How to switch broadband provider
What to check, when to switch, and how to get the best broadband deal
Millions overpay for broadband once intro deals end, so it’s worth knowing the key things before you switch. If you’re out-of-contract, you could save £100s a year – but check the essentials first, like early exit fees, price rises, contract length, and whether speeds or service will suit your needs. Running a broadband comparison helps you find the best-value deal to suit your needs.
Millions are out-of-contract and could save £100s a year by switching broadband
If you're one of the six million people currently out-of-contract on your broadband deal, you're likely overpaying. To find the best deals available in your area, use our broadband comparison tool.
Switching broadband is easy. Under Ofcom’s One Touch Switch process, once you’ve chosen a new deal and signed up, your new provider handles the switch for you – usually without you needing to contact your old provider at all.
How to switch your broadband provider
Step 1: Check if you're out of contract
Before you switch your broadband provider, make sure you’re not still in contract with your current provider. If you leave before your contract ends, you could face steep early exit fees, which could cancel out any savings from switching (though some providers offer if you switch to them).
The good news is that, under Ofcom rules, providers must give you a heads‑up when your contract is coming to an end, usually between 10 and 40 days beforehand. You’ll normally be notified by email or text.
If you're unsure, you can check your bill or online account, or contact your provider directly. However, if it's been more than two years since you last switched, it's likely you're out-of-contract.
Still in a contract? Your new provider may help cover any exit fees
Some broadband providers (see table below) offer bill credits or cashback to help cover exit fees if you switch mid‑contract. You’ll usually need to pay the fees upfront, then claim the money back after switching.
This can make switching worthwhile if you’ll save overall, for example with only a few months left on your deal. But always check you’ll be better off, as it’s rarely worth switching otherwise.
See the table below for which providers offer help and how much you could get back.
Provider | Incentive |
|---|---|
Up to £300 | |
Up to £200 (broadband-only), up to £300 (broadband & TV) | |
Up to £250 | |
Up to £200 |
Step 2: Compare broadband deals in your area
The broadband deals, pricing and speeds can all vary depending on where you live. So to find your best deals, enter your postcode and address into our broadband comparison tool to see what deals you can get.
When looking for a new deal, it's worth considering what broadband speeds you need - you generally pay a premium for the fastest speeds, so you could save more by going for slower deal would do the job just as well – see what broadband speed you really need.
Step 3: Switch!
Once you've found deal, simply sign up, and under the new 'One Touch Switch' rules the new provider will handle the switch for you, including letting your old provider know. The switch generally takes around 10 working days, though you can usually pick a day that suits you in the future too.
On the day of your switch, you might have a short period without internet as your service changes over. This is usually very brief, only a few hours. Most people don't need an engineer to come to their home - though there are exceptions (you'll be told before applying).
Finally, after your switch, you'll likely need to return any old equipment from your previous provider. You should be sent instructions and a prepaid returns label. Make sure to do this to avoid a non‑return fee, which could cost you £100s.
Key broadband need-to-knows
Broadband’s simpler than it looks. From different speeds, contract lengths and annual price rises, check the key points below to understand what matters before you pick a deal.
Don't pay for faster broadband than you need
Broadband speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps), As a rule, the faster the speed, the higher the monthly cost. Slower packages are cheaper and fine for lighter use, while faster speeds cost more but cope better with busy households, streaming and working from home, so make sure you don't overpay for faster speeds than you need.
Type of broadband | Speed | What's it good for? |
|---|---|---|
Standard | Up to 29Mb | Known as ADSL, it's the most the basic level and currently being phased out and replaced with fibre to the premises (FTTP) – know as full fibre broadband. It's usually only good for web browsing and viewing emails. |
Fibre | 30 to 99Mb | Most common option, and good enough for most things, such as streaming and online gaming. If there's multiple people online in your household, it could struggle. (1) |
Fast fibre | 100Mb+ | Best for large households that are streaming, downloading large files and online gaming. (2) |
Superfast fibre | 500Mb+ | Similar to fast fibre, but deals at this speed are likely to be more expensive, so it's very much a luxury. (2) |
Ultrafast fibre | 900Mb+ | The top speeds available in the UK, designed for intensive use, from 4K streaming to online gaming. (2) |
(1) This is mostly delivered through more sophisticated glass or plastic wires before connecting to your home. See fibre deals. (2) This requires more sophisticated wiring usually direct to your home. See our Fibre to the premises guide for more info.
Most broadband firms will hike your prices mid-contract
Most broadband, mobile, landline and TV firms have terms that allow them to raise prices each year, even if you're in a contract. When this happens, you can't usually leave without penalty.
For those taking out new contracts, here's how the biggies will hike prices:
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Vodafone. It currently says prices will rise every April by £3.50 a month.
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Virgin Media, BT, Plusnet, TalkTalk and EE. These firms currently state that prices will rise every April by £4 a month.
