Switching nbn® providers is one of those things that sounds more complicated than it actually is. A lot of people stick with a provider they're not happy with, whether it's the price, the speeds, or the customer service, simply because they assume the switch will be a headache: hours on hold, a technician visit, or days without internet.
With Ezi Broadband, switching is genuinely simple, because we handle the vast majority of the process for you. This guide explains exactly how the switch works, what we take care of on your behalf, what information is worth having ready, and what to expect from sign-up through to being live on your new plan.
How Switching nbn® Providers Actually Works
In Australia, your nbn® connection belongs to nbn Co, not your provider. Think of nbn Co as the infrastructure owner, and your internet provider as the retailer that sells you access to it. When you switch providers, you're not changing the physical connection to your home. You're changing who manages your account on that connection.
The technical process is called a "churn," and it's largely automated. Once you sign up with a new provider, they submit a transfer request to nbn Co, which moves the service across. On the day of the switch, the connection drops briefly, typically somewhere between one and fifteen minutes, while the transfer completes. In most cases, no technician visit is required for a standard switch.
What Ezi Broadband Handles For You
When you switch to Ezi Broadband, here's what we manage on your behalf:
We submit the transfer request. Once you sign up, we identify your existing nbn® connection and lodge the transfer request with nbn Co directly. You don't need to contact your old provider first.
We schedule and manage the transfer date. If you'd like to switch on a future date, for example to line up with the end of a current contract, we manage the transfer and the timing around that date for you.
We monitor the connection on the day. Our team keeps an eye on the switch to make sure it completes cleanly, and we're already on it if anything doesn't go to plan.
We confirm your service is live. Once the transfer completes, we verify the connection is working correctly before we consider the job done.
We check and lodge fibre upgrade eligibility. If your address qualifies for an nbn® Fibre Upgrade, we transfer your existing connection to Ezi Broadband first, then coordinate the fibre upgrade separately with nbn Co. Doing it in this order means there's no downtime during the upgrade itself, and it's a simpler process for you overall. (More detail on how this works further down.)
What Information You'll Need to Switch
Signing up is quick, and most of what we need is straightforward. Here's what's genuinely useful to have on hand:
- Your address. This is the main thing we use to identify your connection and check what's available.
- Your AVC ID. The AVC ID is a unique code that identifies your specific nbn® connection, and it's required for us to transfer your connection. Our sign-up process marks this field as optional, so you can still submit your details without it, but if you don't have it on hand, our team will get in touch to help you track it down. This does add a bit of time to the process, so it's worth locating upfront if you can. You'll usually find it on your current provider's bill, often labelled "AVC ID" or "Service ID."
- Your current provider's name. Handy for our records, though not essential to complete the switch.
- Payment details, to set up billing on your new plan.
That's genuinely the full list. You don't need technical details about your connection type, your modem's specifications, or anything else. We work that out on our end.
Modem Compatibility and Ownership
Whether you need a new modem depends on what you currently have and how you got it.
If you own your modem outright, meaning you purchased it yourself or it came unlocked from a previous plan, you can generally keep using it. Most modern modems are not locked to a specific provider, though some settings may need updating. We'll talk you through this at sign-up if it applies to you.
If your modem was supplied by your old provider as part of a contract, check whether you own it or whether it needs to be returned. Some providers include the modem cost in a contract and expect it back if you leave before the contract ends; others let you keep it once it's paid off. This is worth confirming with your old provider directly, since it's specific to their terms rather than something we can see from our end.
If you're getting a fibre upgrade, your existing modem may not be compatible with the new connection type, since a full fibre connection has different requirements to FTTC or FTTN. We'll flag this during sign-up and let you know if a new modem is needed.
If you need a new modem, we can supply one as an additional purchase alongside your plan, including the TP-Link HB210 Pro, our recommended WiFi 7 modem for households on higher-speed plans. This isn't included in your plan cost, but we'll let you know your options and pricing at sign-up.
Estimated Switch Timeframe
For a standard switch (not a fibre upgrade), the whole process from signing up to being live on your new connection is typically a few business days, and the actual cutover itself, the moment your service moves from your old provider to Ezi Broadband, usually takes one to fifteen minutes of downtime.
If a fibre upgrade is involved, the initial switch happens on the same timeline as above, since it uses your existing connection. The fibre upgrade itself is booked and completed afterwards, often taking several weeks depending on nbn Co's construction schedule, but with no downtime during that period since your existing connection keeps working until the new one is ready.
