Wondering about One Touch Switch for business broadband? It's for homes, and the business version isn't live yet. The good news: your new provider should still lead the switch, and with a little planning you won't lose a day's trade
Business switching, 10 November 2026
One Touch Switch and your business: where things stand
Since 2024
One Touch Switch
Households contact only their new provider.
Not live
TOTSCo's business service
Not declared live by 28 October 2026.
New provider
for businesses too
Your new provider should do the legwork.
31 Jan 2027
copper switch-off
About 300,000 lines in business premises still to move.
One Touch Switch, the one-call switching process that started on 12 September 2024, is for households only. For business broadband, Ofcom's rules still say your new provider should lead the switch. The industry's business version, called Switching for Business, is being built, but TOTSCo hadn't declared its business service live by 28 October 2026. So ask your new provider to arrange the switch, get the dates and costs in writing, and port your phone number rather than cancelling it.
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Key facts, verified 10 November 2026
- One Touch Switch went live for households on 12 September 2024, and Ofcom says "Around three and a half million people have switched their landline or broadband provider over the last two years" (Ofcom, 12 September 2026).
- Ofcom told the industry that providers have been required "to deliver gaining-provider-led switching" since April 2023, "whether for residential or for business customers" (Ofcom, quoted by TOTSCo, 3 October 2025).
- The industry body FCS says "Ofcom have not definitively mandated a switching process for business customers", but that providers "are expected to work together to develop a simple and efficient Gaining Provider Led (GPL) Business switching process" (FCS Switching for Business FAQ, September 2025).
- TOTSCo says "it is not mandatory to use the TOTSCo Hub for business switching" (TOTSCo, updated 15 October 2026).
- TOTSCo won't charge providers with fewer than 20,000 business customers "until TOTSCo has declared that Business Switching has gone live" (ISPreview, 28 October 2026).
- Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme "covers all residential fixed broadband and landline products", not business services (Ofcom, checked 10 November 2026).
- Businesses with no more than 10 employees get a contract summary, a 24-month limit on contracts and access to an ombudsman (Ofcom, 6 March 2024).
- BT Business says "Switching provider takes a minimum of 10 working days", with about 30 minutes without broadband on the day (BT Business, checked 10 November 2026).
- Openreach says about one million copper lines are still active, including 300,000 in business premises, ahead of 31 January 2027 (Openreach, 30 October 2026).
Who this is for: Small business owners, sole traders, shops, cafés, trades and home offices thinking about switching broadband or phone, and anyone who's heard that One Touch Switch makes it easy. We'll follow Priya, an example built from the questions we get, not a real customer. Priya runs a café in Leeds with four staff. Her contract ends in December, she takes card payments all day, and her regulars know her phone number.
Does One Touch Switch work for business broadband?
Direct answer: Not yet. One Touch Switch is the industry's process for households, required by Ofcom. For businesses, Ofcom's rules still say your new provider should lead the switch, but the industry's business version hadn't been declared live on TOTSCo's hub by late October 2026.
One Touch Switch went live on 12 September 2024. At home, you contact only your new provider, and the hub run by TOTSCo, the One Touch Switching Company, finds your old account, and your old provider closes it when the switch completes. It's been widely used at home: Ofcom says "Around three and a half million people have switched their landline or broadband provider over the last two years".
For your business, the rule that matters is who leads the switch. Ofcom reminded the industry in 2025 that providers have been required "to deliver gaining-provider-led switching" since April 2023, "whether for residential or for business customers". That means your new provider should do the legwork, even though the business version hasn't been declared live yet.
Switching at home, and switching a business
At home: One Touch Switch
Who you contact
Only your new provider.
The process
One Touch Switch, live since September 2024.
Your old service
Closes when the switch completes.
If it goes wrong
Compensation if you're left without service for more than one working day.
At work: business switching
Who you contact
Your new provider, which should lead the switch.
The process
Switching for Business, not yet declared live on TOTSCo's hub.
Your old contract
Check your notice period and any exit fee.
If it goes wrong
Ofcom says providers must compensate you. Check your contract too.
New to One Touch Switch? Start with One Touch Switch explained.
