Switching Your NBN to Spintel: What Actually Happens

August 16, 2026 • 5 min read

Short answer: you sign up with the new provider and they handle the transfer. You do not cancel your old plan first. If you already have an active NBN connection, no technician needs to visit, and the changeover usually means a short outage rather than days without internet.

Start the switch by checking your address
Referral code FAYB27965 at sign-up. SmartKoala may receive a referral benefit if you sign up through this link.

Check Spintel →

Do not cancel your old plan first

This is the mistake that causes actual pain. The NBN transfer process is designed so the incoming provider requests the connection and the outgoing one is notified automatically. Cancel yourself and you can end up with the connection deactivated, which turns a quick changeover into a new-connection order.

Sign up with Spintel, let the transfer run, then confirm your old account has closed and no further charges are coming. If your previous provider is still billing you a fortnight later, call them.

What the process looks like

Address check. Enter your address on the Spintel site. This confirms your connection type and which speed tiers are available. Plenty of addresses cannot get the faster tiers regardless of price.
Pick a plan. Choose the speed tier, and check both the intro price and the ongoing price before you go further. Our plan comparison covers which tier suits which household.
Enter the referral code. Add FAYB27965 when the sign-up asks for a referral or promo code.
Decide on a modem. Buy theirs, or bring your own if it is compatible with your connection type. Ask before you assume.
Wait for activation. On an existing active NBN service, transfers are commonly done within a few business days. Spintel will confirm the date.
Plug in and configure. When the service goes live, connect the modem and enter the new username and password if required.

How much downtime?

On an existing active connection, the switch normally means a brief interruption on the day of transfer rather than a prolonged outage. In practice most people notice their internet drop and come back within a short window, though it can occasionally take longer if something in the order needs manual handling.

Two things reduce the risk of a bad day:

Do not schedule the switch for a day you have a big presentation, an exam, or a deadline.
Have mobile data ready as a backup. Tethering a laptop for an hour costs almost nothing and removes the stress entirely.

If you are connecting a brand new premises, or the NBN service at your address has been deactivated, the timeline is different and a technician visit may be needed. That is a new connection, not a transfer.

Check these before you sign up

Are you still inside a contract with your current provider, and is there an exit fee?
Are you paying off a modem or hardware in instalments? That balance may become payable.
Do you have a home phone service on the same connection that you need to keep?
Is your email address tied to your current ISP's domain? Move it before you leave.
Have you got any bundled services, like a streaming subscription, that end when the plan does?

Can you keep your modem?

Sometimes. A modem supplied and locked by another provider may not work on a different network, and modems are not interchangeable across all NBN connection types. FTTP and HFC connections use an NBN-supplied box plus a router, whereas FTTN and FTTC need a modem with the right VDSL capability built in.

If you own an unlocked router and you are on FTTP or HFC, reusing it is usually straightforward. Confirm compatibility with Spintel rather than finding out on activation day, and if you are unsure, buying their modem removes the variable.

Keeping your phone number

If you have a home phone service bundled with your current NBN plan and you want to keep the number, raise it during sign-up. Number porting has to be requested as part of the order, and it is much harder to sort out after the old service has closed.

What about mid-contract?

Check whether your current plan has a lock-in term. Many Australian NBN plans no longer do, but if yours does, work out the exit fee and compare it against what you would save over the remaining months. Sometimes paying the fee still comes out ahead; often it is better to wait until the term ends.

The Spintel public NBN offers we checked on 7 August 2026 had no lock-in contract and $0 setup, which means the same flexibility applies in reverse when you eventually want to move again. Confirm the current terms on the live page.

After the switch

Run a speed test on a device plugged in by ethernet, not over Wi-Fi. That tells you what the line is delivering.
Confirm the old account is closed and no direct debit is still running.
Update the direct debit date in your budget so the new bill does not land in an awkward week.
Set a reminder for month 5. Intro pricing on these plans ran for 6 months, and the ongoing rate is higher. A reminder gives you time to compare or negotiate before it steps up.

If the speed is well below what you are paying for, raise it with the provider early. Under the ACCC's broadband speed guidance, providers are expected to tell you if your line cannot achieve the plan's speed and to offer a remedy, which can include moving you to a cheaper tier.

Check availability and current pricing at your address
Use referral code FAYB27965 at sign-up, and read the ongoing rate before you commit.

Check Spintel →

FAQ

Will I be charged by both providers at once?

There can be a small overlap depending on where you sit in each provider's billing cycle. Most providers refund or pro-rata the unused portion. Check your final bill from the old provider and query anything that looks wrong.

Does switching require a technician?

Not for a standard transfer on an active connection. A technician is generally only needed for a new connection, a change of technology type, or a fault.

Can I switch if I am renting?

Yes. Transferring an existing active NBN service does not involve any work on the property. If a new connection or new equipment installation is needed, you would need the landlord's permission first.

How often can I switch?

As often as the terms of each plan allow. With no lock-in contracts, there is nothing stopping you from moving each time a promo period ends, and that is exactly how the market is priced.

What if the new plan is worse?

Australian consumer law gives you rights if a service is not fit for purpose, and no-contract plans let you leave without a penalty regardless. If you are getting nowhere with the provider, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman handles complaints once you have given the provider a chance to fix it.