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You may wish to switch your broadband provider for a number of reasons including: poor quality of service, moving house or business premises, you need additional features that your current internet service provider (ISP) doesn’t offer or you can get a better and / or cheaper deal with another ISP.
Whatever your reason for wanting to switch, the first thing you need to do is check to see if you can leave your current provider. You will need to check your current contract and make sure that you have completed the minimum term because if you haven’t, you could be hit with a heavy cancellation fee for leaving early.
Even if you have served the minimum term, most ISPs will still require you to give them a month’s notice and there may be a cancellation fee involved.
The next step is to find a broadband package that suits you. There are a number of comparison sites available which you may want to take a look at before making a decision including:
It is also important that you check that the new service you wish to sign up to is available in your area. While some of the sites listed above will only provide information at a postcode level, others allow consumers to search for broadband providers by their exact address.
From April 2023, new rules introduced by Ofcom, the telecoms regulator, mean that you’ll only ever have to contact one provider (the one you plan to switch to).
The process should also be faster, taking as little as a day, and providers will have to compensate you if something goes wrong and you’re left without service for more than one working day.
The Which? website offers invaluable information and expert advice if you are thinking of switching broadband providers.
