Internet switching

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to switch to cheaper home internet (broadband) in Northern Ireland, with current best deals.

Since 12 September 2024, Ofcom's One Touch Switch (OTS) process makes switching broadband almost entirely automatic. You no longer need to contact your old provider to cancel — your new provider handles everything ^[1].

Step-by-Step Process

^[1:1]

Key Rules and Protections

• You don't contact your old provider — the new one triggers the cancellation automatically ^[2]
• Same-network switches (e.g., BT → Sky, both on Openreach) can complete in as little as 1 business day ^[3]
• Cross-network switches (e.g., Virgin Media → Openreach, or Fibrus → BT) take up to 10 days as a new line may need activation ^[3:1]
• Automatic compensation: If the switch goes wrong and you lose service, you're entitled to £9.76 per day of total loss plus £29.15 for each missed engineer appointment — paid automatically to your bill within 30 days ^[1:2]
• Early termination fees: If you're still in contract, the fee is typically around 75% of your remaining monthly bills. The One Touch Switch contract summary tells you the exact amount before you commit ^[1:3]
• 14-day cooling-off period: You can cancel the new contract within 14 days for any reason, no penalty ^[1:4]

Switching a Bundle (Broadband + Phone + TV)

If you have a bundle, the same One Touch Switch process applies — but be aware that switching broadband may end your TV and/or landline services with the old provider too. The contract summary you receive will spell out exactly what bundled services you'll lose ^[2:1].

Broadband in Northern Ireland: What's Different

Northern Ireland has the best full fibre coverage in the UK — thanks to major investment from Openreach, Virgin Media, and local provider Fibrus ^[4]. This means most NI homes have access to genuine full fibre (FTTP) broadband, which is faster and often cheaper than in many parts of mainland UK.

Networks Available in Northern Ireland

Current Best Broadband Deals for Northern Ireland (August 2026)

Cheapest Budget Deals

Best Value Full Fibre (Fibrus — NI's Own Provider)

Faster Options (If You Need More Speed)

Social Tariffs (If You Receive Benefits)

If you claim Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or other qualifying benefits, providers offer discounted social tariffs with no credit checks and no mid-contract price rises:

^[8:1][10:1]

Recommendations for Northern Ireland

🏆 Cheapest Overall: Rise Fibre 150Mb — £8/month (first 6 months)

• £8/month for 6 months, then £18/month — averages £15.50/month over 24 months
• 150Mb full fibre is plenty for streaming, browsing, and video calls
• Available on the Openreach network across NI ^[5:3]

🥈 Best Value Full Fibre: Fibrus Full Fibre 150 — £24.99/month

• NI's own provider, built for rural NI — strong local coverage
• No mid-contract price rises (unlike most major providers)
• Free setup, free eero Wi-Fi router on faster packages
• Up to £400 contract buy-out — they'll pay your exit fees from your current provider ^[12:2]

🥉 Best Budget (Light Users): NOW Broadband — from ~£12.50/month

• Cheapest if you just need basic internet (email, browsing, light streaming)
• 12-month contract, owned by Sky (uses Openreach network)
• No frills but reliable and cheap ^[7:1]

Best for Maximum Speed: Virgin Media — up to 1,130Mb

• Only if available at your postcode (check virginmedia.com)
• Fastest broadband in NI ^[5:4]

Best if You Already Have Sky TV: Sky Broadband

• Bundle discounts if you already have Sky TV
• Combined with Sky Mobile at £1/month (from earlier), you could have mobile + broadband for a very low total

Your Action Plan: Switching Broadband in NI

1. Check your current contract — log into your provider account or check your last bill for your contract end date and any exit fees
2. Check availability — enter your postcode on Uswitch or MoneySuperMarket to see what's available at your NI address
3. Pick a deal — for cheapest, try Rise Fibre or NOW; for best value full fibre, try Fibrus
4. Sign up with the new provider — give them your current account number and landline number (if you want to keep it)
5. Your new provider handles everything — they contact your old provider via One Touch Switch
6. Review the contract summary — you'll receive it within 1 working day, showing any exit fees. If too high, cancel within 14 days for free
7. Switch completes — typically 10–14 days later (faster if same network, e.g., BT → Sky both on Openreach)
8. Return old equipment — your old provider will tell you how to return your router (usually a prepaid bag)

Potential savings: Uswitch reports the average customer could save around £329/year by switching broadband ^[13:1]. Combined with the mobile savings from earlier (£100–£300/year), you could save £400–£600+ per year total.

Summary: Combined Mobile + Broadband Savings

References

1. How to switch broadband provider in the UK (2026): One Touch Switch in plain English (23%) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
2. Switching broadband provider (9%) ↩︎ ↩︎
3. TV & Broadband How-To Guides 2026: Switch, Cancel, Watch & Fix (6%) ↩︎ ↩︎
4. Compare Broadband Deals in Northern Ireland | Quotezone (14%) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
5. Broadband Deals in Northern Ireland August 2026 (11%) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
6. Compare broadband deals from £12.50 per month (3%) ↩︎
7. Best Broadband Deals August 2026 (2%) ↩︎ ↩︎
8. Cheapest Broadband UK 2026 | Budget Deals from £20/mo (5%) ↩︎ ↩︎
9. Cheap Broadband Deals UK 2026 | Compare Fibre & Internet Packages from ... (0%) ↩︎
10. Cheapest Broadband Deals UK 2026 - CompareFibre (3%) ↩︎ ↩︎
11. Fibrus Broadband Deals: Compare in July 2026 - Uswitch (5%) ↩︎ ↩︎
12. Fibrus: Ultrafast Full Fibre Broadband Done Right - Fibrus (9%) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
13. Broadband Deals: Compare in August 2026 (7%) ↩︎ ↩︎
14. Compare UK Broadband Providers July 2026 (3%) ↩︎