Switching broadband: how it works, and your rights

To switch broadband in the UK you contact one company: the provider you want to join. Under One Touch Switch, the Ofcom rule in force since 12 September 2024, your new provider manages the switch and your old service should stop automatically. The map shows all nine steps. You do three.

The One Touch Switch map: nine steps, and you do three

Direct answer: A switch takes nine steps, and you do three of them: order, say yes or no, and plug in.

YouYou
Your new providerNew
The hubHub
Your old providerOld
1

You do thisStep 1 of 9

Order with your new provider

Choose a deal and order it from the provider you want to join. They will ask for your address, your current provider and the services you want to switch. From here, your new provider manages the switch.

They will ask for your address, your current provider, and the services you want to switch.

Ofcom, Switching broadband provider

Tap any step, or press play. Drawn from Ofcom’s switching rules and the TOTSCo industry process. Watch the video (1:55) · Download the full process map (PDF) · PNG · Every step in full

Compare deals at my postcodeWatch the video (1:55)

By Adrian James, broadband editor. Reviewed by Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith, head of editorial. Updated . Guide reviewed against Ofcom and TOTSCo.

All nine steps at a glance

  1. You do this

    Order with your new provider

    Choose a deal and order it from the provider you want to join. They will ask for your address, your current provider and the services you want to switch. From here, your new provider manages the switch.

    They will ask for your address, your current provider, and the services you want to switch.

    Ofcom, Switching broadband provider
  2. Your new provider

    Your new provider sends a match request

    Your details go through the industry hub, run by TOTSCo, to the provider you are leaving. You do nothing at this step.

  3. Your old provider

    Your old provider looks for your account

    It checks the details against its records, matching on your address first and then your surname. An account number helps, but it is optional.

    Source: TOTSCo, One Touch Switch Industry Process v4.2

  4. Your old provider

    Your old provider sends you the switching information

    Once it finds your account, your old provider sends you the switching information by email, text or post.

    Your current provider will send you important information, including details of any charges.

    Ofcom, Switching broadband provider
  5. You do this

    Read the switching information, then say yes or no

    Check any charges it lists, then tell your new provider whether to go ahead. The switch only happens if you agree.

    If you decide to go ahead, the new provider may be able to arrange the switch for your preferred date.

    Ofcom, Switching broadband provider
  6. Your new provider

    Your new provider books your switch date

    Your new provider places the switch order and confirms the date. Ofcom designed the process so a switch can take “just one day where this is technically possible”.

    Sometimes you might need an engineer visit or new equipment, but your new provider should explain what will happen.

    Ofcom, Switching broadband provider
  7. Your new provider

    Your new service goes live

    On switch day your new service starts.

    Any loss of service should not last longer than one working day.

    Ofcom, Switching broadband provider
  8. Your old provider

    Your old service and billing stop

    Your old provider must not charge you for any notice period after the switch date.

    Once your new service is working, your old service should cease automatically.

    Ofcom, Switching broadband provider
  9. You do this

    Plug in, and you are online

    Connect the new router, check your speed and keep an eye on the first bill. If your old provider asks for its equipment back, return it and keep proof of postage.

Watch it

One Touch Switch explained in under two minutes

Direct answer: One Touch Switch means you contact only the provider you are joining, and they manage the switch. The animation runs for 1 minute 55 seconds, with a British voice-over and captions, and follows the same nine steps as the map.

One Touch Switch, explained in under two minutes. Nine steps. You do three.Play the video, 1 minute 55 seconds

This video is on YouTube, and it loads only when you press play. More short guides on our YouTube channel

Read the transcript

Then and now (0:01)
Not long ago, switching broadband often meant ringing the provider you were leaving. Not any more!

What One Touch Switch is (0:08)
Since September 2024, the UK has had One Touch Switch. You only contact the provider you want to join, and they manage the switch for you.

Nine steps, and you do three (0:18)
Here's the whole thing in nine steps. You only do three of them.

The nine steps (0:22)
Step one is yours. Choose a deal, and order it from your new provider. They'll ask for your address, your current provider, and what you want to switch. Steps two and three happen behind the scenes. Your new provider sends a match request through the industry hub, and your old provider looks for your account. Step four. Your old provider sends you the switching information, including details of any charges. Step five is yours. Read the switching information, then say yes or no. You decide. Say yes, and your new provider books your switch date. On the day, your new service goes live, and your old service should stop automatically. Step nine. Plug in your new router, and you're online!

Your rights (1:09)
The rules are on your side. Ofcom says any loss of service should not last longer than one working day. Your old provider must not charge you for notice after your switch date. And if you're left without service for more than one working day, your provider must compensate you.

If the match does not work first time (1:25)
If the match doesn't work first time, don't worry. Check your details against your latest bill, and ask your new provider to try again.

