Customers of UK ISP Origin Broadband Facing Shock Disconnection
Sporadic reports are coming in this morning from customers of the Doncaster-based ISP Origin Broadband, which appears to be giving some of their subscribers just 30 days’ notice to change ISP before they are disconnected due to a “network restructure outside of our control.”
So far we know of very few Origin subscribers that have this morning received the notification email about their planned disconnection, which has been confirmed as authentic via Origin’s Twitter support team. What isn’t clear is why this situations is so suddenly occurring (“network restructure” is an odd term to use and one that doesn’t give us any real indication of the underlying problem).
We have shot off a number of emails to our contacts within Origin in the hope getting to the bottom of this and finding out how widespread the impact is. In the meantime we’ve pasted a copy of the letter they’re sending out below.
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Origin’s Shock Disconnection Letter
Dear *******,
We’re sorry to let you know that, due to a network restructure outside of our control, we can no longer offer you your current services. We understand this is inconvenient for you and that’s why we’re giving you time to find another provider by giving you 30 days notice from 17 October 2018.
With any broadband provider, there’s usually a 14 day lead-time for your order to go through. We recommend you place an order before the end of October, so there will be no interruption of service. You’ll continue to receive a service from us until the 17th November 2018, but we won’t charge you for your last months bill for line rental and broadband. Please note, you may be charged for any calls outside of a pre-agreed plan you incur during this time
As a valued customer, we’re sorry we need to do this. We want to help your move go as smoothly as possible, so we’ve listed some websites where you’ll be able to see what’s available in your area: [sites]
If you need any further support, please contact our customer service team on 0330 024 17 77.
Best wishes
Your Origin team
UPDATE 11:55am
A spokesperson for Origin Broadband has informed us that they are in the “process of ending a commercial relationship” with one of their suppliers, who previously allowed them to serve customers where their network didn’t have coverage.
Origin Statement to ISPreview.co.uk
Over the last year we have been migrating these customers onto our own network, or other partners, to ensure service levels are maintained, or improved, for them. We have been able to offer the majority of these customers Fibre products instead of ADSL at a vastly reduced rate – and therefore enhanced their experience.
However, as the quality of service for all customers is a priority, we made the difficult decision to have to cease a very small percentage of users, and it is these customers who received a 30 day notice period to move to another provider.
We will be working closely with those customers to ensure they have a smooth transition to another provider.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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My CONTRACT WITH Origin will end on the 31st March 2019.At that point I will have been with the for 2 years.Over that time I have had all the normal problems that most of their customers suffer with and now it seems I am over £70 in debt to them.
They have not answered my last 4 e-mails asking for an explanation on how I can be owing them money when I have a record of all my direct debit payments and none have been missed.
The service I receive from them is not reliable and often I cannot get onto the internet without rebooting my router.
However trying to find a replacement supplier who does not have bad reviews is very difficult as they all seem to be as bad as one another.
It is a shame that in this day and age you cannot get reliable value for money companies that put the customer first.
Origin down again. My “dashboard” shows an outstanding balance one month. My bank statement shows last payments all taken. 25 mins on hold.
I signed up to a 12 month contract in Dec 2019. They took an initial payment but I’ve not heard from the subsequently. One month later and they’re still not providing me with braoadband, my order is still at the acknowledgement stage. Can I just cancel my Direct debit and look for another provider?
After emailing Origin about my so called outstanding balance owing they agreed it was a mistake on their behalf and I actually didn,t owe anything.
Now I have been told that I am £44-00 in debt and they require an immediate payment.
This company goes from bad to worse and I feel that the 31st of March cannot come quickly enough so I can ditch this terrible company for good.
The problem is where do I go as it seems most of the other suppliers are almost as bad.
We are really let down in this country when it comes to things like this.
Call them for no net and say I will send u new router waiting 3 days nothing coming call them again say nothing has been send and no net on my house west time waiting over 20 mints to speak to them ..no good at all west of time and money
Origin are so poor at what they do I have had broadband for 12 months and not received a single bill since setting in motion a transfer to another provider. Got the sorry your leaving blurb and the transfer never happened. I don’t think they even know I’m still using their broadband. It does drop out loads but while it’s free and fixing me 25mbs I won’t be too upset 🙂