TalkTalk says I have to disconnect before I can switch?!

Quietearth

Help, I too have been hit by the TalkTalk price increase.  I have 10 days to change provider.  But when I called TalkTalk they said I must disconnect via their disconnect team  BEFORE I can switch to a new provider, or else I will incur charges?  Is this right?

Furthermore, is it true that once a line is disconnected there is a "30 day cancellation notice period" and that a new provider can't take over the line until that period has expired?  If so this means customers of TalkTalk who attempt to move will be without landline or internet connection for a month!

jbuchanangb

That is not right. You must tell them that the reason for your switch is their price increase and make sure they have made a note of that, and you should keep a record of that also, i.e. date, time, method of contact, name of agent etc. Then you instruct your new ISP to commence the changeover. If TalkTalk do impose Early Termination Charges, you have to get back to them, with the evidence that you notified them in advance, and get them cancelled. Do not cancel any DD for payments to TalkTalk, as this will be them means for them to refund you anything they owe you at the end of the process.

JJ_Egan

30 days is not true as you post .

Switchover may not be the same day but usually within a few days , That depends upon when you initiate the switch .

Disconnect team not heard that one ,normal is for you to contact the number on the price increase email within 30 days .

PS   you do know that many ISPs now have a built in price increase every year ,with you agreeing this on contract the price increase get out does not apply .

iniltous

TT does have its own ‘network’ in York ( and possibly other places ) so if you were on that network the usual switching rules don’t apply.
If your contract didn’t specify they were going to increase prices yearly in line with CPI + 3.9% ( or something )  then you can leave penalty free ( any new customers or those that have renewed recently will be under these newer T&C’s that do allow this increase  ), but as already said you need to advise them of the reason , ( the price increase ) do it within the specified period of time ( you normally have to advise them of your intention to switch within 10-14 days of being advised of the price increase ) then if you are the Openreach network , and the new provider is also on the OR network, you simply sign up with a new provider .
You don’t cease the TT service as that will cause a break in service potentially of several days  between the TT service stopping and a new provider starting service , when the break in service could be a few minutes if the switch is done as per the correct switching process

Quietearth

Thank you everyone for your replies. I have a letter from TalkTalk telling me that I can leave them free of charge before 11 August.  I also called them yesterday, 1 Aug, saying that I wanted to leave and why.  I did not get the name of the agent.  It was she who insisted I needed to phone the "disconnection team" to be disconnected and that I must NOT switch via another provider or I would incur the penalties.  I am now trying to phone customer services again, but keep (mysteriously) getting cut off.

Quietearth

Update on this situation. I managed to get through to TalkTalk eventually and spoke to a different agent.  She said quite emphatically that what the previous agent had told me was wrong.  I COULD go through the normal procedure of contacting a new ISP as long as I did it before 11 Aug 21.  She then offered me credit to cover the extra charges until the end of my contract.  The question is why did the first agent give out such terrible and erroneous advice?  It certainly made TalkTalk look very bad.

anotheruser

Quietearth said:

It certainly made TalkTalk look very bad.

It's because they are bad.

They tried to tell me they only needed one device, when the BT engineer was there fitting a modem AND a router.
They can't even count to two!

JJ_Egan

Modem and a router is not normal unless FTTP and that's not a a modem but a ONT box and router .

Most ISPs routers are also a modem .

jbuchanangb

@Quietearth I'm glad you successfully pushed back on them. First agent was most definitely wrong.

Modem and a router is not normal 

But such a set up does work, I have a TalkTalk supplied HG612 VDSL modem connected to a TalkTalk supplied SAGEMCOM Wi-fi Hub using Netgear Powerline adapters, and it works a treat.