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broadband isps uk - broadband isp portal
Confusion reigns when switching ISPs
Nearly half of the UK's ISP call centres offer incorrect advice about switching to and from full local loop unbundling (LLU) broadband providers. Recent undercover customer research by Broadband Choices found that some customers were getting billed by both their old and new ISPs. Issues surrounding the use of Migration Authorisation Codes also proved inconsistent, as did advice from regulator Ofcom. "This is ironic as Migration Authorisation Codes were introduced by Ofcom to ease the issues surrounding migration," said Michael Phillips, product director at Broadband Choices. "Clearly we cannot rely on ISPs to inform consumers on the best process to follow when switching." Philips cited the case of a Mrs Farren, a TalkTalk customer who decided to move her broadband and telephone account from a Virgin Media ADSL connection to TalkTalk LLU.
UK broadband locked in big boys' grip
Despite Ofcom's best efforts to encourage competition, it seems the big names are still dominating the UK broadband market. According to a new report from broadband analyst group Point Topic, the top ten broadband suppliers have nearly 90 per cent of the UK high-speed internet access market sewn up. Point Topic found that incumbent telco BT is still the UK's number one supplier with approximately 2.5 million of the UK's some 10.7 million broadband lines. BT's dominance has actually increased since last year, when Ofcom 'encouraged' the telco to split its broadband access division from its retail unit. The move led to the creation of a new business, BT Openreach. The report, which treats the newly-merged NTL, Telewest and Virgin as separate entities, also reveals that when treated as a single company, the three ISPs tot up three million customers to BT's 2.5 million.
ISPs fail on LLU migrations
BroadbandChoices.co.uk have called on industry regulator Ofcom needs to take action to ensure ISPs give customers correct information when inquiring about changing providers. But 46 per cent of call centre operators which were called by the comparison site gave incorrect advice when questioned about obtaining a migration authorised code (MAC) concerning moving to a local loop unbundled (LLU) provider. There are more than three million unbundled telephone lines in the UK and rapidly growing. The process of LLU involves communications providers, such as TalkTalk or Sky, installing their own equipment in telephone exchanges, meaning that they do not have to rely on BT's existing infrastructure. .
BT and NTL get ISP wooden spoon for satisfaction
How much do you love your internet service provider? If you're a customer of BT or NTL, you're most likely to be suffering from a lack of warm and fuzzy feelings towards your provider. A study by utilities comparison website uSwitch.com, which examined the relative popularity of the UK's ISPs, found that PlusNet is the nation's favourite, with BT and NTL picking up the wooden spoon for the largest percentage of unsatisfied customers. All in all, it seems the British are a broadband happy bunch. According to the survey of 16,000, 92 per cent of PlusNet customers are satisfied with their ISP, while BT and NTL - with the fewest satisfied customers - still notched up decent levels of satisfied users, with 81 and 82 per cent respectively. But what makes broadband users happy with their service? The research found that broadband Britain rates connection quality and reliability - rather than price - as the most important elements.
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