Sky Broadband

kheb3350 · 14 Sep 2006 at 11:29

Third Opinion said:
Phoned Sky and they told me that although I gave them a MAC code I should have cancelled the service and had the line re-activated.

Yeah I had to cancel BT broadband even though I gave Sky the MAC code.

Although the date for BT broadand cancellation is the 19th, and Sky is supposed to be activated on the 20th (or so I thought - got letter saying today that it is possible it might be activated by BT before then). Anyone know what happens if Sky is activated and BT broadband has not been deactivated? For example, if BT don't bother to deactivate until the 21st and Sky comes on on the 20th. Is that possible and if so, should I get the the BT broadband cancellation date moved to something earlier like the 15th or something?

tolien · 14 Sep 2006 at 12:18

kheb3350 said:
For example, if BT don't bother to deactivate until the 21st and Sky comes on on the 20th.

If your current ADSL isn't ceased, Sky won't be able to order a new connection at all.

Third Opinion · 14 Sep 2006 at 12:34

kheb3350 said:
Yeah I had to cancel BT broadband even though I gave Sky the MAC code.

Although the date for BT broadand cancellation is the 19th, and Sky is supposed to be activated on the 20th (or so I thought - got letter saying today that it is possible it might be activated by BT before then). Anyone know what happens if Sky is activated and BT broadband has not been deactivated? For example, if BT don't bother to deactivate until the 21st and Sky comes on on the 20th. Is that possible and if so, should I get the the BT broadband cancellation date moved to something earlier like the 15th or something?

It takes about 5 days to order an activation on your line. It cannot be ordered until your line is free of broadband service. That is why you have a MAC code so you don't have to cease the line. If you have given them a MAC code then it should just swap over (in theory).

kheb3350 · 14 Sep 2006 at 13:19

tolien said:
If your current ADSL isn't ceased, Sky won't be able to order a new connection at all.

So given that Sky says they could try and activate Sky before the 20th September, I should cancel the BT broadband now to make sure its deactivated by the time someone tries to activate Sky?

csmager · 14 Sep 2006 at 13:21

kheb3350 said:
So given that Sky says they could try and activate Sky before the 20th September, I should cancel the BT broadband now to make sure its deactivated by the time someone tries to activate Sky?

I think the point is Sky have told you a date, but they shouldn't even be able to place an order until after the line has been ceased and the database caught up. So it looks like something's a miss.

kheb3350 · 14 Sep 2006 at 13:24

Third Opinion said:
It takes about 5 days to order an activation on your line. It cannot be ordered until your line is free of broadband service. That is why you have a MAC code so you don't have to cease the line. If you have given them a MAC code then it should just swap over (in theory).

So basically I should cancel BT broadband today. Is that correct?

kheb3350 · 14 Sep 2006 at 13:27

csmager said:
I think the point is Sky have told you a date, but they shouldn't even be able to place an order until after the line has been ceased and the database caught up. So it looks like something's a miss.

Right, oh. Looks like I should phone Sky.

Third Opinion · 15 Sep 2006 at 07:45

Well today is the 15th I was supose to be activated on the 12th. I am still on with my old provider. I am beginning to regret doing this.

iMacMart · 15 Sep 2006 at 08:18

Third Opinion said:
Well today is the 15th I was supose to be activated on the 12th. I am still on with my old provider. I am beginning to regret doing this.

Keep the faith, although making things smooth would be a nice way to start with a new ISP!!!!

FolkD · 15 Sep 2006 at 09:07

I signed up for the Regular Sky Broadband (£17pm) as we are not in the roll out area as yet. I currently use Zen, and the Sky advisor has instructed me to get a Mac code from Zen....

Do they only issue a Mac code when you cancel the service?

Is there likely to be any down time or is it just a seamless switch over?

I havent cancelled Zen yet, but i pressume there will be like a 30day notice period or something.

