back to article Ofcom wants to ease the pain of switching mobile networks. Good luck

UK regulator Ofcom has started a consultation aimed at consumers to find out how hard it is to switch mobile phone networks, and eventually put in place processes which reduce the pain of switching, while also eliminating “slamming” where a company fraudulently migrates a customer. The consultation is a follow-up to previous …

  1. Captain Underpants

    In Ireland you can move mobile provider and get your number ported across in about 30 minutes, with no hassle and minimum bellendery. Because operators were basically made to do so. None of this "Oh, you need to give us 30 days notice to end your contract and only at the end can you ask for a PAC, at which point we'll ignore the request for two weeks" nonsense that's the norm in the UK.

    So I say, as a citizen of that fine Republic - if a country as small and generally legislatively useless as Ireland can manage it, there's no reason other than tactically-pocketed brown envelopes that the same couldn't be achieved in the UK.

    1. indie
      Thumb Up

      Thumbs up for "bellendery".

  2. Kubla Cant

    "consumers are more concerning about Facebook and WhatsApp than receiving regular voice calls or SMS messages" [Conradi] said

    Sigh. I'm desperately trying to think of a comment that expresses the utter depression induced by this quote, but I can't.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  3. BlartVersenwaldIII

    Slamming protection first please

    Speaking as someone who's changed providers once since 1998, I'd still love to see the process become easier - anything that avoids being redirected to a "customer services retention operative" is a good move in my book.

    But the protection from slamming has to be in there from day zero and not tacked on as an afterthought after a hojillion people find themselves paying many extra punds after they unwittingly find themselves transferred to Totally Honest MVNO Guv LLC with the voluntary mandatory "Save Up To 120 Hours Of Voicemail A Day!" package for only £75 a month.

    I know we've supposedly got protection from OfCom here in the UK but I don't think they have nearly enough teeth for this kind of thing, especially retrospectively when people have already lost their money and the fly-by-nights are nowhere to be seen.

    1. paulf
      Thumb Up

      Re: Slamming protection first please

      This is the main (only?) aspect that makes the current system worth retaining. Getting a PAC from the current network should reduce to almost nil the changes of slamming (a popular practice in the Energy industry or have regulator memories forgotten this?).

      It should be possible to get the PAC via the current operator's website (I think the story notes this as an option). People calling their current operator should get through to the right person within 5 minutes. The PAC should be issued (verbally and by SMS) within 5 minutes of the call being picked up. Fine all violations of these times at £10k per occurrence. This keeps the slamming protection of the current system but ensures minds are focused to prevent existing operators taking the piss by making it obscenely difficult to get the PAC.

      I've only moved operator once - from Orange to Vodafone in 2006. Orange claimed they couldn't give the PAC over the phone or by SMS and could only post it for security (total BS!). Voda held the agreed deal until I got the PAC then did the port. Since then I've called Voda several times for my PAC as a starting point for contract renewal and always been given it within 10 minutes of dialling the number (YMMV as always!).

  4. John Robson Silver badge

    Changed networks twice in the last few months...

    The middle operator wasn't offering the deal I *thought* I had read...

    But it took very little time. Yes, a unified SMS number (maybe 722 (or PAC)) to get a PAC by return would be good...

  5. casaloco

    Slamming

    Slamming is easily delt with. You just use fines. Massive, MASSIVE fines. Say £10,000 per customer. Or better still you make it so unless the mobile provider can PROVE the customer wanted to move, they can't bill them for ANY services and instead have to pay the customer £100 a month. And make the mobile companies MD personally liable. See problem sorted.

    1. graeme leggett Silver badge

      Re: Slamming

      "pay the customer £100 a month. And make the mobile companies MD personally liable."

      harsh, disproportionate and excessively punitive - I like it.

  6. eJ2095

    Automated Pacs

    Nice idea with the text thing i agree..

    Dont do away with pacs though i can see it now, you find your self on a new network and non the wiser untill the bill arrives.

    I.E Sales people in the street etc, getting you to sign there quote "Market Research etc etc"

  7. This post has been deleted by its author

  8. nematoad

    Of course.

    “Consumers should be able to switch their mobile providers with minimum hassle to take advantage of the best deals on the market," said Sharon White

    All fine and dandy, if you have a choice of coverage. Here we don't, it's EE or nothing. Now I have to say that EE have not let us down, so far, but if they were to screw up in some spectacular way and we wanted to move, we couldn't. We're stuck. So no matter how easy the transfer was, without competition it would be a meaningless gesture.

    Maybe Ofcom should think about making transfers possible before they think about making them easy?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Of course.

      I wonder whether your coverage limitations will be improved by the time the MNOs have met their 4G licence obligations at the end of 2017?

      I'm not holding my breath, but I have to say that things have improved generally on my network (O2 based) in the last year or so.

  9. paulf
    Headmaster

    RAS Syndrome

    "...get a PAC code,..."

    "...keep the PAC code..."

    "texting you a PAC code"

    Sigh. As mobile correspondent you really have no excuse for not knowing what PAC stands for.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porting_Authorisation_Code

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: RAS Syndrome

      Twice in the past, I've phoned my provider to ask for a PA Code, and their response, to my amusement, was "Do you mean a PAC Code".

      Of course, this response leaves you with a quandary... Answer "yes" for an easy life, or "no" to begin a world of painful explanation, only for the operator to conclude that you are actually in the wrong.

      Ho-hum.

      I often suffer this same issue when I refer to PA Testing.

      Smile and nod. Smile and nod.....

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ofcom already know the answer

    "Ofcom suggests a system where you can send a text, or log into a website to request a PAC code."

    And, we're done.

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