How do you switch business mobile provider?
To switch business mobile provider, you get a switching code from your current provider, give it to the new one, and the new provider arranges the move. For a small firm with a handful of lines it can be a short job, as long as you check the contract first.
We read two Ofcom pages on 2 November 2026 for this guide: its mobile switching guide, which is written for consumers, and its page on the general conditions that protect business customers. Where a rule applies to small businesses specifically, we say so.
Most firms put off a switch for the same reason people put off everything: nobody owns the job. That is the Do-Nothing Default, and it is why so few firms ever switch business mobile plans, even when the current one stopped fitting years ago.
Key takeaways
- Before you switch business mobile, check whether each line is in contract, because leaving early can cost you.
- With more than one number, you request the codes online or by phone, not by text.
- Switching codes last 30 days, and the new provider must complete the switch within one working day.
- Your old provider must not charge notice after the switching date.
Step 1: check where each line stands
Before you switch business mobile contracts, find out whether each line is in contract. Ofcom’s guide says you can text INFO to 85075 to check whether a number is in or out of contract. If it is still in contract, you might have to pay an early termination charge to leave.
For a business, the contract itself is the better source. Read the minimum contract period, the early termination charges and the notice period you must give before you do anything else. Our guide to mobile contract cancellation covers the exit side in more detail.
If you are a small business with ten employees or fewer, Ofcom’s general conditions give you extra protection. No phone or broadband contract may be offered with a commitment period longer than 24 months, and your existing contract must not be extended when you buy additional services or equipment unless you consent to that.
One more worth knowing, and it applies to businesses of any size: Ofcom says every business must be offered at least one 12 month contract for each service. If a provider only shows you 24 and 36 month terms, you are entitled to ask for the shorter one.
Step 2: how do you get the switching codes?
You request a PAC code to keep a number, or a STAC code if you do not want to keep it. Ofcom’s guide says to text PAC to 65075 for a PAC, or STAC to 75075 for a STAC. Your current provider must reply within one minute.
That text route is for one number. Ofcom says you will need to request codes by calling your provider or using its website if you have more than one number on the account, which is the usual position for a business.
Plan for a bit of admin when you switch business mobile. A list of every number, who uses it and which plan it is on will save you a lot of back and forth. Our guide to PAC codes for business mobiles goes through the codes line by line.
Your current provider must also send important information with the code, such as any early termination charges. Ofcom says to check that information carefully before you decide to go ahead.
Step 3: what happens on the day you switch business mobile?
You give the code to your new provider, who arranges the switch. Ofcom says the code is valid for 30 days, and the new provider must complete your switch within one working day.
Any loss of service must not last longer than one working day. Ofcom adds that providers may need to compensate you if the switch is delayed or you are left without service for longer than allowed.
It is usually possible to sign up first and give the code later, but make sure you hand it over before it expires. If you are keeping your handsets, check that they are not locked. Ofcom says providers cannot sell locked phones, so you should be able to keep your current phone, although an older one may need a new SIM from your new provider.
Step 4: do you have to pay notice after you switch?
No, not after the switching date. Ofcom’s switching guide says your old provider cannot charge you for a notice period after the switching date.
That is not the same as saying nothing is owed. If you leave mid contract to switch business mobile, early termination charges may still apply, and for several lines they can add up to a serious number. Check the figure before you commit rather than after.
Ofcom’s general conditions also say that for a business with ten employees or fewer, the conditions and procedures for ending a contract must not act as a disincentive to switching provider. If an exit charge or a notice period looks designed to keep you put, that is worth challenging.
Ofcom’s switching guide is written for consumers, so ask your provider how it applies to your business contract if you are unsure.
Step 5: what should you check afterwards?
Check your first bill after you switch business mobile provider. Make sure every line is there, the price matches what you agreed, and nothing from the old provider is still being charged after the switching date.
Ofcom says that even if you did not ask to keep a number when you cancelled, you can keep it for free if you ask within one month of cancelling. If the old provider did not give you a PAC, contact them by phone or through their website to request one.
Also look at the price rules in your new contract. Ofcom’s general conditions say customers must be given at least one month’s notice of any change to the contract that is not to their benefit, and the option to exit the contract penalty free. If a rise was set out clearly when you signed, that is not a change to the contract, so you will not get an exit right when it lands. Our guide to business mobile upgrades has more on contract traps.
Frequently asked questions about how to switch business mobile
- How long does it take to switch business mobile provider?
- Ofcom says the new provider must complete the switch within one working day of receiving your code. The code is valid for 30 days.
- Can I keep my business phone numbers when I switch?
- Yes, with a PAC code. Ofcom says you can also keep a number for free if you ask within one month of cancelling, even if you did not ask to keep it at the time.
- Will I pay a notice period after I switch business mobile?
- Ofcom says your old provider cannot charge you for a notice period after the switching date. Early termination charges for leaving mid contract may still apply.
- Can I request switching codes by text for several lines?
- Not by text. Ofcom says that with more than one number on the account you need to request codes by phone or on the provider’s website.
- How long can a small business mobile contract be?
- Ofcom’s general conditions say that for a business with ten employees or fewer, no contract may have a commitment period longer than 24 months. Every business must also be offered at least one 12 month contract for each service.
Sources
- Ofcom, switching mobile phone provider (last updated 1 July 2026). Supports the INFO, PAC and STAC shortcodes, the one minute reply, the rule for accounts with more than one number, the 30 day code validity, the one working day switch and service loss limits, the ban on notice charges after the switching date, keeping a number within one month of cancelling, and locked phones.
- Ofcom, general conditions that protect business customers. Supports the 24 month maximum and the consent rule on extensions for businesses with ten employees or fewer, the right to be offered a 12 month contract, the rule that termination conditions must not disincentivise switching, and the one month notice and penalty free exit on detrimental contract changes.
Checked 2 November 2026.
