Switching broadband to get MUCH quicker with new 'one touch' service: Here's what you need to know

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Broadband customers will be able to switch provider faster and more easily under new 'one touch' switching rules coming in on 12 September.

At the moment, switching broadband provider can be a complicated, time-consuming process that can leave households without internet access for the better part of two week.

But the long-awaited one touch switching service aims to simplify and speed up the process, with consumers simply having to tell their new provider they want to switch - and them doing the rest. Switches should ideally take one day.

But the service faces some teething problems, as not all broadband providers will be ready for the 12 September start date.

 This is everything you need to know about one touch switching for broadband.

Poor connection: The broadband switching system now often means no internet for a fortnight

How does broadband switching work now?

There are currently two systems for broadband switching.

The quickest and simplest is if you want to swap from one broadband firm to another using the same network.

For example, BT, EE, TalkTalk and Sky all use the Openreach network to supply internet to your home. Swapping between one of these firms simply involves contacting the one you want to move to. It will then guide you through the process.

The other way of switching broadband provider is more complicated, and happens if you want to swap between two firms that do not use the same network - for example, changing from BT to Virgin Media, which has its own network.

In this instance you would need to tell your current provider to cancel your broadband, then contact your new broadband firm to set up a new one.

That process takes around two weeks on average, which can be a long time to be without internet access.

How does one touch switching work?

The idea is that you would just need to contact your new broadband supplier, who will then handle the switching process and cancel your old internet deal for you. 

This would apply regardless of which network you use, in much the same way as the Current Account Switching Service handles swapping current accounts between banks.

The one touch switching service is being driven by telecoms regulator Ofcom.

To switch, you need to give your new broadband firm your personal details, such as name, address, account number, telephone number and the name of your current provider. 

The broadband firm you want to switch to will then do the rest, using a new platform from the The One Touch Switching Company.

The process could take as little as one day, and you would be compensated if there are any issues and your internet service cuts out for more than one day.

When will one touch switching take place?

Technically, some consumers have used the service already, as broadband firms have been trialling it for selected customers.

But widespread rollout of one touch switching is meant to come in from 12 September 2024, after it was delayed by more than a year from its original start date of April 2023.

However, customers trying to switch just after that date may find they are still using the clunky current system.

This is because many broadband firms are still not ready for one touch switching - despite getting an extra 17 months to get everything in order.

Ofcom said on 5 September 2024 that it would not delay the start point again, but has given broadband firms an additional six weeks to bring in one touch switching, if they need it.

In practice, that will mean that many consumers will be able to switch in as little as one day from 12 September, while others may be forced to rely on the old system until the end of October.

There will be little way to predict if this will affect you or not, as some providers may be able to switch some customers quickly but need to take longer for others.