Guide to Switching Broadband

UK broadband market offers more choices than ever. There are not only new broadband providers entering the market, but also new deals hitting the market every day. Faster connection speeds, falling prices and various bundling options make the broadband customers to review their current service.

Many customers are also dissatisfied with their providers who are not able to deliver good service, stable speeds and reliable connection. It is clearly a situation where the customers are paying for the services that they do not get.

Fortunately, things have changed a lot with customer choice shifting in the forefront. Every month, more than 400,000 broadband customers switch to get better deals and also make significant savings by bundling broadband with TV, phone and mobile services.

To make things easier, Ofcom, the UK telecom regulator has passed new Migration rules that check the broadband providers from dragging the switching process. The hard times when switchers have to wait months or pay to get the MAC are at last over!

Whether you are satisfied or dissatisfied with your current broadband provider, you can still look for the best deal by shopping around. Even when service is good, you could be paying more than you should.

Many customer satisfaction reports show that one third of the broadband customers in the UK are discontent with the service they are getting. If you are one of them and experiencing problems of unreliable connection and poor service, switching broadband provider can make a real difference.

Whatever your needs, whether fast speeds or unlimited downloads or cheap broadband bundles, switching offers a lot of options that can exactly meet your requirements. With market becoming more competitive than ever, you can get all these deals at bottom price.

Some providers like TalkTalk, Sky and Orange even offer free broadband! Many broadband providers offer free modem, wireless router, even handsome incentive when you switch. You can further bring down the price by bundling all services (broadband, TV and phone) on a single package thus you can save a fortune just by simply switching your provider.

On most occasions it will take one or two weeks to switch the provider. Indeed, switching process has become quicker after the new MAC regulations passed by Ofcom, last year.

However, you can expect variations in the time for moving you to the new provider depending on the service providers. According to the new MAC rules, your current provider should issue your MAC within 5 working days. Within five working days after getting the MAC, your new provider should complete the switching process.

You may have to pay the cancellation fee to your provider, if you leave the service when you are under the contract. This can be as much as the due for the remainder of the contract. Check to see if the benefits of the new deal overweigh this cost.

If you use ADSL but switch to cable broadband, you will need to pay one-off installation charges and for the hardware that you get with it.

When you switch from cable to ADSL broadband, you will have to pay around £120 for getting BT lines. Standard ADSL modem may cost £30 though many providers offer broadband hardware free when you sign a 12 month contract.

Switching process is simple. Inform your current provider that you want to switch and ask for your Migration Authorization Code (MAC). Make sure that you had a look at the terms and conditions of the existing service.

Do not cancel the existing service. If you are leaving before the end of the contract, pay the cancellation fee or other dues, if any.

The MAC is important as it helps you to switch broadband provider faster and it should be given to the new provider while you will be still getting service until it moves you to its service.

When you sign up online, you need to enter your telephone number and postcode to find the services available in your area. Compare all the services available and choose the best broadband package that suits your needs. Enter your MAC number and other details to complete the signing up process.

If you switch from ADSL to cable broadband, you will need to cancel the existing service. Make sure that you ask your provider for the termination date so that you can arrange the things to get cable broadband without much downtime.

When you switch from cable to ADSL provider, the existing cable service should be cancelled and you will need BT phone lines to be installed to move to ADSL broadband service.

The common problem that some broadband customers may face during switching is the long delay in getting the MAC from the existing provider. The new MAC regulations of Ofcom oblige the providers to issue the MAC without delay. Still, some broadband providers may drag the switching process with intention to hold on the customers.

Some customers desperately cancel the existing service only to wait for many weeks without broadband till they get new service. This means they also have to bear additional cost like cease charges.

Another problem that some customers faced when moving home was that they could not get broadband service on the new line for the reason that it was already being used by another provider.

Sometimes, there could be delay in getting the new service especially when many customers switch to the same service to take advantage of its benefits.

If you are having problems with switching, for instance, if your provider has not issued MAC within two weeks, call the customer service or write a complaint to them stating your problems. You can also talk to your new provider who may be in a better position to offer all the help you need to quicken the switching process.

If this failed to produce the desired results, you can complain to Ofcom, the independent telecom regulator of UK telecom industry. Ofcom also offers advice and help on their website.

You can also write to the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman or Otelo. Otelo offers free service and will try to help you to resolve your issues, if your provider is one of its members.

ISPA UK or The Internet Service Providers Association is another help source that you can approach. It is the trade association of broadband providers in the UK and its members are obliged to follow its fair trade practice. If your provider is its member, ISPA will look into your complaint and ask your provider to resolve your problems.

You can also ask for help and advice from Trade Standards Central (TSC) just by contacting their office in your area or you can write to them to get online help.