Beware the Marker!
I have never had an ADSL broadband connection. In Swindon I used the generally very reliable and fast ntl cable service and when we moved to the Isle of Wight, we signed up with Wightcable for their similar offering (well, at least the speed bit!).
Now we have moved to a more rural location, cable is not available and ADSL is the only real option. When we decided to buy this house, I contacted BT to arrange the telephone transfer and, for the convenience of both ourselves and the previous owners, decided to change the number. This was easily done when arranging the takeover, unfortunately BT reckoned they couldn’t initiate the ADSL service at the same time and said it would be an easy thing to do soon after we actually moved in.
Well today I have spent almost 3 hours on the phone to BT, Ofcom and Pipex. Why? Well it appears that the previous residents’ Pipex ADSL account put a “marker” on the line (not the number) and that can only be removed by the contract holder. This, despite the fact that I managed to change the number and had wrongly assumed that this action would clear all services applied to the line. Wrong indeed, very wrong! It seems that the outgoing ADSL provider takes some weeks to close down the service and therefore allow the owner of the line to seek an alternative provider.
I have no gripe with the Pipex broadband product, it’s just that it doesn’t appear to be the most cost effective at the minute; for my use, the BT option is better value.
Anyhow the bottom line: When you next move house, avoid a lot of agro, make sure the marker is removed from the line before you take it over or, better still, make BT earn their money and request not just a new number but a whole new line.
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