Timing the renewal or switch to a new Broadband deal

THEV1LL4N

I'm currently with Plusnet and will soon be out of contract.  I would like to re-contract or secure a new deal elsewhere to avoid going onto a higher tariff for the same speed and service.

Thinking in advance to review my options, it prompts the question: when is the best time to secure a new broadband deal?

Does anyone have any insight on what deals will be available if any from the likes of Sky, Plusnet and NOW over the upcoming bank holiday weekend?

Thank you.

wongataa

The best time to transfer ISPs is 1-2 weeks before your current one ends so you will have minimum time at the out of deal cost with the old ISP.  A ISP transfer takes about two weeks usually.

Log into your Plusnet account on the website and you will see what deal is being offered to you.  You may get a better offer though if you start the ISP switching process.

I am with Plusnet.  When my deal was coming to an end their offer wasn't great so I decided to switch.  I picked a new ISP and started the process.  Plusnet then phoned me and offered a much better deal than the new ISP and a lot better than their previous offer.  I accepted it and cancelled the switch.

As to what deals might be available in the future, no one knows.

HaroldWhistler

Another option is to stop the renewal (set up to cancel) your existing broadband once the contract is finished giving the minimum notice period. Then opt for 4G Mobile Broadband with a Mifi device (or Home Router that you can put a SIM in) and Unlimited Data 4G Sim from a mobile network with a good signal in your area. Those can usually be had on short 30 day rolling contracts (e.g. Lebara who use Vodafone). 

Then you have the flexibility to just wait it out for Black Friday/November sales on broadband products, or the advantage of if Full Fibre (FTTP) becomes available to your address from either an Openreach provider (like Plusnet, BT, etc) or those who offer products from an Alternative network provider (e.g. Vodafone via Cityfibre, Hyperoptic, B4RN etc etc), you have maximum negotiating power as a New customer rather than upgrading during a broadband contract. The SIM contract can then be cancelled at that point (given its 30 day rolling). 

You might also find the 4G broadband is faster than a FTTC broadband (it's only fibre to the cabinet and copper the rest of the way) product as well. 

JSmithy45AD

HaroldWhistler said:

Another option is to stop the renewal (set up to cancel) your existing broadband once the contract is finished giving the minimum notice period. Then opt for 4G Mobile Broadband with a Mifi device (or Home Router that you can put a SIM in) and Unlimited Data 4G Sim from a mobile network with a good signal in your area. Those can usually be had on short 30 day rolling contracts (e.g. Lebara who use Vodafone). 

Then you have the flexibility to just wait it out for Black Friday/November sales on broadband products, or the advantage of if Full Fibre (FTTP) becomes available to your address from either an Openreach provider (like Plusnet, BT, etc) or those who offer products from an Alternative network provider (e.g. Vodafone via Cityfibre, Hyperoptic, B4RN etc etc), you have maximum negotiating power as a New customer rather than upgrading during a broadband contract. The SIM contract can then be cancelled at that point (given its 30 day rolling). 

You might also find the 4G broadband is faster than a FTTC broadband (it's only fibre to the cabinet and copper the rest of the way) product as well. 

Given potential upfront fees for the mobile BB and then possibly again coming back to cabled BB I can't see that being a good idea given it will be September in a weeks time.

You're presuming that FTTP isn't already available and that if not then the FTTC isn't up to 80Mbps anyway which may be more than they actually need.

The answer is given in the first response although there's no reason the OP can't contact PN now and enquire about deals.

Neil_Jones

THEV1LL4N said:

I'm currently with Plusnet and will soon be out of contract.  I would like to re-contract or secure a new deal elsewhere to avoid going onto a higher tariff for the same speed and service.

Thinking in advance to review my options, it prompts the question: when is the best time to secure a new broadband deal?

Does anyone have any insight on what deals will be available if any from the likes of Sky, Plusnet and NOW over the upcoming bank holiday weekend?

Thank you.

If you want to stay with Plusnet you can get a new deal now that will take effect at your next billing date.

Also note that if you do move provider and it straddles a billing period, you will get a pro-rata refund from Plusnet.

saajan_12

Bit of both a follow up question and advice for OP..

Are there any broadband providers that will deliver and start service asap after ordering? Many impose a 14 day gap between ordering and service, even when theres minimal installation / delivery delays. Presumably this is to get over the cancellation period before they incur the postage costs. However this
    a) is a bit disingenuous with the idea of a cooling off period, not just if you randomly change your mind but if you find you don't like the serivce; and
    b) could leave you with a gap or high out-of-contract costs if you look too late. Sometimes I'd rather waive the 14 days just to start asap, but many don't let you. 

iniltous

Not sure about your idea of what a cooling off period is for ,
 I would suggest it was never intended to be ‘try before you buy’ , but a period where , should someone consider they were pressured into ‘signing up’ to something they regretted as soon as the sales pitch was over and they had time to reflect, then that ‘contract’ could be nullified in the cooling off period.
There are good  reasons why it’s  preferable to leave a gap between signing up and the service starting , not least in the case of a malicious person, slamming an unsuspecting customer onto another provider, or a person mistakenly giving the wrong address to an ISP , without this gap ‘innocent’ people could find themselves moved without their consent, this period gives them an opportunity to respond to the ‘sorry you are leaving’ letter/email the losing provider sends to them.

HaroldWhistler

JSmithy45AD said:

HaroldWhistler said:

Another option is to stop the renewal (set up to cancel) your existing broadband once the contract is finished giving the minimum notice period. Then opt for 4G Mobile Broadband with a Mifi device (or Home Router that you can put a SIM in) and Unlimited Data 4G Sim from a mobile network with a good signal in your area. Those can usually be had on short 30 day rolling contracts (e.g. Lebara who use Vodafone). 

Then you have the flexibility to just wait it out for Black Friday/November sales on broadband products, or the advantage of if Full Fibre (FTTP) becomes available to your address from either an Openreach provider (like Plusnet, BT, etc) or those who offer products from an Alternative network provider (e.g. Vodafone via Cityfibre, Hyperoptic, B4RN etc etc), you have maximum negotiating power as a New customer rather than upgrading during a broadband contract. The SIM contract can then be cancelled at that point (given its 30 day rolling). 

You might also find the 4G broadband is faster than a FTTC broadband (it's only fibre to the cabinet and copper the rest of the way) product as well. 

Given potential upfront fees for the mobile BB and then possibly again coming back to cabled BB I can't see that being a good idea given it will be September in a weeks time.

You're presuming that FTTP isn't already available and that if not then the FTTC isn't up to 80Mbps anyway which may be more than they actually need.

The answer is given in the first response although there's no reason the OP can't contact PN now and enquire about deals.

That presumption was made on the basis the OP mentioned NOW Broadband who do not offer FTTP. Of course if FTTP were available, then that should likely be jumped upon. That's why I mentioned mobile broadband (with a SIM) as either a temporary solution until FTTP becomes available from anyone (Openreach based or Alternative network), or as a potential replacement for FTTC. Yes, nothing to enquire from Plusnet about deals. However, Plusnet contracts are not short, nor are they fixed prices. Negotiating power is (usually) maximum when a customer has the ability to leave at the end of a contract or as a future potential customer who isn't already locked into a contract with the provider.