Existing customer trying to upgrade from 900 Mbps to 1.6 Gbps – my experience so

[biscuitbigfoot]

I wanted to share my experience upgrading my existing BT/EE Full Fibre broadband to 1.6 Gbps, as I’ve run into many of the same issues discussed in other threads.

Background

I’m an existing Full Fibre customer and am currently out of contract. My partner and I both regularly work from home, and I frequently transfer large files, so I’m interested in upgrading to the fastest available connection.

The EE website confirms that Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps is available at my address, with the Core package advertised to new customers at £42.99 per month.

However, when I tried to upgrade through my existing account, the 1.6 Gbps packages weren’t available.

My experience with sales and retentions

I contacted BT/EE through their messaging service and explained that I wanted to upgrade to 1.6 Gbps.

Initially, I was offered:

• Full Fibre 900 Ultimate: £80.99/month
• 24-month contract
• 900 Mbps download / 110 Mbps upload

I pointed out that new customers could obtain:

• Full Fibre 900 Core: £31.99/month
• Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps Core: £42.99/month
• Full Fibre 900 Ultimate: £66.99/month

I also explained that I use my own networking equipment rather than the supplied BT/EE router or WiFi extenders, so the additional equipment included with the Ultimate package offers me little benefit.

Following some discussion, the adviser reduced the 900 Mbps Ultimate offer to £71.99/month.

While I appreciated the reduction, I still had to pay £29 more per month for 900 Mbps than a new customer would pay for 1.6 Gbps.

The 1.6 Gbps restriction

I repeatedly asked why I couldn’t upgrade to 1.6 Gbps when it was advertised as available at my address.

Eventually, the adviser confirmed that there was no technical restriction at the property. Instead, the problem was that the existing-customer ordering process doesn’t offer the 1.6 Gbps product.

I asked whether an alternative ordering process, account takeover or migration could be arranged, but was repeatedly informed that this wasn’t possible and that there was no escalation route.

I then shared the following EE Community discussion started by @dazzerj24:

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Broadband-Landline/Regrade-to-1-6gbps/td-p/1645664

In that discussion, @dazzerj24  reported that EE’s retentions team had arranged a new account takeover, with an ONT replacement scheduled, allowing them to move to 1.6 Gbps without the usual disruption.

Despite this example, I was initially told no such arrangement was possible.

Some progress at last

After raising a formal complaint and requesting to speak with the retentions team, I was informed that I was already speaking with sales and retentions.

Interestingly, the adviser then offered to investigate placing a new-customer order for the 1.6 Gbps service.

I was told my existing account would remain active and that I could contact BT/EE to cancel it once the new service was installed.

The adviser has requested an alternative email address and is now checking whether the advertised new-customer package can be offered.

My concerns

While I’m pleased that we may finally be making progress, the experience has been unnecessarily frustrating.

I’m an existing customer, out of contract, willing to enter another 24-month agreement and happy to pay reasonable installation charges or have my ONT replaced.

Yet I apparently cannot purchase a faster service without opening an entirely new account.

It seems absurd that a new customer moving into my property could order 1.6 Gbps immediately, while someone already receiving Full Fibre at the same address has to navigate account restrictions, potentially arrange a second installation and raise a complaint to access the same product.

Advisers also seem inconsistent in the information they provide, particularly about whether an account takeover can be arranged.

Where things stand

I’m currently waiting for confirmation that the adviser can offer the Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps Core package at the advertised £42.99/month price.

I’m also seeking confirmation on how the installation would work, particularly whether they'd install a second ONT or replace the existing one, and whether the existing service would remain operational throughout.

I’ll update this thread once I know more.

In the meantime, I’d be interested to hear from anyone else who has successfully moved from an existing 900 Mbps package to 1.6 Gbps.

Did EE arrange an account takeover, or did you have to open a completely new account and cancel the original service afterwards?

It would be helpful to confirm whether there’s a consistent process other existing customers can follow without going through the same experience.

[JimM11]

@biscuitbigfoot As you say there is just no path past the FF900 package, some off the norms have been, shutdown the FF900, wait a couple off weeks and get the 1.6Gb/s Equipment installed, switched over and then start working again, as to what the others pay for the privilege off doing so that would be a reach out from you to them on the Forum. Good luck with it all, take it you are not interested in other ISP's core 1.6Gb/s at £38 onwards?

