WHEN CAN I EVALUATE SWITCHING TELECOM CARRIERS?

by Matt Kanaskie on January 20

I’m not here to tell you what you can or cannot do (exactly), but I do have some strong suggestions if timing of telecom carrier research is a question you have, or if you’ve started thinking aboutswitching telecom carrier service providers.

THREE THINGS YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START LOOKING FOR A NEW CARRIER

Before you begin the process of researching new telecom carriers, there’s a little homework you’ll have to do on your end. These three things should be crossed off your list before you go any further…

1. Understand Your Eligibility
   Knowing when you’re eligible to switch services is the most crucial step to exploring your options. If you don’t know when your current contract is up, there’s a good chance that other carriers may not be able to help you. If you switch telecom carriers when you still have contract obligations to your previous provider, you may get slapped with a penalty. This leads me to the next point…
   
   
2. Know the Ins & Outs of Your Terms & Conditions
   You may have heard of “Terms & Conditions” before; they’re the thing that no one reads. Well, you should be reading them – especially when it comes to your carrier services. The Terms & Conditions documents what services you’re paying for, and are the key to knowing the timing of your current service contract as well as the window of opportunity to explore other options. While I suggest you read yourcomplete terms, here are a few main areas you should take note of…
   
   
   • The Length of your Contract or Agreement: this ties to #1 – it will help you establish when you’re eligible to begin looking for new services.
     
     
   • The Start & End of your Contract or Agreement: if the length of your terms is in months (which it often is) make sure you know when you’re starting and ending, so there are no discrepancies between you and your current (or future) providers. If you’re just starting a new agreement, jot down (or create a calendar reminder) of the term end date. 
     Note: The start date can easily be misunderstood - because there are a couple of options, and each carrier is different. It will typically be called, "Service Commencement Day", but it could be the day you sign the contract or the day of installation. Confirm with your carrier if you are unsure. 
     
     
   • Auto-Renewal & Notification Period: Take note of any auto renew agreements or termination of service notification requirements that are part of your contract. There will be specific timers and fine print for each. Carriers typically require 30, 60 or 90 day notices to communicate you do not want to continue carrier services with them AND you do not want to auto-renew your contract. (Even if your contract is ended, they often still require advance notification to cancel services.) 
     
     Tip: Don't be tricked by your carrier's intentionally confusing conditions. I always recommend sending an email to customer care / support as soon as the installation is complete; ask them to confirm your contract is not set to auto-renew. Store their confirmation, and then you don't have to worry about it when the end of your contract arrives. 
     
     
   • Termination Liability Penalty: if you happen to get in a situation where your current services are no longer adequately meeting your needs and must terminate your contract or agreement, it’s best you know what liability penalty or fee you’re facing. We’ve seen companies charge anywhere from 50-100% of the remaining contract value. Hopefully you’re never in a difficult situation where termination is your only option, but it’s good to know what you’re dealing with if that is the case.
     
     
3. What You Need & What You Don’t
   Before you start your search for a telecom carrier, be sure to take note of what you currently have, based on your contract or agreement. You should know things like:
   • Number of Phone Lines
   • Speed of Internet
   • Usage
   • Internet Consumption
   • Long-Distance Phone Plan
   • Toll-Free Phone Plan

… as well as other services you’re getting. After making this list, take an inventory of what you do and don’t need, what changes you’d like to see, etc. Be sure to consider the future of your business, your goals and growth and where you’d like to go in the next three to four years. If at this point you’re a bit overwhelmed and unsure what services are necessary or unnecessary, don’t worry – some telecom carrier service providers can help audit your services. Just ask!
 

WHEN TO LOOK FOR A NEW TELECOM CARRIER 

Now that you have made yourself aware of the terms and conditions of your current agreement or contract, you can decide when to begin looking for a new telecom carrier. We always recommend making initial contact with a carrier consultant about six months prior to the end of your current service contract. 

Here’s an example… 

Let’s say after digging into the terms of your current contract, you found your agreement ends in October. Here’s what a recommended timeline might look like from us:

• January: Discovered end of carrier services term is in October. Wait until April to engage your Marco carrier service rep.
  
  
• April-June: Research telecom carrier options and narrow your choices down to providers that can meet your needs. During these three months you'll want to do five things (with the assistance of your telecom carrier consultant):
  1. Complete an audit or inventory of what services you have
  2. Do an assessment of what services you need
  3. Understand what's available in your area
  4. Determine the timeline to implementation
  5. If you haven't already, communicate with your carrier about ending your services at the end of your contract. 
     
     
• July-September: In the last three months prior to your contract end date, have your carrier consultant get quotes from the telecom carriers that can provide the service that meets your needs. When this information is gathered, meet with your carrier rep to do an assessment of your options, discussing the pros and cons of each option. The last step is then to make a final decision, and implement. 
   

Whenever you find yourself researching telecom carriers, use the resources and tools available to you. It can be an overwhelming amount of information and decisions to make, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some quick links to tools that can help you during this process:

• Telecom Questionnaire
• Telecom Blogs 

If there’s anything else along the way, feel free to reach out.