Which broadband provider?

ClubMan said:

Do you know that this works in practice? I would've thought that the single broadband connection to the premises already being in use would stymie this? Have you actually done it? Thanks.

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I have done this the past few years. This is my scenario this year:

2024
01 Aug: Contract started in my name for 12 months term.

2025
15 Jun: A month and a half before my contract is due to end VM sent an email to remind me that my contract is ending on 31/07/2025.

02 Jul: I will call VM to give my 30 days notice that I wish to cancel on 01/08/2025, the day after my contract ends. To save the rigmarole of offers and persuading you to stay with them I say I am moving in to a new house that already has VM.

29 Jul: 2-3 days before cancellation I sign up online for a new contract with my partner's details.

30 Jul: The new modem arrives the next working day if ordered before 6pm. Billing starts from this date.

01 Aug: On the cancellation date the broadband cuts out around mid-day. The old modem stops working, you have to switch it with the new modem. It takes around 15 minutes for the new modem to update and provide broadband.

VM haven't asked me to return the equipment, I bring the old modem to a WEEE recycling centre.

Managing the date is straightforward as long you take into account weekends, but because the delivery of the new modem is so fast you only pay twice for a couple of days. You could time it exactly to the same day but for a few euro extra cost I prefer the buffer because I work from home. You could also give your 30 days notice so that the cancellation date falls on a weekend if you don't want to be disrupted while working.

Thanks a lot @Cervelo.
As I mentioned in another thread, my VM contract is up in 34 days so I'll order Sky fibre now to allow time for the first time OpenEir connection to be made to my house and will then give notice to VM when things are clearer on the Sky front.
There'll probably be some overlap but that's ok.