Switch business broadband and keep your phone numbers

Establish who is managing the switch

One Touch Switch is the process introduced for residential fixed broadband and telephone switching. A business customer should not assume the same process applies automatically. Some business providers use coordinated arrangements, while other orders require more direct involvement from the customer.

Ask the receiving provider exactly what its order will do. Will it replace the existing connection, install a separate service, transfer telephone numbers or trigger closure of an associated line? Request that explanation before giving the old provider an independent cancellation instruction.

Then ask which tasks remain yours. You may need to give contractual notice, return rented equipment or terminate a separate support package. Alternatively, a separate cease instruction could interfere with a migration already being managed by the new provider.

The safest administrative habit is to have one written list of actions, with an owner against each. That avoids a sales team saying everything is handled while an old provider waits for an instruction that nobody sends.

For bundled services, identify the legal contracting party and account reference for each agreement. A familiar monthly bill can combine services whose termination is not linked. Make sure the person authorised to manage the account is available during the proposed change.

Read the old agreement before placing the new order

Find the minimum-term end date, the current notice requirements and any equipment commitment. Ask the old provider to confirm the position in writing, including what it believes would be payable if the proposed switch happened on your chosen date.

Do not assume the last installation date is the contract start date. An upgrade or additional service may have changed the commitment. If the provider says it did, request the order or consent record supporting that change.

An early termination charge is different from payment for an outstanding handset or equipment agreement. Ask for separate calculations. Also work out whether a support service continues after broadband ends and whether it requires its own notice.

Smaller business customers have specific telecoms protections, but their scope and any express agreement otherwise matter. Our business broadband contract-rights guide explains how to approach that question. It is better to resolve the current position than to compare offers on an assumed exit date.

If a billing or service complaint is already open, keep it separate from the migration instructions. State that the switch does not withdraw the complaint. Record the final service date you are asking for without implying that you accept every disputed charge.

Treat the telephone number as its own workstream

Porting means moving a telephone number between providers. Ofcom's rules support number portability, but the operational process depends on the services and providers involved. The receiving provider should confirm what information and authority it needs.

Get the account name, service address and number list right. Include direct-dial numbers and ranges, not just the main number printed on the website. Ask whether moving one number affects other numbers or services on the same account.

The practical rule is to coordinate the port before ceasing the old service. Independently cancelling first can create avoidable recovery problems. The rules also provide post-termination portability rights in relevant circumstances, so a number is not automatically irretrievable the instant a service ends. Even so, recovery is a poor substitute for a planned transfer.

Ask for the port reference, planned date and fault contact. Work out what incoming callers hear if the port does not complete as expected. If temporary routing is proposed, check whether it handles all published numbers and whether outgoing calls display the correct number.

Do not accept a successful outgoing call as proof the port is complete. Test incoming calls from an unrelated line, transfers, voicemail and any out-of-hours routing. Include the people who actually answer calls in that test rather than leaving it entirely to an installer.

Mobile numbers follow a different process

A porting authorisation code, or PAC, is used when retaining a mobile number while switching provider. A service termination authorisation code, or STAC, is for switching without keeping the number. They are not interchangeable.

Ofcom's public switching guidance explains the text-based routes for eligible accounts, including sending PAC to 65075 or STAC to 75075. Business accounts involving several numbers or authorised account administrators may need the provider's account process. Ask which route applies before distributing instructions to staff.

A PAC is normally valid for 30 days. The provider should explain the switching timescale that applies and the rules on charging for notice after the transfer. Do not translate the regulated process into a promise that every business fleet migration will finish on a particular day.

Record which employee uses each number and whether the handset itself is owned or financed separately. Retaining a number does not automatically settle an equipment balance. Nor does it ensure every business application on the handset is ready for a new SIM or account.

For staff using numbers to authenticate business systems, plan the change with the account administrator. Confirm continued access through the organisation's approved arrangements. The telephone migration should not leave payroll or banking dependent on a device nobody can use.

Test the things that earn or take money

The business test is broader than whether a web page loads. Identify the functions needed to open, serve customers and finish the day. A salon's booking diary and card terminal may matter more than the speed-test result.

Where possible, agree a period for testing the replacement before the old service is independently ceased. Whether overlap is technically available depends on the order. Ask the provider instead of assuming two services can always run together on the same infrastructure.

Update the registered location for digital calling where needed. A move to software calling does not mean emergency-service location information updates itself when someone changes desks or works from home. Have the telephone provider explain the process for your setup.

Keep evidence through the final bill

Save the old provider's acknowledgement, the new order, port confirmations and the actual dates of service. These records answer different questions. An order confirmation shows what was requested; completion evidence shows what happened.

Check the final bill against those records. Look for the end date, remaining equipment obligations, credits and any services that continue. A payment taken after the switch may cover an earlier period, so inspect the billing dates before assuming it is an error.

Return rented equipment through the instructed route and retain proof. Record serial numbers where practical. If several devices are being returned, a photograph of the packed contents can help explain what was sent without replacing the carrier's delivery evidence.

If something goes wrong, report it promptly to the responsible provider with the reference and symptoms. For a port issue, give examples of affected numbers and the type of call. For a connection issue, distinguish broadband loss from a local wireless or device problem.

The SME switching checklist is useful for keeping this record alongside other service renewals. A short, accurate file is easier to use than searching across several employees' inboxes after a dispute develops.

Keep the current provider's account references available during the cutover, even when the new service appears to work. A final bill, equipment return or unresolved number issue may need the old details. Assign someone to check these outstanding items so they are not lost once everyday trading has resumed.

What to do next

Build a dated plan before choosing a changeover day. Keep enough flexibility for the provider to resolve outstanding surveys, permissions and number-transfer checks. Installation estimates depend on those conditions and should not be treated as guaranteed business reopening dates.

1. 1Confirm the old contract position and list every number and dependent service.
2. 2Ask the new provider which parts of switching it manages and which instructions remain yours.
3. 3Agree the number-port sequence and prevent conflicting cease instructions.
4. 4Arrange the connection, equipment and application tests with the right people.
5. 5Confirm location records, backup routing and fault contacts.
6. 6Check completion evidence, equipment returns and the final bill.

Tell staff what is changing and whom to contact during the switch. Keep a copy of the contact details accessible if the main internet connection is down. A plan stored only inside the system being migrated is not much help during a fault.

Once the business has tested the replacement, close out remaining administrative tasks deliberately. That includes old support arrangements, unused equipment and any temporary routing. The switch is complete when the service and the paperwork match.