Cancelling your internet contract: notice periods, moving home and switching provider
Since the TKG reform, internet contracts roll over monthly once the minimum term ends. What this means for your notice period, a move and switching provider.
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Automatic twelve-month renewals are a thing of the past. After the minimum term, the contract continues indefinitely and can be cancelled with one month’s notice. Moving home comes with its own rules as well.
After the minimum term: one month’s notice
Since the Telecommunications Modernisation Act (Telekommunikationsmodernisierungsgesetz) of 1 December 2021, a contract may only renew for an indefinite period once the minimum term has ended, and can then be cancelled with one month’s notice (§ 56(3) TKG). The once-common renewal for a further year is therefore no longer permitted.
During the minimum term, the agreed notice period applies. For contracts concluded since 1 March 2022, it may be no longer than one month before the end of the minimum term (§ 309 No. 9 BGB). Older contracts may still contain longer notice periods. If in doubt, check your contract documents rather than what the customer portal says.
- Check the minimum term and end date
- After it ends: one month’s notice
- Cancel in writing and in a way you can prove
- Keep the provider’s confirmation
Switching provider: don’t cancel yourself
When you switch and port your number, the new provider usually handles the cancellation and coordinates the switchover date. If you also cancel yourself, you risk a gap in service between the two contracts.
Under § 59 TKG, switching must not cause an interruption of more than one working day. If it takes longer, the law provides for compensation. The details are in our guide to switching provider.
Moving home: check first, then decide
Moving does not end your contract automatically. If the provider can deliver the same service at your new address, the contract continues. If it cannot, you have a special termination right under § 60 TKG.
In this case the notice period is one month (§ 60(2) TKG). Cancel in writing and ask your provider to confirm receipt and the end date of the contract.
- Check availability at the new address
- Tell your provider about the move in good time
- Special termination right only if the service isn’t available
- Notice period when moving: one month
Frequently asked questions
Does my internet contract still renew for a whole year?
No. For contracts covered by the law in force since 1 December 2021, a tacit renewal is only permitted for an indefinite period, with one month's notice. An automatic twelve-month renewal is no longer allowed.
Do I have to cancel myself when switching provider?
Usually not. If you ask the new provider to port your number, they handle the cancellation and arrange the switchover date. Cancelling separately yourself can leave a gap between contracts.
Can I always cancel because I'm moving?
No. A special termination right (Sonderkündigungsrecht) under § 60 TKG only exists if the provider cannot deliver the agreed service at your new address. The notice period is then one month. If the connection is available there, the contract continues as normal.
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Note: This article is general information and not legal advice. It does not replace an assessment of your individual case by a lawyer or a consumer advice centre. No guarantee of accuracy; the law and case law may change.
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