Switching broadband providers is still proving a tricky business despite Ofcom rules introduced a year ago designed to make the process easier.
To switch providers, subscribers need to obtain a Migration Authorisation Code (MAC) from their current broadband provider.
They should receive the MAC address within five working days of the request according to the Ofcom guidelines, but research by comparison site uSwitch claims this isn't always happening.
Over the past 12 months, around four out of 10 (38 percent) broadband switchers said they didn't receive their MAC code within the five-day period while 14 percent said the code failed to turn up at all.
Less than half of people surveyed said they had received the MAC code at the first time of asking, with a quarter saying they had to chase their broadband provider to come up with the goods.
And these figures have gone up since the Ofcom regulations came into force, with an earlier survey finding 11 percent of people said their MAC code didn't arrive at all and 13 percent saying they had to chase their broadband provider.
Steve Weller, head of communications services at uSwitch, said MAC codes are so vital that many broadband companies refuse to sign up new customers if they don't have the code.
He added that Ofcom needs to address the problem "as a matter of urgency" and punish providers who are failing to deliver with financial penalties if needs be.
According to uSwitch, around a quarter of a million people switch broadband supplier every month.
Talkback
Here in Italy things are much worse. It takes about 6weeks to change adsl providers if there are no problems. And you always have a period without any adsl. Which normally is about a week.
Mr Berlusconi's government gave Italy a law which allows the ISP to do what they want. We have BT in italy too and they do exactly the same as Tiscali and the others because the law lets them. We are 10years behind.
Maybe you could give us a bit more information on the specific problems in Italy and around why you believe the law was changed to benefit ISPs?
Let me give you an typical example. I have Telecom Italia ADSL (Telecom Italia is the ex monopoly state owned company like BT was) but I'd like to pass my adsl to Tiscali. A lot faster and cheaper. I'm going to give them my telephone line as well becuase I get cheaper calls. I go to the tiscali web site, choose my plan and fill in all the forms on-line. I then have to fax, or send a registered letter to Tiscali requesting my number be carried over and another to Tiscali which they pass over to Telecom Italia telling them I'm cancelling my subscription. Then I wait and wait. I hear nothing for three weeks and then call Tiscali and ask whats happening. Every time I call the answer is different... they can be anyone of the following... Sir, it takes 30 working days to transfer the line or We are waiting from Telecom Italia to free the line (one of their favourites) or We are waiting for the subcontractor to check the line or The computers are down or The telephone line has been changed over and we are waiting for telecom italia to free the adsl.
Everyone blames each other. The law states that normally it should not take more than 30 working days. Often people wait months. Compensation is complicated and never explained to the consumer. The law was written in favour of the ISP because we all know that it doesn't need to take 30 days. The telephone communications authority is a dog without a bark. It has very limited powers to enforce ISP's to stick to the law. Like most things in Italy the law is more of a guide that something taht is actually followed. Another example is Tiscali. They sell 24mb adsl with two VOIP lines and say that you can use a standard fax machine on the VOIP line to receive faxes. But as a quick google will tell you VOIP and traditional fax don't work well at all. I know this because I work for a company that took up the Tiscali offer. AFter 9months of complaining they accepted that the VOIP and fax doesnt work. They offered no cpmensation. They only offered to turn out fax number into a fax gateway which we went for and guess what! It doesnt work either! So after 15 years using a fax number that all the clients have we have to get a new number and change all our stationery. My only recourse is instruct a lawyer to take up our case which will go on for years and you are never sure of the outcome even if it is obvious that you are in the right. If were the only ones... they are many many companies and consumers in the same and worse position.