What is Switching for Business, and when will it start?
Direct answer: It's the industry's business version of One Touch Switch, led by your new provider. TOTSCo has been signing up and testing providers since July 2025, but hadn't declared its business service live by 28 October 2026, and providers don't have to use it.
TOTSCo explains that "This industry-agreed approach is known as Switching for Business", and that "the new provider manages the switch on the customer's behalf, removing the need for the customer to contact their existing provider." That's exactly what you'd want. But TOTSCo also says "No, it is not mandatory to use the TOTSCo Hub for business switching", so providers can use other routes.
Business switching: the road so far
Those fees are charged to providers, not to you directly. What matters for you is that TOTSCo hasn't announced a go-live date yet: in October, ISPreview reported that TOTSCo won't charge providers with fewer than 20,000 business customers "until TOTSCo has declared that Business Switching has gone live". Until then, how smoothly your switch goes depends on your new provider, which is why the rest of this guide is about making that work for you.
How do I switch business broadband today?
Direct answer: Choose your new provider and ask it to arrange the switch. Before you order, check your contract end date and exit fee, list everything that uses your line, and get the switch date and your number port confirmed in writing.
Switch your business broadband in six steps
Check your contract
Your end date, notice period and any exit fee.
List what's on your line
Numbers, card machines, alarms, a fixed IP address, email.
Order, and ask them to lead
Your new provider should arrange the switch.
Get it in writing
The switch date, the old service's end date and the number port.
Have a backup
A 4G or 5G router or mobile hotspot for switch day.
Test, then close down
Check everything works, then that the old bills stop.
Many business contracts need notice. BT Business's terms, for example, let either side end the service "by giving 30 days' Notice", and if you leave during your minimum term the charge is "65% of the Recurring Charge for the Service for all remaining months of the Minimum Term". So check your own terms before you pick a switch date.
Some providers will help with that bill. Vodafone Business offers account credit equal to the early termination fees you paid your old provider, up to £300 including VAT, if you claim within 90 days of your eligible plan being activated.
For Priya, step two matters most. Her card machine runs over the café's Wi-Fi, so she'll just need to connect it to the new router, but her phone number needs porting, and her email address came free with her old broadband. Her contract ends in December, so she orders now and books the switch for the week her old contract runs out.
See business deals with the full contract cost
Compare business broadband at your address, with contract lengths, set-up fees and price rises shown upfront.
Compare business broadband →More on exit fees: early exit fees explained, and our business broadband contract guide.
How long does a business broadband switch take?
Direct answer: BT Business says "Switching provider takes a minimum of 10 working days", with about 30 minutes offline on the day. Moving to a different network, such as cable or an independent full fibre network, usually means a new line, so allow longer.
| Your move | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Same network, such as Openreach to Openreach | Your new provider leads. At BT Business, at least 10 working days, and about 30 minutes offline on the day. |
| To or from cable, such as Virgin Media | Ofcom says you "will need to follow the 'cease and re-provide' process". Your new line goes in and the old service is cancelled separately, so ask who will cancel it, and keep the old service until the new one works. |
| To an independent full fibre network | Usually a new installation. Ask whether your new provider will close the old service, or whether you need to. |
| Moving premises | Not a switch. The industry process covers switches at the same address, so it's a new order at your new site. |
Ofcom's switching advice says "Any loss of service that occurs during a switch should not be longer than one working day", and "providers must compensate you if things go wrong". Even so, if card payments or bookings depend on your connection, have a 4G or 5G backup ready for the day. BT Business, for example, lists a "Free 4G connection before installation" on its Enhanced plans, which keeps you online while you wait for your line.
If you need to give notice yourself, time it carefully. Give it so your old service ends a few days after your new line is due to go live, not before, so you're never left without a connection.
Planning for the day itself? See business broadband with 4G backup and a simple failover plan.
Can I keep my business phone number?
Direct answer: Yes. You have the right to take your number with you, called porting. Tell your new provider before you cancel anything. If you've already cancelled, Ofcom says you can still ask to keep it, as long as you ask within one month.
