• Home
  • News
  • Big Data & Analytics
  • DevOps
  • Security
  • GDPR
  • AI & ML
  • Women in Tech
  • Cloud & Infrastructure
  • CIO
  • Deskflix
  • Events
  • Whitepapers
  • Spotlights
  • IT Leaders 250
  • Research
  • Delta
  • Tech Marketing Hub
  • About Us
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  •  
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
     
    • You are currently accessing Computing via your Enterprise account.

      If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

      If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

      Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

      Email: customerservices@incisivemedia.com

      • Sign in
     
  • Follow us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Register
  • Events
    • Upcoming events
      event logo
      Deskflix Financial Services

      oin us for this episode of Deskflix to hear from industry experts and peers on their 2020 best practices, what they’ve learnt for 2021 and how they plan to overcome the next wave of disruption.

      • Date: 03 Mar 2021
      event logo
      Good listeners: Why conversational interfaces are now a must-have

      This webinar, featuring dedicated research, will explore how conversational interfaces can add value to your digital initiatives today. We discuss the benefits of putting the AI to work and the value of the conversational channel itself.

      • Date: 17 Mar 2021
      • Virtual Event,
      event logo
      Deskflix IT Leader's Summit

      Six months on from our inaugural IT Leaders’ Festival, Deskflix IT Leaders’ Summit is a chance to take stock and reflect on the first quarter of 2021. How did you overcome the obstacles of 2020? Was progression as expected? What were your biggest threats and biggest growth opportunities?

      • Date: 24 Mar 2021
      event logo
      Architect for the unknown: Is your database built for a crisis?

      This webinar, in which we’ll reveal Computing’s latest research in this area, reflects on how prepared our respondents’ data architecture was going into the pandemic and the role databases have to play in the ability to react and pivot in a crisis.

      • Date: 25 Mar 2021
      View all events
  • Whitepapers
    • LATEST WHITEPAPERS
      Darktrace 120x194
      Cyber AI Response: Threat Report 2019

      This white paper details 7 case studies of attacks that were intercepted and neutralised by Darktrace cyber defense AI, including a zero-day trojan in a manufacturing company's network. Learn how Darktrace Antigena AI Response modules fight back autonomously, no matter where a threat may emerge, extending to the Cloud, Email and SaaS.

      Download
      Darktrace 120x194
      Cyber AI & Darktrace Cloud

      This white paper explores how cloud is a security blind spot for many organisations who struggle with the limited visibility and control in this new environment, where their existing security tools are often not applicable.

      Download
      Find whitepapers
      Search by title or subject area
      View all whitepapers
  • Spotlights
    • Spotlights

      Welcome to Computing's Spotlight section, where we focus in on particularly important themes and topics of enterprise IT.

      Intel logo

       

      Endpoint Management and Security Hub

  • IT Leaders 250
  • Research
  • Delta
  • Tech Marketing Hub
  • About Us
Computing
Computing
  • Home
  • News
  • Big Data & Analytics
  • DevOps
  • Security
  • GDPR
  • AI & ML
  • Women in Tech
  • Cloud & Infrastructure
  • CIO
  • Deskflix
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
 
  • You are currently accessing Computing via your Enterprise account.

    If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

    If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

    Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

    Email: customerservices@incisivemedia.com

    • Sign in
 
  • Communications

Ofcom makes it easier to switch mobile provider

Just text 'PAC' to 65075 - no need to argue with a call centre any more

Breaking up with your mobile phone provider just got a lot easier to do
Breaking up with your mobile phone provider just got a lot easier to do
  • Graeme Burton
  • @graemeburton
  • 01 July 2019
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

Ofcom has introduced new rules intended to make it easier for subscribers to dump their mobile operator and jump ship to a rival.

The rules mean that subscribers can simply text their mobile operator for the PAC code, which subscribers need in order to port their existing number to a new operator.

Subscribers will just need to text the code "PAC" to 65075 and the PAC code should be sent back within a minute. The PAC code will be valid for 30 days and providers are obliged to inform subscribers of any early termination fees, or outstanding credit they might lose if they are on a pay-as-you-go contract. Switches should be made within a day.


