Starting a broadband service where a service exists

The home mover FAQ contains the following:

I have moved, but my provider is telling me that someone is camped on my line, what do I do?

The phrase 'camped on the line' is used to describe a situation, where you have moved into a property and took over the telephone line, but the old broadband is still active.

Your broadband provider should wait three days for the tag to clear and place a broadband order after this. If the tag fails to clear then given proof that you have taken over the telephone line they will arrange for the old broadband to be removed.

Is this (the italicised bit) true?

I signed up to Zen ten days ago. They told me there's already someone using the line (I moved into the house about six weeks ago). I have asked them to cease their broadband but they clearly haven't done it yet (it was a contract owned by the previous resident's employer... my guess is that bureaucracy is stopping anything getting done).

Zen claim that there's nothing they can do until they get a MAC, and I assume this is the case for all ISPs.

So can someone simply stop you getting broadband by camping on a line?

Edited by deleted (Thu 17-Oct-13 13:36:30)

A MAC is irrelevant as you aren't migrating a service you are starting a new one (the old one has to be terminated as you cannot transfer it to your name).

Zen should be able to start a new order process that effectively slams the line. The old provider should send a letter to the address (old owner) telling them that the line is being slammed and if there was an issue with this then they should contact - as they are no longer at the address they obviously won't get the letter and stop the transfer.

Once that has cleared then the old provider should terminate the connection and Zen should be able to reprovide.

You have to remember you also need to take over the voice line and that process doesn't use MACs at all anyway.

PS: You would effectively be using the same process as in this thread but for the purpose it was created (whereas in that thread it was done by accident in error).

Edited by ian72 (Thu 17-Oct-13 12:43:49)

Did you sign up to Zen for phone and broadband, or just broadband? If just broadband, who have you signed up to for the phone?

Or are you just using the line, (and broadband?), that is still there?

Thanks, but I should be clear: I'm only talking about broadband here.

Yeah, Zen say it's possible to slam the line but only if voice/landline services are transferred to Zen too. I don't want to do that; I chose my phone provider based on low line rental costs and have only just transferred to them (hence the four week gap between moving in and signing up to Zen).

Did you sign up to Zen for phone and broadband, or just broadband? If just broadband, who have you signed up to for the phone?

Just broadband. Phone with Primus.

Or are you just using the line, (and broadband?), that is still there?

I'm using the Primus line that has been recently transferred, yes.... not sure if that's what you meant.

I changed the thread title... maybe "taking over a line" suggested this was phone line too... apologies!

The act of Primus taking the line should have cleared the broadband as well as the line is now in your name. But it might take a few days for the tags to clear.

The line was transferred ten days ago (eight working days). Any idea how many days that should take?

Hmm, in that case I would say Zen should be able to deal with it. As they can't I'm not sure where you can go next I'm afraid. Sorry.

The phone number didn't change, does that affect it?