Money expert Martin Lewis is urging broadband customers to ditch their current provider and switch to a much cheaper contract after a change to the rules governing the BT Openreach network.
Ofcom recently announced something called One Touch Switch, which allows customers to move companies much more quickly without their old provider being able to effectively block the move.
Ofcom said: “Since 2015, people have been able to switch between phone and broadband providers on Openreach’s network – such as BT and Sky – by following a process where their new provider manages the switch. But customers switching to or from a different network, such as Virgin Media, have had to contact their existing provider as well to co-ordinate the switch.
“With a range of competing fibre-optic networks being built, Ofcom wants to make it easier and quicker for people to move between them and take advantage of unprecedented levels of choice. “Under the new One Touch Switch process, landline and broadband customers only need to contact their new provider to make the change.”
This means it’s now never been easier to change internet provider and save a lot of money.
Martin Lewis said: “150Mb fibre broadband from £14/mth (most paying double for half the speed)… switching to smaller ‘alt-nets’ now much easier too as Ofcom’s introduced one-touch switching.”
Martin’s MSE website expanded: “The playing field is levelling on broadband, making it far easier to switch to the new local ‘alt-nets’ that set up their own networks rather than relying on BT in the background.
“And as many of them undercut big providers, we’re trying to add more into our broadband comparison, which now covers 25 firms. If you’ve not switched broadband for years, you’re almost certainly out of contract, and can SAVE LARGE by taking advantage of short-lived promo deals.”
Right now, Hyperoptic is offering 158mb fibre broadband for just £13.83 per month, and is available in large cities.
Gigaclear offers 300mb for £19 a month, and like Hyperoptic is also fibre to the premises (FTTP) which is faster than traditional fibre to the cabinet.
Virgin Media also offers 246mb fibre broadband for £22.45 a month, and this is available to all UK homes. It’s actually £28 per month but with £100 cashback on your first bill, the cost becomes £22.45 when this is averaged out across the 18 month contract.
Vodafone is also offering a contact for 67mb fibre for £22.55 a month, which sounds like a worse deal than the rest but has wider coverage so you may get this one if you don’t live in an area served by the others.
