UKC

Ok, so I am on a whopping £28pm BT unlimited broadband+free weekend calls with 5 months left to run (long story). They are currently offering the same at £13 (or possibly £8) pm but refuse to offer it to me as existing customer.

So I want to cancel my existing contract which, as I understand it, would incur a £30 charge.

My question is whether there is any reason I cannot just sign up the BT £8 or £13 package and then cancel my existing one thus avoiding a service interruption?
Or just switch to a different provider in which case has anyone got any recommendations (or ones to avoid) and what are the mechanics to avoid a service interruption?

Thanks in anticipation...

In reply to Postmanpat:

Tell BT you are leaving, get MAC code, sign up to new provider, give them MAC code, wait for transfer, that's about it really.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:


OK, thanks, and if I'm leaving and coming straight back?

In reply to Postmanpat:

You would have interruption then as BT won't let you sign up as a new customer if you are already one, you would need to cancel then go back, although i havent ried this but i cant imagine its going to be that easy to do.

You might as well look elsewhere to be honest, I haven't found PlusNet too bad thus far, there is ore out there than BT.....

In reply to Dark-Cloud:


PlusNET are owned by BT...

I always found O2 broadband to be great, especially as I have an O2 mobile, so you get a discount on the monthly fee.

In reply to Dark-Cloud:


Thanks, that's what I suspected.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Yes i realise that but it's not BT though is it, its run as a seperate entity.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

O2 Broadband now = Sky

In reply to Postmanpat:

what ever you do avoid TALK TALK . bloody awfull.

In reply to tim000:


Hmmm - we are just being moved from Virgin to TalkTalk - as Virgin are concentrating on fibre only.

Can I ask what issues have you had?

Cheers


Chris

In reply to Postmanpat:

Don't know how true it is, but I was told it's now a bit like swapping energy providers.

BT Openreach maintain the exchanges and they don't even bother swapping kit now. If there's a technical issue, you've have a problem regardless of who bills you.

In reply to Postmanpat:

You won't be able to leave and go straight back. Unless you have two different land lines, in which case you might be able to end it on one and take the new deal on the other.

There is a fair chance, though, that they'll offer you a better deal to stay when you ask for your MAC - and, as you'll need that to switch, you might as well get on with that.

http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9778/~/how-do-i-request-a-ma...

Though have an idea what you'd pay elsewhere first, so you know whether any offer is worth taking. I use Zen Internet at work because their service has proven good over the years, and Sky at home because they're cheap.

In reply to Postmanpat:



Once you give them your number they will flag you up as a customer and restrict what is offered. That's what I found anyway, just couldn't get the new customer deals with a month left. Spoke to a nice bloke on the phone and he said they would be available when I was out of contract.


I've just got fibre with TalkTalk, it's pretty cheap at the moment and it's working well after a weak, fast with no interruptions. People say avoid talktalk but I've been with them before and they were no better or worse than BT.

In reply to jonfun21:


You are quite right - I'd forgotten it changed just as I moved off O2 when I moved house.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Why would you want to move away from faster internet speeds via fibre?

In reply to Removed User:


Our area doesn't have fibre-optic, just regular broadband and Virgin are dumping all their regular bb customers, they are 'migrating' us to TalkTalk, we don't have a say in it!

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

slow internet speed , losing conection . unable to log into e-mail webpage . logging in then it time out after a minute . take a look at their face book page . make interesting reading . https://www.facebook.com/#!/TalkTalk/posts/10153059322370948

In reply to Postmanpat:
Phone for a MAC and see if that triggers an exceptional special deal - see below.


I've not read BT's T&C but generally with broadband from memory ... Are you sure? If in original contract period, remember most companies levy early termination fees which by law can be up to your monthly fee times months left (unless within the last 30 days). Also I think the £30 is a cancellation of all broadband charge, and would not apply if you use a MAC. Suggest you phone BT and specifically ask.

They will not allow it so would not work! You would have to cancel, pay all charges, wait without broadband (and phone), then try and sign a new contract with them. The wait used to be a minimum of 14 days.


Mechanics - unless your going to fibre, normally you just obtain a MAC from BT which is valid for 28 days only (this will trigger the you owe us £xx with your agreement discussion before you will get the code), sign up to the new one and give them the code. You can of course just not use the code and then your service with BT will continue, or you can tell them you changed your mind, or they may, just may give you a special deal to stay with them.
I'll not recommend anyone as such as each has its good and bad points, but I'm an ex O2, now Sky, and pay only £5 for unlimited broadband (would be free if I took their line rental for £16 or so a month (can't do that as I'm in contract for the phone elsewhere). They offered me fibre for £5 but I had to have line rental, so declined that.

Edit: a very quick google and I think BT could charge you up to £76.25, plus £30 if you do not use a MAC, to walk from you contract now (assuming your still in your original contract time and not rollover period).

In reply to tim000:
Sounds crap - I guess we will give it a go and move if they are as bad as they sound,


Chris

In reply to Postmanpat:

I'm with Virgin fibre, and NTL and CableTel before, not had a problem, and currently get 108M Down and 6M Up

Over the years Virgin regularly comes out with better offers for new customers and each time I phone them and tell them I am leaving and then will re apply and they just come back with a "loyal customer discount" which matches the best offer they are making. Surprised other providers don't do the same.

In reply to Climbing Pieman:



Ive been with them for five years on this line and they never send me an e mail to tell me my contract is up so I always miss my chance to change the deal. The call centre woman offered me a deal at £23 which I pointed out was at least £10 and possible £15 above that being offered for new customers.

I asked here how much it would be to cancel and she said £30. I questioned that "Is that it, nothing else?" etc and she said no. I suspect you are right and as usual something got last in translation.

In reply to Postmanpat:

I'm on Virgin and pay a <lot> for my TV, Phone and Internet. Very often, I get a letter addressed to 'The Householder' from Virgin offering absolutely amazing deals for new customers.
Those letters make me really happy and glad that I'm a loyal Virgin customer...

In reply to Postmanpat:
I've not specifically read BT's T&C for any unique clauses and this is from memory so could be wrong or have changed ..... Generally in this situation, it can be reasonably assumed and argued you are still on original contract, therefore you "should" be free to leave anytime without penalty, but by giving either 14 days* with MAC request or 30 days* if just cancel and walk away without a new provider. The later is where the £30 charge can come in (may or may not be charged; my understanding is that is what it costs BT to have Openreach remove the thingy (sorry brain not working) from the line at the exchange.
The only definite way of finding out is speaking to the dept that gives out the MAC. My understanding is they must tell you before issue of MAC what it is going to cost you. If they fail to tell you upfront it makes it very hard if not impossible to charge you later is the theory!
edit: * notice

In reply to m0unt41n:

You must be talking to a different person than I keep talking to with virgin. I've had loads of issues with them and my bills have climbed to a massive £37.70 (almost £11 increase in 3 years) for a phone and medium broadband connection. The screw is that because virgin dominate the market so completely in my area the ADSL options are poor and I haven't got a bt line installed. So if I want to change I have to sign up for a set term contract to get the lines installed and my work situation means I'm currently unable to sign up to a new contract.

In reply to Chris Craggs:
I have been with Talktalk for a long time and have had no issues to speak Of until recently. I moved house and it took nearly 4 weeks to get connected. This was the fault of Openreach, not Talktalk.