How to switch to Castnet fibre without downtime

Why switching normally causes downtime (and how to avoid it)

When you cancel an internet service before the new one is ready, your household or business is offline until the new connection is activated. That can be a few days of a technician not pitching, a router not arriving, or paperwork sitting in a queue. Downtime is almost never caused by the switch itself – it is caused by the timing of the switch.

The safe pattern is simple: keep the old service running until the new one is live and confirmed working, then cancel the old one. This is called an overlap period, and it is the single biggest thing that protects your connection during a move.

Before you switch: three things to check

• Contract status with your current provider. Check whether you are inside a minimum term or notice period. Some providers ask for 30 days notice, which is worth starting before anything else.
• Cancellation notice required. Ask your current provider in writing what notice they need and what date they will actually disconnect. Get the date in writing, not a verbal estimate.
• Whether your line stays or goes. On fibre, the physical line is usually tied to the network operator at your address. If you stay on the same line infrastructure and only change the internet service provider (ISP), the switch is faster because the physical installation is already done.

The switch-over checklist

1. Sign up with the new provider first. Get the new service confirmed as ready before you cancel anything. In the Garden Route, an address check confirms at this stage whether fibre is already available at your property.
2. Confirm the installation or activation date. For an existing fibre line, activation is often a configuration change and can happen within a day or two of signup, because no technician visit is needed. A brand-new install will need a scheduled visit, so plan around that date.
3. Set up the new service on a different date from the old disconnect. Ideally the new line is active a day or two before the old one is cut. This gives you a safety window to test speed, video calls, and any devices on the new connection with zero stress.
4. Test the new connection before you depend on it. Run a speed test, make a video call, stream – make sure Wi-Fi reaches the rooms you actually use. Do this while your old connection is still available as a backup if something goes wrong.
5. Cancel the old service, in writing, for the confirmed date. Only once the new connection is working well. Cancel the old contract and take note of the confirmed disconnect date.
6. Update any connected devices or accounts that still point at the old router or network. Wi-Fi name and password will change with the new router, so update phones, TVs, and smart-home devices once, after the new connection is live.

Common switch-over mistakes to avoid

• Cancelling too early. The number-one cause of avoidable downtime. Never cancel before the new service is confirmed working at your address.
• Assuming the same ISP is automatically required to keep your line. Different ISPs can often use the same underlying fibre infrastructure, meaning you can switch the monthly service without re-installing anything on your wall.
• Forgetting notice period costs. If you are inside a contract term, start the notice clock as early as possible so it overlaps with the new service rather than running after it.
• Not testing before cancelling. Do the speed test, video call, and stream on the new connection before you pull the plug on the old one.

What the process looks like with Castnet

We keep this simple. First, check your address so you know exactly what is available and what installation, if any, is required. Second, choose a package – from SuperSaver at R540/month for 30Mbps up to Max at R1,740/month for 500Mbps. Third, complete the short application, which includes your details, your chosen package, and payment information. Fourth, we coordinate the installation or activation with you directly. Fifth, you are connected, billed monthly with no long-term contract.

Because Castnet has no long-term contract, you are not locked in when you switch to us, and switching again later (for example if you move house) is the same simple process.

How long does a switch usually take?

It depends on what is already installed at your address. If there is an active fibre line from the same infrastructure, changing the ISP is mostly a configuration switch and can be done within a few days. If a new fibre installation is needed, expect the process to take as long as a standard installation – planning the technician visit plus the activation itself. Because of that, the single best thing you can do is start the coverage check and signup first, and only cancel your current service once the new connection is confirmed working.