How many people have used it (1:33)
Over 3.4 million UK consumers have benefited from the simplicity and speed of the One Touch Switch process.

What to do next (1:41)
Now it's your turn! Enter your postcode at broadbandswitch.uk, compare the deals at your address, and let your new provider do the rest.

Jump to a part

Your three jobs, and that is all of them

Direct answer: You order, you read the switching information and say yes or no, and you plug in the new router. Your new provider does the rest.

  • A couple on a sofa in a UK living room ordering a new broadband deal on a laptop

    Step 1: Order

    Pick a deal and order it from the provider you want to join.

  • A woman at a kitchen table reading the switching information on her phone

    Step 5: Read and decide

    Your old provider sends the switching information. Read it, then say yes or no.

  • A family on a sofa sharing a tablet, online with their new broadband provider

    Step 9: Plug in

    On switch day, connect the new router. Your old service should stop automatically.

  • 3,431,195people had started the One Touch Switch process as of 3 September 2026
  • 300+providers are signed up to the process
  • £78 v £69a month, out of contract against in contract, for pay TV, broadband and landline together

Source for all three: Ofcom, 12 September 2026, using TOTSCo data

Step one starts with your postcode

See the providers, speeds and prices at your address. Pick a deal, and your new provider does the rest.

Free to use. Deals, speeds and prices vary by address.

Can I leave my broadband contract without paying?

Direct answer: It depends where you are in your contract. Out of contract, or inside the first 14 days, you can normally leave without an early termination charge. Mid-contract, you can leave free of charge only in set situations. Tap yours.

I am out of contract

Yes, you can usually go

Early termination charges are for leaving before your contract ends. Once your minimum term is over, check your contract for any cancellation fee, then switch.

If you're out of contract, you can shop around for a new deal and you could save money by switching.

Ofcom, Are you in or out of contract?

Your old provider must not charge you for any notice period after the switchover date.

Ofcom, Switching broadband provider

Next: What out of contract prices cost you · Compare deals at your postcode

I signed up in the last 14 days

Yes, you can cancel

You have the right to cancel your order within 14 calendar days.

Ofcom, Switching broadband provider

The law counts the 14 days from the day after you entered the contract, not from the day the service went live. One thing to line up first: if you have already switched, Ofcom says “Your old service will not automatically be reinstated.”

Source: Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30

Next: The cooling off period in full

My price has gone up

It depends what your contract said

If the rise was written into your contract in pounds and pence when you signed up, the exit right below does not apply. If it was not in your contract, or it is bigger than your contract said, Ofcom says your provider must:

tell you at least 30 days before the increase takes effect; and from this point give you 30 days to exit your contract if you wish.

Ofcom, Telecoms price rises: what are your rights?

If you leave, Ofcom says you can “switch to a new provider without paying any exit fees”.

Next: The 2026 price rises, provider by provider

My speed is below the guaranteed minimum

Yes, if your provider signed the speeds code and cannot fix it

Under Ofcom’s broadband speeds code, your provider gives you a minimum guaranteed download speed when you sign up. If your speed stays below it and is not put right within 30 calendar days of you reporting it, Ofcom says “you may be able to leave your contract without penalty”.

The code is voluntary. Signed up for home broadband: BT, EE, NOW Broadband, Plusnet, Sky, TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media and Zen Internet.

Sources: Ofcom, Get help with broadband and Wi-Fi problems and Ofcom, Broadband speeds codes of practice

Next: Speeds lower than advertised: what to do

I have a fault that is not getting fixed

Not automatically, but you may be owed money

We could not find a general Ofcom rule that lets you leave free of charge because of a fault, so check your contract and ask your provider.

What Ofcom does set out: if your provider is in the automatic compensation scheme and your service stops, you are paid £10.34 for each calendar day it is still not repaired after two full working days. If a complaint is not settled after six weeks, you can take it to an independent scheme for free.

Source: Ofcom, Automatic compensation: what you need to know

Next: Work out what you are owed · How to complain

I am moving home

Ask before you assume

When Ofcom set the rules it decided that “switches that take place at the same time as a home-move are not required to be in scope of One Touch Switch”, so you may need to speak to your current provider yourself.

We could not find an Ofcom rule that waives exit charges when you move, so ask what your provider will charge and get the answer in writing.

Source: Ofcom, Quick, easy and reliable switching, paragraph 3.21

Next: Moving home with broadband · Moving and renting hub

I claim Universal Credit or Pension Credit

You can move to a social tariff free of charge

If your provider offers a social tariff, you can switch to it at any time, free of charge.

Ofcom, Social tariffs

If your provider doesn't offer a social tariff, you can switch to one that does. Your provider might let you leave your current contract without paying a penalty fee.

