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Freedom251 › Blog › ACMA

What to Check Before Switching NBN Providers in Australia

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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Before you change NBN providers at the same address, verify your current contract and exit costs, compare the new provider’s Critical Information Summary (CIS), obtain your AVC ID, and get written answers about downtime, equipment, phone services, installation and final billing. These checks prevent avoidable disconnections, incompatible hardware and surprise charges.

1. Confirm how your current service can be ended

Find your current contract, Critical Information Summary and latest bill before ordering anything. Record the contract end date, the name of the account holder, the service address and any equipment supplied on loan or under repayment.

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Ask for every possible exit charge

Ask your current provider, preferably in writing, whether ending the service will trigger an early-termination fee, a notice-period charge, an unpaid minimum-term amount or an equipment payout. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) warns that a fee may apply when a contract is ended early. A discount can also have conditions that are easy to miss if you look only at the advertised monthly price.

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Request the provider’s stated cancellation method and the effective cancellation date. Ask whether the incoming provider will arrange the transfer and cancellation, or whether you must submit a separate request. Do not assume that placing a new order automatically stops every old-account charge.

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Why the final account needs attention

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) January 2026 position statement describes complaints from NBN customers who were billed during a notice period after a transfer, including cases in which customers believed cancellation was complete. One illustrative case involved a bill of nearly $6,000. It is a complaint example, not a typical cost or a measure of how often this happens, but it shows why you should preserve cancellation and transfer records.

  • Save the contract, CIS, bills and any chat or email confirming cancellation.
  • Write down the name of the staff member, date and reference number for each call.
  • Ask for the final service date and whether equipment must be returned or paid out.

2. Compare the new offer using the CIS and the full terms

Obtain the prospective provider’s current CIS for the exact plan and read the contract terms before accepting. ACMA recommends comparing pricing and features in CIS documents, not relying on a headline advertisement. Provider prices, discounts, inclusions and conditions can change, so use the version supplied for your order.

Comparison checklist

Compare What to verify Why it matters
Total price Standard monthly price, promotional price, discount length, setup or delivery fees, and equipment repayments A low introductory rate may cost more after the promotion ends.
Speed plan Plan tier, advertised and typical evening speed information, upload speed and any stated limitations The plan label alone does not guarantee the speed delivered in your home.
Address availability Whether the exact service address can receive the selected plan nbn says plan availability can differ by address.
Data and usage Unlimited or metered data, fair-use conditions and any traffic-management terms Usage rules can affect the practical value of an apparently cheaper plan.
Contract commitment Month-to-month or fixed term, cancellation rules, notice period and early-exit amounts A new commitment can make a later move expensive.
Equipment Included modem/router, rental or ownership, return obligations and replacement charges You may not need to buy another device, but supplied equipment may have conditions.
Support Support channels, hours, fault process and appointment handling These details matter if activation or performance problems occur.
Transfer arrangements Expected interruption, scheduling, completion notification and any installation charge You need to plan work, study, alarms and other activities around the change.

Ask the provider to explain any CIS item you cannot reconcile with the order screen or contract. Keep a copy of the CIS and the final order summary showing the price and inclusions you accepted.

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3. Check the address and access technology before ordering

Use the provider’s address check and confirm that it is testing the exact premises, not merely the suburb or postcode. A transfer at the same address is different from moving house: a new address can require separate availability, installation and appointment checks.

Ask which nbn access technology serves the premises—such as Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre to the Building (FTTB) or another technology—and whether the selected speed tier is offered on that line. Do not treat a plan shown in a general advertisement as proof that it can be ordered at your address.

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nbn’s consumer guidance states: “You won’t be connected automatically, so contact your preferred phone or internet provider to discuss your requirements and select the most appropriate plan for your needs.”

4. Get the AVC ID for a same-address transfer

When an existing NBN service is being transferred at the same address, the incoming provider will generally need the service’s AVC ID. ACMA identifies the AVC ID as the identifier required to move an existing service.

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Where to find it

  • Ask your current phone or internet provider for the AVC ID.
  • Check an itemised bill for the identifier.
  • Look in the provider’s customer portal or mobile app.

Give the identifier to the new provider exactly as supplied. Confirm that the order is being processed as a transfer of the existing service at the same address. If you are moving premises, changing the address, or changing access technology, ask what additional identifiers or installation steps apply instead; the same-address AVC-ID procedure should not be assumed to cover those cases.

5. Establish what interruption and scheduling to expect

Before you agree to the order, ask the new provider whether an interruption is expected, when the transfer can be scheduled and how you will be told that it is complete. ACMA says consumers must be informed whether interruption is expected and should receive notice when a transfer has been completed.

Official guidance does not provide one universal switch duration. The time can depend on the premises, access technology, order processing and whether an appointment is needed. Treat any estimate from the provider as specific to your order rather than a guarantee for every NBN transfer.

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Questions to obtain in writing

  • Will the existing service remain usable while the transfer is processed?
  • Is a planned outage expected, and what notice will be provided?
  • What event or message confirms that the new service is active?
  • Who submits the old-service cancellation, and what date will billing stop?
  • What should you do if the new service is not working at the stated completion point?

Do not independently disconnect equipment or cancel the old service based only on an assumption that the new order has completed. Follow the provider’s confirmed transfer instructions and retain the completion message.

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6. Protect your phone number, alarm and other connected services

If you use a home phone number, ask the incoming provider how number retention works and whether the number can be transferred on your order. Confirm the request before accepting the plan; do not presume that a voice service follows the internet transfer automatically.

