When & where do I change to avoid paying eir a penny more than necessary?

dulpit · 21-01-2026 06:08PM #1

Hey all,

I have a contract with eir that expires on 3rd March, I currently have broadband and TV with them. I want to drop the TV and ether stay with eir (easy if they keep price low) or swap to sky or Vodafone or whoever is cheapest.

What I'm trying to figure out is when do I make the change to avoid paying eir anything extra? The email from eir said I need to give 30 days notice to cancel, but does this apply if I switch to a different provider?

I feel I get this wrong each year and end up paying more than necessary to a provider, so any advice appreciated.

fletch · 21-01-2026 06:11PM

I would hold off on moving and try schedule your new service to start on 2nd April to avoid paying the annual (1st April) inflation-linked price increase. I'm currently just out of contract with my broadband provider but holding off on moving until April to avoid signing up to a new contract in January, only for the price to increase in April

NotShero · 21-01-2026 06:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058431467/when-where-do-i-change-to-avoid-paying-eir-a-penny-more-than-necessary

You should be able to instruct the new provider to cancel Eir on your behalf, the 30 days shouldn't be needed but you still need to be out of contract.

Do you only have one access network (OpenEir, NBI, SIRO etc.) available to you? If so it will be more straight forward and just a swap of router will be needed, Eir would be cancelled when the switchover happens once given the correct UAN/NBI Line ID.

If there's more than one access network available, the provider might want to use another one and then the new provider or you does need to cancel Eir sperartely.

https://www.comreg.ie/broadbandchecker/

dulpit · 21-01-2026 09:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168235#Comment_124168235

I believe if you open account in March you avoid the price increase.

Such a scam of a thing too...

NotShero · 21-01-2026 09:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168810#Comment_124168810

Virgin Media, Sky, Digiweb and Pure Telecom all don't have fixed April price increases

fletch · 22-01-2026 01:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168872#Comment_124168872

Yeah but it limits your options when shopping around each year if you know you'll be subject to a price increase in a couple of weeks/months so by setting your renewal to be just after the price increase it gives you more flexibility

dulpit · 22-01-2026 01:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124168269#Comment_124168269

OpenEir only it says on that site.

Based on what you're saying I don't need to give Eir 30 days notice, but I do need to wait until March 3rd to switch to a different provider, so they will get at least a couple of days extra pay then, right?

NotShero · 22-01-2026 01:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124170215#Comment_124170215

Yeah, you could ask the new provider to activate on the day after the contract end date.

NotShero · 22-01-2026 04:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124170200#Comment_124170200

The fixed April price increase practice might hopefully be gone in a year or two when the new law is brought in, that lets you cancel the contract if the price is increased even if it's mentioned at the outset of the contract.

pizzahead77 · 22-01-2026 05:55PM

You usually pay for your broadband usage a month in advance so technically you could switch anytime in the last month of the contract

When & where do I change to avoid paying eir a penny more than necessary?

Comments