BT Fibre 900 vs EE Fibre 900, is switching worth it

[Jools100]

Please tell me how you did this switch. Ive been told it's not possible by both BT and Plusnet.

[Kimberlin]

@Jools100  I switched to PN from BT in April 25 using One Touch Switching, that means you do not have to speak to BT at all. I was accepted on a new customer deal, so unless in the interim they’ve changed the rules, you should get a new customer deal using OTS. The only thing that will scupper that, is if you have a landline because PN don’t do landlines any more.

My switch took 5 working days. I’m on 500 mbps, Wife WFH, it’s ample speed for us. Also, we don’t use BT/PN’s aged SH2 because it just doesn’t cut it as it doesn’t have WiFi 6.

[Kodikid]

They keep on banging about the 30 day notice which is a complete lie 

OTS takes on average 3 days after that you're old broadband deal ends and your new one starts 

Within 14 days you have the right to cancel your new deal and move elsewhere...this includes to BT/EE and Plusnet 

I speak from my own experience 

[Kimberlin]

Agree with @Kodikid  there sort of isn’t any 30 day notice period once you are out of any 24 month contract and having reverted to a 30 day rolling contract. I was one day out of the my previous 2 year contract, switched using OTS and that was that. Obviously I was charged by BT up to the point of the switch. Indeed I actually got a small refund.

[Jools100]

Thanks everyone for the help. I presume the OTS mechanism is the one that makes the change via the websites when you choose a particular package?

[Jools100]

After asking that last question about OTS I recalled that every attempt I made to buy a new package via any of the triumvirates websites ended with being directed to MyBT once I entered my current provider in the box where this is required. How do I get round that?

[Kimberlin]

@Jools100  As far as I am aware, OTS merely facilitates the switching process so there is no need for the customer to enter any dialogue with either the ISP you’re switching away from or the ISP you’re switching to.

It’s obviously up to you to choose which package is suitable for you.

I don’t understand your last post? I don’t see how you can be directed using OTS to go to MyBT, that doesn’t make any sense. When I did my switch from BT to PN via OTS, I just went on PN’s website, picked a package and applied via the OTS option, so I’m confused why you are having difficulty.

Be aware though as some have previously stated, that apparently, as a BT customer you can’t switch to EE using OTS to gain a new customer deal. The same company but not the same company. One could view that as dirty and underhand, but there it is.

[Jools100]

It seems clear from all these posts that different things happen on the websites before and after the end of a fixed term contract. While still within the contract's term, it's not possible to switch brands like a new customer but as soon as the contract period is over, people have apparently been able to switch to new customer deals - on PN at least.

[Kimberlin]

@Jools100  Correct, you really ought to wait until your current contract rolls onto the 30 day rolling price. You can of course exit early, for a fee! EE offer up to a set amount to offset any fees, but not if you’re already with BT.

Personally, the switching inducements in the form of Rewards cards are more beneficial to me hence why I’m happy to switch every two years not to mention the lower monthly pricing.

Loyalty does not pay no matter what customers who have seemingly sold their souls to their ISP provider, in some cases, for decades,  might believe.

[gg30340]

@mattyjoyce71 

Regarding your original questions at the start of your thread:-

If you migrate from BT to EE you will not be classed as a new customer and you can not use the OTS method.

You can migrate at anytime as long as you are moving to a similar or higher package there will be no fee if your BT Broadband Fixed Term Contract still has time to run. It may be difficult to move to a "lower" package without a fee but you should be able to negotiate something with the sales people.

You do not need to give 30 days notice which would actually only have been 14 days notice if you were switching providers using the system prior to OTS. Using the OTS system this is now taken care of by the ISP that you are moving to.

If you are out of your Fixed Term Contract you can migrate to EE anytime and you should be able to select any package you want.

There is no guarantee that you will get a new EE router which is Wifi 6 capable because you will already have a BT Smarthub2 that can still be used. There are no known plans for BT to upgrade the Smarthub 2 anytime soon if indeed at all.

If you ask for a new EE Hub to be part of your package for moving it is possible if not very likely they will include one.

BT will ask for the Smarthub2 to be returned if you do get an EE router as is the case if you move to any other ISP. 

If you do migrate to EE your BTMail email will stay exactly as it is at present, which is a "Standard" email account. It will still be manged through your MyBT using your BTID.

If you move to Plusnet you can use the OTS method.

If still in your BT Fixed Term Contract contract you may be liable for early termination fees.

Your BTMail account will be "downgraded" to BTMail Basic which can only be used with webmail on a web browser unless you pay £7.50 per month to "upgrade" to a BT Premium email account.  

As regards comments that you  will only get 200Mbps on BT Broadband using the BT Smarthub 2 on wifi. This has been debunked many times on the forum and I can state from personal experience with a 500Mbps package I get on average over 400Mbps using the SM2 on the Wifi 5Ghz channel as do other members on the forum.

To sum up you are best to look around at other ISPs to see what they are offering. Make sure you compare like for like as some offer "extras" for the same price, some of which may be of no interest to you.

As regards the router, again look around at what third part routers are available as there are many to choose from most of which will offer better choices regarding what features and settings the user can change  than any of the ISPs will offer.