How to Switch NBN Providers Without Downtime

Image2

Many Aussies tend to stick with an internet service provider once they have chosen one and pay their bills automatically via direct debit without any further thought.

However, sometimes, you might spot a cheaper plan or one which offers better inclusions, which may result in you deciding to switch to another company.

In such circumstances, you will obviously want to experience as little disruption as possible. After all, you’ve got work to do, social media sites to browse and your favourite TV shows to stream!

But how can you ensure there is no or at least negligible downtime while your online access is being transferred to another competitor?

In this guide, we’ll tell you how you can switch to another NBN provider in the most seamless way possible.

How to Switch NBN Providers

The thought of changing NBN providers might appear to be a daunting task at first. But, if you break it down into separate phases, you will quickly realise it is not as difficult as you might have imagined.

Infact, the hardest part is probably choosing which NBN plan to switch to. Here is a good process to follow to do that.

1. Do Not Cancel Your Current Plan

There is a common misconception that you can’t change the NBN provider until you have cancelled your current plan. However, this is simply not true.

Doing this will actually leave you without access to the internet for a much longer period of time than you otherwise experience.

Therefore, don’t cut ties with your existing provider, until such time as you have chosen a plan from a new one, received the equipment from them, and are ready to switch over.

2. Check Your Current Contract Status

It is important to check the status of your current plan to see if you are still under contract with your provider because if you are, you could face early cancellation fees. The best way to do this is to refer to your latest invoice or account information or contact their customer service team for confirmation.

Image1

Thankfully, many NBN plans, including TPG’s NBN plans, are now contract-free. So, if you change to them, you won’t have this issue in the future.

That said, if you received a new modem at no upfront cost when you signed up to your existing provider, you may be required to pay out a prorated hardware fee for it if you decide to leave early.

At present, you may experience this charge from Optus, Telstra and Vodafone, although you can avoid it by sending the modem back to them. You can do it for free at your local Post Office.

3: Find A New NBN Plan

Once you are comfortable with the thought and possibly charges involved in switching NBN providers, you can start to look for a new plan.

The key to doing this is to understand what your needs are and why you want to change, and this could be for a variety of reasons. For instance, you might want to save money, enjoy faster speeds, benefit from bundling options or added extras, or simply want somewhere with better customer service.

Here is a more detailed guide on how to choose the right NBN plan for your requirements. However, if you need more assistance, comparator websites like Finder and WhistleOut can be very useful resources to help you compare internet plans from a wide selection of telcos.

When you do see a plan you are interested in, make sure you check out the Critical Information Summary (CIS), which you should find on the company’s website or can request by contacting them.

3. Sign Up to the New Provider

As soon as you find a suitable plan, you should sign up for it – although, again, do not cancel your existing one just yet.

Many people order their new plans online. However, if you are planning on switching to the NBN for the first time, it might be a good idea to call the provider to check what installation requirements there might be.

Image3

They might run a credit check on you before they formerly sign you up. But once you are given the all clear, your new provider will confirm the expected connection date, what installation options you have, and anything else you need to be aware of for the switch to happen as seamlessly as possible.

They will also send you any equipment you require or, depending on where you live, may need to schedule an NBN technician to properly install your equipment.

4. Cancel Your Old NBN Service

Once the hardware system has been set up, your new provider will manage the process of switching NBN plans for you.

This is the time when you should let your old provider know that you are jumping ship. When informing them, make sure you cancel any existing direct debit payments that have been set up with them and get a definitive disconnection time.

Usually, the transition is pretty seamless, and you will only experience an hour or two of downtime max while the change takes place – if any at all. However, if you can’t do without the internet for this time and want to be on the safe side, you should consider hot-spotting off your phone’s mobile data.