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Top Broadband Tips When Moving Home or Business
Internet connectivity is becoming an increasingly important factor for home and business owners as and when they decide to move. The move towards working from home means that good broadband coverage is even more essential for householders, while commercial organisations can ill afford to be offline for any length of time.
Hamiltons Removals are a leading Norfolk removal company, who are able to offer high-quality packages for both domestic and commercial clients. Here we look at the six broadband-related steps you should be taking before you move.
Prepare Early
As with so many things, it pays off if you sort this type of problem out early on because you don’t want to be relying on your mobile phone for all your internet coverage – especially if you have data limits that could easily be exceeded.
While it may be as simple as plugging in your new router, you may need a new line. In such cases, estimates show that the major providers take between one and two weeks to get customers set up in their new property – and you don’t want this to be any longer than necessary.
Check With Your Current Provider
Do they provide coverage in your new area, and at your specific property? There are also a number of useful online sites that you can use to check this as well.
Another important question, as touched on in the last point is – has the home or premises had internet before? Increasingly for both domestic and commercial properties, the answer is now ‘yes’. However, if it hasn’t, will you need to install a new line and prepare accordingly.
Check with New Providers
It may also be worth checking with other providers if they have better coverage in your new area, particularly if it’s a rural one. If their coverage is better, or if your current provider won’t operate in your new home or business location, then consider switching.
However, there may be cancellation fees involved, so this will need to be factored into the overall cost of the move, as well as possible time delays. The COVID pandemic has also made it a lot more difficult for broadband providers to offer a full and prompt service.
You May Not Have Much Choice
Remember that in some new-build flats and neighbourhoods, there are what are known as ‘micro monopolies’ in place. This is where all the broadband services are provided exclusively by one company, and you don’t have any choice.
The good news is, particularly in flats in urban areas, these tend to be pretty much state-of-the-art, so you don’t have to worry about the quality of the coverage.
What About Tenants?
If you are moving into a leasehold flat, then check with your landlord well in advance what the situation is. If you will be paying the bills directly to the supplier, then you can make your own checks as to who provides the best or cheapest service.
However, if you will pay your broadband bills through your landlord, then it’s usually their responsibility to change provider, and you won’t be able to. Don’t let this put you off asking them, though, particularly if you think it could save you some money.
Business Coverage
With businesses, the whole process could take considerably longer because there could be a lot more services involved. For instance, BT asks for a minimum of 10 days’ notice if customers want their business broadband service operating on the same day as their phone line. They also warn that it could take up to 26 days for a single line transfer if an engineer is needed and it’s during a period of poor weather.
The major providers all have dedicated business departments who will be able to help. Whoever you choose, get in touch as early as practicably possible. It may also help if you try to get your new premises IT operational before you move out of your old one.
Domestic and Commercial Moves With Hamiltons Removals
Norfolk removal company Hamiltons Removals have many years of experience in organising domestic and commercial removals to Suffolk, Norfolk, all parts of East Anglia, and beyond.
With business moves, we will liaise with your company’s IT department (if you have dedicated staff) to make sure all your PCs, laptops, tablets, printers, faxes and photocopiers are all carefully packaged and transported using specialist materials and vehicles. And, we will also take equal care of any domestic high-tech equipment, whether it’s for an individual move or part of an employee relocation.
To learn more about our specialist IT service for businesses, follow this link and fill in the online contact form. You can also call us on 01379 855203 for any queries about domestic or commercial moves.
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