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To switch NBN provider, sign up with the new provider and give it your AVC ID, the code that identifies your NBN connection. The new provider moves the service across; you don't need a technician, the nbn equipment stays where it is, and you don't cancel your old plan first. Once the new service is working, check that the old account has closed and settle any modem charges.
Switching is one of the few ways to cut an internet bill without changing anything at home, because every provider sells the same nbn wholesale tiers over the same connection. This page walks through the steps, the things that can catch you out (a home phone number, a modem you haven't paid off, an email address) and where to go if something goes wrong.
By Better Rate Mate Editorial Team ยท Last reviewed
The process is similar with every provider. The new provider does most of the work.
No, and you shouldn't. The ACMA explains that to move your NBN service at your address to a different telco, you give the new telco your AVC ID, and only you and your current telco can see that code, so the service can't be moved without your authorisation. The transfer moves the connection; cancelling first can leave you without internet while a new connection is ordered.
It matters even more if you have a home phone. The ACMA says only active numbers can be ported: if your old provider disconnects the service, you lose the right to the number. Keep the old service running until the new provider confirms the switch and the number port are complete.
Moving an existing NBN service doesn't need a technician, but each provider sets its own timeframe, so ask when you sign up and plan around a short outage on the day the service moves across.
Porting a home phone number takes longer. The ACMA says telcos generally complete ports within 8 to 15 days for individual local numbers, and more complex ports (more than one number) can take up to 30 days. Your new provider should tell you when the port is complete.
You can usually keep a local number (starting 02, 03, 07 or 08) when you change telco. Your current telco must port the number if you or your new telco ask, but the new telco doesn't have to accept the port, so the ACMA recommends checking before you sign up that it will take your number. The new telco must get your permission to port it and check you are the account holder.
On the NBN, a home phone usually runs through a phone port on the modem (VoIP). If you switch to a provider's modem, plug the handset into the new modem once the port is done.
Many NBN plans are month to month, so there is often no contract to break. The catch is the modem. Many providers supply one on the understanding that you stay for a set period, and charge you for it if you leave early. Examples from providers' own pages, as at September 2026:
On FTTP, HFC and FTTC, your modem or router plugs into the nbn box by network cable, and most routers with an Ethernet WAN port can be set up for a new provider. On FTTN and FTTB you need a VDSL2-compatible modem in the phone socket. Some providers need specific settings, such as a username or VLAN, so check the new provider's setup guide before switch day.
If you use an email address from your old provider, find out whether you can keep it after you leave; if not, move your accounts to a new address first. The same goes for any static IP address, security product or streaming bundle tied to the old plan.
Moving is the easiest time to change provider, because you are ordering a service at a new address anyway. Check the connection type at the new address first, as the tiers and modem you need may be different, and book the connection a few business days before you move in. If the new home has no nbn equipment, the provider will arrange a new connection with nbn, which can take longer.
Raise the problem with the provider responsible first: the new one if the service hasn't connected, the old one if you're being billed after leaving. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is free and independent, and every phone and internet provider in Australia must be a member. It expects you to try the provider first, and if the provider rejects its view, the TIO can make a formal decision that binds the provider if you accept it.
If someone ports your number or moves your service without your permission, tell the new and old providers straight away; the ACMA has guidance on unauthorised ports.
No. Sign up with the new provider and give it your AVC ID; it transfers the service. Cancelling first can leave you offline and, if you have a home phone, lose the number, because only active numbers can be ported.
Usually not. The new provider arranges the transfer, no technician is needed on an existing connection, and many NBN plans are month to month. The main things to check are modem charges from your old provider and whether the new one will port your home phone number.
Each provider sets its own timeframe for moving an existing NBN service, so ask when you sign up. Porting a home phone number takes longer: the ACMA says individual local number ports are generally completed within 8 to 15 days.
It is the unique identifier for your NBN connection: "AVC" followed by 12 numbers. It is on your bill or in your provider's app, and your new provider needs it to move your service. You get a new AVC ID after you change provider.
Not always. On FTTP, HFC and FTTC most routers with an Ethernet WAN port can be reconfigured; on FTTN and FTTB you need a VDSL2-compatible modem. If your old modem is locked to the old provider or still being paid off, check the terms before you decide.
