Home internet before moving: check the address, not the city

Check the exact property

Enter the proposed address in the provider’s availability checker and confirm the service with the provider. Citywide coverage is not proof that the particular building can be connected on your move date. Record installation lead time and any permission required for work. If the apartment already has internet, ask whether the service remains active and whether its cost is included.

Calculate a contract-period average

List setup, equipment, delivery and recurring charges, including the price after a promotion. Illustration: six months at 20 followed by six at 35 plus 30 setup costs total 360 over twelve months, or 30 per month for comparison. The first invoice is not necessarily 30. This is original illustrative arithmetic, not a provider offer or a promise that cancellation is free.

Match the connection to your needs

Write down work, video-call and household usage requirements, then compare the actual service terms. Keep a temporary mobile connection as a separate optional arrival expense if installation is delayed. Ofcom’s linked checklist is UK consumer guidance, not a statement of rights elsewhere; for a different country use the local provider terms and regulator when resolving contract questions.

Sources and further reading

• Lifovra — methodology and limitations
• Ofcom — contract checklist (UK consumer guidance)