Ofcom, Social tariffs

Next: Social tariffs and who can get one

None of these, I just want to leave

A charge may apply, and you will see it first

If you switch before the end of your contract, you might need to pay early termination charges.

Ofcom, Switching broadband provider

If you switch using One Touch Switch, your provider must tell you about any charges before you switch.

Ofcom, Switching broadband provider

Some deals pay towards those charges, so check before you rule a switch out.

Next: How exit fees are worked out · Deals that pay towards your exit fees

What are my rights when I switch broadband?

Direct answer: Ofcom’s switching rules give you six protections. Each one below is in Ofcom’s own words.

  • One working day

    “Any loss of service should not last longer than one working day.”

  • No notice charges after switch day

    “Your old provider must not charge you for any notice period after the switchover date.”

  • Any charges shown before you switch

    “If you switch using One Touch Switch, your provider must tell you about any charges before you switch.”

  • Compensation if it goes wrong

    “Your provider must compensate you in certain cases, including if you are left without service for more than one working day, or if they miss a confirmed service or installation appointment.”

  • 14 days to change your mind

    “You have the right to cancel your order within 14 calendar days.”

  • Your old service ends by itself

    “Once your new service is working, your old service should cease automatically.”

All six quoted from Ofcom, Switching broadband provider, updated 25 August 2026.

What if my switch goes wrong?

Direct answer: Tell your new provider first, because it manages the switch. If you are left without service for more than one working day you are owed compensation. If a complaint is still not settled after six weeks, an independent scheme will look at it for free.

If your new provider cannot find your account

It happens, and you can try again. In its August figures, TOTSCo’s hub recorded 601,491 match requests and 213,359 match failures, about 35 for every 100 requests.

  • Give your address exactly as it appears on your latest bill.
  • Use the surname on the account.
  • Add your account number if you have it. It is optional.
  • Ask your new provider to send the match request again.

Sources: TOTSCo, Residential Switching Insights, updated 8 September 2026 and TOTSCo, Industry Process v4.2

What compensation am I owed?

What went wrongWhat you are paid
Your new service starts late£6.46 for each calendar day of delay
An engineer misses the appointment, or cancels with less than 24 hours’ notice£32.31 for each missed appointment
Your service stops and is not fixed after two full working days£10.34 for each calendar day it is not repaired

These are the rates in Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme. The scheme is voluntary, and ten providers are in it: BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet, Sky (including NOW), TalkTalk, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Media, Vodafone and Zen Internet. TalkTalk’s membership has restrictions for customers who are not on the Openreach network.

Source: Ofcom, Automatic compensation: what you need to know, updated 20 July 2026 · Work out what you are owed

How to complain, in three moves

  1. 1
    Complain to the provider

    Use its formal complaints process and keep the dates.

  2. 2
    Wait six weeks, or get a deadlock letter

    Whichever comes first. The wait was cut to six weeks on 8 April 2026.

  3. 3
    Take it to an independent scheme

    The Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. It is free.

Source: Ofcom, Making a complaint and using ADR schemes, updated 6 August 2026 · Our complaints guide

When does One Touch Switch not apply?

Direct answer: One Touch Switch covers home broadband and landline switches at the same address. These six cases work differently, so check before you order.

Live broadband deals at your postcode

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Related switching guides: where do you want to go next?

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Money

If it goes wrong

Your situation

Frequently asked questions about switching broadband

Do I need to tell my old provider I am leaving?

Not for the broadband and landline switch. Ofcom says: “Switching broadband is simple with One Touch Switch. Contact the provider you want to move to, and they will manage the switch for you.” The exception is anything else in your bundle, such as pay TV, which you might need to cancel with your old provider yourself.

How long does it take to switch broadband?

Ofcom designed One Touch Switch so a switch can happen in “just one day where this is technically possible”, and says your new provider may be able to arrange your preferred date. A move to a different network can take longer if it needs an engineer visit or new equipment.

Will I lose my internet during the switch?

You should not be offline for long. Ofcom says: “Any loss of service should not last longer than one working day.” If you are left without service for more than one working day, your provider must compensate you.

Will I be charged for switching?

Leaving a contract early can cost you. Ofcom says: “If you switch before the end of your contract, you might need to pay early termination charges.” You are told about any charges before you switch, and you cannot be charged for notice after your switch date.

Can I change my mind after I order?

Yes. Ofcom says: “You have the right to cancel your order within 14 calendar days.” If the switch has already happened, plan where you will go next, because your old service will not automatically be reinstated.

What is the TOTSCo hub?

It is the industry system that passes switching messages between broadband providers. It is run by The One Touch Switching Company, and its latest figures, updated on 8 September 2026, show 349 brands live. You never deal with it yourself.

What should I do if my new provider cannot find my account?

