Thanks for answers. On thinking about it further it sounds like I don't need to do anything.
How did you organise the switch? Sureley that came with instructions?
No. I upgraded the Virgin Media package. I filled in a number porting form. A couple of days later it was all done. The original landline had no dial tone. The original number was working on the VM equipment. All extremely seamless. (Well, apart from the eight and a half hours I spent on four webchat sessions with VM about organising the upgrade and sorting out additional equipment they sent that I didn't order. That included 6.75 hours of just waiting to get connected to someone, plus an hour on two occasions when the agent actually went to a meeting in the
middle of the conversation! In other words, like all providers, once you need to talk to them they are a horror show).
The key word is ‘switch’ not ‘cancel’. Once eir is advised that you are switching, the two utilities will work it out among themselves. Cancel will do exactly that and, for me anyway, ran the risk of losing the landline number held for more than fifty years. Both transitions actually went remarkably smoothly.
That is what I am hoping. My fear was that because Eir and VM use different infrastructure (copper vs. cable) that the former would have to be cancelled. My reasoning was that if I switched to another provider on the copper landline they would bill me instead of Eir. But since nobody was taking over the landline, Eir might keep billing for that infrastructure. I'm starting to think that fear is unfounded. Eir's own "switching vs. cancellation" instructions says that if you are switching you don't need to contact Eir (but it doesn't explicitly mention switching to a non-landline provider).
Yes, I understand but when you contracted with Virgin to switch, was there not a contractual document or terms & conditions that specified what they would do and, by inference, what you had to do - for example cancel the Eir contract?
Yes. VM's number porting form had the following disclaimer:
Please confirm you understand that by completing this form you are requesting Virgin Media to transfer your specified home phone number(s) to Virgin Media and that this will result in your current phone service with your current provider coming to an end and possibly the closure of your account with this provider. You authorise your current provider to cease service to your address as necessary in order to successfully transfer your number to Virgin Media. You also confirm that you are authorised to act on behalf of the household in this matter. By using this online form you are not required to sign a contract form.
On re-reading that it does pretty much sound like the Eir account is gone once I switch (and this would be borne out by the fact there is no dial tone on the landline and Eir don't seem to think the account number exists anymore).
Based on my past experiences switching phone/broadband from Eir
@tallpaul is correct.
Just make sure to check the final bill from Eir and request a refund if relevant. Took 3 weeks to get my refund but I did get it.
Everything you need to know about switching to eir broadband or changing your service provider.
Yes, that Eir switching page does make it sound like I don't need to do anything. The good news is that the Eir bill is not paid by direct debit so if they send any bills beyond the final one they can be ignored. (That said, Eir will threaten you with debt collectors as soon as you don't pay a bill whether you owe them or not).