Moving house is already one of the most stressful things a human being can do, so worrying about broadband on top of packing your life into a few boxes should not be something you suffer. Thankfully, you won't have to because you've found your way to this advice guide where you can discover everything you need to know about internet when moving home.
Most providers will let you take your broadband service with you. But how do you do that and is it worth looking elsewhere? Bearing in mind that your new area might have faster internet, a cheaper provider or better connectivity – it's well worth looking at your broadband deal options.
Can I take my broadband contract with me?
If you're set on taking your current broadband with you - because it just works and you've finally learned to work that router - then you likely can. This varies across providers but most will be helpful in making sure you stay with them. This generally also means you can take your phone number with you too. Simply contact your provider and they'll sort everything for you.
Can I break my broadband contract when I move and what happens if I do?
This varies across providers but generally if you break the contract then you'll need to pay a fee as well as potentially paying off the remainder of the contract you owe.
Even after your minimum term is over there will still likely be a notice period of around 30 days, so be sure to plan ahead. Not letting them know ahead of time could result in either a fine or you paying for an extra month that you're not going to use.
The thing is that when there are so many great cheap broadband deals out there, it might still work out in your favour to quit your current deal and go with another ISP. So there's a little bit of number crunching from your side to do.
Should I upgrade to fibre broadband?
If you have the opportunity to upgrade to a fibre broadband deal in your new area it is generally a good idea. Fibre offers some of the fastest connection speeds for both download and upload. It also helps to future-proof your home as the infrastructure is constantly being upgraded and enhanced to offer even faster speeds over the same physical line.
The downside here is that you may end up paying a bit more for the connection. On top of that you may need to get a phone line when you don't need it – unless you use Virgin Media broadband, of course.
What if fibre isn't available at my new address?
There are still lots of options with fast copper lines from the likes of BT Broadband if that's what you like the sound of.
Alternatively you could go wireless. Networks like EE offer an at-home wireless router which receives high-speed 4G signals to the home and then uses them to run a Wi-Fi router. The result is a connection on your device just like over a hard line, only in areas that are otherwise tough to get a fast connection to.
