UK regulator Ofcom will now obligate broadband providers to provide a ‘One Touch Switch’ putting the onerous burden of switching providers – or at least, the majority of the process – onto the companies them, as opposed to the customer.

Since 2015, people have been able to switch between phone and broadband providers on Openreach’s network – such as BT and Sky – by following a process where their new provider manages the switch. But customers switching to or from a different network, such as Virgin Media, have had to contact their existing provider as well to co-ordinate the switch, which is often a drawn out and frustrating process.

With a range of competing fibre-optic networks being built, Ofcom wants to make it easier and quicker for people to move between them and take advantage of what it describes as ‘unprecedented levels of choice’. Under the new One Touch Switch process, landline and broadband customers only need to contact their new provider to make the change.

The new rules mean that under One Touch Switch, customers do not have to pay notice-period charges beyond the switch date – so no more paying for the old service after the new one starts. Also, providers must compensate customers if things go wrong with the switch or they are left without a service for more than one working day.

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Since July, providers have been trialling the new process, and successfully using it to switch customers. However, industry has informed Ofcom that a minority of switches might be unsuccessful under the new system, due to outstanding issues when matching customer information.

In light of this, there will be a six-week transition period where existing switching processes are kept in place as a back-up protection. Providers must use One Touch Switch in the first instance, and the regulator expects most switches will happen through the new process. The back-up option should only be used if necessary.