman:

Um, given that until Saturday (eg 2 days ago), it wasn't an issue because the MAC system made slamming practically unviable, you'd struggle to find evidence.

Most migrations have been gaining-provider led for a long time. Only WLR3 -> WLR3 migrations have been MAC based. Migrations, to, from and between MPF have been gaining-provider led for about 10 years, and no-one on WLR3 has been "safe" from slamming for around 10 years.

However, look at the telephone market where this same "gaining lead" model is used and there is plenty of such evidence.

When MPF became reality, yes, there were instances, but it's rare now. I don't even see how one can be slammed without providing billing details first, unless the ISP slamming wants to provide free broadband.

Please explain how that helps if you are away on a 2 week holiday.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

However, look at the telephone market where this same "gaining lead" model is used and there is plenty of such evidence.

When MPF became reality, yes, there were instances, but it's rare now. I don't even see how one can be slammed without providing billing details first, unless the ISP slamming wants to provide free broadband.


I need nothing more than the telephone number. I'm *supposed* to have evidence in case of dispute of course (and being legitimate I do), but in practice, the only information I require is the circuit number(s) to move. I do this daily. Nothing tricky required.

In reply to a post by therioman:

I need nothing more than the telephone number. I'm *supposed* to have evidence in case of dispute of course (and being legitimate I do), but in practice, the only information I require is the circuit number(s) to move. I do this daily. Nothing tricky required.

And how would you bill a slammed customer without obtaining their billing details?

Tell them that if they use the service they must pay for it which leaves them between a rock and a hard place. They can't access the internet using their old credentials but if they use the new credentials it confirms the transfer and they have to pay for it.

It doesn't, but as this notification system has existed for years on full LLU and WLR3 moves and there is not 100,000's of complaints one presumes that the providers are not about try to and do mass slamming during the school holidays.

In reply to a post by jelv:

Tell them that if they use the service they must pay for it which leaves them between a rock and a hard place. They can't access the internet using their old credentials but if they use the new credentials it confirms the transfer and they have to pay for it.

Which I think is a very rare form of slamming. The cases of slamming I've heard the ISP seems to have the billing details already, which leads me to believe they are mostly cancelled orders (via doorstep selling, cold calling or otherwise).

Having checked, the losing provider can cancel a transfer if slamming has occurred. But Ofcom require that the losing provider take reasonable steps to establish that slamming has actually occured, and in guidelines they do state this can only �follow a conversation with the customer about an order�. Ofcom also say this should involve asking whether the order matches the name of another decision-maker in the household and if so slamming is only established if they speak to that person and determine consent was not given, there can be no deference to the account holder�s instructions in such circumstances. They must also ask how the slamming occurred - whether there was no contact with the gaining provider or whether there was contact but no consent given, and record this in the reason code when cancelling the transfer.

have you a link for that as I was under the impression that phoning up wasn't allowed as that could be said to be coercion