Internet and TV when you move: check the address, speed and lock-in period

Internet in a new home starts with the address. Not with the provider you had before, and not with the highest speed in an advert.

First, find out which connections actually exist at the address. Then you can look into price, speed, installation, lock-in period and cancellation.

Short answer

When you move, you can use this order:

1. Look up the new address on Tjekditnet.dk
2. See which technologies and providers are registered
3. Get the provider to confirm the actual supply
4. Compare standard price, speed, installation, lock-in period and fees
5. Check whether a technician or permission from the owners' association is needed
6. Order based on the date you have access to the home
7. Sort out moving or cancelling the old subscription
8. Test both the internet line and the wi-fi once the equipment is set up

The Danish Agency for Digital Government (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen) states that Tjekditnet.dk shows broadband coverage, technology, possible speeds and providers right down to address level.^[1]

The information is a good place to start. The specific provider must still confirm what can be supplied to the address and whether installation requires a technician visit.

In brief

• Internet options vary from address to address.
• Fibre in the road is not the same as active fibre inside the home.
• Tjekditnet shows registered options, not a binding offer.
• Download and upload describe different directions on the connection.
• Wi-fi is the connection inside the home, not the broadband line itself.
• Where the router sits can matter as much as the subscription speed.
• Delivery time and the need for a technician vary between addresses and providers.
• The owners' association may have shared agreements or rules on cabling.
• Lock-in period, standard price and fees should be read together.
• TV can come through a shared solution, a separate package or streaming.

Start with the specific address

Two houses on the same road can have different internet options.

One home may have active fibre. The other may have fibre brought up to the property boundary, but not into the house. In an owners' association there may be a shared agreement that does not apply to the neighbouring property.

On Tjekditnet.dk you can see, among other things:

• Which technologies are registered at the address
• Which providers can supply
• Possible download and upload speeds
• Fixed-line and mobile coverage

Tjekditnet itself explains that not all the providers shown necessarily offer the highest registered speed. With fixed wireless broadband, a specific measurement at the address may also be needed.^[2]

So use the lookup to find the options. Then use the provider to get the supply confirmed.

Connection types in the new home

Fibre

Fibre sends data through fibre-optic cables and can offer high capacity. But it makes a difference whether fibre:

• Exists in the area
• Has been brought up to the plot
• Has been brought into the home
• Ends in an active fibre box
• Can be used by the provider you want

A fibre socket on the wall therefore does not tell the whole story. Have the address and the installation checked.

Cable TV network

Broadband through the cable TV network uses the existing coaxial installation. Options and speeds depend on the network and the provider.

Check whether there are active sockets, whether the home or the association has an agreement, and whether internet can be ordered without a TV package.

Copper

Some addresses are still connected through the copper network. The speed can depend on, among other things, the distance and the quality of the connection. The copper network is changing in several places, so get the current option confirmed.

Fixed wireless broadband

Fixed wireless broadband is delivered from an antenna to equipment on or near the home. The solution can depend on signal and line of sight. The provider may therefore need to take a measurement before the connection can be confirmed.^[2]

Mobile broadband

Mobile broadband uses the mobile network and can work through a router with a SIM card. The connection you experience can vary with coverage, placement, the building's materials and load on the network.

It can be a permanent solution or a temporary connection while you wait for a fixed installation.

Technical availability is not the same as an offer

When an address is shown as covered, it does not necessarily mean:

• That installation is free
• That the connection is already active
• That all providers offer the same speed
• That you can get it delivered on a specific date
• That equipment is included
• That the price stays the same after an introductory period

Ask the provider about:

1. The expected speed at the address
2. Whether installation requires a technician
3. What installation and set-up cost
4. When the connection can be activated
5. Which equipment is included
6. What the subscription costs after an introductory price
7. Lock-in period, cancellation and any fees

Keep the order confirmation. That is where the actual agreement is set out.

Download, upload and latency

An internet connection is often described with two speeds.

