Moving Home
Moving Home? Sort Your Broadband Before Moving Day
Order broadband for the new home as soon as you have a moving date, ideally three to four weeks before. An engineer visit or a new line can take a fortnight or more to arrange.
- Order three to four weeks before
- Check the new address, not the postcode
- A 30-day SIM can cover the gap
Start with the new postcode. Wisemium lists what the new home needs.
Broadband for the new home
- Moving date
- On record
- Order by
- Four weeks before
- Old contract
- Moved or ended
Example. Your own details appear once you add them.
Broadband around a move
Four weeks before
Check and order
Check the new address with each provider and order, giving your moving date.
Two weeks before
Confirm the date
Confirm the installation and tell your current provider when you are leaving.
Moving day
Connect
Plug in the router if it has arrived; a 30-day SIM covers any gap.
First week
Tidy up
Return any old router you are asked for, and keep the new end date on record.
The full guide
Order broadband for your new home as soon as you have a moving date, ideally three to four weeks before. Most other services can be moved in a phone call; broadband may need an engineer visit or a new line, and the first available appointment can be a fortnight or more away.
Move your contract, or start a new one?
If you are still in a minimum term, ask your current provider about a home move first. Many providers will move the service to your new address, but it can start a new minimum term and may carry a moving fee, so ask for both in writing. If your provider does not cover the new address, check your contract for what happens: some let you leave without the usual early exit charge, others do not.
If you are out of contract, you are free to choose any provider at the new address. Moving is a good moment to look again, because the services available at the new address may be faster or cheaper than the ones you have now.
Check what the new address can get
- Use each provider’s own address check. Speeds and prices are set by the address, not the postcode alone.
- Ask whether full fibre is already installed. If it is, set-up is often quicker; if not, an installation appointment is needed.
- Some areas have independent full fibre networks as well as the national ones, often at different prices.
- Ask the seller or the current occupants which provider the property uses now. A working line can make the switch quicker.
Timing the switch
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Four weeks before | Check the new address and order, giving your moving date. |
| Two weeks before | Confirm the installation date. Tell your current provider when you are leaving. |
| Moving day | Plug in the router if it has arrived. Note the time anything is connected. |
| First week | Return any old router your previous provider asks for, so you are not charged for it. |
Staying online in the gap
If broadband cannot be connected on moving day, a SIM plan with a large data allowance can cover the first days or weeks through your phone’s hotspot. A 30-day plan can be stopped once the broadband is working.
Landlines and home phones
Home phone lines in the UK are moving to digital services that run over broadband. If you rely on a landline, a telecare alarm or a security system, tell the new provider when you order: Full fibre and the landline switch-off explains what changes.
Keep the new contract on record
Once you have ordered, add the new broadband to Wisemium with its price, its minimum term and its end date. The end date is then shown before it arrives, so the next decision is on time rather than after the price has gone up.
Start with the new postcode. Wisemium lists what the new home needs, broadband included.
Common questions
How long does broadband take to set up in a new home?
If the property already has a working line or full fibre, it can be a few days. If an engineer needs to install something, the first appointment can be two weeks or more away, which is why ordering three to four weeks before moving helps.
Do I have to pay to leave my broadband contract when I move?
It depends on your contract and on whether your provider covers the new address. Ask your provider about a home move first, and check the contract for what happens if they cannot provide the service there.
Can I take my router to the new house?
If you are moving your contract with the same provider, usually yes. If you are leaving that provider, check whether they want it back: some charge if it is not returned.
A 30-day SIM for the first weeks
Large data allowances you can use as a hotspot until the broadband is connected, and stop with 30 days’ notice.
250GB data
£15a monthNo upfront cost
Price checked on the seller’s site, 3 Oct 2026
View offerOpens O2’s site in a new tab.
300GB data
£20a monthNo upfront cost
Price checked on the seller’s site, 3 Oct 2026
View offerOpens VOXI’s site in a new tab.
120GB data
£12a monthNo upfront cost
Price checked on the seller’s site, 3 Oct 2026
- Virgin Media customers may be eligible for double data 120GB becomes 240GB for an eligible Virgin Media customer
Eligibility and terms
- Virgin Media customers may be eligible for double data. As stated by O2, 30 September 2026. O2 confirms eligibility; not every customer qualifies.
Opens O2’s site in a new tab.
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