Business ISP Opal Telecom ( TalkTalk ) will shortly put the last nail into a shrinking coffin of traumatised ex-Lixxus customers, which entered administration on 25th May, when it finally ceases their service instead of helping everybody to migrate first. The result could slow the process of switching to a new ISP and potentially introduce extra costs.

Opal are one of the underlying service providers for CFL Live Data, which purchased the customer base of Lixxus Limited after the ISP went bankrupt. However, at the time, many customers were not able to contact CFL and instead found themselves stuck in a state of broadband limbo. The situation is well documented through our 9th July news item (Lixxus Goes Bankrupt Causing Customer Chaos) and this ISPreview Lixxus Forum Topic.

Since then some customers have been able to escape and one reader recently suggested that a migration code could now be gained by contacting CFL Live Data's Ian Mason on 0845 1860000 (they will need to check your details first). However this too could soon become pointless when Opal ceases a bulk of the remaining connections.


Most of Lixxus's original broadband supply contracts appear to have been through one or more businesses that are now ultimately owned by the TalkTalk Group UK (Tiscali Wholesale, Opal etc.). Throughout this difficult situation we have see many examples of poor communication from TalkTalk's various business focused divisions and a seemingly inability to understand Ofcom's migration rules, at times even Ofcom itself needed to be reminded of its own regulations.

The story is a sad testament to the fact that, while over the past few years official complaints about broadband ISPs in general might have seen a significant decline, when a serious problem tests the system Ofcom's rules can still fail to provide adequate protection.