Ask specifically about a medical alarm, personal emergency response device, security alarm, fax, lift phone or any other service that depends on the telephone connection. nbn lists telephone and medical-alarm impacts among the questions customers should ask when choosing a service. If a safety-related device relies on the line, obtain compatibility confirmation from the alarm or device provider as well as the internet provider before the transfer.

  • List every device that uses the phone connection, not just the handset.
  • Ask whether the device will work with the proposed voice service and equipment.
  • Arrange any testing required by the alarm or medical-device provider after activation.
  • Keep an alternative way to contact emergency or support services while service changes are being made.

7. Check whether your modem/router is suitable

Do not buy a new router simply because you are changing retail providers. First ask whether your current modem/router supports the premises’ access technology, the provider’s authentication requirements and the speed plan you want.

nbn says a modem used on FTTN or FTTB needs VDSL2 compatibility. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also notes that customer-premises equipment and in-home setup can limit the maximum speed a household receives from a plan. A device may connect successfully yet still restrict performance through its DSL capability, Wi-Fi standard, placement or configuration.

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When replacement is justified

  • The provider confirms that the current device is incompatible with the access technology or service settings.
  • The device lacks the required VDSL2 capability for an FTTN or FTTB connection.
  • The current hardware cannot support the selected plan’s connection or the household’s Wi-Fi coverage needs.
  • The incoming provider requires supplied equipment for support or voice-service functionality.

Ask whether the provider supplies, rents or sells a compatible modem/router and whether it must be returned if you later leave. If your existing equipment is accepted, request the required configuration instructions before the transfer so you are not troubleshooting from memory on activation day.

8. Clarify installation, appointments and extra charges

Ask whether the order is a straightforward transfer or requires a technician, premises access, a new connection or in-home setup. nbn advises allowing time for order processing and installation where applicable. ACMA’s consumer guidance also prompts customers to ask about installation and additional costs.

Confirm these practical details

  • Whether a technician appointment is required and who must be present.
  • Any installation, activation, delivery or hardware fee, including when it will be charged.
  • When equipment will arrive and whether you can use your own hardware.
  • What physical work, power sockets or cabling the household must provide.
  • Whether an appointment must be rescheduled if the premises is inaccessible.

Requirements vary with the premises and access technology. Have the provider state the expected start date and prerequisites in the order confirmation rather than relying on a general statement that the service will be “quick” or “seamless.”

9. Use a documented switch-day checklist

  1. Before accepting: save the current contract and CIS, obtain the new CIS, compare the full cost and terms, and record the AVC ID.
  2. At order time: verify the exact address, selected speed tier, equipment, phone-number request, appointment details and expected interruption.
  3. After ordering: keep the order number and written completion or outage instructions. Ask immediately if the provider changes the date or requirements.
  4. When activation is reported: connect the approved modem/router, test internet access and check any voice or alarm-dependent service according to the relevant provider’s instructions.
  5. After the new service works: save the transfer-completion notice and confirm with the old provider what date its billing ends and whether equipment must be returned.
  6. When the final bill arrives: compare the billed period with the confirmed cancellation date and challenge unexplained notice-period or post-transfer charges promptly.
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10. Troubleshoot the common failure points

The new service is not active when expected

Contact the new provider first with the order number and stated completion time. Ask whether the order is pending, technically completed or blocked by an appointment, equipment or address issue. The retail provider—not nbn—handles your order, plan, connection delay and appointment communications.

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The connection works but is slower than expected

Ask the provider to check the line and plan, then check the modem/router capability and in-home setup. The ACCC identifies customer-premises equipment and in-home conditions as factors that can limit maximum speed. Compare the result with the speed information in the CIS rather than assuming the plan’s headline tier is a guaranteed household speed.

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The phone, alarm or another device fails

Contact the new provider and the relevant device or alarm provider. State exactly which service stopped working and whether it depends on the telephone connection. Do not treat an internet connection test as proof that a safety-related device is compatible.

The old provider keeps billing

Ask for an itemised explanation tied to the cancellation date and provide your transfer-completion evidence. If the provider does not resolve the matter through its complaint process, ACMA advises escalating to the TIO after first complaining to the telco.

11. Know who is responsible for each problem

nbn is the wholesale network operator. Your retail phone and internet provider is the party to contact about the plan, price, service performance, connection delay, appointment, equipment supplied, billing and included features. Start with that provider’s complaint process and keep the complaint reference number.

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If the provider’s response does not resolve the issue, ACMA’s guidance points consumers to the TIO. Provide the contract or CIS, order and AVC-ID details, outage or completion notices, bills and your complaint reference so the dispute can be assessed from a clear record.

Final pre-switch check

  • Current contract end date, notice rule and all exit or equipment costs are known.
  • The new CIS and full terms match the price and inclusions you intend to buy.
  • The exact address can receive the chosen plan.
  • The AVC ID has been obtained for a same-address transfer.
  • Interruption, completion notice and cancellation responsibility are documented.
  • Phone-number retention and medical-alarm or other device compatibility are confirmed.
  • The existing modem/router is confirmed compatible, or a suitable replacement is arranged.
  • Appointments, installation, equipment delivery and extra charges are clear.
  • The old account and final bill will be checked after the new service is working.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

ACMAAustralian broadbandAVC IDinternet providersNBNswitching NBN

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