Ofcom / MAC key migration clarity

Hi and HNY to you all - a question if I may:

I believe from 14 Feb this year all bandwidth providers will have to release customers with a MAC key, regardless of contractual obligations, but does that mean providers like Sky who currently refuse LLU MAC's will accept an LLU MAC or will they be allowed to carry on in this manner, at least until they change policy?

Thanks - Blue

As far as i am aware the new ofcom legislation regarding Migrations only covers ipstream Mac keys at the moment but i could be wrong

I didn't realise it excluded the LLU systems; maybe I should have read it!

Thanks - Blue

In reply to:

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I didn't realise it excluded the LLU systems; maybe I should have read it!

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It doesn't completely exclude LLU from 14 February 2007 (in fact I can't really see the difference except no MAC will be issued).

1.17 Where the MAC process does not apply (for example, for migrations to and from connections based on MPF, for home moves, or where there is no live broadband connection), the high-level obligations in General Condition 22.2 will require broadband providers to:

facilitate the migration (or where applicable, connection) of the Broadband Service in a manner that is fair and reasonable;
ensure that the migration (or where applicable, connection) of the Broadband Service is carried out within a reasonable period;
ensure that the migration (or where applicable, connection) of the Broadband Service is carried out with minimal loss of the Broadband Service; and
assist with, and facilitate requests for, the migration (or where applicable, connection) of a Broadband Service provided by another Communications Provider, in instances where the other Communications Provider has failed to, or refused to, comply with the MAC Broadband Migrations Process, in a manner that is fair and reasonable.

Edited by deleted (Mon 01-Jan-07 19:31:00)

Blimey, that's as clear as mud let's see what comes out the woodwork in a couple of months.

Thanks anyway - Blue

I think the key part is minimal loss of the Broadband Service

The OFCOM ruling isn't so much about who accepts a MAC but about ISPs that would refuse to give them when someone wanted to leave. I.e. no ISP is forced to accept a MAC when presented by an user it just means that if they do it should mean a minimal downtime as a connection is switched to the new provider.

Moving between some products does not require a MAC code, I linked to an Ofcom document detailing a matrix of these moves, and plan once back to translate it into 'consumer' language and put a copy online.

Andrew

Thanks ever so guys - Blue