Computing AI and Machine Learning Live 2019 logo

AI & Machine Learning Live is returning to London on 3rd July 2019. Hear from the Met Office's Charles Ewen, AutoTrader lead data scientist Dr David Hoyle and the BBC's Noriko Matsuoka, among many others. Attendance is free to qualifying IT leaders and senior IT pros, but places are limited, so reserve yours now.


The rules mean that mobile subscribers will no longer have to endure long and tortuous arguments with call centre staff, incentivised with retention targets, in order to extract the PAC code. Subscribers can also request their PAC codes online without jumping through any unnecessary hoops, too. Again, the codes should be provided within a minute. 

In addition, if subscribers want to dump their provider and mobile phone number, they can send the code word "STAC" to 75075, too. Hopefully, that won't be abused by pranksters terminating their friends' mobile phone contracts for a laugh. In addition, it's not clear what safeguards might be in place to prevent account hijacking. 

Mobile phone subscribers that just want to find out when their contract term ends can text "INFO" to 85075 without kicking off the migration process.

"This new process is designed to be quick and easy, so you could request your PAC while looking for a new deal - for example, while on the phone to a new provider, or in store," according to Ofcom.

On top of this, Ofcom has also banned mobile providers from charging for notice periods that run after the switch date. The communications regulator believes this will save consumers a total of £10 million a year.

Further reading

Ofcom's ruling that Openreach must open up infrastructure to rivals approved by EC
  • Telecoms
  • 28 June 2019
Consumers to receive end-of-contract and best deals notifications under new Ofcom rules
  • Telecoms
  • 15 May 2019
Break-up threat over Openreach recedes for BT as Ofcom reports on separation progress
  • Communications
  • 15 June 2018
TalkTalk broadband voted worst ISP for customer service in Ofcom survey
  • Internet
  • 03 May 2018
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Communications
  • PAC code
  • Mobile
  • OfCom
  • switching
  • Delta

More on Communications

Slack goes down as millions return to work

Login and messaging problems on the collaboration site began at 3.14 pm

  • Communications
  • 04 January 2021
PM urged to address digital divide among pupils
PM urged to address digital divide among pupils

Nearly nine per cent of UK children lack home access to a desktop, laptop, or tablet, and almost 1 million rely on a mobile connection

  • Communications
  • 04 January 2021
Scientists demonstrate high-fidelity quantum teleportation over long distance
Scientists demonstrate high-fidelity quantum teleportation over long distances

The breakthrough could pave the way to develop technology to redefine global communication in future

  • Communications
  • 04 January 2021
EU and ASEAN focus on connectivity in move towards free trade agreement
EU and ASEAN focus on connectivity in move towards free trade agreement

The EU and ASEAN represent more than 1 billion people and 25 per cent of global economic power

  • Communications
  • 02 December 2020
Important systems like GPS and mobile communications are completely dependent on error-prone time measurement services
Why the world needs better and more robust ways of measuring time

Critical infrastructure and systems such as GPS rely on time-keeping mechanisms that are far too easily subverted or prone to error

  • Hardware
  • 20 November 2020
blog comments powered by Disqus
Back to Top

Most read

'Silver Sparrow' malware infects about 30,000 Macs worldwide
'Silver Sparrow' malware infects about 30,000 Macs worldwide
NHS faces legal challenge over Palantir contract
NHS faces legal challenge over Palantir contract
Google fires AI ethics lead Margaret Mitchell
Google fires AI ethics lead Margaret Mitchell
UK tech jobs surpass pre-pandemic levels, despite rising unemployment
UK tech jobs surpass pre-pandemic levels, despite rising unemployment
Oxford University confirms breach of its Covid-19 lab
Oxford University confirms breach of its Covid-19 lab
  • Contact
  • Delta
  • Marketing solutions
  • Enterprise IT Events
  • Incisive Media
  • Terms & conditions
  • Policies
  • Careers
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube

im_logo

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017
Loading