Punitive Charge by BT?

adrian1407

I am in the process of changing my Broadband/TV/Phone package from BT to Virgin Media where I got a much better deal. I got a letter from BT today giving me details of the final bill payment to them on the transfer date. It included an additional £30 charge for 'broadband termination' or words to that effect. Does it really cost BT £30 to throw a switch to terminate my broadband, or is this just a sneaky punitive charge for leaving them? I'd welcome your views.

Nada666

If you are choosing cable broadband rather than ADSL broadband from Virgin then, yes, your previous broadband has beem terminated and there are costs to accommodate this.

Mostly people shift from one ADSL supplier to another ADSL - in those cases the engineering cost is absorbed in the minimum contract taken up with the new supplier.

Buzby

Actually, you agreed to this fee when you signed up - this recovery charge is levied because it is BT Openreach who do the work to cease. The upside for you, is you are switching to a better technology - and no recover fee to pay if/when you leave!

Ectophile

It probably doesn't really cost £30. But it's a charge that Openreach levy on all companies that do broadband over phone lines, and the fee has been approved by OFCOM. So there's not much you can do about it.

macman

It's not 'throwing a switch'. The broadband has to be physically disconnected at the exchange, and the cease charge has been in place for several years now. Nothing to do with BTR-it's levied by OR on all ISP's where a MAC is not used.