Quick question 11 June 2022 at 7:17PM in Broadband & internet access 8 replies 161 views

Tiki30

I have given notice to my ISP that when my contract ends early July,  I don't want to renew it.   They have acknowledged. 

I don't need any service again until mid/end August so was going to leave it until then b4 shopping around for a new supplier but anyone know if I  would I have to pay for phone line connection again if I did that?

iniltous

Presumably it’s providers using Openreach that you use , if you have asked your current provider to cease your service , then although it’s only a few weeks until you will be looking to reinstate service , it’s not guaranteed that you will get a ‘takeover’ or ‘ start’ price, the new provider may  decide it’s a ‘new line’ install charge that’s appropriate, TBH , the chances are it will be just a ‘start’ ( which is cheaper than a new install ) and many providers don’t charge an install fee anyway  ( even on jobs where a new line install is appropriate ) if the applicant takes a long minimum term or takes a bundle of services, BTW, a new line isn’t fitting a socket etc, but it’s if the line cannot simply be turned back on remotely without an engineer having to intervene in the external network.

There is an element of risk that any monthly fee saved by ceasing early July and starting again mid August ( 6 weeks rental saved ? ) could be less than the charge for a new line install, if your chosen provider decides it’s a new install and not a ‘start’ that you need.

Neil_Jones

Tiki30 said:

I have given notice to my ISP that when my contract ends early July,  I don't want to renew it.   They have acknowledged. 

I don't need any service again until mid/end August so was going to leave it until then b4 shopping around for a new supplier but anyone know if I  would I have to pay for phone line connection again if I did that?

Probably wasn't worth doing that for six weeks in all honesty, as a Cease Charge will almost certainly apply..  The cost is I believe somewhere around £35 (see ISP T&Cs for exact amount).  If you come back to it again in August it'll just delay activation of the new service.

Tiki30

The contract doesn't end until 13th July not the 3rd as I had thought.  I was changing provider anyway and don't mind renewing from the 13th. Was just a thought as house not being lived in for those 6 weeks but sounds like it could potentially turn out to be a false economy. 

Neil_Jones

To be honest you might as well have just picked another provider at an introductory rate (which almost certainly would have been at a rate far less than the c. £35 cease charge).  If this was six months then maybe it would have been justifiable.  For six weeks, not worth the effort.  New broadband deals are going for about £22 a month (or less if you haggle your existing one down).  At that price point you'll spend more on the cease than you would actually save with an introductory/retention deal.

Make sure you speak to provider that you don't want the cease to go ahead now before you pick somebody else.

matelodave

if you cease a line, there's no guarantee that you can get reconnected when you want and you'll almost certainly lose your number if thats important to you.

Many places may have waiting lists and if your line gets re-allocated then you could end up at the back of the queue. It much better to hang onto your connection

400ixl

The exchange having a waiting list is probably the biggest risk, you could end up going to the back of that queue and not being able to get a new connection for months.

Not sure how you can check if there is a waiting list for your location though, so no idea how to quantify that risk.

The_Fat_Controller

If you are giving up a traditional landline and a broadband service over that and you live in an area that has already been cabled for FTTP you may find that Openreach have a "stop sell" policy for copper line services and may never be able to order anything again over the phone line from any ISP.

Tiki30

Contacted current provider to cancel my cancellation! I didn't get a chance to say that tho before he offered a better deal than the one offered when I cancelled which I took. Thanks all.