Long gone are the days when you could only get your home phone from one or two providers.
Now you can choose from a wide range of companies, and phone services can be bought as stand-alone services or as part of bundled deals alongside other services, such as TV, broadband and mobile services.
This guide explains what you need to do if you want to switch your landline to a new provider.
One Touch Switch
From September 2024, a new switching process for all broadband and landline services called ‘One Touch Switch’ will be used. This process will be easier, quicker and more reliable for customers.
Under this process, you don’t need to speak to your current provider. Instead, your new provider can arrange the switch for you. You will simply need to provide them with a few details including your address and the name of your current provider.
These details will be matched against your current provider’s records, and they will immediately send you any important information to consider in deciding whether to go ahead with the switch. This may include early termination charges or the impact of the switch on any other services you currently receive. If you decide to go ahead with the switch, the new provider will arrange this for your preferred switching date.
On the day of the switch, once your new service has been confirmed to be working correctly, your new provider will notify your old provider to cease your existing service and you should not be charged for any notice period charges beyond this date. Any loss of service that occurs during a switch should not be longer than one working day.
Under our new rules, providers will also have to compensate you in an easy and timely manner if things go wrong, for example, if you are left without a service for more than one working day, or if they miss any service or installation appointments. We expect providers to pay such compensation within 30 days of the completion of a delayed switch, or the date of any missed appointment.
You can keep your existing landline telephone number when you switch. This is known as number 'porting'. If you want to keep your number, let your new provider know. You can request to keep your old phone number for free even if you have already cancelled your previous service (as long as you request this within one month of cancelling). However, you may not be able to keep your existing landline number if you are switching landline provider at the same time as moving home.
If you change your mind, you must contact your new provider to cancel your request to switch.
Switching a bundle
If you're switching provider for a bundle of landline and broadband services at the same time, you will usually follow the process described above.
Where you have asked and are able to keep your existing phone number, you do not need to notify your old provider that you are moving to a new landline provider.
However, you may need to notify them to cancel other services you are also switching as part of a bundle - particularly if the switch involves cancellation of a TV service.
Your old provider will give you information on what your options are regarding these services in the switching information they send to you..
Early termination charges and cooling off period
If you want to change provider before the end of your minimum contract period, you might have to pay early termination charges. If you use the OTS switching process you will be automatically notified by your current provider about any termination charges.
And remember, you have the right to cancel your order within 14 calendar days (the ‘cooling off’ period). However, if your service has already started then you may be charged for the proportion of the service you have already used when you cancel and/or any installation costs incurred.
Managing your own switch
You may choose to ask your new provider not to manage the switch on your behalf, for example if you would prefer to have a period of overlap between the new installation and cancelling your old service. In this case, you would need to order the service with your new provider and separately contact your old provider to cancel your existing contract at the appropriate time. However, please be aware that the OTS process would not apply in this case.