Your provider's terms will usually say so. BT Business's terms end your rights to its numbers when you leave, "apart from your right to number portability when you change Communications Provider". And if you've already cancelled, Ofcom says you can still ask your new provider to keep the number, as long as you ask "within one month of cancelling".
Porting runs alongside the switch, not inside it. The industry's Switching for Business FAQ says "Number Porting continues to operate independently of the Switching for Business process". So ask your new provider to book the port for your switch date, and keep the old line until it's done. That's how Priya keeps the number her regulars ring for takeaway orders.
What rights do I have as a business customer?
Direct answer: More than many owners realise. Every business gets end-of-contract notices and can leave penalty-free if a change isn't to its benefit. With 10 or fewer staff, you also get a contract summary, a 24-month limit and a free ombudsman.
| Your right | 11 or more staff | 10 or fewer staff |
|---|---|---|
| End-of-contract and best price notices | Yes | Yes |
| Leave penalty-free if a change isn't to your benefit | Yes | Yes |
| A 12-month contract option | Yes | Yes |
| A one-page contract summary | No | Yes |
| Contracts no longer than 24 months | No | Yes |
| Asked before your contract renews | No | Yes |
| A free ombudsman | No | Yes |
| Ofcom's automatic compensation | No | No |
Those rights come from Ofcom's General Conditions. For every business, providers must give "at least one-month notice of any change to the contract that is not to their benefit" and "the option to exit the contract penalty-free". If you have 10 or fewer staff, you also get "a one-page (three-page for bundled services) contract summary", and "no phone and/or broadband contracts are offered with a commitment period longer than 24 months".
Two things work differently from home broadband. First, Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme "covers all residential fixed broadband and landline products", so for business faults and repairs, compensation depends on your contract. If the switch itself goes wrong, Ofcom's business advice says "providers must compensate you if things go wrong". If you have fewer than 250 staff, Ofcom requires providers to publish any service level agreements in their standard SME contracts, and to give you that information free of charge, so ask to see them before you sign.
Second, check how prices rise. BT Business, for example, says "Monthly prices will increase on 1st April each year", by £4 a month for bundles and £3 for broadband only. Knowing the pounds and pence up front makes it easy to compare deals fairly.
If a complaint isn't sorted and you have 10 or fewer staff, you can take it to a free ombudsman. Since 8 April 2026, Ofcom has cut the wait from eight weeks to six.
How the ombudsman works: taking a broadband complaint to the ombudsman.
What could go wrong when I switch, and how do I avoid it?
Direct answer: Most problems come from things you forgot were on the line: card machines, alarms, a fixed IP address, or an email address from your old provider. Check them before you order, and keep a backup connection ready for switch day.
Check these before you switch
Card machines and tills
If they plug into a phone line, ask your card provider about a broadband or mobile option.
Alarms, lifts and door entry
Openreach lists these among the systems still relying on old lines.
A fixed IP address
It usually belongs to your old provider, so plan to update remote access and firewall settings.
Email and website hosting
If your old provider hosts them, move them before you leave.
Your phone numbers
Port them with the switch. Don't cancel them first.
Exit fees
Check the charge, and ask whether your new provider will help.
A fixed IP address doesn't move with you. BT Business's terms say "All your rights to use BT IP Addresses or BT Domain Names or telephone numbers will cease on termination", apart from porting your numbers. If your card terminals, CCTV or remote access use a fixed address, ask your IT person to update them on switch day.
Email is the other one that catches people out. Plusnet Business says "When you decide to leave Plusnet your email will no longer work", and that it "will no longer be able to host your domain". If your email address ends in your provider's name, set up a new one and tell your customers before you switch.
Keeping your email: do you lose your email address when you switch?.
Does the 31 January 2027 switch-off affect my business?
Direct answer: Yes, if you still use an old copper phone line or ISDN. Openreach says about one million copper lines are still active, including 300,000 in business premises, and they need to move to digital before 31 January 2027.
Old copper lines still active, 30 October 2026
Openreach is urging businesses to "audit their remaining analogue services" now. It lists card machines, lift emergency phones, fire alarm panels, door entry and building systems among the things that can still rely on old lines. From 31 January 2027, lines that haven't moved may be put on EVAc, which Openreach calls a "limited, temporary, last-resort phone service".
