Under new Ofcom rule which gets implemented on 15th February 2020, broadband providers in the UK will need to send end of contract notifications to their customers by email, text or letter.
Broadband customers should be notified of details like the end date of the present contract and out-of-contract price details, a month before the end of the existing contract, according to the new proposals set by Ofcom.
The email or text should also provide the notice period and the best deals offered by the provider so the customers could make informed decision before re-contracting the deal or switching to a new provider.
Alert letters from mobile operators would also include at least one SIM-only deal for customers on pay monthly handset plans and airtime contracts.
According to the research, it’s found that customers pay 25% – 50% more, when they re-contract the same deal as the deals that come with huge discounts during the minimum contract term expire at the end of contract.
Ofcom’s new ruling would help the customers get alert before entering expensive contracts due to the loyalty penalty. Instead, the customers can switch to better deals to save money, Ofcom says.
However, switching to new service provider always needs sufficient planning and comparing the bests deals available in the market.
It has been found that nearly a third of customers have not switched broadband for the last two years despite the availability of numerous money saving deals, according to Ofcom.
Switching broadband has also become simpler after the removal of the need of Migration Authorisation Code (MAC). To change your provider, you just need to buy a new package online and let the new provider initiate the process and you need not contact the existing provider.
However, while changing across different technologies like BT Openreach to Virgin Media or vice versa, you will need to cancel the service during the switch.