Transferring From Sky? A Word Of Warning...

[#1]

If, like me, you were a previous customer of Sky, you might want to have a gander at this tale of caution.
Sky now require 30 days notice to close an account with them. I had broadband, phone and tv. All this was due to end on the 20th August - which it did.
In the meantime I chose Plusnet as my new provider of choice, gave them my MAC code and informed them that the contract ended with Sky on the 20th. This was arond the 20th of July. Duly noted by Plusnet - and I even got an email to confirm this. Great, I thought, much better customer service than Sky.
The 20th August came, and Phone and Broadband worked fine - no problems, nice and easy transfer. Except for the fact that the phone line was still run by Sky. They had put a cease order on the line for the 20th - seems no one at Plusnet had been in touch to let them know that they'd be taking over the line.
So now, after £30 worth of calls on my mobile to various call centres, both blaming each other, I still have no connection. I'm told (although I seriously doubt it - reconnections by BT in my part of the world take anything up to 8 weeks) that the line will be reconnected tomorrow. Plusnet has my mobile, but this hasn't been confirmed yet.
So - to all Sky customers thinking of moving - make sure you get Plusnet to confirm they have contacted Sky before your contract ends or you'll be left without a phone line and relying heavily on your mobile for the foreseeable future.
(BTW I've composed this article at work to all those who may read and think - hold on how did he write this?)

[#2]

Quote

So - to all Sky customers thinking of moving - make sure you get Plusnet to confirm they have contacted Sky before your contract ends or you'll be left without a phone line and relying heavily on your mobile for the foreseeable future.

AFAIK  Plusnet do not and will not contact Sky. The MAC is not related to the phone service only the broadband part.
When a phone line is transferred I believe BTw advise the losing supplier that it is being transferred

[#3]

I had a similar issue a few years ago, with my LL, I was switching BACK to BT from another supplier, but BT didn't tell them I was moving so they wanted to charge me another YEARS contract for the phone even though I had left. I eventually got them to agree to one month's payment, Since then I ALWAYS inform who ever I am leaving that I AM leaving on DATE dd/MM/YY. This avoids such confusion about who is meant to handle such input (I was informed by BT when I transfered that they would handle ALL the switching  :-X)

[#4]

As OJ has reminded us, the transfers of phone & broadband use different processes.
One problem is that terminating a phone line contract also can kill the broadband service, so it needs to be carefully coordinated as a transfer unless you want to risk any or all of gaps in either/both service, reconnection fees and contract termination (notice period) charges.
Personally I'd probably prefer continuity, let the transfer processes take their course, and accept that I'd then pay a cancellation charge to the old provider.

[#5]

Thanks very much for the replies.
I'm aware the transfer of broadband and the landline go about things differently. I have probably assumed to much in this case, as when previously switching providers (TalkTalk to BT / BT to Sky) all transfers of both LL and broadband have gone through without me having to get involved (except of course to provide a MAC code for broadband).
I think the lesson is never assume anything.

[#6]

The transfers to and from full LLU are completed in slightly different ways and are usually pain free. When customers sign up with us, our ordering system is completely automated through the website, we automatically submit all orders for both phone and broadband when possible and provide activation dates for each service. However, we can't provide those activation dates until the order is accepted and phone and broadband may not be activated on the same date.