The good news is that a switch is the perfect moment to sort it. If you're changing provider anyway, ask your new one to move your numbers and devices to digital at the same time.
The full countdown: the copper switch-off in 2027.
I'm with Plusnet Business. What should I do?
Direct answer: Plusnet is closing its business broadband and isn't taking new customers or renewals. You can move to BT for Business, or switch elsewhere with 10 days' notice, and Plusnet says you won't pay an early termination fee either way. Save your email first.
Plusnet's business FAQs say it "will be closing our business broadband services", and "we will write to you to advise you of the service closure date". It adds: "We are no longer accepting new signups or allowing existing customers to renew contracts." If you'd like to stay with the same group, you can move to BT for Business, and Plusnet says "We'll also waive any early termination charges if you're still in contract."
If you'd rather shop around, you can switch elsewhere or cancel "by giving us 10 days' notice". Your final bill may show an early termination charge, but Plusnet says it will "apply a credit for the same amount to offset this charge".
Either way, save your email. Plusnet asks you to "import everything you want to save at least two days before your Plusnet Business email service closes". This is a good chance to compare, because you're free to choose any provider.
What should I do now?
Today
Find your contract end date, notice period and any exit fee.
This week
List what uses your line: numbers, card machines, alarms, a fixed IP address and email.
When you order
Ask your new provider to lead the switch, and get the dates and number port in writing.
Before 31 January 2027
Move any old copper or ISDN lines to digital.
Compare business broadband at your address
Enter your postcode to see business broadband deals available where you work.
- ✓Deals for your exact address
- ✓Contract lengths and costs upfront
- ✓Free and independent
Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 0330 122 1223
In summary
- One Touch Switch is for households. The business version hadn't been declared live by late October 2026.
- Ofcom's rules still say your new provider should lead your switch.
- BT Business says a switch takes at least 10 working days, with about 30 minutes offline.
- Port your phone numbers, and check card machines, alarms, IP addresses and email before you go.
- With 10 or fewer staff, you get a contract summary, a 24-month limit and a free ombudsman.
Alex's closing thought
One Touch Switch has made switching easier for households, and the business version is being built. Until it's live, the rules still put your new provider in charge of your switch, so let them do the work, but get the dates, the exit fee and your number port in writing. Check what's plugged into your line before you order, and you can switch without losing a day's trade. If you'd like a hand, ring us on 0330 122 1223.
Keep going: business broadband and switching
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Cite this page
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In a sentence: One Touch Switch, the UK's one-call switching process, applies to residential customers; for business broadband, Ofcom requires the new provider to lead the switch, but as of 10 November 2026 TOTSCo had not declared its business switching service live, so businesses should confirm switch dates, exit fees and number porting with their new provider in writing.
Martin-Smith, A. J. (2026, November 10). One Touch Switch for business broadband: does it apply? BroadbandSwitch.uk. https://broadbandswitch.uk/insights/one-touch-switch-for-business-broadband/
Frequently asked questions
Does One Touch Switch work for business broadband?
Not yet. One Touch Switch is for households. The industry's business version, Switching for Business, hadn't been declared live on TOTSCo's hub by 28 October 2026.
Who arranges a business broadband switch?
Your new provider should lead it. Ofcom says providers have had to deliver gaining-provider-led switching since April 2023, for business customers as well as households.
What is Switching for Business?
The industry's process for business switching, where the new provider manages the switch for you. TOTSCo's hub is one way to run it, but providers don't have to use it.
When will business One Touch Switch start?
TOTSCo hasn't announced a date yet. It has been onboarding and testing providers since July 2025, but hadn't declared business switching live by 28 October 2026.
How long does it take to switch business broadband?
BT Business says switching takes a minimum of 10 working days, with about 30 minutes offline on the day. Moves that need a new line take longer.
Do I need to cancel my old business broadband?
Ask your new provider first. It should lead the switch, but on some moves, such as to or from cable, you may need to give notice yourself, so time it to end after your new line works.
Can I keep my business phone number?
