This is actually no surprise. Jeremy has always been extremely vocal about what TOTSCo could do better. He has always been the one to ask the difficult questions in the monthly meet-ups TOTSCo hosts. To be honest, he has the best ideas to combat the problems the One Touch Switching Company faces. So when we were told he had been voted as the new Network Representative, it made sense.
TOTSCo is a group founded to implement the new Ofcom One Touch Switching solution. Basically, it’s a platform that enables a faster way for consumers to switch. For example, you know when you want to switch to a new mobile provider? You request a PAC code from your existing supplier, then pass that on to the new supplier, allowing you to keep your number and make a seamless switch.
You see, we’re in a new full-fibre landscape, and we now have access to multiple networks. Before, we just had a handful (Openreach & Virgin, etc.). Now, we have a huge number of networks. The question now is, how do we find a solution to migrate these services from one network to another without causing too much disruption? At the same time, keeping you, the customer, informed of any early termination fees (if you were trying to migrate your service away before your contract was up).
As it stands, if you, the consumer, wanted to migrate your broadband to a new supplier, you would have to communicate with your existing incumbent, explain that you wanted to leave, and then have to wait for them to divulge if you had any time remaining within your existing contract.
Let’s say I’m with Sky at my home, on a 100 Mbps full-fiber package (with Openreach being the underlying network provider), then AirBroadband informs me that they have just laid brand new fibre infrastructure down my road, meaning I could get 1GB broadband from them at a lower price than I’m currently paying. I’m 100% going to want to migrate to this new, super cheap, super fast service.
Now, the process would be something along the lines of this…
Jonny (manually calls Sky customer service): Hi Sky, I’m moving my broadband to Air Broadband on their new superfast full-fiber package.
Sky: Ah, okay, Jonny, first let’s try and retain you.
Sky: Right, so I can provide a superfast 1GB Fibre at £40.00 per month.
Jonny: But AirBroadband are offering it at £29.00, so I’ll move to them, thanks.
Sky: Okay, but you have six months left on our broadband contract.
Jonny: Oh bloody hell
Sky: You can pay the remaining of your contract, which will be £240.00 to leave the contract.
Jonny: Nah, I’ll wait.
Jonny: Well, that took up far too much of my time.
If TOTSCo were live, that information about my contract end date would have been known to Air Broadband, and I could have been given this information before signing the contract for their new service. Air Broadband may have even covered my buyout costs.
Instead, we have to go through painstaking manual processes to find out this basic information.
So, TOTSCo is trying to build that system (plus lots more clever features), and Jeremy will now be the rep to work alongside TOTSCo and support them with difficult questions about integrating the different networks.
This is a huge positive for the group. Jeremy brings a “get sh*t done” attitude into the mix, which up until now has been rather vacant (although that’s what we gather when we sit on the monthly catch-up meetings). So it’s going to be quite exciting to attend the next meeting with the outspoken CEO (now he has access to the mic!).
