Can You Keep Your Broadband After an ISP Takeover?
What usually happens to your connection, price and contract when another company buys your broadband provider.
Usually, yes. If another ISP buys your provider or takes over its customer contracts, you can generally keep receiving broadband. A change of owner does not, by itself, mean you must choose a new package or sign another minimum-term contract.
What matters is what was bought and whether your price, service or contract terms will change. Read the customer notice before agreeing to anything new. Ofcom says that when a provider goes out of business and another takes it over, service can usually continue without interruption and, in most cases, the contract should transfer.
A sale can mean three different things
Headlines often say an ISP has been “bought”, but the customer experience depends on the structure of the deal. These situations can also overlap.
The same ISP remains your supplier under new ownership. Your connection and existing contract can continue. A new parent company is not, on its own, a new broadband deal for you.
A different legal provider takes over your account. You should be told who supplies and bills you, when the move happens and whether any terms change. Ofcom says contracts should usually transfer where a provider is rescued after going out of business.
The new ISP may later move customers to another network or billing system. This could involve a router, an appointment or a planned service date. A business sale alone does not tell you that such a migration is happening.
A sale of customer accounts has happened in the UK: Brillband customers were sold to Olilo. That individual notice, rather than the general idea of a takeover, determined what those customers needed to do.
Can the new owner change your deal?
Your existing minimum term does not automatically restart because ownership has changed. Ofcom’s rules prevent a provider from putting you into another minimum commitment period without your express consent. Equally, a takeover alone does not normally give you a free right to cancel an otherwise unchanged contract partway through its minimum term.
If the provider makes a contractual change that is not exclusively beneficial or purely administrative, Ofcom generally requires at least one month’s notice and a right to exit without an early termination charge. You normally have one month after the notification to exercise that right. Changes imposed by law are treated differently.
Check the exact terms before assuming a price rise is new: a clearly agreed rise already written into your original contract may still apply. Our guide to UK broadband contracts, price rises and exit charges explains that distinction.
Check the notice window. Where a qualifying contract change gives you a penalty-free exit, the provider must tell you at least one month before it takes effect. The right to exit runs for one month after notification, so keep the email or letter and its date.
What should you do when the takeover notice arrives?
Keep a copy of your current contract and your latest bill. Compare them with the new provider’s message, then check these points before accepting a replacement offer.
- Supplier and dateFind the legal name of the business responsible for your service and the date it takes over.
- Price and termCompare the monthly price, any agreed increases, discounts, minimum-term end date and exit charges.
- Service detailsCheck speed, landline or Digital Voice, bundled extras and whether the underlying network changes.
- Equipment and accessLook for a router delivery, engineer visit, outage window or action needed from you.
- Billing and helpCheck the Direct Debit payee, first bill, customer support route and any instructions for reporting faults.
If something differs, ask the provider to confirm the reason in writing and whether you have a right to leave without an early termination charge. If you choose to switch and no free-exit right applies, charges may still be due during your minimum term; switching broadband while still in contract explains the separate switching process.
If the provider does not resolve a complaint, Ofcom says you can take it to an approved alternative dispute resolution scheme after six weeks or when the provider issues a deadlock letter. If the company is closing with no buyer, the situation is different; see what happens if your broadband provider goes bust.
The takeaway
You can usually keep your broadband after an ISP takeover. Check who will supply it, whether your connection needs to move and what happens to your price and minimum term. A new owner does not automatically reset your contract; a qualifying change to its terms can give you a time-limited right to leave without an early termination charge.
Broadband takeover FAQs
Do I need to sign a new broadband contract after a takeover?
Not automatically. A change of owner does not by itself start a new minimum term. A provider needs your express consent to put you into another minimum commitment period.
Can I cancel for free just because another ISP bought my provider?
Usually not if your existing terms continue unchanged. If the provider makes a qualifying change to your contract, it must normally notify you and let you leave without an early termination charge.
Will a takeover change my broadband price?
Not necessarily. Check the notice against your current contract. A previously agreed price rise may still apply, while a new qualifying contract change can trigger notice and exit rights.
Will I need a new router if another ISP takes over?
Only if the way your service is delivered changes and the existing equipment is unsuitable. The provider should tell you if it is arranging a router, engineer visit or network migration.
Broadband and telecoms writer