Switching broadband: what actually happens, day by day

Switching broadband is less complicated than it used to be, and still more complicated than the adverts suggest. The order itself takes ten minutes. The part people underestimate is the week in between, when the new service is not live yet and the old one is about to stop.

This is the sequence as it actually runs, including the bits that go wrong.

Most switches complete in 7–14 days. You order with the new provider, they handle the transfer if both use the same network, and your service changes over on an agreed date — usually with a few hours of downtime rather than days. You have 14 days from activation to cancel without penalty, but only if you have not waived that right to get a faster install.

First: are you crossing networks?

This single question determines how the switch works, and almost nobody asks it before ordering.

If both providers run on the same physical network — the most common case, where the new provider uses the Openreach network — the switch is handled for you. You place one order, the new provider coordinates the transfer, and the old service stops on the same day the new one starts. This is what the industry calls a one-touch switch, and it removes the risk of ending up with two live lines or none.

If you are moving between different networks — from a cable network to a fibre network, for example — there is no automatic transfer. You are placing a new order and separately cancelling the old service. The two do not coordinate, and getting the dates to line up is your job. This is where most switching pain comes from.

Day by day

The exact timings vary by provider and by whether an engineer is needed, but the shape is consistent.

• Day 0 — you order. The provider runs a credit check (a soft search in most cases, which does not affect your score) and confirms the package and price. You receive a contract summary, which is the document worth keeping.
• Day 1–3 — the order is accepted and a date is booked. If the line needs work at the exchange or a new drop, an engineer visit is scheduled; if the property has a working line of the right type, it may be a self-install with a router posted to you.
• Day 3–10 — equipment arrives. Self-install kits typically post within two working days; engineer appointments are usually the longest wait, and can run to two weeks at busy periods.
• Activation day — the service goes live. Same-network switches usually happen within a few hours; the old service stops the same day. Expect to be offline for part of the morning, not for days.
• Day 14 — the cooling-off period ends. After this, leaving means paying an early termination charge.

The 14-day cooling-off period, precisely

Distance-selling rules give you 14 days from the day the service starts to cancel without penalty. That is a real right, and it applies to broadband bought online or over the phone.

There is an important catch: if you ask for the service to be installed sooner than the standard 14 days, the provider will usually ask you to acknowledge that you are waiving the right to cancel once the service is active. Agreeing to a fast install can therefore remove your safety net. If you are unsure about the provider, do not accept the waiver — wait the extra days.

The clock runs from activation, not from ordering. If your install is delayed three weeks, your 14 days start when it finally goes live.

What goes wrong, and how often

• Both services active at once. Usually a same-network switch where the old provider was not told; you pay twice until you notice. Check your bank statements for a month after switching.
• The line goes dead before the new one starts. Common when crossing networks and the dates were not coordinated. Arrange the new install for a day or two before you cancel the old service, and accept a short overlap in billing.
• The speed is lower than advertised. Advertised speeds are peak-time averages; if your line delivers substantially less, that is a fault, not bad luck. Test on a wired connection first — see our guide on what average speed actually means.
• The router arrives but the service does not activate. Usually an unactivated line at the exchange; the provider can push it through, but you have to call.

What to arrange before you order

• Check your current contract end date and any exit fee, in writing. Switching before the term ends means paying both the fee and the new contract.
• Confirm the new provider actually covers your address at the speed you are buying — not just your postcode district.
• Decide whether you need to keep your landline number. Porting a number across networks takes longer than the broadband switch and must be requested explicitly.
• Have the account number and notice period from your old provider to hand. Even on a one-touch switch, you may need them if something goes wrong.
• Photograph the old router and note the serial number before returning it. Unreturned equipment charges appear weeks later and are tedious to dispute.

If you are switching because of a price rise

Check the timing carefully. If your minimum term has ended, you are free to leave with notice and there is nothing to pay. If you are still inside it, the rise itself rarely justifies a free exit unless it exceeds what the contract permits — our guide on leaving a contract early sets out the grounds.

One practical note: retention offers are usually available in the final month or two of a contract and are often better than the new-customer price you were about to switch to. It is worth one phone call before you commit to the new provider.