Local MP Caroline Dinenage has welcomed Government proposals in the Digital Economy Bill to make switching providers quicker and easier across a range of sectors.
The Government is taking the first step towards consistently quicker switching across all major services by setting out proposals which could allow consumers to switch provider in a week or less. The Government is asking consumers and industry for evidence of how these proposals could be implemented and new rules could be in place as soon as next year.
The call for evidence looks at how long it takes for people to switch providers across a number of markets, including energy, broadband, mobile phones, current accounts and mortgages, and asks what more could be done to speed the process up. The document also seeks views on a range of other proposals to help consumers, including requiring that customers should be able to cancel contracts online if they signed up for them online. Government will meet with industry bodies in the coming months to discuss how the proposals could be taken forward. Consumers will also be able to unlock their phone at the end of the contract for free after agreement has now been reached with major mobile providers. This means it will be easier to change providers, but keep an existing handset. Overall, handset owners spend an estimated £48 million a year unlocking their phones.
Under proposals to be brought forward in the Digital Economy Bill, the government is also taking steps to improve the experience for broadband and mobile phone customers:
customers will soon be able to check broadband and network coverage information for individual properties, finding out not only what speed they are getting but also what speed their house could get from other providers. Online property search portals will be able to display this data, making it easier to compare available broadband speeds when moving houselegislation in the forthcoming Digital Economy Bill will mean that consumers will only have to deal with their new provider in order to switch, ending the headache of having to contact the old provider to exit contractswhen things go wrong, consumers will also be automatically compensated by their telecommunications provider. This could include, for instance, when a telecoms package isn't brought online on the day it was promised, is offline for a couple of days, or if the repair-person doesn't turn up
Business Secretary Sajid Javid said:
"I want to give consumers more power over switching providers for the services they rely on to make sure they are getting the best deals. The government is committed to creating a system that works for consumers and makes markets more competitive.
At the moment the time it takes to switch depends on which service you are switching. I want to hear what consumers and businesses think of making switching quicker and more consistent across all markets."
Caroline commented:
"This is a positive step towards making it as easy as possible for consumers to spot the best deal for them, and switch providers quickly and easily if they want to, saving people time and money.
The proposals are great news for Gosport and the country as a whole, who are now more reliant on these services than ever before."
You can take part in the call for evidence at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-consumer-landscape-and-quicker-switching-call-for-evidence.
