Advice for Shell Energy Customers being moved to TalkTalk Broadband
It’s been confirmed that Shell Energy Broadband customers will be automatically transferred to TalkTalk broadband in the coming months.
Shell Energy was originally acquired by Octopus Energy Group in December 2023, but with little experience in the broadband sector, this arm of the business has since been bought out by TalkTalk.
For the most part, broadband takeovers are pretty common, and you should find it runs smoothly, but you may have some questions about how this affects you and your broadband service.
We’re here to help and have sourced as much information about the takeover as possible.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re currently a Shell Energy Broadband customer.
Shell Energy - TalkTalk Acquisition: the key points
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Information for Shell Energy Broadband customers
For now, Shell Energy customers will be contacted once their account is ready to move over to TalkTalk’s system. Until then, if there are any queries about your account, payments or if you need technical help, you’ll need to get in touch with the Shell Energy team, as before.
- How to get in touch with Shell Energy Broadband Customer Services
- How to cancel Shell Energy Broadband
Migrating to TalkTalk
The migration process should happen automatically after you’ve been notified. According to Octopus Energy, Shell Energy was already supported by TalkTalk’s platform, so the transition should be smooth. You should experience little to no downtime.
Changes to contract terms
When acquisitions happen, it’s usual for existing customers to have their existing contract kept in place. This tends to mean that you’ll still have to honour your minimum term and pay the same monthly price. This also means you’ll have to pay an early termination fee to get out of a contract early.
It’s very rare that customers can leave penalty-free due to an acquisition, but it’s always worth checking with the provider, as this may be decided on a case by case basis.
To get in touch with Shell Energy to enquire about the terms in your contract, we recommend using the Shell Energy contact form. And in the ‘My query is about’ section, selecting ‘Shell Energy Sale’. Alternatively, you can speak to an advisor by calling 0330 094 5801.
TalkTalk’s Automatic Compensation Scheme
There is a positive for Shell Energy customers moving onto a TalkTalk service.
TalkTalk is signed up to Ofcom’s Automatic Compensation Scheme. This means its customers receive compensation for delayed repairs following a loss of broadband service, missed engineer appointments and delays with the start of a new service (although, this may not take into account migration).
In contrast, Shell Energy was not signed up to this scheme.
I'm on Shell Energy Broadband’s Social Tariff - will this continue with TalkTalk?
Unfortunately, TalkTalk doesn’t offer a social tariff. If it’s not possible to honour existing Shell Energy Broadband terms and conditions, customers will be able to switch to an alternative tariff with a third party without paying any early termination fees.
To view the choice of alternative social tariffs from other broadband providers, visit our guide: ‘Social tariffs and cheaper broadband deals if you’re on benefits’.
Switching providers if you’re out of contract with Shell Energy broadband
If you’re past the minimum term of your contract, a takeover is a good time to reassess your broadband package to make sure you can’t get a better deal elsewhere.
Here are some of the best packages available at the moment:
You’ll be free to leave without paying a penny, plus you may also be able to cash in on a voucher or bill credit as a new customer.
You can easily check out the best alternative broadband deals to switch to by entering your address into Broadband Genie’s deals checker.
This way, you’ll only be presented with packages and providers that are available to you.
Shell Energy Broadband serves its broadband using the Openreach network. If you switch to another Openreach provider, you won’t need to get in touch with Shell to cancel ahead of the TalkTalk migration. Your new provider will sort the admin for you.
However, if you decide to move to a different full fibre provider or Virgin Media, you’ll need to get in touch with Shell before the move, or TalkTalk after the migration to initiate the cancellation.
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What is Openreach?
Openreach is the company that maintains the former British Telecom Network used for the majority of broadband and phone services. If a repair or installation is required, it’s Openreach who will send an engineer, not your provider.
More than 650 service providers using the Openreach network. That’s the majority of the UK’s broadband providers. This includes Shell Energy, Sky, TalkTalk and BT. The exception to this is Virgin Media - it uses its own, separate cable network.
For more help with this, here are some handy guides: