TalkTalk - changes afoot

MouldyOldDough

https://news.sky.com/story/talktalk-group-picks-bankers-to-spearhead-break-up-13434522

gives details of the breakup of TalkTalk.

I have been a TT customer for over 20 years and was totally unaware of this - and am wondering what changes any sale will have on over 3 million customers ?

Unfortunately - we are stuck with TT and whatever happens - because T&C say......unfairly in my opinion.

Rodders53

It doesn't give details, just speculation about what is possible / likely.

What's the perceived problem? 
TT's business will continue 'as is' for customers with new owners.  If they were about to go into liquidation it might be slightly different.  

Worst case will be less competition in the market?

MouldyOldDough

Rodders53 said:

It doesn't give details, just speculation about what is possible / likely.

What's the perceived problem? 
TT's business will continue 'as is' for customers with new owners.  If they were about to go into liquidation it might be slightly different.  

Worst case will be less competition in the market?

Am I right in thinking that the price of what I am currently getting can't go up - just because it's changed supplier ?

I only just took out a new contract in May !!

I've been with TT since 2001.

Also what about upgrading to Full Fibre - what's likely to happen about that ?

MouldyOldDough

This is going to affect 3.2 million customers - it's got to go wrong for many - these things never go smoothly !!

Rodders53

Price of what you have contracted will go up by £3 in April next year and the following April... unless you got a very unusual and special deal.

Current contract prices are unlikely to change on a 'takeover' and if they were to it'd almost certainly invoke a break clause where you could leave without penalty. 

It could well take two years for negotiations to happen and Contracts to be agreed for any changes anyway.

Upgrading to Full Fibre will be another new contract if/when they can offer it.  Note that FTTC with copper over the last leg may continue for many years to come - just that the copper back to exchange from the 'other' cabinet will disappear and phone calls will become Voice over IP (VoIP).  BT Openreach have no plans to provide full fibre to me - even though some new houses at the end of the lane have it.  I doubt any other provider will "be along shortly", either.

MouldyOldDough

Rodders53 said:

Price of what you have contracted will go up by £3 in April next year and the following April... unless you got a very unusual and special deal.

Current contract prices are unlikely to change on a 'takeover' and if they were to it'd almost certainly invoke a break clause where you could leave without penalty. 

It could well take two years for negotiations to happen and Contracts to be agreed for any changes anyway.

Upgrading to Full Fibre will be another new contract if/when they can offer it.  Note that FTTC with copper over the last leg may continue for many years to come - just that the copper back to exchange from the 'other' cabinet will disappear and phone calls will become Voice over IP (VoIP).  BT Openreach have no plans to provide full fibre to me - even though some new houses at the end of the lane have it.  I doubt any other provider will "be along shortly", either.

I am literally yards away from the cabinet and connect at a steady reliable 70Mbps + so am more than happy with what I have - just wondered what changes would be forced on me.

iniltous

There has been plenty of speculation about Talk Talk’s parlours financial situation but until something is announced there is nothing to be done by individual customers , there is much  talk about other companies acquiring TT residential customers base , ( TT have acquired customers themselves in this way in the past ) generally though if the terms and conditions remain the exactly the same (so no change to price or contract length etc ) as an individual you generally suck it up , even if you don’t ’like’ the new owner , but that’s not unreasonable after all the ownership is relatively unimportant, if the acquiring company change anything fundamental then you would normally be offered the option to leave penalty free .

Depending on how much of a basket case TT is (financially speaking ) why would competitors want to spend their money to acquire TT customers , if TT collapse those customers would be looking for a new provider anyway, some ‘chat’ around other companies having looked at the TT books , decided it’s not worth what TT  want to ‘buy’ up their customer base .

The regulator may ask BT to takeover  as a provider of last resort as no other company is likely to have the scale to absorb 3 million customers should TT collapse, however not all are on Openreach network so even that is problematic as for example BT can’t maintain TT City Fibre customers in the event of collapse.

Dinkydo

I've been with TT in excess of 20 years.  Been sent a couple of emails this year saying my broadband account is moving/moved (not sure which) to Utility Warehouse, supposedly on 30.6.25 but only selected customers.  My partner has a Talktalk mobile on his TT contract and was quite concerned to find a notice on his online account that his mobile will cease at end of October and he has to port to another provider - and also give 30 days notice!  When is this going to get into the media because I can find no public statement about this change.