Re: [LUG] re Broadband Migration - one day you can have it, next day you can't!!!

On 15 April 2011 06:44, Vivi Griffin <vivi.griffin@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I wondered if anyone could explain what happened to me recently, when I was trying to migrate our broadband to a cheaper provider?

About 1 week ago, I did some checking up and found that O2 were offering a very competitive broadband deal. I checked the availability at that point and their website said we could have this deal. I called them and it was confirmed on the phone. However, I checked again, once I had got the mac code from our current provider and the only package they could offer me was their very inferior "access" package that was offering considerably less for a lot more than we are currently paying. When I called O2, they said that other people locally using my local exchange had probably got in ahead of me in placing their own orders and that is why they could no longer offer this deal.

I quickly placed an order with my 2nd choice of provider (Plusnet), before that offer could disappear as well! However, I really don't understand how this could have happened.

Even stranger, I checked availability with my current provider (Zen Internet) and the online availability checker said that they were not available as an option either.

I am guessing that the ISP's that are offering these deals are only trying to attract a certain number of new customers and then they are reducing the availability to the areas where the exchanges are LLU. In our case, I have checked Moretonhampstead and it isn't. Therefore, I don't understand how I was able to get the package we are on now, as the LLU Exchange checker says that this is not available. Plusnet is not listed at all.

If anyone can clarify how this all works, I would be most grateful.

O2's Access package is based on BT equipment, so not LLU (which is where an ISP installs their own equipment in the exchange instead of using BT's). Samknows says that your exchange has no LLU operators, and with only approx. 848 residential customers, that isn't surprising. Your exchange would have to be at least 2 or 3x bigger for even TalkTalk (who are known to LLU some very rural exchanges) to think about providing LLU service there.

Since your exchange doesn't have O2 LLU, I can only assume that someone at O2 was misguided when they said you could get their deal. Nothing to do with the number of people who might have taken up the offer. O2/Be seems to only target the cities and major towns anyway.