MAC code refusal

[shack]

Just been trying to get a MAC code from PIPEX who have refused saying that due to maintenance they cannot do so for 20 days. My understanding for the UK is that they have to do so within 5 days then one complains to OFCOM. Is this correct?

[rotorcraig]

Yes according to the Ofcom website, but you should also complain to PIPEX directly.

Confirmation of 5 days here

Advice on next step here

RC

[shack]

Thanks I was not quite sure of the UK procedure. There is no such thing as a MAC here you just change when you want.

[green granite]

Try ringing them back and asking them again, if they still say 20 days reply that unless you get it within the 5 days stipulated by OffCom you will report them to the said organisation, it usually works like a charm.

[Hyph]

20 days? Shouldn't be that long.

Are they in a Christmas period change freeze? It's entirely normal not to make changes during this time, but to stop issuing MAC codes is unusual and they shouldn't be making it your problem anyway.

[green granite]

Hyph It's a normal "business practice by some ISP's to drag their feet over MACs in the hopes that 1) you'll give up and stay with them. 2) so they can screw you for another months money. This is the reason OffCom issued that set of requirements. While most of the ISPs abide by them there are still a few that try it on and should be reported, hence my comments above.

[simountain1]

pipex are like this they told me I couldnt cancel as my 12 month contract was not up, I had the bloody email in front of me when I rang them lol with the confimation of order and the date.
Complain to to http://www.ispa.org.uk/complaints/page_40.html
they are a member and this is the only way to get a response from Pipex I found

[shack]

Thanks all is now resolved, having said 20 days initially I took the above advice and said I would make a formal complaint to Ofcom, the 20 days then became 5, Nothing after 5 days so back to them and the answer was "we meant 5 working days not including week-ends" we shall send it to you by email---it arrived the following day by snail mail with a letter asking once more why we wanted to change, "we were one of the first UK ISPs we are great etc."

[Capot]

Relation of mine tried to set up ADSL with Pipex.....they took her money but it never worked. It took her 3 months to resolve the issue, she lost her money, and in that period Pipex attitude and behaviour was unbelievably bad. I saw and heard some of this when I tried to intervene on her behalf. Their staff lied outright, were obstructive, incompetent, rude, and oblivious to her distress, and she and I invariably had to spend hours simply trying to speak to anyone. Their "service" was non-existent.

STAY AWAY FROM PIPEX.

[Black Box Barney]

Especially now they're owned by the Tiscali shower of ****e

[Capot]

For what it's worth, it's a good idea to look at Utility Warehouse products....the more you get from them the cheaper it is, the service is good, and their helpline is excellent.

I have had electricity and gas from them for 3 years, phone (rent and calls) for 2 years, and moved ADSL to them a few months ago, for a total increase on the monthly bill of £1.50 plus VAT (incl 8Mb data). I lost the payment of £23.50 that ADSL cost me previously (4-5Mb per month data).

The download speed increased from under 1 Mbs to 4-6 Mbs (I may have got the abbreviation wrong but you know what I mean, I hope!).

Our neighbour has just signed up to a basic UW phone/ADSL package for £20 per month incl VAT, includes line rental, free calls weekends, cheaper calls otherwise, and good ADSL connection with free email account(s?) and, I think some webspace but I may have that wrong. Took about 3 weeks from order to completion, no hassle at all.

And I'm not an agent!

I was with Eclipse Networking; excellent free tech help (O1392 number can be used if you prefer not to use 08**) and slow speed (see above), but it was their dreadful accounts in Hull that eventually drove me to look elsewhere and discover that I was wasting a lot of money. They supplied the MAC very promptly and with very good grace.

[5711N0205W]

Moved from Pipex to IDNET (recommended) some months ago and it took quite a while to get the MAC from them. Had been with Pipex a number of years and they used to be very good, the takeover by Tiscali soon put paid to that

Details of IDNET here http://www.idnet.net/, like Pipex used to be in the good old days.

[john50uk]

I left Pipex after five years to go to SKY MAX. Was given the usual runaround regarding the MAC code, but soon as I mentioned Ofcom, I was given my MAC code there and then over the phone.

John