This topic

Leaving BT

caravanj — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 19:36:33 GMT

My 900GB + unlimited calls digital phone contract costs me £83 (rounded) per month & it expires on the 5th November & I've been told I'll get a £5 reduction if I stay with BT.

The same package for a new customer, which I obviously can't get, would be around £58 & with Sky the same package will be £55.

Therefore, sung to the tune of a well known Disney film, it's "Hey Ho, Hey Ho, it's off to Sky I Go".

Obviously I can't be without a broadband connection so I need to know the date I have to serve notice on BT that I will not be renewing my contract & do I need to tell BT that I want to keep my existing phone number.

Thanks for your help.

Re: Leaving BT

gg30340 — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 19:47:45 GMT

You do not notify BT.

You sign up with Sky and tell them when you want it to start and they do the rest including notifying BT. If you notify BT it will no doubt cause problems.

Re: Leaving BT

caravanj — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:52:35 GMT

@gg30340

Thanks for your reply.

I did think this but I've read other posts on the forum from members saying they didn't inform BT & were penalised so thanks for confirming it for me.

I do find it sad to be leaving BT but as a pensioner, now for the first time in my life, I'm having to look at all my bills.

I can't understand why BT would rather lose my custom than let me have the same package price as a new customer would have.

Re: Leaving BT

gg30340 — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:08:49 GMT

if you have not done it you could call BT and explain to them you are going to leave unless they can offer a better deal but they might not be willing to offer one and if that is the case just move to Sky if the price is better.

Re: Leaving BT

iniltous — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:58:48 GMT

There will be Sky customers ending their minimum terms like you are with BT , and getting an increase (£11 at today’s rate ) as they leave the minimum term onto the prevailing rate , ( from what you are expecting to pay £55 today to £66 ) , and they may be looking at BT with £58 for a new customer and thinking the same as you, why are new customers treated better than existing ones,

There is a reason for that BTW , linked to the regulators ‘demand’ that switching is the answer to pricing ….ultimately if all providers kept their customer base happy with ‘killer’ retention deals , there would be much less switching , only those with poor experiences would move , and that would make Ofcom ‘mad’ or ‘sad’ , ‘churn’ is what Ofcom want .

These Sky customers , like you they would have the choice to call Sky and negotiate using the threat to leave as leverage if a better deal not forthcoming, then they can (much like you) still leave if that’s the logical choice …..what strikes me with the many similar posts on here of the ‘fifth columnists’ is the apparent myopia when it comes to BT competitors…they are all pretty much doing the same thing .

Many of these contributors I doubt they post to their actual own ISPs user forums with the same advice ‘ leave , you know it makes sense’ sentiment for customers at the end of minimum terms facing uncompetitive out if contract pricing .

If you leave (and I’m not trying to dissuade you ) without negotiation, presumably in 2 years you will be doing the exactly same thing with Sky , objecting to your providers pricing for customers such as yourself (as you will be in 2 years ) compared to new Sky customers , presumably you won’t feel that you should have to negotiate in the same way as you do now , and will also leave Sky for a new customer price somewhere else without asking Sky for a better price to consider staying .

If you are happy with that merry go round fine ….personally I’d first ask my existing provider what they can do to keep my business , and if the price were still uncompetitive, then I’d leave

Re: Leaving BT

Kodikid — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 08:39:21 GMT

The whole industry has to change. As it stands loyal customers are treated unfairly and are penalized for not switching.

The regulators are usless..they let isp's impose 24 month lengthy contracts with the nice option that isp's can up the price twice during said contract.

If I buy a fridge from argos and two years later return to buy a new one then the price is the same for everyone.

There should be set menu pricing so for example Sky 500mbps is £38...and that's it no loyalty penalty or new customer nonsense it's £38 end of.

Re: Leaving BT

caravanj — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:05:23 GMT

@iniltous

I agree totally with what you say but I already change my insurance companies each year & have done for a long time.

I agree that Sky prices will increase but so will BT prices so the difference will always be more or less the same.

For £5pm I probably wouldn't have bothered but £27pm makes it worth doing.

I have contacted BT & the customer service rep spent quite some time going through all the prices but the very best he could offer was a £5 reduction which still makes moving to Sky for £22pm less, worth doing.