Fibre Upgrades: What We Handle, and What's Different
It's worth being precise about this, since a fibre upgrade isn't quite the same as a standard provider switch, and we handle it in a specific order to keep things simple on your end.
Step one: we transfer your existing connection. Rather than trying to combine the switch and the upgrade into one event, we move your service to Ezi Broadband first, on your existing connection type, using the same standard churn process covered earlier in this guide. This means the initial switch has the same minimal downtime as any other transfer and you're up and running on Ezi Broadband straight away.
Step two: we book and coordinate the fibre upgrade. Once you're with us, we check your eligibility, book the upgrade appointment with nbn Co, and manage the coordination from there. Because the upgrade happens as a separate step after you're already connected, there's no downtime during this phase either. Your existing connection keeps working right up until the new fibre connection is ready.
What this means for a technician visit. The physical fibre upgrade is still carried out by nbn Co's technicians, since it involves running new infrastructure to your property, and you'll typically need to be home (or have someone available) for that appointment. We book this and keep you updated on timing, but the on-site work itself sits with nbn Co, not with Ezi Broadband directly.
Once the upgrade is complete, we automatically cancel your old connection. There's no separate cancellation step for you to manage. Once the new fibre connection is live and confirmed, we handle deactivating the old one on your behalf.
Doing it in this order means you're never juggling two providers or two connections at once, and there's no point in the process where you're without internet. It does mean the fibre upgrade itself takes longer than the initial switch, but that time is spent with your existing connection working normally in the background, not with you being offline.
Contract Exit Fees and Equipment Return
We manage everything on the technical and logistical side of your switch, but there are two things specific to your relationship with your old provider that sit outside what we can see or control:
Exit fees. If you're still within a fixed-term contract with your current provider, they may charge an early exit fee. These vary by provider, but are often calculated as a portion of your remaining contract value, for example, a few months of your monthly fee if you're leaving partway through a 12 or 24-month term. Check your most recent bill or your account portal for your contract end date, or contact your provider directly to ask. If there's a fee, it's worth weighing against what you'd save by switching sooner rather than waiting it out.
Equipment return. Some providers supply a modem as part of a contract deal and require it back if you leave, sometimes with a fee if it's not returned within a set window. Others let you keep it, particularly if it was included as a one-off signup incentive. Again, this is specific to your old provider's terms, so it's worth a quick check before you switch so there are no surprise charges on your final bill.
Neither of these is something Ezi Broadband can waive or influence, since they're part of your existing agreement elsewhere. But once you're with us, this becomes a non-issue: all Ezi Broadband plans are month-to-month with no lock-in contracts, so there's never an exit fee to worry about if you ever decide to leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my internet for long?
No. The initial switch has a connection drop of typically one to fifteen minutes while the transfer completes. If a fibre upgrade is involved, we transfer you to Ezi Broadband on your existing connection first, then complete the upgrade afterwards, so there's no downtime during that later stage either. Your existing connection keeps working right up until the new one is ready.
Do I need to be home for a standard switch?
No. A standard provider switch is a background account transfer, so there's no need for you to be present. A fibre upgrade is different, since it involves a physical technician visit from nbn Co to install the new connection, and someone will need to be available for that appointment.
Do I need to cancel my old service myself?
You don't need to contact your old provider to start the switch. Once your new service goes live, it's worth confirming with your old provider that your account has been closed and no further charges will apply, particularly if you're chasing a final bill or refund.
What if something goes wrong during the transfer?
Our team monitors the switch on the day and can troubleshoot most issues quickly. If something doesn't complete as expected, contact us directly rather than your old provider, since the connection is already in the process of moving to us.
Will switching affect my email address?
If your email address is provided by your current internet provider (for example, an address ending in their domain), it's worth backing up any important emails or contacts before switching, since that email service may be tied to your old account. This is worth checking with your current provider directly.
How do I know if I'm eligible for a fibre upgrade?
We check this automatically when you sign up, based on your address.
Ready to Make the Switch?
If you've been putting off leaving a provider you're not happy with because switching seemed like a hassle, that's exactly the problem we built Ezi Broadband to solve. Sign up, and we'll handle the transfer, check your fibre upgrade eligibility, and sort out the modem question, so you end up on a better connection with as little admin as possible on your end.
Check your address and switch to Ezi Broadband today.
Ezi Broadband is a 100% Australian owned and operated nbn® provider. No lock-in contracts, no hidden fees, and real local support when you need it.