Yes. Ask your new provider to port it before you cancel anything. If you've already cancelled, Ofcom says you can still ask to keep it within one month.
Will I lose internet when I switch business broadband?
Usually only briefly. BT Business says about 30 minutes on the day, and Ofcom says any loss of service during a switch should not be longer than one working day.
Does automatic compensation cover business broadband?
No. Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme covers residential broadband and landline products. For business faults and repairs, check your contract. If a switch goes wrong, Ofcom says providers must compensate you.
Can a small business use the broadband ombudsman?
Yes, if you have 10 or fewer staff. Since 8 April 2026, you can usually go to the ombudsman six weeks after your first complaint.
Will my static IP address move when I switch?
Usually not. A fixed IP address normally belongs to your old provider, so you'll get a new one. Update anything that relies on it, such as remote access or firewall settings.
Is Plusnet Business closing?
Yes. Plusnet says it will be closing its business broadband services and will write with the date. You can move to BT for Business or switch elsewhere with 10 days' notice, without an early termination fee.
References
- BT Business. (n.d.). Business broadband deals. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://business.bt.com/products/broadband-and-internet/deals/
- BT Business. (2025, April 9). BT Business Broadband Service Schedule, Part A: Service Terms (v1.0). Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://business.bt.com/content/dam/bt-business/pdfs/terms/bt-business-agreement/bt-business-broadband-service-schedule-part-a-and-b.pdf
- FCS. (2025, September). Switching for Business (SfB): frequently asked questions. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.fcs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FAQs-Sep25-draft-G.pdf
- Jackson, M. (2025, July 7). TOTSCo start onboarding UK ISPs for business broadband switching. ISPreview. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2025/07/totsco-start-onboarding-uk-isps-for-business-broadband-switching.html
- Jackson, M. (2026, April 21). TOTSCo confirm cheaper UK business broadband ISP switching. ISPreview. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/04/totsco-confirm-cheaper-uk-business-broadband-isp-switching.html
- Jackson, M. (2026, October 28). TOTSCo to reduce broadband and phone switching costs for UK ISPs in 2027. ISPreview. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2026/10/totsco-to-reduce-broadband-and-phone-switching-costs-for-uk-isps-in-2027.html
- Ofcom. (2023, April 3). Switching: broadband (advice for businesses). Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice-for-businesses/switching/switching-broadband
- Ofcom. (2023, April 3). Switching: landline (advice for businesses). Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice-for-businesses/switching/switching-landline
- Ofcom. (2021, September 28; updated 2023, September 28). Simpler broadband switching, in as little as a day. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/simpler-broadband-switching-as-little-as-day
- Ofcom. (2024, March 6). Ofcom's General Conditions. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/gen-conditions
- Ofcom. (n.d.). Automatic compensation: what you need to know. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/automatic-compensation-need-know
- Ofcom. (2025, July 8). Quicker complaints resolution for telecoms customers under new Ofcom rules. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/quicker-complaints-resolution-for-telecoms-customers-under-new-ofcom-rules
- Ofcom. (n.d.). Switching provider (including "Around 3.5 million Brits hit switch amidst cost-of-living concerns", 12 September 2026). Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider
- Openreach. (2026, October 30). Openreach warns businesses: fewer than 100 days left to move off the old analogue phone network. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.openreach.com/news/openreach-warns-businesses-fewer-than-100-days-left-to-move-off-the-old-analogue-phone-network
- Plusnet. (n.d.). Plusnet Business FAQs. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.plus.net/business/faqs/
- TOTSCo. (2024, September 13). One Touch Switch goes live! Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://totsco.org.uk/one-touch-switch-goes-live/
- TOTSCo. (2025, April 10; updated 2026, October 15). Business switching. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://totsco.org.uk/business-switching/
- TOTSCo. (2025, October 3). Connected Britain reflections: OTS turns one, and Ofcom on business switching. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://totsco.org.uk/connected-britain-reflections-ots-turns-one-and-ofcom-on-business-switching/
- Vodafone. (n.d.). Switch to Vodafone Business. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.vodafone.co.uk/business/switch-to-vodafone-business