MAC is required for IPStream > SMPF
MAC is not required for IPStream > MPF (as it's effectively a PSTN line takeover rather than a change of DSL supplier)

Thanks for the info GeeTee - Plusnet reckon a MAC key is not required if migrating broadband to another ISP using LLU, guess they are talking about full LLU (MPF) and not partial LLU (SMPF.)

It was me who did the opening post, RobertoS.

I'll let you know how I get on, Tim, although I'm not holding much hope of fantastic speeds with a 45db attenuation.

I've been getting 3.2MB across speed tests today and, whilst it allows me to watch 720p YouTube videos and stream TV in high quality (even watch BBC HD on iPlayer!), I felt it was now or never to try and get a better speed.

Living in a small village, you sit and think, "Am I going to get fibre next year or in 5 or 10 years time or never".

Unfortunately that is an all too common misconception within non-LLU ISPs. Understandable really - there's no particular need for their staff to differentiate between the two flavours day to day. It's really the responsibility of the gaining ISP to advise their new customer whether a MAC is required or not.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

It was me who did the opening post, RobertoS.

I'll let you know how I get on, Tim, although I'm not holding much hope of fantastic speeds with a 45db attenuation.

I've been getting 3.2MB across speed tests today and, whilst it allows me to watch 720p YouTube videos and stream TV in high quality (even watch BBC HD on iPlayer!), I felt it was now or never to try and get a better speed.

Living in a small village, you sit and think, "Am I going to get fibre next year or in 5 or 10 years time or never".

Thanks Paul, well I'm on full Max and it's annoying theres no 21CN at my exchange, I have bags of SNR.

In reply to a post by GeeTee:

Unfortunately that is an all too common misconception within non-LLU ISPs. Understandable really - there's no particular need for their staff to differentiate between the two flavours day to day. It's really the responsibility of the gaining ISP to advise their new customer whether a MAC is required or not.

I strongly recommend always obtaining a MAC, partly for the reason 4M2 gives that if the migration takes place most ISPs take the issue as the start of the most common 30-day notice period, and partly if the user needs to argue the toss about Cease charges that have been wrongly applied. That does happen too often with a small number of losing ISPs.

The only time a MAC is not required by Openreach is a migration to full LLU, (MPF). Even with that migration, as above I recommend getting one as it is no business of the losing ISP who you are going to migrate to. It is then up to the gaining MPF supplier to ensure that they follow the Openreach "published procedure", which they should be well aware of though I forget what its name is within the system.

The "published procedure" also applies however to SMPF migrations, as they too involve an ADSL Cease of the BT Wholesale service. However in this case the MAC is required by Openreach anyway so there is rarely a problem.

As there are only two MPF ISPs, plus their resellers, this should not be an issue, but occasionally it is. One should try to submit the MAC to the gaining ISP and then what they do with it is their responsibility.

A cease charge will not be raised in the following circumstances:
...
· The End User line has been migrated to another ADSL service provider using the
published migration process.
· The End User line has been migrated to an LLU operator (either SMPF or MPF)
using the published migration process....

Edited by RobertoS (Sun 20-Nov-11 09:31:21)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

The only time a MAC is not required by Openreach is a migration to full LLU, (MPF).

Or a migration away from a full LLU (MPF) service - as the PSTN service must be moved in its entirety there is no option to just move the DSL away - hence no need for a MAC and in fact no mechanism for one to be generated.

Correct . I was just trying to keep my post shorter than many of mine as we were talking about migration to ....

I assume in fact a de facto ADSL Cease occurs that way as well. Never seen it mentioned.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

most ISPs take the issue as the start of the most common 30-day notice period

Do you have any evidence of this? Have you done a survey? Also how can the issue of an eventually unfulfilled MAC contractually start a notice period? No, many ISPs require explicit notice or take it at the point of migration.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

most ISPs take the issue as the start of the most common 30-day notice period

Do you have any evidence of this? Have you done a survey? Also how can the issue of an eventually unfulfilled MAC contractually start a notice period? No, many ISPs require explicit notice or take it at the point of migration.

Evidence - observation, experience, and having read many ISPs' T & Cs on the matter in order to advise particular posters.
Unused MAC starting the notice period - I thought I had included that whilst previewing before posting but must have got distracted and posted the preview. Re-reading it, you've done a selective quote. Start a bit earlier in the same sentence . That was how I covered the point at the preview stage.
Many ISPs ... - I think you mean Orange who I believe refused to accept notice until the migration away had completed, which seemed illegal to me. A few do require explicit notice I agree.

Edited by RobertoS (Sun 20-Nov-11 14:30:06)