[dazzerj24]

Hey, 

As I was tagged, I figured I'd weigh in. 

Perhaps I should have been a bit clearer in my wording, we did indeed have to open a new account, so a new contract, and then use that account to takeover my current one, hence me saying new account takeover, however this may have not been clear what I meant. (This also included providing a alternative email address)

Which of course would incur early termination fee's, however the advisor in the retentions team I got on the phone was wonderful and went and spoke to her manager and got those waived (we was still in contract). We're still awaiting our "new account service to take over our current so perhaps there are still some speedbumps ahead but I do not foresee these at the moment.

I should note, it took me 3 total phone calls to get the correct advisor, one willing to do it.

I do apologize with my wording, and perhaps should have been more clearer, I indeed had to go through the process you are going through. Many advisors wont want to do it, as they don't want to risk you going without service. However once I got an advisor willing to do so, I told her we have unlimited data on our phones so should our service cut out earlier than scheduled this would not be an issue.

I should also note, if you were originally supplied the equipment but have these stored away as you don't use them these would have to be returned and new equipment supplied anyways as the serial numbers are tied to your account.

To add further, as many have mentioned on these forums 1.6gbps is supplied via a separate ordering route with Openreach (the one who actually connects your service) and as such there is no easy upgrade path for existing customers, which of course is frustrating as hell. EE has promised for about a year and half this would be streamlined however it's yet to take shape.

Finally, I note you are out of contract, so it may be worthwhile if you can not get EE to budge to search around and see who also can supply you the higher speeds thus negating a run around with different advisors. If you don't wish to change supplier, I must suggest you just keep trying  with advisors (ideally on the phone if able) and see if you can get an advisor willing to do what I did.

[JimM11]

@dazzerj24 As @biscuitbigfoot is not interested in anything from EE as running all his own gear, he only wants the FF 1.6Gb/s package with the preferred lower new cust price if possible and if/when a new ONT is required to be replaced, may only have a lower 1Gb/s interface type until at least looked at, yellow/orange nic socket yellow 1Gb/s orange 2.5Gb/s, also not have the service dropped before the switch if at all possible....

Did see you twisted the old EE arm was your new account setup and the order sitting pending to be done in that?

[dazzerj24]

I was mid contract with 900mbps service, hence the early termination fee that got waived, I phoned initially and as stated in my initial thread. That advisor did not want to do it, then tried through the "ordering line, so new customer phone path" and they said they didn't see a way to do it. 

So initially I gave up, and then I thought one last phone call (I am persistent) to the retentions team and that particular advisor was willing to do all what I mentioned.

I am currently still on the 900mbps service, the 1.6gbps service is due to take over my current service on the 9th of November. So far I've had no interruptions with the 900mbps service, and I've had a letter and text message saying "someone wants to take over your service" which is of course me as a "new customer" (I should note the advisor was the one who helped me set up the "new account" and get everything in place I did not have to do anything special.  

[JimM11]

@dazzerj24 Fully aware what you did at the time as was conferring with you then, sounds like it's all falling into place at least with the conformation e-mail, but was wondering if your new account you have access to and the order is sitting there progressing, then OR will be in contact to do the need full with a ONT upgrade for you, rather than just tossing it aside because you already have a FF connection, see what i mean.  

Edit:- this may be handy for you if it does not go smooth as butter, keep it in mind.

Solved: Full Fibre upgrade left me with no broadband – ONT provisioning / fault status - The EE Comm...

[dazzerj24]

Oh apologies, I not long just woken up haha (my sleeping pattern is terrible)

I have a new online account that I can log into yes, however I can not see the order progressing at the moment (at least not without the order number I believe) however the advisor I spoke to knew that I would have to get a new ONT, so we have a appointment scheduled for the 9th for that to be changed (with a £30 activation fee) and before that new equipment on the 6th of November) 

[DoingItSideways]

It'll be way less hassle to just switch to one of the other ISPs that offer the Openreach 1.6gbps line. There are a few to choose from now and you can get the new customer deals without issue.

EE's systems do not support regrading an account to/from the 1.6gbps product as it's provisioned directly with Openreach whereas the slower products are all via BT Wholesale. A few people have managed to brute force it by creating a new account, but I wouldn't expect a seamless switch this way, even if you can get them to agree to it.