Hi,

I think someone needs to step in and provide some clarity on LLU both phone
and broadband (whether separately or together).

It is vastly to unclear and unfair presently. People are getting switched to
or are unaware buying LLU services. These can offer differ material in
functionality, flexibility, etc.

Their is also the issue of consequences. It appears that frequently LLU
connection and disconnection separately often incur significant consequences
and potentially penalties (direct or indirect).

With BT now having mandatory 12 month contracts and £75 (I believe it is
currently) minimum exit penalty, switching away from them and trying to get
back (if only to switch via them to another LLU provider) can prove costly,
difficult and more, etc.

Further, migration is not always a clear matter and neither is the issue of
direct provisioning (which I have not heard any of the LLU operators
supporting). Moving house also rears its head where many full LLU operators
seem to be of the mind that you will have to connect your new line initially
with BT (err... yawning chasm of silence and lack of information)... and
then what ... cancel early and pay a big penalty to resume ones LLU service
or is one supposed to stick with BT for a while...? and later resume their
LLU service (particularly as one is likely to be under a minimum contract or
term of service with the LLU provider in question. Particularly on this
matter of moving (not to mention all the other myriad combinations and
issues of the other points above in addition to moving issues specifically -
e.g. see start of this paragraph! - lol), is one then supposed to be forced
into choosing to connect to BT and immediately switch away (back after
moving) to their LLU provider and so pay BT a big penalty; or perhaps they
are supposed to pay for their LLU whilst unable to receive it whilst waiting
for their BT minimum term or penalty level to reduce sufficiently all whilst
not receiving said LLU service (! - lol); or perhaps the former but not have
to pay for the unreceived LLU service instead enjoy the pleasure of waiting
months stuck with BT to avoid the penalty only to have to then (many months
later) resume their original contract period with their LLU provider
(nice! - lol a year later you finish your BT encumbrance only to then have
to complete your enforced remaining period of minimum service with your LLU
provider - whose original tariff you are still on and hence is probably now
quite if not wildly out of date and market price range!)... hmm... all good.

In any event it is a mess.

I understand TalkTalk used to pay the £30 previous BT early cancellation
charge for moving customers but since it is now £75 I am not sure what they
are doing (they seem to be a bit quiet, not heard much from them recently or
had occasion to occur or come across such information).

All these issues are significant, poorly and partially if at all
communicated (to customers, etc.), often seem not to have been worked
through so the customer just falls into various traps and then fire fighting
is required (not that you are assured of getting any fire fighting) on all
sides to try and correct the unplanned situation / work through undetermined
processes (i.e. companies that have not thought this through; don't care;
haven't put systems, policies or processes in place, etc., etc.).

All input and thoughts welcomed. Particularly informed, confirmed and
accurate details of current situations, implementations, etc.

I think the direct provisioning issue (i.e. move into a house with a former
BT line and be able to have an LLU operator directly provision it to their
service - hence theoretically at least at a lower cost or no cost to the
customer vs. the BT activation and penalty scenario, etc.).

Migration issues are also very interesting and important (and unclear) -
e.g. LLU provider to a different LLU provider, or for example BT partial
variant [BT voice and perhaps LLU broadband or BT based broadband when
leaving a full LLU service], etc.)

All these issues demand and need someone's concerted attention. It is to say
the least a bit of a shambles and surprise that no one organised this
beforehand. Their are serious conspicuous absences, pretty much, as far as I
can say, across the board (TalkTalk, Tiscali, BT, etc. don't seem to have
much of a clear plan or idea - leaving the customer to fight their way
through the forest, etc.); OFCOM seems very quite - rather than setting down
procedures and rules and nice simple guides and minimum confirmations [i.e.
guarantees, confirmations, "rights" etc. such as the ability to migrate,
etc. or have this information if migration is not possible etc., clearly and
plainly made available - providing full information about any penalties for
leaving current service, etc., etc. and all consequences, costs, etc.] -
OFCOM or the industry or someone should have set minimum requirements and
provided a nice leaflet explaining or detailing it all, etc. (in colour! -
maybe :) lol perhaps).

Best wishes,

News Reader

P.s. The whole LLU scene is quite fun and interesting and potentially holds
great prospect. Certainly the value looks very good - with Tiscali, TalkTalk
etc. doing line rental, all UK calls (and international I think) and
broadband, etc. packages for sub £20. But at the moment it seems everyone
has very much been caught napping, with their "pants" down (or management or
someone or several people napping), or just doing a poor job on the customer
side [technically on the operational side, and on their side I think they
{the various operators} are doing pretty well {with the whole LLU thing}]...
but the customer seems to have been badly let down and left out in the
cold... and the (customer seems to be the) answer to all the difficult
questions  ("don't tell the customer" [and we probably don't know anyhow],
and then they [the customer] can deal with and pay for it when "it" [the
emergence of difficulties, problems or expenses] happens!).

I think both industry and government (and potentially we could say
"incumbent" / BT - in not seeing to it that this is well thought out and
planned, agreed, etc. focusing on consumer interests or at least minimum
standards and clarity - consumer protection and facilitation, etc.) have
done a (very) poor job on looking out for the consumer here.