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Sky and Now. No price hikes included in T&Cs, but they tend to hike prices each year – if they do, you can leave penalty-free.
Our broadband comparison tool shows you exactly how each deal will increase each year (where we know), and factors it into the equivalent price we show.
At least 50% of customers must get the advertised speeds at peak times
Advertised speeds are based on the average speed received by at least 50% of a provider's current customer base between 8pm and 10pm, when most people are online.
Plus, all bigger providers (not locals) must also indicate your estimated minimum speed before you apply. If your speeds drop below this minimum for three consecutive days, you can ask your provider to check for a fault – and get it fixed if so. See our How to improve your broadband speed guide for how to check your speed.
If it remains unresolved for 30 days, you should be able to leave your contract without paying an exit fee. This applies both to broadband-only deals and packaged deals that include TV and a landline phone, provided you bought them at the same time as the broadband. If you're unhappy with your provider, {complain}. [ADD IN ANCHOR]
Need a landline? You can still get one, but it'll likely be digital
Openreach – the UK's main broadband network, which many of the largest providers use (such as BT, Sky, Vodafone) – is retiring its old copper telecoms wires and replacing them with fibre. It's doing this gradually, region-by-region, between now and 2027.
If yours is upgraded, it means your landline will start to use your internet connection to make phone calls – known as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or by its branded name, Digital Voice.
Openreach says this will offer improved call quality and better connectivity as technology continues to advance – but there are downsides, including being unable to make calls if there's a power cut.
It's currently being rolled out, but not for all...
Because traditional copper landlines keep working during power outages, some customers aren’t being moved to Digital Voice just yet. These typically include:
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Customers with a healthcare pendant (personal alarm).
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Customers who only use landlines.
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Customers with no mobile phone signal.
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Customers who have disclosed any additional needs.
If you fall into any of these categories, and don't want to be switched to a digital line, you'll need to let your provider know so it's aware of your additional needs.
If you switch, you could lose your landline and phone number
Right now, not all providers offer Digital Voice, including Plusnet and Now Broadband. This means if you're in an area where Digital Voice is being rolled out and you want to switch to these providers, you'll likely be offered a broadband-only package (no landline). This means you'll lose your landline and, along with it, your home phone number.
Don't want to switch? Broadband and phone firms are among the easiest to haggle with
Switching to a new provider usually nets you the cheapest broadband prices, but if you are out of contract – or nearing the end of your contract and can't get a switching incentive – you could try to haggle.
As there's stiff competition, companies are frantic to keep hold of customers. That is why in our polls on haggling with companies, communication providers are frequently among the easiest to haggle with.
In our January 2026 poll, 69% of those who haggled with their broadband provider were successful. Virgin Media customers reported an 85% success rate, TalkTalk customers a 73% success rate, and Sky broadband customers 65%. For top tips, see our Broadband haggling guide.
What if something goes wrong?
Problems can happen occasionally with any service. If you do experience an issue with your provider, there are rules in place to protect you.
Had a problem with your broadband or landline? You may be entitled to automatic compensation
In total, 11 providers – BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky (including Now Broadband), TalkTalk, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Utility Warehouse and Zen – have signed up to regulator Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, which means customers could get money back from their broadband/landline provider when certain things go wrong. Ofcom says it covers 90% of broadband users. Here's what you could get.
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you get £6.46 for each day your switch is delayed. There's no limit on this, so you'll keep accruing the compensation until it's sorted.
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You get £10.34 each day if you report a fault with your broadband or landline and it's not fixed within two working days. There's no limit on this, so you'll keep accruing the compensation until it's sorted.
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You get £32.31 if an engineer misses an appointment. Or it's cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice.
If you are due compensation, it should be automatically paid as bill credit within 30 working days. If you choose to leave your provider while you still have bill credit to spend or before you get it, it'll be refunded to the bank account you use to pay your Direct Debit or sent as a cheque.
You can make a further complaint after six weeks
If you’ve complained to your provider and haven’t reached a resolution after eight weeks (or you’ve received a ‘deadlock’ letter), you can take your case to an independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.
There are two schemes in the UK:
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CISAS (Communications & Internet Services Adjudication Scheme)
Broadband providers must be signed up to an ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) scheme under Ofcom rules. Both are free to use, impartial, and can order providers to fix issues, apologise, or award compensation where appropriate. Which scheme you use depends on your provider.
What ADR scheme does my broadband provider belong to?
Broadband provider | ADR scheme |
|---|---|
Now Broadband | |
KCOM | |
Virgin Media | |
Three | |
TalkTalk | |
Sky | |
BT | |
Vodafone | |
EE | |
Hyperoptic | |
Utility Warehouse | |
Gigaclear | |
Plusnet | |
YouFibre | |
Toob | |
Community Fibre | |
Zen |
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