BT Business Broadband contracts explained

Minimum terms

Every BT Business Broadband plan has a minimum period of service. During it you pay the monthly charges for your plan; if you end the service early, BT's terms say what you owe for the rest of the term.

• Ultra is sold on 36- or 60-month terms, according to BT's Ultra page.
• Essential, Enhanced and Pro are sold on the terms BT offers for the plan and speed at the time. BT's order pages currently show 24- and 36-month terms on many plans, and the term for your order is confirmed in your quote.
• Add-ons can have their own terms. BT's Business Antivirus Protection, for example, has its own 12-month minimum term. We set these out in the quote.

A longer term can bring a lower monthly price, but it also commits you for longer. If you might move premises or change how you work within a couple of years, tell us when you ask for a quote and we will factor it in.

What the contract is made of

Your BT Business Broadband contract is not one document. It is made up of your order, BT's general terms for business customers, the schedule for business broadband, BT's pricing terms and, where you bundle a Digital Line, the terms for that service too. Features such as the Complete Wi-Fi Plus guarantee, the Hybrid Backup Always Connected Guarantee and Prompt Care each have their own conditions within BT's terms.

We point you to the relevant parts in your quote, and we are happy to talk them through before you sign.

Annual price changes

BT's pricing terms include an annual price change that takes effect each 1 April. BT states the amount upfront, in pounds and pence, for the plan you order, and the amount can differ between broadband-only plans and bundles.

In practice that means the monthly charge you pay in year one is not the charge you pay for the whole term. We show the change in your quote so you can see the cost across the full minimum term, not just the first month. For more on what drives the price, see BT Business Broadband prices.

At the end of your minimum term

When the minimum term ends, your service does not stop. It carries on, and any offer pricing you had ends, so BT's standard price for your plan applies. BT's help explains how to check your contract end date in My Account and that BT sends end-of-contract notifications as the term draws to a close.

The end of the term is a good moment to review:

• Whether a newer plan or a faster tier is now available at your address, for example Full Fibre where you had Standard Fibre
• Whether you now need backup, a static IP, better Wi-Fi or faster fault fixing
• Whether the digital switchover affects anything still on an old line
• Whether a re-contract on current terms would cost less than rolling on

See upgrading your BT Business Broadband if you are an existing customer.

Leaving early, and the right to exit

If you end your service during the minimum term for your own reasons, BT's terms set out the charges for the remaining period. There are some situations, though, where BT's terms let you leave without those charges:

• BT's minimum speed guarantee. BT has voluntarily signed up to Ofcom's Business Broadband Speeds Code of Practice. If your download speed falls below the minimum guaranteed speed for at least 3 successive days, you report it, it is identified as BT's fault, and BT cannot fix it within 30 calendar days, you can exit without penalty. Bundled services that depend on the broadband, such as a Digital Line, can be cancelled too. You must return any BT hub. See BT's minimum speed guarantee.
• The Complete Wi-Fi Plus guarantee on Pro. If Complete Wi-Fi Plus still fails to give a strong signal in the main building within the first 6 months after BT's remedies, BT's terms let a Pro customer end the broadband contract. Customers who took it as an add-on can cancel the add-on instead.

These rights have conditions and steps you need to follow, so read BT's terms or ask us before acting on them.

Bundles and the Digital Line

If you bundle a BT Digital Line with Essential, Enhanced or Pro, the broadband and the line sit together in a bundle with its own terms. Three things are worth knowing:

• The annual price change can differ. BT states different annual amounts for broadband-only plans and bundles, and your quote shows the one that applies.
• The right to exit covers dependent services. If you exit the broadband under BT's speed guarantee, services that cannot work without it, such as the Digital Line in your bundle, can be cancelled without penalty too.
• Your number can move with you. BT says a Digital Line number can be kept if your business moves, subject to BT's terms for the service.

Ultra cannot be bundled, so any calls with Ultra are on a separate contract. For teams that need more than a single line, BT Cloud Voice has its own licence terms; see our sister site for details. Read BT Business Broadband and Phone for how the bundle works.

Ordering: credit checks and who signs

BT business services are subject to a credit check, business registration and a minimum term. When you order, BT needs your company details, contact details, payment details and, where appropriate, personal details for the credit check. The person signing should be authorised to commit the business to the contract.

If you are a sole trader or a new company without trading history, tell us at the start, and we will explain what BT is likely to need. See broadband for sole traders and business broadband for startups.

Moving premises during your contract

Moving does not have to mean paying out a contract twice. BT's moving help says that if you install BT Business Broadband at your new premises, the outstanding minimum-term charges at the old premises are credited to your new account after installation. This is BT's policy and is confirmed at the time of your move.

BT says simple moves can be organised in two to three weeks, and complex moves can take up to three months, so start early. If there is a gap, Hybrid Backup can help you stay online. See moving premises with BT Business Broadband.

Upgrading during the term

You do not have to wait for the end of your term to change. Moving up a plan, moving to a faster speed or to Full Fibre, or adding features such as Hybrid Backup or a static IP is usually possible during the term, though a change may come with a new minimum term. If remote access, VPNs or cameras rely on your static IP, tell us before any change so we can check what it means for your set-up.

We check what each change means for your term and your price before you commit. See upgrading your BT Business Broadband.

Before you sign: a checklist

1. Check the minimum term and the monthly price for each year of it, including the annual price change.
2. Check what the price becomes when any offer ends.
3. Check one-off charges: delivery, connection, engineer visits and any extra construction work.
4. Check whether your current provider will charge you for leaving, and when your current contract ends.
5. Check which add-ons have their own terms.
6. Check what you need to return if you leave, such as hubs and Wi-Fi discs.
7. Note the minimum guaranteed speed BT gives for your address, so you can test against it later.

Everything in this guide is confirmed at quote and in BT's terms for your order. Contact us and we will walk you through the terms for the plan you are considering.