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Switching between broadband providers used to be a complex and potentially frustrating process.

As well as having to find a new ISP, you had to notify your existing provider of your intention to depart, while trying to coordinate cancellation and activation dates.

This posed the risk of either paying two sets of broadband fees simultaneously or temporarily not having a provider at all.

Back in 2021, we reported on a new scheme intended to simplify the process of switching broadband providers.

This system was expected to go live in early 2023, but it was eventually delayed by almost 18 months.

Surprisingly, industry regulator Ofcom took a light-touch approach to the implementation of this process, leaving ISPs to work out how to navigate customers across incompatible systems and software.

The result was a non-profit company founded and owned by broadband firms, known as The One Touch Switching Company.

TOTSCo recently celebrated a notable landmark, yet many people remain unaware of its existence – or what its central promise means for consumers.

Flick of the switch

TOTSCo is responsible for one-touch switching – a process where changing ISP should involve little more than a click of your computer mouse.

It functions as a communications interface between ISPs whenever a customer is migrating from one brand or service provider to another.

It’s known in the trade as a GPL process (gaining provider led), since the new ISP establishes a new customer account and informs the incumbent provider of their new role.

The incumbent in turn accepts the customer’s departure and supports the transfer of connectivity and account information by a nominated date.

The customer is thus absolved of any technical involvement, other than setting up a new router and wireless network, and creating an account with the new ISP.

Since its introduction last September, TOTSCo has helped just over 1.5 million consumers to move ISP, which is a significant achievement.

However, it’s not been without challenges…

Nothing worth having comes easy

In theory, the one-touch switching process should take place seamlessly on a nominated day, with no interruption in service from the customer’s perspective.

In reality, less than 70 per cent of daily switches take place successfully, though this still represents an improvement over January 2025’s figure of just 64 per cent.

Many switches are delayed by unforeseen technical issues.

Although over 330 companies have signed up to TOTSCo, the plethora of incompatible IT systems involved mean migration problems are inevitable.

And while most ISPs have now signed up to one-touch switching, some smaller companies haven’t – even though Ofcom rules mean they need to.

Business broadband users can’t take advantage of this scheme yet, although a corporate switching service is scheduled to arrive next year.

Does one-touch switching make changing ISP easier?

In most cases, yes.

TOTSCo is continuing to improve the central messaging hub which facilitates communications between outgoing and incoming ISPs, while smaller broadband firms are still signing up.

As a consumer, only needing to speak to one ISP will simplify most migrations, especially if your old provider hasn’t been particularly good at communicating with you (or internally).

And while issues are still arising which delay some switchovers, major failures appear to be uncommon.

These should become progressively rarer as time passes and ISPs have more experience of dealing with their competitors.

Today, it’s never been easier to move away from an ISP whose products, services, costs or reliability aren’t meeting your expectations.