Download

Download is data coming down to you. You use it, among other things, when you:

• Stream films
• Open websites
• Download files
• Update games and software

Upload

Upload is data you send from the home. You use it, among other things, for:

• Video meetings
• Cloud backup
• Sending large files
• Sharing and livestreaming

The Danish Consumer Council (Forbrugerrådet Tænk) points out that both download and upload should be assessed based on how the household uses the internet.^[3]

Latency

Latency is about how quickly the connection responds. It can matter for online gaming, video meetings and other activities where data has to travel back and forth without noticeable delay.

How much speed you need comes down to your everyday life. Someone who reads the news and sends emails has different needs from a family with home working, gaming and several streams at once.

The internet line and wi-fi are not the same

You can have a fast connection into the house and still get slow internet in the bedroom.

The broadband line is the connection up to the home. Wi-fi is the wireless signal from the router and around the home.

Wi-fi can be affected by:

• Distance to the router
• Concrete walls and floors between storeys
• Underfloor heating and metal
• Where the router is placed
• Other wireless networks
• Older phones and computers
• Number of devices

If the speed is good with a cable plugged straight into the router but poor in a particular room, the problem may lie in the wireless coverage rather than the subscription.

Where to place the router

The router works best where the signal can travel through the home. A closed utility cupboard at one end of a large house is not always the best spot for wi-fi, even if that is where the connection comes in.

Look at:

• Where the internet socket is
• Where the home office will be
• Where the TV and games consoles will go
• How many floors the home has
• Whether there are network cables in the walls
• Whether the home may need extra access points or mesh

An accurate measurement of the home can also be used to plan cables, workspace and where to put equipment.

Installation and technician visits

Delivery times vary. Some connections can be activated digitally. Others require a technician or physical installation.

The technician may need:

• Access to the home
• Access to the utility room or basement
• Permission to drill or run cables
• An adult present at the address
• Space around the installation

So do not book the technician for a date when you do not yet have legal access to the home.

If you have the right of disposal (dispositionsret), the agreement must allow the work that needs to be done. Read more about right of disposal and access before handover.

Internet in an owner-occupied flat

With an owner-occupied flat (ejerlejlighed), internet can be tied to the owners' association's (ejerforening) installations and agreements.

Find out:

• Whether the association has a shared internet or TV agreement
• Whether payment is included in the shared costs
• Whether you can choose a different provider
• Who owns the router, modem or fibre box
• Whether there is a shared utility room
• Whether new cables require permission
• Whether drilling into the facade or shared areas is allowed

A shared agreement can mean that a basic package is already paid for through the association. It may also be possible to buy extra speed directly from the provider.

Get this confirmed in the association's documents or by the managing agent.

Internet in a house

In a house you are often responsible yourself for the installation from the plot into the home.

Check:

• Where the cables come in
• Whether boxes and sockets work
• Whether outbuildings and a home office also need coverage
• Whether there are network cables between rooms
• Whether the installation will be affected by upcoming renovation

If walls or floors are being opened up anyway, it can be practical to plan network cables at the same time. See the guide on renovating before you move in.

TV package or streaming?

TV does not have to come from the same provider as the internet.

The options can include:

• Shared TV agreement in the owners' association
• TV package through a broadband provider
• Aerial
• Streaming subscriptions
• A combination

Compare the total price and not just the internet part. A cheap introductory price may be tied to a larger package or change after a period.

Forbrug.dk, the Danish government's consumer information site, says you should read the terms on price, fees, lock-in period and cancellation before ordering a TV package.^[4]

Ask yourselves what you actually watch. Not what the package contains on page 17.

Lock-in period, cancellation and fees

Before you order, you should be able to find answers to:

• Is there a lock-in period?
• What is the notice period for cancellation?
• What does the subscription cost after the introductory period?
• Is the router bought, rented or on loan?
• Does the equipment have to be returned?
• Is there a set-up or installation fee?
• Does it cost anything to move the subscription?
• What happens if the provider cannot supply the new address?

Forbrug.dk points out that the agreement should be read for cancellation, lock-in period and fees.^[5]

Right of withdrawal

If you order broadband online, you generally have a 14-day right of withdrawal (fortrydelsesret) from when the agreement is made. If you ask for the service to start before the deadline has expired, this can affect your right of withdrawal.^[5]

So read the specific acceptance text if the connection needs to be activated quickly.

