Broadband Contract Ending? What to Do

Your broadband contract has an end date, and it matters more than most people think. Stay put once it passes and you'll usually move onto your provider's standard price, which is often a fair bit higher than what you've been paying. Nobody rings to apologise.

The good news is that the last month of a contract is when you have the most choice and the least to lose. Here's how to use it.

step 1: find your end date

Your provider has to remind you. Ofcom rules say they must tell you between 10 and 40 days before your contract ends, and that message has to say what you'll pay afterwards and show you their best deals. If you can't find it, check your online account or your latest bill, or just ask.

Put the date in your calendar with a reminder a month before. Future you will be grateful.

step 2: check what you actually use

Before you shop, work out what you need now, not what you needed two years ago. Ask yourself:

how many people and devices are online at the busiest point of the evening?
is anyone streaming in 4K, gaming, or on video calls all day?
has full fibre reached your street since you last signed up?

That last one is worth a look. Full fibre (fibre all the way to your home) is rolling out fast, and if it's arrived since your last contract you might get a faster, steadier connection for similar money. Our broadband comparison explains full fibre and part-fibre in plain English if the labels are confusing.

step 3: compare before you call anyone

Look at what new customers can get before you speak to your current provider. It takes a few minutes and gives you a real number to quote. Compare broadband deals in plain tables, with no sign-up, and note two or three that suit how your home uses the internet.

When you compare, look past the headline price:

the whole-contract cost, including any set-up or activation fee
the mid-contract price rise, which since January 2025 has to be shown in pounds and pence before you sign
the contract length, because a cheap 24-month deal isn't cheap if you move house in month six

If you pay for TV as well, compare that too. Sometimes a TV and broadband bundle beats paying for both separately, and sometimes a standalone broadband deal plus a streaming service works out cheaper. Do the sums both ways.

step 4: haggle or switch

You've got two good options and one bad one.

Haggle. Ring your current provider, tell them your contract is ending and quote the best deal you found. Ask what they can do. If they match it or get close, staying put can be the least hassle. Just check the new contract length and the price rise before you agree to anything.

Switch. If they won't budge, or a new provider's deal is simply better, switch. It's much easier than it used to be (see below).

Do nothing. This is the bad one. Rolling onto the out-of-contract price usually means paying more for exactly the same service.

step 5: switch without the faff

Since September 2024, most home broadband switches go through Ofcom's One Touch Switch process. In short:

you only need to contact your new provider. They arrange the move with your old one.
you don't need to cancel your old service yourself when the switch goes through this process.
your old provider can't keep charging you for a notice period after the switch date.

A few things are still worth doing yourself:

pick a switch date with some slack, so you're not without internet the day before a big deadline.
check your old provider's router rules. Some ask you to send the router back and can charge if you don't.
sort out your email address. If you use an email address from your old provider, check whether you can keep it and what it costs. Moving important accounts to a free email address before you switch saves a headache later.
know your cooling-off rights. If you sign up online or by phone, you usually have 14 days to change your mind.

if money's tight, ask about social tariffs

If you get Universal Credit or certain other benefits, many providers offer cheaper broadband called social tariffs. They're often not well advertised, so ask directly. They tend to come with short contracts and no exit fees, which makes them easy to try.

the short version

find your end date and diarise it a month ahead
check your usage and whether full fibre has reached you
compare broadband deals so you know what's out there
haggle with that number, or switch
don't drift onto the out-of-contract price by default

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