Ofcom Makes It Easier To Switch Broadband Providers

Telecoms regulator Ofcom (www.ofcom.org.uk) unveiled new measures to make it easier to switch ISPs for broadband and landlines without being left for weeks without services. At present, switching services is so confusing and difficult that many people avoid it, which prevents them from moving to a better deal. That's because, in most cases, you have to request the change via your existing ISP, which doesn't have much incentive to move you quickly - and will do its utmost to persuade you to stay. Under the existing "losing provider-led" process, you need to speak to your existing provider to get a transfer code - called a MAC (Migration Authorisation Code) - to give to your new provider. This requires a number of phone calls to get the code, terminate the existing service and start the new one. Under the new plans, you only need to talk to your new provider, which does all the work for you under what Ofcom calls a "gaining provider-led" process. This means that to switch ISPs, you simply call your new provider and it manages the move - you no longer have to call your old provider to request a MAC code for the switch. The new measures will also address how quickly a new service gets up and running, hopefully avoiding a situation where you're left without broadband for weeks on end while waiting for your new service to get turned on. The new system also makes it harder to become a victim of so-called "slamming", which is when an ISP signs you up to a partner company without your consent. The changes to the switching process are under consultation until October and are expected to be finalised in early 2014 and come into effect in 2015. See Ofcom's article 'Consumers set for easier broadband and landline switching' for more information.

At the moment, if you want to switch to a new broadband provider, you'll have to go through a long, laborious and sometimes confusing process, and probably be forced to listen to a lengthy sales pitch to try to get you to stay. Then, if you remain convinced it's time to switch, you'll need to call your new ISP with the MAC code - potentially leaving you without broadband. The new system means you'll need to make just one phone call to your new ISP, which then manages the whole switch for you. This means you can avoid your existing supplier's desperate sales pitch, and you won't be left without services - assuming your new ISP is good at managing its schedules. Because you'll be able to switch provider more easily, you'll be able to take better advantage of broadband deals with other ISPs. That should help spur competition as well as improve customer services. If an ISP wants to keep you, they won't be able to depend on locking you into a complicated system to do so.

We think this is fantastic news for web users. It's about time the process of switching from one contract to another was simplified. Think how much time we've all wasted trying to move from one ISP to another - and how much more we've paid for less competitive services because we didn't have the time or inclination to unpick complicated switching systems. So well done to Ofcom for finally taking action on this matter. However, it's disappointing that we'll need to wait until 2015 for the regulator to roll out these sensible and straightforward changes. Clearly, it will take some time to set up new systems, but in the meantime we'll have to go through at least another 18 months of difficult contract switches - or just wait it out. This is a good idea which should be introduced much sooner.