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Posted on: November 7, 2022
At the turn of the new year, you may be wanting to address those problems that have been at the back of your mind for too long. One of these may be the thought of switching broadband providers.
We can understand that it can be a daunting process as you are unsure about what happens during the transition. But today, we want to tell you how to switch internet providers and what actions you need to take, and what will be completed by your new internet provider.
Nowadays, switching internet service providers (ISP’s) is a lot less scary than it used to be.
A lot of the work will be done by your internet provider, but it is also useful for you to know what actions you need to take when switching.
First and foremost, if you are thinking of switching internet providers, ensure that you complete a comparison of existing broadband deals.
Take into account cost and what is affordable for you on a monthly basis, what speeds can be offered (for a visual example of speed, take a look at the loading bar on our packages on our home page) and what your household or business will require.
Do they come in larger packages that provide TV and landline deals? Does your current provider already give you a bundle deal? If so, you would need to find a new deal that provides these amenities for you.
Once you have selected a deal after careful consideration, click on the package, which should take you through to the provider’s website and you can sign up by following the on-screen steps.
Additionally, if you prefer talking to someone over the phone, there should be a number on their website and you can connect with someone to chat too.
For the most part, that is all you have to do! A lot of the time, your new internet provider will do most of the liaising with your old internet provider to ensure a smooth switch over.
They will send you confirmation emails, contact your old internet provider to have your contract cancelled.
Within a few weeks, you’ll be given a time when your new broadband will be implemented, and a new router will show up at your door. Once this happens, you just need to setup the router by following the instructions attached and you are good to go!
If your email address is not tied to your broadband (if you use Gmail or Live/Outlook) nothing will happen to your email address.
If, however, your email is linked to your provider, there are a range of scenarios that could happen.
BT and Sky will let you keep your email, whilst other providers will give you a grace period to save your emails before deleting them indefinitely.
If you are unsure about what could happen to your email address, speak to your desired provider before signing up to see what would happen.
Even if you do lose your email address, with the correct actions you can still retain your emails moving forward.
You shouldn’t do is the correct answer. As most ISPs use the same network, switching shouldn’t be much of an issue. You’ll only be sent a new router as mentioned above.
However, if you are to switch onto a new network, there may be some minutes of downtime in between the initial switch, however, this should be resolved quickly.
Some hidden costs can include ending a contract early as there will be an early exit penalty charge. If there are any extra costs that you will need to pay in terms of installation or for a new router, your new provider should be upfront about these.
Overall, you will not need to contact your existing broadband provider. A lot of the back and forths will be done by your new provider. However, there are a few exceptions to this. If you are switching to a provider who operates on a different network, you will need to contact your existing provider to tell them you are switching.
If you are switching between providers who use the Openreach network (including BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet and EE) you do not need to tell them.
If you also have satellite TV as part of your bundle, this is sold separately so informing your current provider would also be wise.
Similar to the point above, a lot of the time your new internet provider will do this for you. If you are remaining on the same network, cancelling will not need to be done. If you are moving to a new network, it would be recommended to get in touch with your current provider to cancel the existing contract.
Bear in mind, any early exits from a contract will come with a fee.
If you are just switching providers, usually you can keep your existing landline number. Your providers should get in touch with your current internet provider regarding this point.
However, if you are moving home, it will be unlikely that you are able to keep your current number.
You can switch before your contract ends with your current provider, however, this usually is married with an early-exit fee. These fees range but are not known to be cheap. If you only have a couple of months left on your existing contract, it could be wiser to hold out a little longer to avoid this fee.
It can seem scarier than you think, but now you know how to switch internet providers, we are certain that you will have your own confidence to take charge of your slow connection and move to a network that is not only faster and more consistent, but affordable and better for the environment.
To register your interest in a full fibre network, please see if we are live in your postcode area. Additionally, you can get in touch with our team by filling out our online contact form and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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