When you move, you can take your landline and internet connection with you to your new home without major changes. However, it is often worth using the move as an opportunity to switch provider. In both cases, there are a few things to bear in mind to make sure the move goes smoothly. Here are the key points at a glance.
There is a lot to organise when you change where you live: the move has to be planned and carried out, the new flat needs furnishing and the residents’ registration office wants to be informed of your new address. Only after moving in do some tenants notice that the phone and internet connection is dead. Quickly googling something via Wi-Fi or relaxing with a film from a streaming service in the evening – difficult without internet at home. And you cannot be reached on your landline either.
To make matters worse, activation often takes some time. So if you want to surf and make calls straight away in your new flat, you should take care of it in good time.
Telekom, Vodafone, 1&1, O2… ? It pays to compare internet providers
Your move is coming up. For many people, this is an opportunity to compare their own internet provider with others. It is advisable not only to compare providers with each other, but also to review your own provider’s tariffs. After all, switching to a different tariff with the same provider can save you real money or get you better terms, such as a faster DSL connection.
Observe notice periods when switching provider – how to make the switch
If you want to cancel your current phone and internet contract and switch to another provider, you should bear the following in mind to ensure a smooth process:
Find out and observe the notice period: you can only cancel at the end of the agreed minimum contract term (usually 12 or 24 months). The notice period is usually 3 months. Some providers are accommodating and allow early termination of the contract for a one-off fee.
Let your new provider cancel for you: if possible, ask your newly chosen provider to cancel your old contract when you sign up. Compared with cancelling yourself, this has the advantage that the providers can arrange the transition between themselves. To be on the safe side, you should allow a buffer of several weeks before the notice period expires. Also check the old provider’s terms and conditions to see whether it requires you to cancel in person.
Special right of termination: if the same service is not available at your new home
You do not have to switch, though. A phone and internet contract can usually be continued unchanged. From a purely legal point of view, moving house is not a reason to cancel your existing phone and internet contract. There is an exception to this rule if the connection cannot be provided at your new home – moving abroad, for example. If the provider offers the agreed service at your new home as well, the contract term should continue rather than start afresh. The terms and services should also be identical, as should the transmission rate of the internet connection. If they are not, tenants have a special right of termination – you do not have to accept being moved to a different tariff. Please note: if you make use of the special right of termination, you should still keep an eye on the notice period (usually three months).
If you stay with your existing provider, a new contract on better terms is sometimes concluded. However, bear in mind that this also restarts the minimum term of the contract. By law, this is limited to a maximum of 24 months.
Online straight away with your existing provider: deregister and register in good time
If you move and stay with your existing internet and phone provider, you sometimes have to wait weeks for your phone and internet connection. To prevent this and make sure tenants are online in their new flat on the same day, the network provider should be informed of the planned move at least one month before the moving date. It is particularly important to give all the details of the new home correctly, such as the address, the location of the flat and the previous connection holder. You should also state the latest date on which the current connection is to be switched off.
Moving your phone and internet made easy: find out the previous tenant’s details
What does the previous tenant have to do with my new phone and internet connection? In fact, their current connection details are also important for a smooth switchover. Ideally, with the correct details of the previous connection, the switchover can take place without a technician. The advantage: the connection can then simply be switched over remotely using the previous tenant’s name and landline number.
Tip: ask your landlord or the property management for the current tenant’s contact details – and, to be fair, give your own successor the correct details of your current internet and phone connection.
Provide access for the technician if necessary
If a technician is needed for activation after all, you should prepare well for their visit. This includes updating the name on the doorbell, making sure the phone line and the technical room are accessible, and having the phone provider’s hardware ready.