How do I switch broadband provider?

The good news is that switching broadband provider should - in theory - be relatively straightforward. However, you need to remember there are three main types of broadband - ADSL, cable and mobile broadband - and it's a different story for each one.

First of all, try our easy to use  broadband comparison search and comparison tools to find the broadband service you require (or, if you're looking for mobile broadband, our mobile broadband comparison page). If you're looking for a helping hand on how to use our comparison tools, just head over to our Broadband Comparison Guide. Once you've decided, check below to see what you have to do next.

If you're not sure which type of broadband you have, the distinction is fairly simple. If you have a service that comes into your home via a BT telephone line, it is usually ADSL or ADSL+ (however, BT has now started to launch its own fibre service). If you have a service which meant a company ran new wires into your home and replaced your old BT number with a new one, you have cable (which is now all amalgamated under the Virgin Media brand). If you have a card in your laptop, or a dongle, you have mobile broadband.

If you're not sure which type of broadband you have chosen to replace it with, again you should be able to distinguish them relatively easily. Our mobile broadband site only has mobile broadband products, while cable is currently provided across the UK by Virgin Media only. If you are looking to get a faster Virgin Media product, it will be cable - if it is an 8Mb Virgin Media product, it's ADSL (along with most other providers of broadband in the UK, who use BT's network of telephone exchanges).

Switching from one ADSL provider to another

This should now, in theory, be a simple case of making a couple of calls, although you may experience a little downtime between services. You'll need to:

  • Check your terms and conditions, and lookout for any cancellation policy and charges. If you are in a 12-month or longer contract, you may find the cancellation fee a deterrent to switching if you've not passed the end of your contract already.
  • Call your original provider to arrange to cancel your broadband and - importantly - get them to tell you your MAC number. MAC stands for 'Migration Authorisation Code' and by law your ISP must provide you one, when requested, within five days (most will do it immediately or within 24 hours).
  • If you have trouble getting your MAC, or if your MAC later doesn't work and your old ISP refuses to help or stalls, contact the broadband industry regulator Ofcom to complain. 
  • When you're cancelling your old account, if you're moving providers to save money or get more usage allowance it is worth listening to any offers your old ISP may counter with - be sure to let them know you're moving to save money. Also, don't be pressured to make a decision on the spot - take their name/number and the new offer details, hang up, and compare the offer to the deal you found here. 
  • If you've decided on the new provider, contact them with your MAC number and the name of your old provider.

Your new provider should take of it from there. The switchover should be seamless, although there may be a few minutes of downtime between switching connections.

Switching between cable and ADSL

Because ADSL and cable (Virgin Media) are completely separate technologies, you simply need to cancel one and subscribe to the other. When you cancel your old connection, ask for a termination date so you avoid too much overlap.

If you want to avoid losing your connection even for a few hours, then just time it so that your ADSL and cable services overlap - that way you can make sure that the new service is working before making the final switch.

If you are switching from cable to ADSL, you will need to have an active phone line running through a BT exchange. This means you may need to contact BT independently to get them to come and install a line, if you don't have one already, or perhaps reconnect an old one. Some internet providers will offer deals that include running your BT line independently, so it may be worth looking into phone and broadband package deals.

 

Switching between fixed-line (ADSL or cable) and mobile broadband

As with switching between ADSL and cable (above), it is simply a case of cancelling one service and signing up for the other. However, it is worth considering running both services at once, as they can certainly complement each other.

While you may hear some horror stories, the majority of consumers are happy with their home broadband connection, whether it's fixed-line or cable - according to figures published by broadband regulator Ofcom in early 2009, 83 per cent of consumers were satisfied with their fixed-line broadband service. A good fixed-line service should offer stability, fast speeds and large download limits.

In contrast, mobile broadband gets quite a bad press, but often because it is oversold. Mobile broadband is perfect if you need to use the internet on the move, or in several locations, or as a back-up if your fixed-line service fails and you can't afford any downtime. However, as a standalone broadband product, coverage can be both patchy and erratic, speeds can be disappointing and download limits restrictive. In most cases mobile broadband works best as an extra service, rather than one to rely on, and with pay as you go deals becoming more widespread this will probably continue to be the trend. 

 

Things to bear in mind

  • The switching process differs slightly from provider to provider. However, your new provider should be motivated to guide you through any difficulties!
  • The UK's telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, is there to make sure switching broadband providers is as painless as possible, and will step in where it sees foul play. If you have any problems with switching and you feel you are at an impasse with your old provider, get in touch with Ofcom.