UK ISP Hyperoptic, which has deployed their 1Gbps capable “full fibre” (FTTP/B) broadband network across large apartment and office buildings in various cities, has launched a new migration service that makes it cheaper and easier for them to switch people who are still stuck in an existing contract with another ISP.
The new service means that consumers who are still in-contract with another provider can order Hyperoptic and “defer the service and cost [of their new package] for up to 3 months“. In other words, they will pay nothing until their service goes live – then “all packages come with a 30-day satisfaction period and are backed with a price match guarantee.”
Consumers often have to wait up to a couple of weeks before a switch takes places and the full fibre provider claims that such “downtime is highly inconvenient for many Brits, who rely on their connectivity to work, shop and socialise.” However, it’s worth noting that migrations are can be almost seamless when they take place on the same platform (e.g. between ISPs on Openreach’s network), with downtime often kept to a few hours on a designated day.
In practice swapping to a physically separate network isn’t quite as simple, although Ofcom are working to develop a new migration system that will encompass alternative full fibre networks and we should see more detail on that by the end of this year (the regulator is currently looking at two different Gaining Provider Led style approaches).
Meanwhile Hyperoptic, which also has a physically separate network, states that they install new services six days a week and “appointments can be scheduled for as early as the next day if there is availability.”
Charles Davies, MD of Hyperoptic, said:
“We have launched this switching service to address a big customer pain point. By getting our service up and running concurrently, consumers have a new level of flexibility as well as the comfort and reassurance of knowing that there will be no downtime when their current contract finishes. This means they can live their online lives without any interruption.
It is estimated that 8.8 million home broadband customers in the UK are out of contract, which means they only have to give 30 days notice to their current supplier. Millions more just have a few months left to wait out. Our new switching service gives them an opportunity to easily switch across and enjoy the gold standard of connectivity, without being a penny out of pocket.”
We have in the recent past seen other providers offering incentives to switch, which often take the form of cash discounts, although whether or not Hyperoptic’s offer helps to mitigate the extra costs that can be incurred when you leave an existing contract early will depend on bunch of factors (e.g. how many months you have left on that term and the cost of your new package etc.).
Is this simply installing the service and scheduling a go live before your existing service (BT Openreach or otherwise) switch off date? Or is there something else here?
Hmmm… Something to consider if EE don’t do anything sometime soon. I’m from Birmingham and Hyperopic wrote to my address a while ago so this news for me confirms their intentions are legit. I’ve seen my internet speeds spike higher (though not very often) up to 1gps on speedtests than what EE says is facilitated at my address so I’m not sure if that’s a sign that work is being done to make those speeds more stable. My current package is decent enough with the internet speeds but what is wrong with wanting the pinnacle that technology has to offer?
Why are us in the country always left behind bt say its to costly to repair our service so we get no broadband whist other areas get ridiculous speeds…
What makes you think this country is left behind…. many countries behind us when it comes to infrastructure availability, many places don’t even have a nationally available service and can pay through the nose for a hook up to something basic.
Somebody living in a rural beauty spot or a non urban area can’t get good broadband without paying a lot of money and the whole country is behind.
Hi when will we be able to have fibranation internet service in Bolton BL4 area