The days of trying to force a MAC out of your ISP to be able to migrate to another ISP should soon be over.

Under new rules announced by Ofcom mean that from 14 February next year a new rule (General Condition 22: Service Migrations) will "require broadband providers to supply consumers with a MAC upon request and free of charge".

The rules will also mean that wholesale providers to vISPs will also have to provide MACs, regardless of any contractual or payment dispute that may be going on between the wholesaler and retailer at the time.
Ofcom admit this is partly in response to the ongoing battle between Biscit/V21 and NetServices who refused to issue MACs, but rather to moved them to another vISP who they supply connections.
The news will also be a blow to Orange, who were planning to charge users if they needed to reissue a MAC

It's good news to customers as the previous "voluntary code of practice" never lived up to it's promise. Under the new rules "A breach of the general conditions carries with it a range of possible sanctions — anything up to and including 10 percent of turnover,"

Even with all the bad press over the issue of migration Ofcom said that while 83 percent of UK internet users who have switched provider found it easy to do so, even so a "significant minority" had encountered problems.