What is ADSL Transfer (Churn)?

ADSL Fast Transfer, also called ADSL 'Churn', refers to the process of changing between two ADSL Internet Service Providers, where both providers participate in a Telstra Wholesale-provided changeover (or 'churn') process. The process is designed to make that changeover smooth and simple.

The Churn process is a cost-effective and simple way to change over to an Internode Easy Reach plan, if you currently have a suitable ADSL service with another ISP; and if they are also a participant in the process.

The process has these great features:

• No need to cancel with your old provider before signing up with Internode. However, it is a very good idea to contact them AFTER the churn has been successfully completed, to finalise your account with them - especially if they enforce a notice period for cancellation.
• Just sign up with Internode and your old service is cancelled and your new Internode service is turned on at the same time - in one step - with very little downtime (typically an hour or two).
• The churn process typically takes around 3-5 business days to complete, from the day on which you apply with Internode. This timeframe is, however, not guaranteed.
• We suggest that you order the churn to Internode around 8-10 days before the end of your current charging period with your current ISP, to minimise the potential for additional monthly charges from your current ISP during the transition process.
• The cost of a churn ($39) is substantially lower than paying a new setup fee ($129) for your Internode ADSL service - and the churn fee is waived on a 24 month contract term.
• You don't need to coordinate the changeover with your old ISP, we do all the work for you!
• Once your service has been confirmed, a message will be sent to you detailing your username and password. This message will be sent to you via email and/or SMS and/or fax.

What does it cost to use the Churn process to change to Internode?

When churning into Internode from other ADSL providers who support the Churn process, you have the choice of $0 on a 24 month contract; or $39 if you prefer a monthly arrangement. Full details are available on our ADSL Pricing pages.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You may owe your existing provider a cancellation or contract break fee if you are leaving them prior to the expiry of your current contract.

What are the wrinkles in the process?

Nothing is ever quite perfect, and this is the case here as well.

If you are leaving Telstra BigPond ADSL, this fast, low cost changeover process is available to you now - don't just sit there, sign up with Internode. Churn even works from BigPond ADSL2+ services!

If you are with another ADSL provider and you want to change to Internode, the churn process is only available if your existing ISP is also a participant in the churn process and your current ADSL service is connected to a Telstra Wholesale DSLAM at your local telephone exchange.

If you're not sure whether your ADSL service is connected to a Telstra Wholesale DSLAM, your existing provider will be able to answer this for you. Otherwise, you can always just submit an order and see if it works, if it doesn't we won't charge you anything.

If you are sure that your existing ISP is NOT a participant in the churn process, and you wish to join Internode, then you need to use the old, two-step process: Cancel with your existing provider, and then sign up with Internode, and pay the full Internode setup fee. Sorry.

How do I use the Churn process to sign up?

It's very easy. If your existing ISP participates in the churn process (including Telstra BigPond ADSL), just use our online signup form to sign up, select the name of your existing ISP from the box provided on the form, and that's it!

To use the churn process, it is important that you do NOT cancel with your old ISP first - or the churn process will fail to work and you will have to pay a full setup fee to Internode.

If, and only if, you want to do it the 'old' two-step way (or you have to because your current ISP doesn't participate in the churn process), then you should cancel with your old ISP before signing up with Internode.

If you are not sure whether your old ISP is a participant in the process, just sign up with Internode, tell us the name of your old ISP, and do not contact them directly to cancel.

If we can churn you, we will. Otherwise we'll contact you about it.

If the churn can't proceed, you will just need to explicitly cancel with your old provider and ask us to re-order your Internode ADSL. In this latter case, the normal setup fee will apply as there will have been no 'churn' achieved, meaning we will have had to pay a full setup fee to Telstra to connect up your service.

What are my obligations to my old ADSL provider?

It is really important to appreciate that your contractual and legal obligations to your old provider are not avoided in any manner if you change to Internode using the churn process.

Using the churn process is, legally, exactly the same as if you had explicitly called your old ISP and cancelled with them - any remaining contract service fees, contract break fees or other charges you may currently owe your old ISP remain fully payable to your old ISP.

We are not responsible for those charges, you are.

The churn process is more convenient, and it allows us to avoid having to charge you a full Internode setup fee to join Internode - but that's it - even though our Wholesale Provider effectively gives 'notice' to your old ISP on your behalf, the consequences of this are entirely your own to deal with.

Please make 100% certain that you understand the contract break fees that apply to leave your old ISP (if any) before you sign with Internode.

Does the churn take any longer if you wish to change to a different line speed as a part of churning to Internode?

No. It's all done at the same time, in the same one-step changeover. It doesn't cause any extra downtime.

We also don't charge you any extra if your chosen new line speed is different to the one you have with your current provider.

Please note however, that you can only churn to an Internode Easy Reach service. You cannot churn directly to an Easy Broadband service. That requires either a Single Service Transfer; or alternatively a churn plus a single service migration - see the Transfer page under Easy Broadband for more information.

If I move house i.e. change phone lines, does the churn process cover this as well? Basically will it be cheaper to move from Internode to Internode?

No. Why not? Because this isn't a churn.

A churn is a change of the ISP 'owning' a line, where the physical line hasn't changed - i.e. in the same property.

Telstra have no concept of a 'move of house' as something that includes any consideration of ADSL whatsoever. If you change premises (even if you manage to keep your old number because you're nearby), the new ADSL service you establish in your new place is a completely new service as far as Telstra is concerned. It is 100% independent of the existing/old one.

Don't think about it as a move of house. Think of it as a completely new connection - because unfortunately, it is. The only (minor) positive about this is that it means you can get the new one operational before you cancel the old one.

And is it possible to keep all the current settings (username, webmail, webspace, etc.)?

Yes. We do what we can, despite the above, including being perfectly happy to preserve your existing email address and other account characteristics when you do move house.

What our folk do is establish your new ADSL service using temporary usernames etc, and then once it is up and you move, we 'flip' them over, and then shut down the old one.

A pain in the neck for all concerned - but we really do try to do what we can to smooth the waters here. Unfortunately the only thing we can't do is waive the new setup fee, because it's a totally new setup at the Telstra side - and we are slugged accordingly. We do, however, reduce the charge from $129 to $99 - and waive it completely if you agree to a new 24 month contract term. This is despite the fact that our costs are unchanged - it's because we want to keep you as an Internode customer!

Hope that makes sense. We know it isn't great - just be clear that it's not our doing.

Please use our online relocation tool if you are moving house.