Are you planning to cancel your current internet plan? Here's what you need to know. 

Internet service providers offer a range of contract lengths, which usually vary between 1-month, 6-month, 12-month, and 18-month and 24-month contracts. Broadband companies will often throw in a reward for signing up to a longer plan, which is usually either a lower setup fee, a discounted modem or sometimes they’ll throw in a standard modem for free. 

Some internet service providers or ISP provide a contract to their subscribers. The contract is a legal document that contains all of the important information about the internet plan. It gives clarity on what subscribers should expect and the terms they must meet to maintain service. 

If you're on a contract, you're obliged to use the internet service for a fixed period. The length of a contract depends on what the ISP is offering. But usually, they give either a 12 or 24-month contract.

Also, ISPs sometimes offer “no lock-in” contracts that work on a month-to-month basis.

If you want to exit early, check your contract to see your options. However, the most common method to end your contract is by paying a cancellation fee. This isn't the best way to switch to a new ISP or internet plan because it can be expensive sometimes. The cost of the cancellation fee is often based on the remaining days left on your contract. 

To give you an idea about it, here are the cancellation terms and fees of different internet service providers. The prices are current as of June 2022, but you should confirm any fees with your internet service provider before signing up for a new contract.

Telstra

Expect an Early Termination Charge if you wish to cancel your Telstra plan before the contract's end date. This also includes the device, handset, and accessory repayments associated with the service you cancelled. Contact Telstra support to know the exact cancellation fee or call 13 22 00 and say ‘disconnect’. 

Usually, if you cancel within the first three months of a new contract, you'll need to pay out the entire remaining cost of your contract. This includes any hardware and set-up charges. After the first three months, you can cancel without paying any fees, but you will still need to pay for any services used until the end of your billing period.

Optus

Optus is one of the most popular providers in Australia, and its cancellation policy is a little more lenient than Telstra's. For this reason, many people switch to Optus when their Telstra contract is up. However, you need to keep in mind that Optus does have a fairly high standard broadband speed, so if you're not on their NBN plan, you may be disappointed with the speeds.

If you cancel your broadband service within the first 14 days, you'll get a full refund. If you cancel after 14 days, you'll need to pay a $20 cancellation fee per month for each month remaining on your contract, as well as any equipment charges. If you are planning to cancel a 24-month contract with Optus, the maximum cancellation fee is $300, which decreases as the contract progresses.

Belong

Belong is one of the providers that offer month-to-month contracts, so you can cancel at any time without paying a fee. However, its cancellation fees can be high if you cancel during the first six months of your contract or within the first three months of signing up for a new service.

In this case, you will be charged the full month's amount if you cancel a month-to-month plan before your first monthly bill on Belong. Whereas, for a 12-month plan, you will be charged a change of mind fee of $100 if you cancel the service before its activation. If you cancel after the activation but before the end of the term, you will be charged a maximum of $240 Early Termination Charge. This decreases by $20 every billing month.

TPG

If you're thinking of switching to TPG, keep in mind that it has a very strict cancellation policy. Perhaps, this is because it's one of the cheaper providers wherein you may be able to acquire a broadband speed of up to 100Mbps for as low as $80 per month. With this, you can also get a home phone line and unlimited local and national calls.

That said, TPG is known for offering cheap ADSL and NBN plans. However, they are also known for charging expensive cancellation fees. This internet service provider is still charging $350 if you want to end your contract earlier than its supposed end date. 

If you wish to end your contract within the Minimum Contract Period, you must pay an early termination charge. Such termination fees are set out at additional pricing. It's best to contact their customer service to know the exact amount you have to pay to end your contract.  

Dodo

Dodo is a provider that will allow you to bundle your internet, phone, and energy services together. It's one of the more expensive providers, but it does offer a wide range of plans to choose from. At the same time, Dodo also offers some of the cheapest internet plans on the market. Also, they are giving short contracts. You can even sign up for a 6-month contract. However, do keep in mind that you need to stay with Dodo for at least 12 months before you can cancel without paying any fees.

The cancelling fee for your Dodo subscription depends on your contract. For example, you're on a 12-month contract term. Dodo will charge $8 per month for the remaining months. So if you're about to end a contract with 11 months remaining, you will pay a fee of $88 ($8 x 11).

iiNet

Many subscribers recommend iiNet for its excellent customer service. It's easier to cancel  iiNet contracts compared to other ISPs. There are no cancellation fees on no lock-in contracts. For plans with a contract, you just need to pay the cancellation fee of $60. If you're planning to cancel your iiNet broadband service, you need to give them a 30-day notice. From there, you'll be charged a disconnection fee, as well as any fees for the services used during your notice period.

MyRepublic

As a leading provider of NBN broadband, MyRepublic is a popular choice for many Australians. If you're thinking of cancelling your MyRepublic service, you need to make sure that you do it within 30 days of signing up. You need to pay termination fees if you wish to cancel a MyRepublic service before the contract ends. For the actual amount, contact a MyRepublic support to have them finalise your account. 

Aussie Broadband

Aussie Broadband takes pride in offering its subscribers an all-Australian customer service team. This means that you can always talk to someone who can help you with your enquiries. Fortunately, there is no extra charge if you are not on a fixed contract term with Aussie Broadband and you wish to cancel a service. However, if you are on a current contract, you will need to pay $149 for the modem and if you have a Fetch plan, you must ship the Fetch box back to the provider within 30 days. Else, a non-return fee will be charged to you: $300 for Fetch Mighty or $135 for Fetch Mini.

iPrimus 

The process for cancelling your iPrimus plan is almost similar to other ISPs. First, you have to inform them about your decision. You may call 1300 85 85 85. Also, expect that there will be an early termination fee if you do not finish out your full term. Just keep in mind that for most providers, you need to give them a 30-day notice if you're planning to cancel your service. However, for iPrimus, you need to give them a 60-day notice. Usually, the reason for this is because you're still in your contract's minimum term. From there, your cancellation fee may depend on the remaining months of your contract. 

Exetel

Exetel offers 19 different internet plans. The price ranges from $69 to $109 per month. But whatever your plan is, they are charging a $100 cancellation fee if you want to stop using their service right away. The price is fixed, no matter how many days or months are left on your contract. 

Switching to a new provider?

If you cancel your current subscription to replace it with a better internet connection, be sure to check this page for ISP comparison or compare the best NBN plans here. Also, you can call Compare Broadband at 1300 106 571 for expert assistance.

We can hook you up with the best internet plans and deals right away.