Latest news with #OriginBroadband
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Urgent warning for 70,000 households not to ignore key letter ahead of big broadband firm closing
AN urgent warning has been issued for 70,000 households to not ignore a key letter ahead of a big broadband firm closing. Origin Broadband, a subsidiary of Talk Talk, is exiting the telecoms market on June 1. 1 As part of the move, all existing customers will have their broadband and homephone services switched to Utility Warehouse (UW). UW already provides broadband services via TalkTalk's network. Origin has a total of 95,000 customers, 25,000 of which have already been moved over to Utility Warehouse. That leaves a remainder of 70,000 customers, who will be contacted by their new service provider in the weeks leading up to the switch. When they are contacted customers do not need to take any action as the switch will happen automatically and without disruption to their service. Once the switch has been completed, Utility Warehouse will contact you again to inform you that your service has been successfully migrated. Customers also do not need to order a new router and you should not expect any disruption to the service. Utility Warehouse provides other services such as energy, but only your broadband service will be transferred across. If you are with Origin and you want to change providers ahead of the switch, then you'll need to tell your new provider that your current service is with Origin. You will not need to contact Origin directly, your new provider will do that for you. O2 Ends Pay-As-You-Go Data and iPad SIM Services: What You Need to Know If you are expecting an update from Origin and have not received one before the start of June, you can contact the team by visiting / Origin Broadband was once an independent company, but after experiencing financial difficulties, TalkTalk took over ownership in 2021. Since then, Origin has been relatively quiet and stopped accepting new customers. Although they briefly trialled taking on new subscribers late last year, this was short-lived, leaving the future of the brand uncertain, according to ISPreview. A TalkTalk spokesperson previously told The Sun said: "TalkTalk and Utility Warehouse (UW) have enjoyed a long-standing partnership. "As announced by UW recently, TalkTalk has agreed a partnership under which approximately 95,000 Origin customers will be transferred to UW. "Impacted customers will be contacted ahead of migration. No decision has been taken on the future of the Origin brand." How do I switch providers? More than nine million Brits are out of contract on their broadband package, according to Uswitch. While customers can leave their contract at any time, those still locked in will likely need to pay a penalty for leaving early, which varies from provider to provider. In the weeks before your contract is up, use comparison sites to familiarise yourself with the deals that are available. It's a known fact that new customers always get the best deals. Sites including MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customise your search based on price, speed and provider. This should make it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider. However, if you do not want to switch and are happy with the service you're getting under your current provider - haggle for a better deal. You can still make significant savings by renewing your contract rather than rolling on to the tariff you're given after your deal. TIPS BEFORE YOU SWITCH By Laura McGuire, Consumer Reporter If you're struggling to pay for your phone or internet, talk to your provider. Citizens Advice recommends the following: Ask if they can offer you a cheaper deal. You can find their contact details on their website or on a letter from them. You could tell your provider you're thinking of switching to a cheaper deal with a different provider. Your provider might offer you a cheaper deal to get you to stay with them. If you don't want to stay with your current provider, find out if you'll be charged an 'exit fee' to leave - check your contract or contact your provider. You'll usually be charged an exit fee if you want to leave before the end of a fixed-term contract. This can be expensive, so it might be better to wait until your current contract ends. You can check if you'll be charged an exit fee to leave your mobile contract by texting the word 'INFO' to 85075. It's free to text this number. If you're near the end of your contract, your provider should contact you to remind you. They'll also let you know about their best available deals.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Big broadband provider to CLOSE with all 95,000 customers complete switch to new supplier in weeks
A BIG broadband provider is to close with all customers transferred to a new supplier in weeks. Origin Broadband, a subsidiary of TalkTalk, is exiting the telecoms market for good on June 1. All affected customers will have their broadband and homephone services switched to Utility Warehouse (UW). UW, which already provides broadband services via TalkTalk's network, will now extend its offerings to these customers. This announcement follows an email sent to Origin Broadband customers a few weeks ago, notifying them of the changes. The email stated: "We're contacting you to let you know that Origin has made the difficult decision to exit the telecoms market. "From March 28, Utility Warehouse Limited (UW) will provide your broadband and homephone services. "Origin will support your broadband and homephone service and handle any queries you have regarding your account and service on UW's behalf until June 1, 2025." Origin Broadband was once an independent company, but after experiencing financial difficulties, TalkTalk took over ownership in 2021. Since then, Origin has been relatively quiet and stopped accepting new customers. Although they briefly trialled taking on new subscribers late last year, this was short-lived, leaving the future of the brand uncertain, according to ISPreview. A TalkTalk spokesperson said: "TalkTalk and Utility Warehouse (UW) have enjoyed a long-standing partnership. History of Origin Broadband ORIGIN Broadband began in 2011, initially focusing on South Yorkshire before expanding across the UK. It made a name for itself with decent customer service and some affordable Standard Fibre deals. However, problems arose in 2018 when Origin was rescued by creditors after struggling with "substantial bad debts." A Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) was put in place, allowing them to repay creditors over time. In August 2021, facing over £20 million in losses, Origin began migrating all customer lines to TalkTalk's platform. While the Origin brand remained for existing customers, new deals were no longer offered. TalkTalk has now agreed to transfer Origin's customers to Utility Warehouse. "As announced by UW recently, TalkTalk has agreed a partnership under which approximately 95,000 Origin customers will be transferred to UW. "Impacted customers will be contacted ahead of migration. No decision has been taken on the future of the Origin brand." The transfer is expected to benefit TalkTalk financially, although specific details of the deal haven't been revealed. Affected customers will not need to take any action, and their service and monthly bill will remain unchanged. Stuart Burnett, chief executive of UW, said: "UW is delighted to welcome these customers into our growing base of well over one million customers, who benefit from the opportunity to make valuable ongoing savings when they bundle their utilities with us." If you're no longer under contract with Origin Broadband, it may be worth exploring other providers to see if you can secure a better deal elsewhere. More than nine million Brits are out of contract on their broadband package, according to Uswitch. While customers can leave their contract at any time, those still locked in will likely need to pay a penalty for leaving early, which varies from provider to provider. How do I switch providers? Switching TV, broadband and landline providers has become significantly easier due to new rules introduced in September 2024. Customers now only need to contact their new provider to make the switch, eliminating the need to deal with their current provider, even if they find a better deal elsewhere. Since 2015, customers using Openreach's network – which includes providers like BT and Sky – have been able to switch by allowing their new provider to handle the process. However, switching to or from providers like Virgin Media, which operates on its own independent network, previously required contacting the existing provider to arrange the change. Ofcom 's new "One Touch" rules have streamlined the process for all networks. Now, customers switching services only need to liaise with their new provider, regardless of the network. These rules also ensure that customers won't pay notice-period charges beyond the switch date, meaning they won't be billed for overlapping services. Additionally, providers are required to compensate customers for any issues during the switch, such as being left without service for more than one working day. The amount of compensation will vary depending on the situation. The new rules align broadband and TV switching with mobile switching. Since 2019, mobile phone customers have been able to switch providers using the "text to switch" system, avoiding the hassle of calling their current network. To find the best deals, consider visiting comparison sites such as MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch.
