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Cancel and switch mobile, broadband & TV

How to cancel UK mobile, broadband and TV contracts — PAC and STAC codes, notice periods, early exit fees, and free tools to help you switch.

Free switching tools

Free switching tools

Looking up how to cancel a provider is usually the moment you have already decided to leave. Use our free PAC/STAC generator, cancellation letter tool and early termination fee calculator, then compare better deals from other networks.

PAC & STAC code generatorCancellation letter generatorEarly termination fee calculator

In this guide

How to cancel and switch UK mobile, broadband and TV

If you want to cancel a mobile, broadband or TV contract, the practical job is to do it in the right order: understand your notice period, check for any early exit fees, use the correct cancellation method for your product, and line up your replacement before the old service ends.

This guide explains the UK switching rules in plain English, including mobile PAC and STAC codes, broadband notice periods, TV subscription cancellation, One Touch Switch, early termination fees, and written cancellation.

Not bank switching: this guide is about leaving mobile, broadband and TV providers. For current-account switching bonuses under the Current Account Switch Service, see bank account switching offers instead.

The three ways UK contracts usually end

Most UK telecom cancellations fall into one of three patterns. Which one applies depends on whether you are cancelling mobile, home broadband or TV, and whether you want to keep your phone number.

SituationWhat you typically doHelpful tool
Mobile — keep your numberText PAC to 65075 from the phone number you want to keep. Your current network replies with a Porting Authorisation Code.PAC & STAC code generator
Mobile — give up the numberText STAC to 75075 from that phone to end the line without porting the number.PAC & STAC code generator
Broadband / TV — leave the providerServe notice, often 30 days, or switch through One Touch Switch where available. Check for early exit fees if you are still in contract.Cancellation letter generator · Early termination fee calculator

Ofcom sets the short codes for PAC, 65075, and STAC, 75075. We do not issue PAC or STAC codes. Your current mobile network sends the code by text after you request it.

Mobile switching: PAC codes explained

A PAC, or Porting Authorisation Code, lets you move your existing mobile number to a new UK network. You request it from your current provider, then give the code to the network you are joining.

How to get a PAC code

  1. From the phone number you want to keep, send a text containing PAC to 65075.
  2. Your current network should reply with a code. It is often valid for 30 days, but check the expiry date in the text.
  3. Choose a new plan. For many people, a SIM only deal is enough because they are keeping their handset.
  4. Give the PAC to your new provider when you sign up. The new provider arranges the number transfer, and your old mobile contract ends as part of that process.

Use our PAC & STAC code generator if you want the exact SMS wording and short code in one place, with copy-to-clipboard.

Provider guides for mobile PAC codes

Each guide explains how to request a PAC or STAC, how to cancel, and what to check before leaving:

When you are ready to compare replacements, browse SIM only deals. This is usually the simplest option if you are keeping your current handset.

Mobile switching: STAC codes explained

A STAC, or Service Termination Authorisation Code, ends your mobile service without taking the number to another network. Text STAC to 75075 from the phone on that line.

Use a STAC only if you genuinely do not need the number. For example, you might use one if you are leaving the UK, closing a spare line, or taking a new number with your next SIM.

The PAC & STAC code generator covers both code types. On mobile provider pages such as cancel O2 and cancel Vodafone, the tool is pre-filled for that network.

Broadband: notice periods and cancellation

Home broadband contracts work differently from mobile. There is no PAC. Instead, you cancel with your current provider or switch through a supported switching process.

Before cancelling, check:

  • Notice period — often 30 days, but check your own contract.
  • Minimum term — leaving before the end can trigger an early termination fee.
  • One Touch Switch — on many broadband services, your new provider may be able to manage the switch for you so you do not need to contact the old provider first. This does not apply to every network.

Broadband providers with dedicated cancellation guides

For replacement packages, compare broadband deals once you know your earliest leave date and any fee.

TV subscriptions: notice periods and cancellation

Pay-TV and streaming bundles from the main UK providers also run on contract terms with notice periods and, often, early exit charges. There is no PAC or One Touch Switch for TV — you cancel directly with your provider.

Before cancelling a TV package, check:

  • Notice period — commonly around 31 days for Sky; Virgin Media is often 30 days, but confirm on your contract.
  • Minimum term — sports add-ons, cinema packs and hardware bundles can all affect what you owe if you leave early.
  • Equipment return — set-top boxes, mini boxes and routers often need to be returned to avoid non-return fees.
  • Linked services — if broadband and TV are on one bill, confirm whether you are cancelling TV only or the whole account.

TV providers with dedicated cancellation guides

For replacement packages, compare TV deals once you know your leave date and any exit fee.