Re: Leaving BT

Kodikid — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:20:42 GMT

Yeah insurance companies is a poor example as since January 2022 they have by law had to offer the same price for everyone .

Shame the FCA don't regulate isp's

Re: Leaving BT

gg30340 — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:34:25 GMT

@caravanj

Do you need 900. In the real world you will never notice the difference between 500 and 900 or even 150 in most cases.

Re: Leaving BT

caravanj — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:35:14 GMT

@Kodikid

What you say is correct but it's not a matter of my insurance company charging a new customer the same price as my renewal price, it's a matter of seeing which company offers a lower price.

Re: Leaving BT

licquorice — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:07:26 GMT

The last thing I would ever do is use the lowest price insurance company!

Price isn't everything.

Re: Leaving BT

caravanj — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:16:25 GMT

Of course I should have said 900 Mbps

Re: Leaving BT

iniltous — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:09:21 GMT

If the best price BT can do is much more expensive than the competition, even after negotiating then switch , that makes perfect sense , anecdotally your experience seems different to many others who call , and ‘retentions’ offer to match the new customer price or get pretty close …the bugbear normally is those that have Halo add ons , that inflate the price .

As far as a set price that everyone pays , no new customer prices , no special deals for those that haggle, but that’s not how the industry is set up .
You probably won’t know , many years ago BT were not allowed to charge anything other than the list price , whilst the competition could offer any sort of price variation they liked ……once BT market share , which is now no more than leading competitors like Sky and Virgin , they had that particular restriction removed, expecting BT to be still restricted when other are not would be ridiculous…..so BT are in effect simply doing what the competition has been doing for years

Re: Leaving BT

Kodikid — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:20:45 GMT

When you go to a car showroom the car has a list price.

If you like to haggle, great fill your boots but the list price is the starting point for everyone...broadband should be the same

Re: Leaving BT

iniltous — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:56:12 GMT

Something of mixed messages here
You said
There should be set menu pricing so for example Sky 500mbps is £38...and that's it no loyalty penalty or new customer nonsense it's £38 end of.
You also said
If you like to haggle, great fill your boots but the list price is the starting point for everyone...broadband should be the same

The OP is not being charged more than list price, so which is it , the same price from everyone ( the list price ) or the list price is the starting point for negotiations

Re: Leaving BT

gg30340 — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:01:19 GMT

@Kodikidwrote:
The whole industry has to change. As it stands loyal customers are treated unfairly and are penalized for not switching.
The regulators are usless..they let isp's impose 24 month lengthy contracts with the nice option that isp's can up the price twice during said contract. The "regulators" also known as Ofcom, allow this because costs go up over the two year period. If they did not allow that you would be charged the higher price from the get go so that the ISP could make its money over the term of the contract. Either way you will be paying for it
If I buy a fridge from argos and two years later return to buy a new one then the price is the same for everyone. That must be the worst analogy you have come up with yet. Broadband is an ongoing service that is supplied 24/7 for the term of your contract. Buying a fridge is a one of purchase which you own out right for the price at that time. That is the same for any one buying it. Two years later the price has gone up and surprise surprise you and anyone buying the fridge now will pay exactly the same price because yet again it will be a one of purchase and not an on going service being supplied.
There should be set menu pricing so for example Sky 500mbps is £38...and that's it no loyalty penalty or new customer nonsense it's £38 end of.

Re: Leaving BT

gg30340 — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:08:11 GMT

@Kodikidwrote:
Yeah insurance companies is a poor example as since January 2022 they have by law had to offer the same price for everyone .
Shame the FCA don't regulate isp's

Insurance is not a one size fits all with every one being charged the same price. It is a bespoke product based on your individual needs, risk factors, where you live, how much excess you want to pay etc etc. Again this is also a one of purchase and not an on going service supplied 24/7 for the term of your contract.

Re: Leaving BT

caravanj — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:48:40 GMT

@licquorice

I only choose the lowest price from the main insurance companies, I wouldn't risk the unknown names.

Re: Leaving BT

caravanj — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:50:00 GMT

@iniltous

I'll give BT one more chance by asking if they can match the Sky price.

Re: Leaving BT

Crimliar — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 07:58:47 GMT

When I was prepared to leave BT, I didn't look at the lowest priced "major" competitor. The reason: I've had several neighbours with that ISP and every one of them had hardware related issues.