TalkTalk's 1.5 million customers will move to BT

BT Group said on 5 October 2026 that it had bought TalkTalk's phone and broadband business from administrators. Regulators will now review the deal. Ofcom told TalkTalk customers the same day that they can keep using their landline, broadband and pay TV as normal. The deal follows TalkTalk's sale of about 120,000 broadband customers to Rise Fibre, which we reported in August.

What is changing

BT says the deal covers TalkTalk's 1.5 million customers across the UK. Ofcom says TalkTalk customers will become BT customers after the sale.

Allison Kirkby, Chief Executive of BT Group, said:

Our immediate priority is to stabilise the business and provide a safety net for the households and businesses who rely on TalkTalk.

Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to report on whether the deal raises any concerns about competition.

What it means for consumers

The government says TalkTalk customers do not need to take any action, and they will be contacted directly if there are any changes they need to know about.

Ofcom says customers who switch provider before their contract ends may have to pay an early exit fee. Which? says customers who are out of contract can switch at any time.

Under Ofcom's rules on contract changes, a provider must give at least a month's notice of a change to the terms. If the change leaves customers worse off, they can usually leave without paying a fee. Our guides explain how to leave a contract after a price rise and how to complain to a phone or broadband provider.

BT and TalkTalk are both in Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, which pays customers if a repair is slow, an engineer misses an appointment or a new service starts late. Ofcom says restrictions apply for some TalkTalk customers, depending on which network their broadband uses.

Which? warns that scammers may try to exploit worries about the change. It says anyone who gets a call they are unsure about should hang up and contact TalkTalk directly.

What happens next

The CMA is due to report by 19 October 2026. After that, Lisa Nandy will consider wider concerns, including the need to keep phone and broadband services running for public services and vulnerable customers.

BT says the two companies will run separately and keep competing while regulators review the deal. Ofcom says it will keep a close eye on the move to BT.

In a letter to BT, Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom's Chief Executive, said it is vital that protections are maintained throughout any transition, particularly for vulnerable consumers.