Writing your cancellation notice

Even when you can cancel online or by phone, written notice creates a clear paper trail. This is useful if billing continues, a provider disputes your leave date, or you need evidence of when you asked to cancel.

Our cancellation letter generator drafts a UK-style letter or email from your details, including your name, address, account reference, provider, reason and notice period. You can copy the result or download it as plain text.

Early termination fees: what they are and how to estimate them

An early termination fee, sometimes called an ETF, is what a provider may charge if you leave before your minimum contract term ends. It is not the same as your final month's bill or standard notice-period charges.

Fees vary by provider, product and how much of the contract is left. They can also be affected by discounts, TV bundles, broadband equipment, handset balances or promotional pricing.

Use the early termination fee calculator for a ballpark figure from your contract start date, monthly price and notice period. Treat the result as an estimate only. Your provider's final bill may differ if promotions, equipment charges or pro-rata rules apply.

Guides for providers where exit fees are often relevant include:

Even where notice-only cancellation is more typical, it is still worth checking the position in writing. See cancel BT Broadband and cancel Vodafone Broadband for more detail.

Should you switch from Sky to Virgin? And similar provider comparisons

Many people are not just cancelling; they are deciding whether to move from one specific provider to another. For example, you may be weighing up whether to switch from Sky to Virgin Media, or from Virgin Media back to an Openreach-based broadband provider.

There is no single right answer. Work through these checks:

  1. Availability — can the new provider actually serve your address at the speed you need? Use a postcode check on broadband deals before you cancel.
  2. Total cost — compare the full contract cost, including setup, router delivery, TV add-ons and any price rises.
  3. Exit fees on your current deal — run the early termination fee calculator if you are still in contract.
  4. Switching mechanics — Openreach-based moves may use One Touch Switch. Virgin Media uses its own cable network, so timing and notice both matter.
  5. TV and landline — if you cancel TV as well as broadband, confirm what happens to your viewing package, landline and any equipment. See cancel Sky and cancel Virgin Media TV for TV-specific steps.

If the numbers, coverage and timing work, cancel your current provider with a clear leave date, then order the new service to start when you intend to leave.

The same decision framework applies to other moves, such as leaving Vodafone Broadband for BT Broadband, or moving mobile from O2 to a cheaper SIM only plan on another network.

Step-by-step: a sensible order of operations

Whether you are cancelling mobile, broadband or TV, this sequence reduces double-billing and surprise fees:

  1. Check your contract — find your minimum term end date, notice period and any equipment return rules.
  2. Estimate exit costs — use the early termination fee calculator for broadband or TV where relevant, and check remaining handset balances on mobile.
  3. Shortlist a replacement — compare SIM only plans for mobile, broadband packages for home internet, or TV deals for pay-TV.
  4. Request your code or serve notice — use a PAC or STAC for mobile, or written notice for broadband and TV.
  5. Place the new order — give your PAC to the new mobile network, or book your broadband installation or switch date, or sign up for a new TV package.
  6. Confirm the leave date in writing — keep the provider's confirmation and a copy of anything you sent.
  7. Return equipment if required — routers, TV boxes and handsets often need to be returned to avoid non-return charges.

Free switching tools

These tools return a result instantly and do not require an account:

ToolUse when
PAC & STAC code generatorYou need the exact text and number to request a mobile PAC or STAC.
Cancellation letter generatorYou want a formal cancellation letter or email for a provider.
Early termination fee calculatorYou want a ballpark broadband or TV exit fee before you commit.

The same tools also appear on the relevant provider guides.

Cancel by provider: full guide list

Use the guide that matches the product you are leaving. Mobile, broadband and TV are separate products for brands such as Vodafone, BT, Sky and Virgin Media.

Mobile

Broadband / home

TV

After you cancel: finding a better deal

Once you know you are leaving, compare replacement deals before your current service ends.

Provider cancellation guides may also show alternative deals from other networks. For the widest choice, use the main comparison pages above.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Cancelling before you have a PAC — if you need your number, get the PAC first and give it to the new network before the code expires.
  • Using STAC when you meant PAC — STAC disconnects the number instead of transferring it.
  • Assuming broadband cancels itself — ordering a new broadband service does not always end the old contract unless the switch process covers it.
  • Ignoring router and TV box returns — BT Broadband, Sky, Virgin Media TV and other providers may charge for kit that is not returned.
  • Relying on someone else's exit-fee quote — use the early termination fee calculator as a starting point, then confirm directly with your provider.
  • Confusing telecom switching with bank switching — cancelling mobile, broadband or TV is not the same as CASS bank switching.

Sources and further reading

Telecom contracts change. Always confirm notice periods, fees, return requirements and switch dates on your latest bill or in your online account before you cancel.