First time broadband switcher
Options
percypercy
Posts: 39 Forumite
Good evening everyone,
I have 2 or 3 fairly basic questions about how to switch broadband providers. I have never done so before so it's all a bit of a minefield. Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help me/
1. I got a letter from Virgin last week, informing me that my contract is up at the end of the month and it will go up £13 - from £30 to £43. Shopping around i have found a better deal with John Lewis. On their FAQ it says "It will take us between 10 and 12 working days to switch your broadband service over to John Lewis Broadband, but you'll still have broadband through your current provider until we switch you over to our Broadband network."
Which is fine but my first question is:
1. 10 - 12 days takes me past the end of the month so if I switch this week I will still be with Virgin past the end of my contract, which ends 31/3. Does that mean I automatically start another year long contract with Virgin as I have gone past the end of the contract date? (In other words, have I left it too late to switch?)
2. When you switch broadband supplier, is it fairly seamless as it is when you switch energy companies or might I have a few days without broadband?
Finally, 3. The Virgin deal I'm on is a Vivid 100 Mb one and the John Lewis one I'd like to switch to is advertised as having an average download speed of 66 Mb. I've tested my Virgin broadband speed these last two evenings and it has come up both times at around 40 Mb. If I go for a 66Mb deal, will my speed be significantly slower than that, do you think?
I hope my questions are clear enough for you to understand. Thanks again.
I have 2 or 3 fairly basic questions about how to switch broadband providers. I have never done so before so it's all a bit of a minefield. Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help me/
1. I got a letter from Virgin last week, informing me that my contract is up at the end of the month and it will go up £13 - from £30 to £43. Shopping around i have found a better deal with John Lewis. On their FAQ it says "It will take us between 10 and 12 working days to switch your broadband service over to John Lewis Broadband, but you'll still have broadband through your current provider until we switch you over to our Broadband network."
Which is fine but my first question is:
1. 10 - 12 days takes me past the end of the month so if I switch this week I will still be with Virgin past the end of my contract, which ends 31/3. Does that mean I automatically start another year long contract with Virgin as I have gone past the end of the contract date? (In other words, have I left it too late to switch?)
2. When you switch broadband supplier, is it fairly seamless as it is when you switch energy companies or might I have a few days without broadband?
Finally, 3. The Virgin deal I'm on is a Vivid 100 Mb one and the John Lewis one I'd like to switch to is advertised as having an average download speed of 66 Mb. I've tested my Virgin broadband speed these last two evenings and it has come up both times at around 40 Mb. If I go for a 66Mb deal, will my speed be significantly slower than that, do you think?
I hope my questions are clear enough for you to understand. Thanks again.
0
Comments
-
Usually when minimum term contracts come to an end, you move on to a rolling monthly contract. You cannot be automatically started on another 12 or 18 month contract without you agreement, but any price reduction you agree to will start a new minimum contract term.
You don't switch to or from Virgin in the same way that switching between providers like TalkTalk, BT, Sky etc works. They all use Openreach cables so the service at some point has to stop being provided by Provider A and starts being provided by Provider B. As Virgin have their own infrastructure which no other provider uses, you will request a new service with John Lewis and separately notify Virgin you are ceasing their service. You `may need an Openreach (aka BT) line installed. You can have an over lap of services which will avoid an period without broadband.
Average speeds are misleading, you need to check what speed you can expect at your address. John Lewis broadband is provided by Plusnet who are part of BT Group0 -
Many thanks, littleboo, that's all super useful and really well explained too. Good news that I don't move onto a new contract at the end of the month. I have a little more breathing soace than I'd originally thought. Will check whether I need an Openreach cable or not. If I need one installed, have you any idea how much would I need to pay? And finally, how can I check the speed I can expect at my address?0
-
30 day rolling contract is usual but check VM T&C.
Up TO 38 meg / or 76 meg are the packages .
Actual speed unknown until you have a line connection .
Do you have a BT socket or overhead telephone wires .0 -
percypercy wrote: »Many thanks, littleboo, that's all super useful and really well explained too. Good news that I don't move onto a new contract at the end of the month. I have a little more breathing soace than I'd originally thought. Will check whether I need an Openreach cable or not. If I need one installed, have you any idea how much would I need to pay? And finally, how can I check the speed I can expect at my address?
How much a company charges for putting in a new line is entirely dependant on the company involved (and possibly on what needs done). If you need a new physical line putting in it will take more time.
For a fair assessment of fibre & ADSL speeds expected put your address into the following (the top 2 lines, VDSL are fibre):
https://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.AddressOutput0 -
Two things to remember.
Virgin will require 30 day notice to terminate your service.
Second. It might be worth getting in contact with Virgin Retentions to try to get a better deal from them especially if you don't have a BT (openReach) dormant line already there. Getting a new line may be more expensive than staying with Virgin with better deal.0 -
Many thanks JJ, Colin and twins.
Yes - I have just checked and I do have an old BT socket. Which is great news.
Colin - thanks, I tried the BT Broadband checker website. The high VDSL is 80 for both of the top two lines. Still, every time I check the broadband speed it's around 30 - 40. Maybe I need to check at a different time of the day as I know evenings is peak time.
twins - yes, I think I will ring them tomorrow to tell then I'm thinking of leaving.0 -
percypercy wrote: »Colin - thanks, I tried the BT Broadband checker website. The high VDSL is 80 for both of the top two lines. Still, every time I check the broadband speed it's around 30 - 40. Maybe I need to check at a different time of the day as I know evenings is peak time.
The broadband checker you used is for an estimate over a BT/OR phone line, it looks like you'll get the maximum possible.
At the moment you use Virgin and it comes over their infrastructure which is totally separate so has no bearing on the BT/OR line.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.5K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.9K Spending & Discounts
- 235.6K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.5K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.2K Life & Family
- 248.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards