Switching from TalkTalk to BT

[meself1]

My mother-in-law needs to leave TalkTalk as they're woeful, and I've suggested BT. She needs to move her landline as well as broadband. I keep reading, e.g. on moneysupermarket.com that this should be trivial and that the new ISP (BT in this case) would handle all the cancelling of the old contract (which is past its initial compulsory period). However, BT's own site says:

If ordering full fibre broadband with BT, you’ll need to cancel your broadband and TV package with your current provider if you have:

• A copper or fibre broadband service

So which is it? Does she have to go through cancellation hell with TalkTalk or will BT just handle it?

[licquorice]

If you are moving from a copper delivered service to a copper delivered service, the gaining provider does everything.

If you are moving from a copper delivered service to a full fibre service, you need to cancel the old service as well as ordering the new service.

[meself1]

What about fibre to fibre?

[licquorice]

Fibre or full fibre?

I can't say for sure, but I would expect full fibre to full fibre should also be gaining provider led.

[iniltous]

There is a difference between fibre and full fibre , if you are looking at BT and are not offered speeds  like 500 and 900Mb ( even if they are not what you would chose ) then it’s probably FTTC ( fibre to the cabinet ) that’s not full fibre , so by ordering with BT , your Talk Talk ( presumably based on Openreach) service  should be ceased as a consequence of joining BT , but you get confirmation anyway,  the losing provider sends a ‘sorry to see you leave’ communication ( letter-email ) ,

If you don’t receive one it’s worth asking why , but if the phone number is to be moved to the new provider then that in itself should cease the old provider service.

With the proliferation of Alternative Networks as well as Virgin , there is always the possibility that someone may be moving from a non Openreach network  to BT , hence the caution, if your MIL wasn’t on Openreach with Talk  Talk,  then that other provider would need notification separately as the Openreach switching process wouldn’t automatically let the old provider know of the consumers intention to swap providers 

[meself1]

My feeling after reading these replies is that there are so many possible caveats that the only failsafe solution is for her to bite the bullet and cancel her TalkTalk contract first. I hope her 85 year old heart can handle the stress!

[licquorice]

No, it has to be done correctly or it causes even more problems.

If she is moving like for like then it is gaining provider led and cancelling will cause issues.

[Keith_Beddoe]

If she is moving to a copper based connection with BT, then cancelling with TT will result in the BT order failing, as there would be a pending cease on the TT service.

All you need to do is to find out what BT package she is going to order, and that will tell you whether its copper or full fibre.

Bear in mind that if its full fibre, there can be delays in installation and its often best to wait until its actually working, before cancelling the TT connection.

If its a copper connection, then just leave it all to BT to deal with.

[meself1]

Chaps, I appreciate the advice and help, but I feel we're going round in circles. Her TT connection was set up by her now deceased husband. She has no clue as to the type of broadband she has, and so just wants to get a new provider to just migrate everything. Is there no other provider (doesn't have to be BT!) that can take this on in this day and age? 

[garybs29]

@meself1 What speeds is she getting now & what speeds are being quoted by BT, if you can provide these we should be able to give an answer