Check the details against your latest bill and ask your new provider to try again. Providers match on your address first and then your surname, and an account number is optional. A failed match does not stop you from trying again.

Does One Touch Switch work between different networks, such as Openreach, Virgin Media and full fibre providers?

Yes. When Ofcom set the rule it said all home broadband users, “including cable and full fibre customers”, would only have to contact their new company, and more than 300 providers are now signed up. On a move to a different network, Ofcom says: “Sometimes you might need an engineer visit or new equipment, but your new provider should explain what will happen.”

Is it worth switching broadband?

It can be, especially if you are out of contract. Ofcom found that out of contract customers taking pay TV, broadband and a landline paid £78 a month on average, against £69 for those in contract, and that many could save over £100 a year by switching. Prices vary by postcode, so check yours.

In short

  1. You contact one company: the provider you want to join. It manages the switch, and your old service should stop automatically.
  2. A switch is nine steps and three of them are yours: order, read the switching information and say yes or no, then plug in.
  3. Your old provider must tell you about any charges before you switch, and must not charge notice after your switch date.
  4. Any loss of service should not last longer than one working day. Longer than that, and your provider must compensate you.
  5. You have 14 calendar days to cancel, counted from the day after you enter the contract.
  6. If a match fails, check your details against your latest bill and ask your new provider to try again.
  7. Pay TV, home moves, mobile contracts and business lines work differently, so check before you order.

What changed on this page

Direct answer: The newest change is to the video, which now plays from YouTube. The main one was the rebuild on 12 October 2026, when we read every fact again against its source.

  • The video now plays from YouTube, and it loads only when you press play. Nothing in the guide itself changed.

We rebuilt this page around the map and the video, and read every fact again against its source. That turned up seven things the old page had wrong or could not source, so here they are in the open.

  • The 14 day cancellation period is counted from the day after you enter the contract. The old page counted it from activation.
  • Automatic compensation is a voluntary scheme with ten providers in it. The old page presented it as applying to everyone.
  • Removed: a claim that any fault left unfixed for 30 days lets you leave free of charge. We could not find that rule. The 30 day exit that does exist is for speeds below the guaranteed minimum.
  • Corrected: 4G and 5G home broadband. Ofcom’s 2022 decision puts services sold for use at a fixed address inside One Touch Switch. The old page said they were outside it.
  • Corrected: after a price rise that was not in your contract you have 30 days to leave, counted from the day you are told.
  • Removed: timelines by network route, the claim that your old provider answers within 60 seconds, and hub volume figures we could not trace to a source.
  • Moved: provider by provider price rises now live only on the price rises page, so there is one place to keep them current.

References

  1. Ofcom. (2026, August 25). Switching broadband provider. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/switching-broadband-provider
  2. Ofcom. (2026, September 12). Around 3.5 million Brits hit switch amidst cost-of-living concerns. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/around-3.5-million-brits-hit-switch-amidst-cost-of-living-concerns
  3. Ofcom. (2021, September 28). Simpler broadband switching in as little as a day. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/simpler-broadband-switching-as-little-as-day
  4. Ofcom. (2022, February 3). Quick, easy and reliable switching: statement. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/232058/statement-quick-easy-and-reliable-switching.pdf
  5. Ofcom. (2026, July 20). Automatic compensation: what you need to know. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/automatic-compensation-need-know
  6. Ofcom. (n.d.). Guidance on compensation related to switching and porting. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for-industry/general-authorisation-regime/guidance-compensation-switching-and-porting.pdf?v=329462
  7. Ofcom. (2026, August 6). Making a complaint and using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) schemes. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/problems/adr-schemes
  8. Ofcom. (2026, June 29). Telecoms price rises: what are your rights? https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/telecoms-price-rises-what-are-your-rights
  9. Ofcom. (2026, August 25). Get help with broadband and Wi-Fi problems. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/broadband-wifi-help
  10. Ofcom. (2026, October 8). Broadband speeds codes of practice. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/coverage-and-speeds/codes-of-practice
  11. Ofcom. (2026, July 17). Are you in or out of contract? https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/in-or-out
  12. Ofcom. (2026, October 2). Social tariffs. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/social-tariffs
  13. Ofcom. (n.d.). Switching mobile phone provider. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/switching-provider/switching-mobile-phone-provider
  14. The One Touch Switching Company. (2023, April 13). One Touch Switch Industry Process (Version 4.2). https://totsco.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/One-Touch-Switch-Industry-Process-v4.2.pdf
  15. The One Touch Switching Company. (2026, September 8). Residential Switching Insights. https://totsco.org.uk/residential-switching-insights/
  16. The One Touch Switching Company. (2026, August 17). Business switching. https://totsco.org.uk/business-switching/
  17. The Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, SI 2013/3134, regulation 30. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/30

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