ISP is blocking attempts to change to new provider

[Bamboozled]

I've got a tricky problem and I'm pretty baffled.

I've beeen trying to switch from Vispa ADSL to BT Fibre. I signed up to BT over the phone when they rang at the end of August.

• The first switch was due to take place on 11Sep but was cancelled by Vispa.
• BT reordered it and the second attempt was due for 14Sep but it was also cancelled by Vispa.
• I rang Vispa's customer services number and was told they needed a letter giving 30 days notice before the switchover date. I explained that after ordering a migration with BT it takes them a lot less than 30 days before they attempt the switchover. Vispa's rep said that once they received the letter they would allow the migration to go through.
• BT's third attempt was due on 25Sep but Vispa cancelled again two days before. Royal Mail says they received the letter a week earlier.

I'd looked up the Ofcom guide for broadband switching and it makes no mention of needing to give 30 days notice.

You only need to contact the provider you wish to switch to, who will notify your old provider of the intended transfer - you do not need to cancel your contract with your old provider.

The Vispa Knowledgebase article: How do I cancel my account with Vispa?

Remember, we do not charge you to close your account, if you have used a MAC to migrate your service to another supplier, and any contract period has expired

If you have requested, and used a MAC to migrate (transfer) your service to another supplier, then you simply need to give us 30 days’ notice in writing to close the account, after placing an order with your chosen supplier, using the provided MAC. We'll then close your account 30 days from the date we receive your request, and issue a final invoice, taking payment via the payment method we hold on file.

If there is no open migration order when we receive your request to close your account, we will place a cease order against your service (chargeable), so please make sure an order has been placed with your new supplier, and you have been provided a migration date, before requesting account closure.

When you click the link from the Vispa Knowledgebase menu it returns a 404 because there's a rogue '?' in the URL. Your average customer couldnt reasonably be expected to be able to access that page.

I cant see that I've done anything incorrectly or why I should need to have provided a letter giving Vispa 30 days notice. I have a rolling contract. The information on Vispa's site is clearly out of date, makes no mention of the GPL process and instead refers to the system it replaced where you had to use an MAC. Are Vispa operating outside the new rules brought in by Ofcom in June or have I missed something?

I sent a complaint email to Vispa (worded very similarly to this post) on 25Sep and havent heard back yet. BT are making a fourth transfer attempt on 9Oct.

BT phone support is terrible and they don't give out support by email, although a mod on the BT forum gave me a link to webchat with a small UK based team. They were helpful and seemed to be the first person to understand the problem, but there's a limit to what they can do if Vispa keep cancelling the transfers a few days before they're due.

Does anyone have any suggestions for my next move?

[thenry]

Is this business or home services? And is there a landline to be taken over by BT?

The MAC would be your broadband kits registration code. Has Openreach installed kit to obtain fibre in the premises already previous to this venture or is it a direct connection from phone socket to your Vispa broadband kit?

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by thenry

The MAC would be your broadband kits registration code.

A MAC is no longer required to migrate any broadband connection http://www.uswitch.com/broadband/guides/mac_codes/

UPDATE: Under rules introduced in June 2015 consumers who switch broadband provider no longer require a MAC code. Instead, Ofcom's revamped code of practice transfers responsibility for managing a switch to the provider to whom the customer is switching.

[thenry]

BT would require new kit be installed anyway. The only things transferable would be the landline number and any fibre Openreach kit already installed in the premises.

[BenMcr]

Agreed, but that's the issue - Vispa are cancelling the order so Openreach won't be down to either install or reconfigure any kit.

Something definately isn't correct in what is happening. I can't see why Vispa are refusing the transfer. Even if they have a 30 day notice period that shouldn't cause your order not to be accepted.

For instance when VM have a transfer out order on a landline it's accepted and processed and used a cancellation request. 30 days are still charged even if the line itself is transferred before that.

[thenry]

According to this theres a charge to cancel

http://helpdesk.vispa.net/index.php?...Article/View/1

[BenMcr]

That has already been covered - the page is wrong by still mentioning MAC led transfers. They no longer exist.

They should not be refusing a provider led transfer because that is the correct process as required by OFCOM.

Whether there is cancellation fee or not is irrelevant to the transfer process

[thenry]

May be they need far too much time to process a cancellation to the terms set.

Note sarcasm.

If everything has been recorded etc. customer end then chase them and throw it to them to sort out the mess or get onto ofcom etc.

[Bamboozled]

Thanks for the replies.

Is this business or home services? And is there a landline to be taken over by BT?

Home services and the landline was already with BT.

BT would require new kit be installed anyway. The only things transferable would be the landline number and any fibre Openreach kit already installed in the premises.

A BT engineer is coming round tomorrow to install something and I've already received my BT Home Hub through the post.

****************
Anyway, problem apparently solved. Vispa contacted me this evening to tell me they've fixed the problem. It was a technical issue that was making it appear that Vispa was simply rejecting the orders but they were failing for another reason.

Thanks again.

[thenry]

Did you dig deeper asking what the reason was? Did you quote Ofcoms ruling?

The engineer is most probably installing your broadband tomorrow, the fibre modem.

[Bamboozled]

The email came from a manager and he did explain but I'm not sure how much I should reveal. Basically they had their reseller ID ammended but one of their suppliers didn't update their ordering systems accordingly despite being notified by Vispa. For a few weeks orders were being automatically rejected by their suppliers system. It's fixed now.

He said I was right (which is a relief!) about the GPL being the replacement to MAC. He also apologised and said he'll be getting on to their customer contact team to update the info they're giving out. They're also crediting my final bill and any cancellation charges. I'm quite impressed with their response. To be fair, I've had a few technical problems over the years that Vispa were very good in helping via email.

Did you quote Ofcoms ruling?

I quoted the GPL part and linked to the full article in the email I sent on Friday. It makes a huge difference being able to email your ISP and I'm not looking forward to having to use the Indian BT call centre as my primary contact with them. There's no way you can explain something like this in a phone call.

[thenry]

Good to hear

Use the BT community forum. Social media, twitter, facebook etc. is another option.

[qasdfdsaq]

Hmm, I should listen to my own advice - never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

First I was thinking they're being evil, law-breaking *******s by deliberately making it hard to leave but the technical issue does explain it, though not the incompetent CS responses earlier.

[thenry]

I would have torn them a new one.