Leaving BT business lines: what to check first

Contract position

Find your contract end date and notice period, and whether the agreement auto-renews. Giving notice in the wrong window is what generates unexpected exit charges, not the switch itself.

Line audit

List every line on the bill and identify what is on it. Expect to find lines serving an alarm, a lift, a card terminal, or nothing at all. Anything non-voice needs its own replacement plan.

Numbers and order of operations

• Confirm every number you want to keep, including direct dials
• Set up and test the new service on temporary numbers
• Port the numbers across on an agreed date
• Only then cease the old lines

Ceasing first is the one mistake that can lose a number for good.