Phone & internet · the UK

Phone & internet in the UK: your rights

The rules that protect you as a phone and internet customer in the UK, and who to contact. Every fact is checked on an official source.

What is going on?

🔄How do I switch my phone or internet provider in the UK?Switching provider 📲Can I keep my phone number when I switch provider in the UK?Keep your number 📅How long can a phone or internet contract last in the UK, and how do I end it?Minimum term & notice 📈My phone or internet price is going up: can I leave my contract in the UK?Price rise 🐢My internet is slower than promised: what can I do in the UK?Slow internet 📦I am moving house: what happens to my internet contract in the UK?Moving house 🌍Do I pay extra to use my phone in other EU countries with a plan from the UK?Roaming in Europe ✈️Travelling outside the EU with a plan from the UK: how do I avoid a huge roaming bill?Roaming outside the EU 📡Can I use my own router or modem instead of the provider’s in the UK?Your own router 📝What must I get before I sign a phone or internet contract in the UK, and can I change my mind?Contract summary & cooling-off 🌐Is my copper phone line being switched off in the UK, and what happens to my contract?Copper switch-off & fibre ⚖️My phone or internet provider will not solve my complaint: where can I go for free in the UK?Free dispute resolution 📵My phone or internet is down: do I get compensation in the UK?Outage & compensation 🤝Is there a social tariff or cheaper phone and internet for people on a low income in the UK?Affordable internet

Everything at a glance

Telecom regulator

Ofcom

The UK communications regulator. It sets and enforces the rules for phone and broadband providers. It can't investigate or resolve individual complaints, but reporting faults and problems to it helps it act on wider issues.

📞 0300 123 3333 🔗 ofcom.org.uk

Official source: ofcom.org.uk · Checked 2026-10-14

Free dispute resolution

Communications Ombudsman or CISAS (the scheme your provider belongs to) · free

What to do first: Complain to your provider first. If it isn't resolved after six weeks, or your provider sends a deadlock letter, go to the scheme your provider belongs to.

Time limit: Within 12 months of receiving your provider's deadlock letter.

🔗 ofcom.org.uk

Official source: ofcom.org.uk · Checked 2026-10-14

Compare offers

We found no official, state-run price comparison for phone and internet in the UK.

Official speed test official

Ofcom broadband and mobile checker

It shows the fastest speeds the network operators predict for an address; it does not test your own line, and actual availability and speeds may differ.

🔗 checker.ofcom.org.uk

Official source: checker.ofcom.org.uk · Checked 2026-10-14

Consumer organisation

Citizens Advice

🔗 citizensadvice.org.uk

The law

Communications Act 2003 and Ofcom's General Conditions of Entitlement

This law puts the EU rules on phone and internet services into national law.

🔗 legislation.gov.uk

Checked: 2026-10-14

🔗 Also on FFCheck

More help in the UK

All other problems: who handles whatWho do I contact?100+ things that go wrong — money, housing, work, safety, health, papers, government — and the one desk in the UK that actually handles each: phone, site, and what to say when they pick up.Before it goes wrongCan I?What is allowed, what is not, which permit you need — with the official source.Recognise it firstIs dit veilig?Check a phone number, website or message against 430,000 scam dossiers.