Easy Switch (change of fixed operator)

Art. 111/2 ECA - Royal Decree of 6 September 2016 on the migration of fixed line services and bundles in the electronic communications sector

The Royal Decree of 6 September 2016 on the migration of fixed line services and bundles in the electronic communications sector lays down the procedure fixed operators providing at least a fixed internet or television service must follow in the event of customer migration (this concerns consumers as well as professional users, provided that they have subscribed to a residential tariff plan).

In a nutshell, the Easy Switch procedure provides that the new operator is responsible for the termination of the services (including at least a fixed Internet or television service) with the previous operator, under a mandate given by its new customer, unless the customer mentions in the mandate that he/she will terminate the service.

This mandate must be proposed to the new customer when the order is placed or when the contract is signed. The mandate must contain the information set out in Article 13 of the Royal Decree of 6 September 2016.

To make the termination of the previous contract possible in practice, after the signature of a mandate, operators must follow the Inter-Operator Communication Protocol. BIPT can provide access to the documentation related to that protocol.

The Royal Decree of 6 September 2016 also lays down the obligations regarding the visit of a technician and the provision of sufficient, clear and objective information concerning the migration (see Articles 14 to 20).