Folk

kheb3350 · 15 Sep 2006 at 09:13

Third Opinion said:
Well today is the 15th I was supose to be activated on the 12th. I am still on with my old provider. I am beginning to regret doing this.

Feel for you - must be annoying.

Third Opinion · 15 Sep 2006 at 09:19

There seems to be a lot of confusion about cancelling your existing service. When I requested a MAC I got this in an email:

Please note that a request for a MAC does not represent a request to cancel your
service with Eclipse Internet. However, should you choose to use the MAC within
the 30 day validity period this will constitute such a request and your Eclipse
Broadband service will be cancelled. Your 30 day notice period (please refer to
the Terms & Conditions, clause 6.2) will commence on the date that your MAC was
issued (the date of this communication to you) and any pro-rata charges or
credits will be invoiced on a final bill accordingly.

From that I take it I need not cancel my service? So why are they saying we should have?

iMacMart · 15 Sep 2006 at 09:26

FolkD said:
I signed up for the Regular Sky Broadband (£17pm) as we are not in the roll out area as yet. I currently use Zen, and the Sky advisor has instructed me to get a Mac code from Zen....

Do they only issue a Mac code when you cancel the service?

Is there likely to be any down time or is it just a seamless switch over?

I havent cancelled Zen yet, but i pressume there will be like a 30day notice period or something.

Folk

Can't see it being seamless tbh..!!

kheb3350 · 15 Sep 2006 at 09:57

Third Opinion From that I take it I need not cancel my service?

I've got confused about the MAC and the switch so perhaps I'm not the person to comment. However, from that paragraph it does seem that the account with Eclipse would be cancelled after thirty days if the MAC is used by someone else.

Also, I got confused about some of the posts previously. As I understand it now, with my switch from BT I do not need to cancel BT broadband until after Sky is activated because Sky have my MAC.

zetec452 · 15 Sep 2006 at 10:01

kheb3350 said:
I've got confused about the MAC and the switch so perhaps I'm not the person to comment. However, from that paragraph it does seem that the account with Eclipse would be cancelled after thirty days if the MAC is used by someone else.

Correct.

Also, I got confused about some of the posts previously. As I understand it now, with my switch from BT I do not need to cancel BT broadband until after Sky is activated because Sky have my MAC.

As long as sky use your MAC key within 30 days you will be ok. And we go back to your first question.

. BT will cancel your broadband account after 30 days of your MAC key being used.

I'm never really sure why people try and use these free services. Its clearly going to be crap for some time.

mpy32 · 15 Sep 2006 at 18:04

JonRohan said:
I'm never really sure why people try and use these free services. Its clearly going to be crap for some time.

why is it crap???

have you used skybroadband then????

the reason for all the delays is surely the very high demand for the service as it only just launched

a company thats already invested a reported £250 million with a further £500 million over the next 2 to 3 years must be crap then

zetec452 · 15 Sep 2006 at 18:08

Its a free service, will probably have poor customer support. Just a hunch I have. I'm not saying its always going to be crap but for a while it will be.

mpy32 · 15 Sep 2006 at 18:15

JonRohan said:
Its a free service, will probably have poor customer support. Just a hunch I have. I'm not saying its always going to be crap but for a while it will be.

just a hunch oh thats ok then

the demand is well over what they expected

only one of the packages is free

theres a fiver one

max is £10 a month

sky is going to send plenty of poor isp's to the wall in the next year or so good on them for shaking this over priced broadband racket up

it will be good for everyone in the long term

csmager · 15 Sep 2006 at 18:15

JonRohan said:
Its a free service, will probably have poor customer support. Just a hunch I have. I'm not saying its always going to be crap but for a while it will be.

It's the same with TalkTalk & Orange, so I can't see why Sky wouldn't be the same.

csmager · 15 Sep 2006 at 18:19

mpy32 said:
sky is going to send plenty of poor isp's to the wall in the next year or so good on them for shaking this over priced broadband racket up

Cutting the prices is not necessarily a good thing - investment is completely out the window now, so we're not really going to move forwards.