Advice for Shell Energy Customers being moved to TalkTalk Broadband
Shell Energy was originally acquired by Octopus Energy Group in December 2023, but with little experience in the broadband sector, this arm of the business has since been bought out by TalkTalk. This means that Shell Energy Broadband customers have been automatically transferred over to TalkTalk.
For the most part, broadband takeovers are pretty common, and you should find it runs smoothly, but you may have some questions about how this affects you and your broadband service.
We’re here to help, and have sourced as much information about the takeover as possible.
Here’s what you need to know if you’re currently a Shell Energy Broadband customer.
Shell Energy - TalkTalk Acquisition: the key points
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Help for Shell Energy Broadband customers
Now customers have been migrated over to TalkTalk, previous contact details for Shell Energy are no longer active. If you have any issues or advice, you'll now need to get in touch with TalkTalk.
Head to these dedicated help pages for more information, including phone numbers for TalkTalk's cancellation team.
Will I be under the same contract with TalkTalk?
When acquisitions happen, it’s usual for existing customers to have their existing contract kept in place. This tends to mean that you’ll still have to honour your minimum term and pay the same monthly price. This also means you’ll have to pay an early termination fee to get out of a contract early.
It’s very rare that customers can leave penalty-free due to an acquisition, but it’s always worth checking with the provider, as this may be decided on a case by case basis.
Will my payment dates be the same with TalkTalk?
Shell Energy Broadband customers will see a change to their billing notice. After migrating to TalkTalk, the bills will be moved from an 18-day payment notice period to a 5-day notice period. This means you'll have less time to pay after being notified of your bill.
There will also be different payment dates. Once you've been notified your account is migrated, you can alter these payment dates with your TalkTalk 'My Account' section.
TalkTalk’s Automatic Compensation Scheme
There is a positive for Shell Energy customers moving onto a TalkTalk service.
TalkTalk is signed up to Ofcom’s Automatic Compensation Scheme. This means its customers receive compensation for delayed repairs following a loss of broadband service, missed engineer appointments and delays with the start of a new service (although, this may not take into account migration).
In contrast, Shell Energy was not signed up to this scheme.
I'm on Shell Energy Broadband’s Social Tariff - will this continue with TalkTalk?
Unfortunately, TalkTalk doesn’t offer a social tariff. If it’s not possible to honour existing Shell Energy Broadband terms and conditions, customers will be able to switch to an alternative tariff with a third party without paying any early termination fees.
To view the choice of alternative social tariffs from other broadband providers, visit our guide: ‘Social tariffs and cheaper broadband deals if you’re on benefits’.
Switching providers if you’re out of contract with Shell Energy broadband
If you’re past the minimum term of your contract, a takeover is a good time to reassess your broadband package to make sure you can’t get a better deal elsewhere.
Here are some of the best packages available at the moment:
You’ll be free to leave without paying a penny, plus you may also be able to cash in on a voucher or bill credit as a new customer.
You can easily check out the best alternative broadband deals to switch to by entering your address into Broadband Genie’s deals checker.
This way, you’ll only be presented with packages and providers that are available to you.
For more help with this, here are some handy guides:
- ‘How to switch broadband and get a better deal’
- ‘TalkTalk Broadband deals’
- ‘Alternatives to TalkTalk Broadband’
- ‘Broadband price increases in 2024: price rises from BT, Virgin, TalkTalk and more’
Shell Energy customers can also find more pre-migration and post-migration FAQs on the TalkTalk website.