One Touch Switching delayed for another six weeks

Everyone was no doubt looking forward to One Touch Switching and being able to sign up with their new provider on Thursday 12th September and be up and running with the new provider on Friday 13th September.

Alas that is unlikely to happen as a six week delay has been announced for full implementation. A letter from Ofcom is asking wholesalers such as Openreach, KCOM and others who run the existing NOT+ system to not remove it on 12th September 2024. Ofcom seems to want providers to over the course of the six week delay to make sure to increase the volume of switches that are done via the OTS messaging gateway. 

However, in light of the progress to date, we consider that it would be appropriate to retain the existing NoT+ functionality, for a limited period beyond 12 September 2024. This would enable customers to be switched using the existing NoT+ process as a back-up option, and only in those circumstances where communications providers, having started the switching process via OTS, find that it is not possible to technically proceed. To this end, I am today writing to Openreach, KCOM and wholesalers who operate NoT+ to ask that they delay its removal for a six-week period. We will review progress during this time including requesting information from communications providers on the number of switches concluded via OTS, and those which may have had to be put through the NOT+ process and the reasons for this.

To be clear, we expect providers to use OTS in the first instance for all switches and only to consider the back-up NoT+ process when it is not technically possible to proceed with the switch through OTS, for example, if it is not possible to resolve a matching failure. This is to help protect consumers and ensure they receive the necessary information about their decision to switch. It is imperative that providers continue to make urgent progress with implementing improvements to the OTS process and we therefore expect any need for use of the NoT+ process as a back-up option to rapidly reduce over this period. Notwithstanding the extension of NoT+, providers must not use Cancel Other functionality for any OTS switch.

Part of Ofcom letter on delays to full go live date for One Touch Switching

We looked at the volumes of switching going on via the OTS gateway back on 24th August 2024 and they looked low for something that was meant to go live in a few weeks, particularly in terms of the number of networks actually using it. The key to the success of One Touch Switching is that it removes that phone call to your old provider saying you want to leave, though many have exploited that as a prelude to getting a retention offer. Therefore OTS needs to work between all the different physical broadband networks in the UK and not just help people switch between different retailers on the Openreach network.

Once again, we’re left with another delay and confusion when we will fully see the One Touch Switch process rolled out.

While many switches have been completed using One Touch Switch, it’s clear the process is not ready and can’t be trusted for rollout for the entire market.

Customers are being left with no clear messaging about the new system and as a result will have no faith in using the new switching process. At a time when many are struggling with the cost of living, it’s unacceptable.

One Touch Switch should drag the process of changing your internet supplier out of the dark ages, making it as easy to move to a different broadband network. This is desperately needed, as concerns about the hassle of switching are one of the main reasons customers stay with the same provider and end up overpaying year after year.

This process has been plagued from the start. The original live date should have been back in April 2023. However, after all this time and now three missed deadlines, we can only think some major providers are digging their heels in when it comes to complying with the system.

Ofcom needs to be more proactive and support the One Touch Switching company (TOTSCo) to get this over the line. By not ironing out these overly complicated switching processes sooner, it is failing broadband consumers.

Out of contract bill payers can still switch to reduce the cost of their broadband deal. For the time being and peace of mind, it’s best practice to always cancel your existing deal when switching to a new provider.

If you’re out of contract (if you don’t know, check with your provider) and free to switch, here are our top tips to getting a better deal

Alex Tofts, Strategist at Broadband Genie

Most of what Alex said we are fully onboard with, and would like to add that even with the time we’ve spent delving into One Touch Switching there are still aspects of it that we are waiting to find out more about. The danger of a new switching system that has not been communicated simply and clearly to the public is that as with other parts of online life scammers and less honest sales people may see an opportunity. For example an OTS switch can go ahead without further consent checks if the gaining provider has proof of consent, and we all know how door step sales have been known to play fast and loose with this in the past.

One caveat we’d add to the full statement from Alex is that with the volume of OTS switches ramping up it is possible that if you order via a new provider and take it upon yourself to cancel your existing providers deal this may break something. Under the old NOT+ system there was no need to do this if switching between say different retailers on the Openreach network, and cancelling manually with an old provider was often a recipe for losing connection for a few days.