Joined: 13 Aug 2006Posts: 1689Location: Marylebone Central London
They are breaking the law i would report them to Ofcom and the ISPA fill in their online complaints form they were also breaking the law asking you for the money for the rest of your contract that is a seperate issue and to be resolved after, issuing you with a MAC is NOT a cancellation until you use it.
Refusal to issue a MAC
A1.11 The Communications Provider shall only refuse to issue a MAC to their End-User if:
(a) the Communications Provider has, by taking reasonable steps, been
unable to validate the identity of the person requesting the MAC as the
End-User;
(b) the Broadband Service contract has already been terminated;
(c) a MAC which is still within its MAC validity period has already been
requested and issued by the Communications Provider in relation to
the Broadband Service; and
(d) the Communications Provider has already submitted a Cease Request
for the Broadband Service; and
(e) the Communications Provider is unable to obtain a MAC from a
Broadband Network Communications Provider.
A1.12 Where the Communications Provider is unable to, or refuses to, provide a MAC to the End-User, the Communications Provider shall provide the End-User with a clear explanation of why the MAC has not been provided.
I phoned Orange just after 9.00am this morning and asked to be put through to Broadband Care. Assistant no1 said no need to talk to them, let me help you. I told her I was still waiting for a MAC code. No1 then said there was an error and I couldn’t have one. Then she told me they had two systems a good one and a bad one. I asked if it was really like that and she said sadly it was and you are stuck between the two of them. I said if she couldn’t help maybe ISPA can and she finally gave in and transferred me to Broadband care.
Broadband care; After a lot of hard talking assistant 2 told me they had contacted Magdalene, the company that does the migrations. They couldn’t give me a MAC code because the migration wasn’t complete. I had no contract to migrate from. He then said there was nothing more to say as neither he nor anyone else could do anything to help. I told him I would stay on the line and keep talking to him until someone could help me. After a few minutes he asked if I would like to talk to the escalation team
Escalation dept assistant no 3; we went through the whole complaint again starting with me agreeing to another year to be upgraded to 8mb through to what had been said today. After more hard talking she said she would get a MAC code to me by this afternoon. Thank you for calling Orange
A few minutes later the phone rang, assistant 3 said I couldn’t have a MAC code until at least the 29th December. She also blamed Magdalene. Her best advice was to terminate my contract today and go with a new ISP. I asked how long I would be without a connection and was told normally 10 days, I asked how long it would be over the holidays and she admitted 3 – 4 weeks. I asked what the chances were of getting a MAC code on 29th and she said not very good.
So now I have to wait until after the holidays before I can re-start trying to get a MAC code. I took her suggestion to terminate today as let your new ISP sort out the mess. I would rather have a slow 2mb connection than no connection until this awful mess is sorted so I have no choice but to stay with Orange for now
They couldn’t give me a MAC code because the migration wasn’t complete. I had no contract to migrate from.
Hold on.....on Dec 9th you posted an email you received from Orange :
"Hello Kate,
Thank you for your email.
We will certainly assist you.
As per our records, the migration of higher speed on your line is
completed and you should be able to get more speed on your Broadband line."
So why are they talking about Magdalene now ?
I think they're stalling. You are in contract, it's just the LLU installation at your exchange has been coc#ed up and Magdalene have been called back in.
_________________ An ex-Orange guinea pig
"The first third of our lives is ruined by our parents, the second third by 0range then along comes 02 and you die happy."
Yes, you are correct I do have an email from Orange confirming my migration is complete and yes my ISP is showing as Orange Home UK. I really don't know what else to do this side of the holidays
Joined: 13 Aug 2006Posts: 1689Location: Marylebone Central London
I would fill in a complaints form to the ISPA (link above) this is ridiculous they are stalling you and making it awkward for you to leave and playing on you not having a connection if you cancel etc.just like they tried with me a year ago till i complained to the ISPA how the hell is this company continuously getting away with it.
_________________ ex Freeserve/Wanadoo/Orange Blog
Yes, you are correct I do have an email from Orange confirming my migration is complete and yes my ISP is showing as Orange Home UK. I really don't know what else to do this side of the holidays
Kate
I would do as Steve says and copy the emails to OFCOM as well.
I'm certain they are getting away with their "dodgy" dealings because not enough customers are officially complaining to OFCOM/ISPA.
Personally, I would bite the bullet now and cancel however great the inconvenience. You've seen what they can be like and when you have the next problem it will happen all over again.
For me, the next serious problem I have with them, I'll be off, fortunately everything has been OK now since early this year.
_________________ An ex-Orange guinea pig
"The first third of our lives is ruined by our parents, the second third by 0range then along comes 02 and you die happy."
I'm working on my complaint now for ISPA. I don't want to lose my internet connection over the holidays but am quite prepared to do it in the New Year to escape from Orange
Joined: 12 Jun 2006Posts: 907Location: Weston-super-Mare, UK
Kate
I can understand why you want to leave but you have done well getting to Escalation dept assistant no 3. That is the person who should be able to sort you out. Hopefully you have there contact details - I would now be keeping on to them to sort it, why can they give you a decent connection?
I know Orange promise the world for next to nothing and that's probably what you'll end up with.........next to nothing.
In the ISP world, small is definitely better.
And I promise that I won't say "I told you so" if you decide on Orange and post back here in 2 months with problems.[/quote]
In any world, small is better - you may pay more (a little bit usually, if any) but you get a better service for sure! I run a small business myself and keep getting customers complaining of Large Companies all the time and never stop thanking us - just for doing our job! What large Companies should do in the first place.
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when you finally get your 
