Have you or your company ever switched to a new carrier or vendor? 
Your new “Rep” sales person is thrilled to have your business and they talk the talk, promising to handle everything relating to your service change-over. One of the last items they care about is how you leave the previous carrier. New carriers say that they will handle the change of service for you. However, 99% of the new carrier Reps do not complete this step, including submitting a port request to move your services, which opens you up to some nasty possibilities!
- Early Termination Fees (ETF). As the customer who signed a contract for service with the previous provider, you are still contractually liable for moneys owed through the remainder of the contract. What they do not tell you is that there may be an Early Termination Fee, (ETF) on one or several of the services. ETFs are based on the monthly bill times the number of months remaining on the contract, which can get expensive. Many “Reps” will not co-ordinate with the previous carrier as to when the old services stop and new services begin thus leaving you without service. Not a good way to start!
- Paying twice for the same service. If the new service starts before the old service contract ends, the customer is paying for both services yet probably only using one. Most providers require advanced notification that a switch is pending. It’s best to be courteous and honor this request for your own benefit as well.
- No service at all. If the old service stops before the new service begins, you have no service and who knows how your business will suffer. Most providers require several weeks to get service activated and tested so it’s important to start early and allow the necessary time. Unfortunately, some providers can activate service quicker than others. Smaller providers are typically faster and take care of customers better than the larger conglomerate companies.
- Lost or left behind services. Some services stay with the old provider while other services get moved to the new provider and you get billed from two providers. This scenario can be a positive or it can just be messy depending on your needs and goals and pre-planning. If your new “Rep” doesn’t take the time to know all of your needs and goals, some phone numbers can be left behind, not transferred or lost all together.
Does this mean that you should not make a change? Absolutely not! You must do what you believe right for your business at that time. Be vigilant and know what the pros and cons are. If you have a question, utilize a service like National ComTel who can consult for you.
Of course it is the customer’s responsibility to manage their side of the transition, yet it is also the new provider’s responsibility to understand end-of-contract terms and dates, activation timelines and service accountability. When a customer just picks up and leaves without properly planning, too many things can go wrong and the business will ultimately pay the price.
As a very conscientious telecom provider and consultant, National ComTel pays attention to the details as we guide customers through a provider switch process, either to us, away from us or between other providers. We stand for the customer’s best interest. Until the day a customer is no longer on our network, they are our customer and it is our job to support them even after the transition takes place. When a new customer chooses to partner with National ComTel, it is our responsibility to protect the customer and ensure that there are no ETFs, and that we can account for all phone numbers and services. We properly notify the previous provider so that the new services are operational before the old services are discontinued. We stand for the customer’s best interest, full functionality and complete satisfaction,