When will my new contract price start to be charged?

[#1]

My current FTTC contract is due to end on 11^th May. (£33.32 pm) Current billing date 12^th of the month.

I’ve just agreed a new contract for FTTP which is due for install on 15^th May (£24.99 pm)

When should I expect the new monthly charge to come into force?

Today, as I now have a new contract?

12^th May, the day after my old contract ends?

15^th May as that is the day I start to get the new service?

Should I expect my billing date to remain the same or change?

I appreciate that there are sometimes “glitches” with the accounts system when contracts are changed – I’m just trying to work out what I “should” be paying so that I can keep an eye on it and make sure it is correct.

Ian

[#2]

This is how I suspect it will pan out...

You will not be charged the new price until the new service goes live and your billing date will not be altered, therefore... 

1. On 12th May you will be billed for your existing service at the out of contract price in advance
2. On 12th June you will be billed as follows
   1. A refund for the advance payment on the old service 16th May (or whatever date the switch is) to 11th June
   2. A pro-rata charge for the new service at the new price 15th May (or whatever date the FTTP service starts) to 11th June
3. On 12th July you will be billed for the new service at the new price in advance

[#3]

@Townman Thanks for your reply - That all looks fairly logical. 

I'm a bit miffed that it looks like I'll be paying out of contract price for a while, simply because Plusnet can't supply the new service in under 2 weeks. I'm glad that I've an overhead connection so unlikely to have the long delays that I see some people suffer who have duct blockages.

Ian

[#4]

Glad that helped.

To be a pedant, it is BT Openreach who cannot supply the new service under two weeks.  Their engineers (and sub contractors) are fairly maxed out - most FTTP installations are new installs.

Also to be fair, all ISP to ISP transfers have a two-week lead time due to Ofcom anti slamming rules.  To avoid endo of contract full price charges, one should order the new service promptly after the last month's bill to give a better chance of arranging the service swap on the preferred date.

Continuous billing potentially at the out of contract price ensures that they user has continuous internet service through the transition.

[#5]

Just to pick this up again and add a supplementary question.

I've just had my "out of contract" bill which was a bit of a shock, though correct.

My install is scheduled for Wednesday so I should be be getting nearly a month's refund for line rental and FTTC. and paying nearly a month for my new FTTP - I think this will mean an overall credit as my next bill.

Should I expect the credit to be paid back into my bank via direct debit? or will it just sit on my account and I pay a reduced amount for my following bill?

Ian

[#6]

I think it will appear as a credit against your next regular charge.