Well after a numerous calls to BT & O2, BT have finally accepted the order though the actual switch over does not take place for some weeks yet. For information the O2 product I have (or had) is O2 Home Broadband Ultimate but my phone service was always with BT. Many thanks for the help!

I Have just moved to BT Infinity from O2 LLU BB with BT Retail phone line. MAC generated within minutes (less than 60 if IRC) and had no problems what so ever. Now running at 37.75down 8.5 up couldnt be happier.

Only stumbling ground was the Sainsbury gift card and getting my old Madasafish email to be able to send through the BT (Yahoo?) network, which were easily sorted.

I too had problems with my Be issued MAC. I ordered Infinity before requesting the MAC but after I received the MAC, I found I couldn't get the BT system to accept it. The call centre said the system must be at fault and to try later, which I did and for a couple of days after, but in the end, BT cancelled the order and got me to re-order and the MAC was accepted first time.

I am pondering whether O2 are giving out MACs that they have already issued in order to migrate punters to Sky.

In reply to a post by partial:

I am pondering whether O2 are giving out MACs that they have already issued in order to migrate punters to Sky.

Def something odd going on at O2/sky they keep piling pressure to switch early, a query I had last week with tech was 'switch to Sky and the problem will go', er i don't think so. Turned out not to be a prob, buts that what they said, 2 diff techs.

I wanted to share my experience on this oldish post as it was the most useful that came up when searching for "BT MAC not accepted".

I am with BE / Sky and asked for my MAC earlier today and was given it verbally - first time incorrectly (an 'I' mistaken for a '1'), second time 'correctly' - but the automated BT system wouldn't accept it. So I tried calling BT with it, who I guess have the same system as the automated one, and it still wouldn't work. I was left wondering what on Earth I was going to do, since BT would probably keep declining it and BE/Sky wouldn't be able to give me any other information than appeared on their screens. So I thought I'd wait for my automated email from BE / Sky with the MAC and take it from there.

An hour later the email arrives. The first part of the MAC is the same as I was given. The second part after the /, that is the AB12C part, was different. Weird. I tried the 'new' MAC. Accepted by BT.

Something must be up with the information being shown on CS screens at Sky and what the system actually emails out. Indeed it may be the case that operators shouldn't give out the MAC verbally and should ask customers to wait for the email, as this is perhaps the 'official' information. Or some other variant of this.

In any case, my experience tells me that it's worth waiting for the official email as what you'll get told over the phone may not be accurate. In my case, that's the story. Hope this helps someone.