This topic

When/How is best to change ISPs these days?

snadge — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:31:50 GMT

Hello, my fellow BT users, I hope you're all having a lovely day.

I wish to try another ISP – even though BT's connectivity (the actual download speed) has been great 95% of the time, not the latency during usage, unlike Plusnet's at 0.1 (A) 24-7-365 on ThinkBroadBand's metrics, on latency tests during downloading and uploading, however BT Latency on a single user case is fine at 10ms, but during up/down (streaming/loading) its variable from 0.8(A) to 2+ (D) so BT 900 isn't great for a family of gamers and streamers IMO, but, for me a single user, it has been spot on, the prices aren't – a renewal of my current £69 a month (up from the original £55 two years ago) is £53 a month, so it's going to restart £3 cheaper, then go up in April by £9 and again the following year – they say it's the default 3% with 6% added on by them – cheeky sods!

I don't know if how to switch has changed? But it used to be a MAC code you got from the leaving ISP (BT) to give to the new one (Sky/Plusnet etc) – then it changed to 'Automatic', but having done this method only once 2 years ago, I can't remember when or how it's the best way to do it – I believe it's as simple as signing up to an any available ISP within your last month? Mine has 28 days to go before I am out of contract.

I currently pay almost £70 a month for 900FTTP, I am thinking of going to Plusnet, as they can supply 900 for £xx (Vodafone is a mere £xx for 900!! On an 18 months contract !— but that cheap means It's likely to be 'underfed' if you know what I mean!!!) — you get what you pay for, I found that out with Supernet and Talk Talk back in the day (when they first started and were terrible) – then I got onto BE* (o2) ten Sky for years, then Plusnet for years, had BT for 2, fancy trying Plusnet again but on FTTP900 instead of VDSL where it was a rock solid connection 24/7.

Can anyone advise on the best way to transfer and when?

Thanks in advance

Re: When/How is best to change ISPs these days?

iniltous — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:20:11 GMT

MAC ‘codes’ haven’t been used for many years , it’s a gaining provider led process , provided you are remaining on the same underlying Openreach network, Plusnet is fine but some ISP’s like VF for example use multiple networks, not just OR .
Basically you contact the new ISP and leave it to them , you don’t contact the company you want to leave as that potentially will leave you with a considerable break in service, the new ISP serves your notice to quit on your behalf , they give you a date ( or you ask for a particular date if you want to leave after a minimum term has expired) and on the agreed date you connect the new company’s router to the ONT .

The Plusnet router is a rebadged BT unit , and TBH , it’s not a change ( BT to PN ) that is likely to gain any performance improvement, most making the switch in that direction will be to save a few ££ , not to get a better service.

Re: When/How is best to change ISPs these days?

snadge — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:37:09 GMT

yeah as I said I know they are a rebadged BT, but they still have to operate as a separate ISP on the OR network like everyone else that uses BTWS, but yeah, its mostly the £££ savings iam going for, 3td party router is up to me, i never got one on BT as I never found out which would be the better one for me lol...

so if i have 28 days left when's the best time to sign up do you think?

Re: When/How is best to change ISPs these days?

iniltous — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:04:18 GMT

In 14 days time ,

TBH it’s likely to be a trivial amount if the changeover is a day or two earlier than ideal ( one or two days early termination charges ) or a day or two late ( paying for a couple of days of at the out of contract price ) …

A changeover between ISP on the same OR network takes 10-14 days , in part to allow for the ‘anti slamming’ procedure to play out , a letter from the losing ISP , saying ‘ you do know about this don’t you ‘ and giving the option to stop the migration ( if it were not what the customer agreed to ) that’s 10 days on its own .
As far as PN being functionally separate, that true , but it’s still the budget brand of BT Group , the OR FTTP network is identical irrespective of the ISP , and PN will be using BTw ( same as BT ) for backhaul, they certainly won’t be spending BT money on competitors backhaul.