Telecom operators have been engaged in a merciless price fight for several years in order to gain market share.

Because it is very often the price that encourages customers to stay or leave.

Therefore, not a month goes by without this or that telephone and internet provider offering a promotional offer.

But before committing to a new contract, a few cautious reflexes are in order.

Watch out for the cover

At the end of 2021, telephone operators announced 4G coverage of over 99% of the population at Orange, Bouygues Telecom, SFR and Free mobile.

In principle, the question of the mobile network does not therefore pose a problem.

Nevertheless, we can still see real differences in quality depending on the locality.

To avoid regretting your former supplier too quickly, it is therefore better to find out about the cover best suited to your municipality.

At a minimum, it is enough to indicate your address on the website of the coveted operator to make sure that it operates in the area.

For a more in-depth analysis, consult the interactive maps posted online by Arcep, the telecoms regulatory authority.

On Monreseaumobile.arcep.fr, you will be able to view the "measured quality" in the field of mobile networks, with test success evaluated at more than 70% or between 30 and 70% and considered a failure if it reaches less by 30%.

Same operating principle on Cartefibre.arcep.fr which allows you to know the level of fiber coverage by municipality and district.

The real price to pay

Do the mobile plan offers at 5 euros per month all unlimited or internet box at 20 euros monthly attract you?

Before subscribing, check the terms of these subscriptions which most often commit you to 12 or 24 months and may involve costs for setting up the Internet or sending the SIM card for telephony.

Most often, the promotion is also limited to the first year of membership, then the rates soar as soon as the deadline is reached.

It is therefore imperative to know from the start the discounted price but also its version excluding promotion, to make a judicious comparison.

Of course, you can also plan to terminate your contract once the reduction period is over.

But here again, vigilance is required.

First imperative: the commitment period must be over, otherwise you will have to pay all the remaining monthly payments within the framework of a 12-month subscription.

For a 24-month commitment, you will otherwise have to pay 100% of the months not used for the first year and 25% of the monthly rate for the following months.

Note, however, that specific circumstances may allow you to escape these penalties: dismissal, moving, over-indebtedness, modification of your contract without your agreement (price increase, removal of access to a TV package, etc.) or if you can prove that the service is poorly provided for a prolonged period (unresolved breakdown, for example).

Beyond this deadline, termination fees can also inflate the bill and reduce the interest of this good plan.

Indeed, Internet operators generally charge between 40 and 60 € upon termination of the contract.

However, although this sum is generally reimbursed by the new operator, the latter will in turn invoice commissioning costs... On the mobile plan side, on the other hand, once the commitment period is over, there is nothing to pay.

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A formal termination

Have you decided to change operator?

You must send a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to your telephone or internet provider indicating your wish to terminate your contract and specifying the desired date.

In the event of specific circumstances allowing early termination without penalty, you must also specify the reason in question and attach the supporting document proving it.

From the receipt of your request, the operator has 10 days to execute and tell you the procedure to follow to return your equipment as part of an internet box.

Once the refund has been made, he will then have the same time to refund the security deposit.

If you want to keep your mobile phone number, you must request line portability from your new operator.

Upstream, you must call 3179 (free) to obtain your RIO code and indicate it when subscribing to the offer.

Before termination, also remember to request your IMEI number from the current supplier in order to unlock your smartphone if necessary.

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