BT unable to renew gfast contract

[norush]

My BT broadband contract ends on June 27th but BT are apparently unable to renew my gfast connection which to be fair has been trouble free for four years. I have a city fibre connection available on the footpath and they are willing to provide a service with one months contract at a much lower cost than I'm currently paying BT; question is will I still have to pay BT a termination fee if I go ahead one month early or should I wait until the end of June; decisions decisions!

[gg30340]

You will be charged an early termination fee but it should be no more than the months rental.

https://www.bt.com/help/account-and-billing/payments--bills-and-charges/i-don-t-understand-my-bill/w...

[norush]

Yes I thought maybe they'd be inclined to waive the fee especially as they seem to be doing away with FTTC plus the fact their FTTP is a sight more expensive than their competitors!

[gg30340]

You can ask but don't be surprised if they don't. You are leaving not them to go to a rival ISP so why would they.

Have you contacted BT Retensions to see what they can offer you to stay?

[norush]

I know you're correct, but as it's them and not me unwilling to re-contract, I just thought they might do the decent thing; stupid me! As for their retention team, mmm....!

[gg30340]

BT can not recontract you on a product that is no longer supplied to them.

They can and apparently have offered you a different product if you wish to start a new contract with them. If not you are free to leave at the end of your contract but if you wish to leave early then you agreed to pay a cancellation fee when you signed up. That is the idea of a contract.

As regards Retentions it is entirely up to you if you call them or not but I can not see any reason not to as you know what they have to beat in order for you to stay so the ball is in your court with nothing to lose.

[norush]

Yes I'm aware that BT can't offer me a new contract using gfast; have already spoken to retention's who weren't much help, so I'll just hang on until the end of June and then vote with my feet, but thank you for your replies.

[NigelB72]

@norush if you're going to change, take into consideration the lead team for the new ISP to get an installation appointment booked with city fibre. 

Of and don't worry about the cancellation charges as BT only charge the wholesale cost and pro-rota'd cancellation fees. When I cancelled mid contract, the fees where a fraction of the remaining contract costs.

[Crimliar]

If you use the one-touch-switch service, you can set the date for your migration.  I even managed to do this (as of 1/5/25) while staying with BT, following an aborted move to another ISP.  Everything went smoothly, on that move, with my billing now changed, but not one nano-second of downtime (and no change to WAN IP(s).