About a week ago i contacted Orange to cancel my broadband account and today it looks as if they have taken the service off my line as the ADSL light is flashing on the modem and when i connect i get "no dial tone". However, i've just tried to order BT broadband and it's asking for a MAC code when i don't have the service on my line.

Your MAC address is hardware specific. It has nothing to do with whether you have service. It might even be on a label on the DSL modem.

call orange customer services and request your mac code, it's the key with which you can migrate providers. they can't charge you for it, but you may be liable for any deferred activation costs or notice period.

Quote from Forbin :

Your MAC address is hardware specific. It has nothing to do with whether you have service. It might even be on a label on the DSL modem.

No no no. I realise since you're American you won't have known this, but I am fed up with people perpetuating this myth.

Whilst a MAC address is the physical address of a network device, MAC also stands for Migration Authorisation Code, which allows ADSL resellers using the BT supplied ADSL network (in the UK) to migrate connections easily between resellers.

If you get a "no dial tone" reported by the modem, then I suggest hooking up a phone to verify what it says is a lie or not. It could simply be your exchange has a problem at the moment.

More over, if you asked for the connection to be canceled, you've got very little hope of actually getting a migration code now, unless they've not yet processed your cancellation.

If you want to move providers, simply request a MAC, the cancelation of service is implied and will occur at 12am on the day the change over it scheduled.

Previously a MAC was not mandatory, however the rules have recently changed and any ADSL provider in the UK should give you one.

Quote from the_angry_angel :

MAC also stands for Migration Authorisation Code

That's weird! An acronym with two meanings. Confusing.

Ah, I see. Seems kind of silly to have two very similar acronymns in networking...

W4H: All I can say is... wtf, are you my clone or what? (or am I your's... )

Quote from Forbin :

W4H: All I can say is... wtf, are you my clone or what? (or am I your's... )

Did you hurt your knee today? That would be really weird.

Considering both terms are unavoidably related to internet connections, it seems a bit of an oversight to create a second term that shares an acronym with the first.

Edit: beat twice. pah.

Quote from Bob Smith :

Considering both terms are unavoidably related to internet connections, it seems a bit of an oversight to create a second term that shares an acronym with the first.

We live in the UK, using a UK orientated service... Does that not imply confusion

Well a MAC code does not work in my area as BT will not accept it as i'm on an LLU line or something like that. Since cancelling my account , they're not going to give me a MAC code but said the service would be off within 10 working days.

For the past 7 i have been able to connect but my username/paswword was rejected as they had deleted my account but now i can't even connect to the service which led me to believe they had took the service off my line but according to the BT customer service a service is still on my line.

bizarre

Then you need to call BT Tags On Line team and get the reported service removed. From a BT line you can just dial 150, or 0800 169 9576.

Get the person on the bill to call up and get them to remove the tag, then you'll be free to sign up with someone else. But obviously make sure there's no active BB service on the line or everyone will point and laugh

Yay working for an internet provider!