Moving your old subscription

You do not necessarily have to cancel and start again. Some providers can move the subscription to the new address.

But it depends on whether the provider can supply the address and through which technology.

Get answers to:

1. Can the existing subscription be moved?
2. Will the price or speed change?
3. Does a new lock-in period start?
4. Does old equipment have to be returned?
5. Is there a moving fee?
6. When will the old connection be switched off?
7. When will the new one be activated?

If you switch provider, check the cancellation in writing. A subscription does not stop just because you move or stop using it.

Timeline before moving in

When the handover day is known

• Look up the address on Tjekditnet
• Find sockets, boxes and shared agreements
• Assess the household's needs for download, upload and wi-fi
• Ask the owners' association about rules and shared agreements

A few weeks before

• Get specific offers from relevant providers
• Compare standard price, installation and terms
• Book a technician if needed
• Agree a date when you have access to the home
• Sort out moving or cancelling the old subscription

The final week

• Check the order confirmation and installation date
• Arrange access to the utility room
• Check that equipment has been delivered
• Plan a temporary connection if home working requires internet from day one

After installation

• Test the connection with a cable straight into the router
• Test wi-fi in the rooms where it will be used
• Keep the agreement, receipt and serial numbers
• Note the deadline for returning old equipment

Put the dates into your moving plan.

Example: a home office in a house

A buyer takes over a house with a fibre box in the utility room. The home office will be on the first floor at the opposite end of the house.

The buyer needs to look into two different things:

1. Can a provider activate the fibre connection?
2. Can wi-fi reach from the utility room to the office?

A fast fibre line answers the first question. Router placement, a network cable or extra access points answer the second.

If the two questions are mixed up, the buyer can end up paying for a higher speed without getting a better signal in the office.

Example: an owner-occupied flat with shared TV

An owner-occupied flat has a shared TV agreement paid for through the shared costs. The buyer only wants internet and streaming.

The buyer needs to find out:

1. Whether it is possible to opt out of the shared agreement
2. What is already paid for through the association
3. Whether another internet provider can use the installation
4. Whether new cabling requires permission
5. Whether the shared equipment must stay in the flat

Only once that information is known can two prices be compared properly.

Common misunderstandings

It says fibre, so the connection is ready

Not necessarily. Fibre can be in the area, at the plot or in the home without being active.

The speed shown is guaranteed

Not necessarily. Tjekditnet shows registered options. The specific offer and expected supply must be confirmed by the provider.

A faster subscription always gives better wi-fi

No. Poor wireless coverage can be down to placement, walls, distance or equipment.

My old subscription stops when I move

No. It has to be moved or cancelled according to the agreement.

TV has to be bought together with internet

Not always. The options depend on the provider, the installation and any shared agreements.

The technician can come before handover

Only if you have legal access and the necessary work is permitted.

The 14-day right of withdrawal always applies unchanged

No. Early activation can affect the right. Read the specific acceptance and agreement.

Internet and TV checklist

• Look up the address on Tjekditnet
• Get the supply confirmed by the provider
• Find the home's sockets and boxes
• Check the owners' association's shared agreements
• Assess your needs for download and upload
• Plan wi-fi throughout the home
• Compare standard price and introductory price
• Read the lock-in period, cancellation and fees
• Sort out installation and technician visit
• Agree a date when you have access to the home
• Move or cancel the old subscription
• Check the return of equipment
• Test the line and wi-fi after installation

In summary

Internet in a new home requires three answers:

1. What can be supplied to the address?
2. What does the household need?
3. What does the agreement say?

Check the address first. Then get the provider to confirm installation, speed and date. Finally, compare standard price, lock-in period, cancellation and equipment.

Once the connection is installed, test both the line and the wi-fi. They are two different things, even though both get called “the internet” at the kitchen table.

Bring ordering, installation and cancellation together in your moving plan.

BoligKlar gives you a second pair of eyes and an overview. The provider confirms the actual supply and agreement.

Frequently asked questions