Will porting my number while in contract incur a cancellation fee?

[Mark_W]

I’ve recently got FTTP broadband from another provider but we also got broadband and digital voice from BT.  I’d like to port our BY phone number to the new provider and am aware from the forums that this will likely cease the contract.  The problem with this is, I don’t want to incur cancellation fees because we’re still in contract.

Does anyone know if there is a way to avoid the cancellation fees?  Before you lecture me that I’m in contract and should honour it, I do already know this.  But if there is a legit way to avoid such fees then naturally I’m keen to investigate such a route.  

Thanks!

[gg30340]

Porting your phone number will cancel your BT broadband and telephone. There is no way to avoid this unless your new provider is prepared to pick up the cancellation fee.

You could try asking if you can port the number and be allocated a new number by BT which should not cancel everything but you would obviously need to pay till the end of your contract.

[iniltous]

Short answer is No , there isn’t a way to legitimately cancel your BT service and avoid ETC if you are within a minimum term , as stated your options, leave as is , using BT for your phone service and a back up broadband , continue paying monthly until you can leave penalty free ( if avoiding ETC is essential) or port the number which cancels the broadband and phone as a consequence , and pay the ETC , this is a cheaper option , as ETC isn’t simply the remaining number of months x the monthly fee , but less , but obviously will be a lump sum payment.

[imjolly · Accepted solution]

You could also phone CS and if you can negotiate with BT to let you port your number to VOIP provider and then take new contract with BT and avoid ETC

There are other posts same as yours but none have posted back if they found solution

As I posted before this is becoming requested more often and sooner BT set up system to allow porting of number and just continuing your contract the better