Moving is stressful enough without spending your first week in a new home on your phone’s data plan. Internet is one of the few utilities that can need a booked appointment, the right equipment and a check of what’s available at the new address. Leave it to the last minute and you can end up offline for days, or stuck on a slower technology than you had before.
This guide covers how to move your internet service in Alberta, BC or Saskatchewan with as little downtime as possible: what to check before you call, how to read the fine print on moves and cancellations, and how to get everything reconnected on the first night.
The short answer: check availability at the new address first, then book your move or new service two to four weeks ahead. Read your contract for move fees and term commitments. On moving day, pack the modem and router where you can find them, and re-use your old WiFi name and password so every device reconnects on its own.
Step 1: Check What’s Available at the New Address
Internet availability is set street by street, and sometimes unit by unit. Your new home might have fibre when your old one only had cable, or the reverse. In rural areas it might have neither. Before you call anyone, find out:
- Which technologies reach the address. Fibre, cable, fixed wireless and satellite perform very differently. Our fibre vs cable guide explains the trade-offs, and rural internet options covers acreages and small towns.
- Whether your current provider serves it. Check with the full address, including the unit or suite number. A building next door can be wired differently.
- Whether the building has its own arrangement. Some apartment and condo buildings have bulk internet deals or wiring that only certain providers can use. Ask the landlord or property manager. Our apartment and condo WiFi guide covers the common setups.
- Where the connection comes in. Look for a coax wall plate (cable) or a small fibre terminal box. If the home has no visible outlet, plan for a technician visit.
If the same plan isn’t available at the new place, a move is a good time to compare providers and rethink how much speed you need, especially if your household or work setup is changing.
Step 2: Read Your Contract Before You Call
Three things decide what a move will cost you: move fees, term commitments and equipment rules. All three are in your provider’s terms of service, so read them before you give notice.
Moving with the same provider
Many providers charge a move or transfer fee, and some waive it once in a while. As an example, Get WiFi’s terms and conditions (as of October 2026) include:
- One free location move every two years, with a $75 fee for more frequent moves. Unused free moves don’t accumulate.
- For Fiber Internet on a two-year term, a free move if fibre is available at the new address and you renew the two-year term from the move date.
Switching providers because of the move
If your current provider can’t serve the new address, or you’ve found a better option, check for early termination fees first. Month-to-month service usually ends without a penalty. Fixed-term plans often charge for the months left. Get WiFi’s Fiber Internet two-year term, for instance, carries a $20 charge for each remaining month. Our guide to internet contracts and cancellation covers what to look for and how to give notice.
Rental equipment
If you cancel, rented modems and routers have to go back. Get WiFi’s terms give you 15 days to return rented equipment, and unreturned units are billed at the replacement value listed in the terms. Whoever your provider is, get a receipt or tracking number when you return equipment.
Step 3: Book Early and Get the Date in Writing
Installers get busiest around the end of the month and through the summer moving season, when leases turn over and families move between school years. For a smooth switch-over:
- Book two to four weeks ahead. Allow more time if the new place needs a new line, a fibre drop or a different technology.
- Ask whether it’s a self-install or a technician visit. Moving cable service to a home that already has an active coax outlet is often a plug-in job. New fibre connections and homes without working wiring usually need a technician, and someone will need to be home for the appointment.
- Set the start date on or just before move-in day. A day of overlap costs less than a weekend without internet. Leave cancellation at the old address until you’ve moved out.
- Get a confirmation. Keep the date, appointment window and any order number in an email you can find on moving day.
Step 4: Moving Day
Your modem and router should be the last things you unplug and the first things you set up. A few habits save a lot of hassle:
- Write down your WiFi name and password before you unplug anything. It’s usually on a sticker on the router, unless you changed it.
- Pack the gear together. The modem, router, mesh units, power adapters and the coax or Ethernet cables go in one labelled box that travels in your car, not buried in the moving truck.
- Have a backup. A phone hotspot covers email and messages for a day or two. Watch your mobile data allowance, though. Streaming and video calls can eat through it in an evening (see our data caps guide).
- Work from home? Download what you need beforehand, and tell your team you might be offline for a few hours.
Step 5: Get Reconnected the Smart Way
Once the connection is live at the new place, a few minutes of setup gets everything back to normal:
- Re-use your old WiFi name and password. This is the biggest time-saver. Phones, laptops, TVs, smart speakers, doorbells and cameras look for the network they know, so if the name and password match, they reconnect on their own. Our home WiFi setup guide shows where to change them.
- Put the router in the right spot. A new floor plan means a new best location: central, up high and in the open, not in a closet or next to the furnace. See router placement tips. Bigger home or more floors than before? A mesh system may now be worth it.
- Run a speed test. Test over Ethernet or right next to the router and compare with your plan speed. Our speed test guide explains how to get a reliable result.
- Check your smart devices. Thermostats, cameras and solar or security monitoring can drop off quietly. Open each app and confirm it’s reporting.
- Update your address. Make sure your provider has the correct service and billing address, and update any home phone or VoIP service so 911 calls show the new location.
Your Internet Moving Checklist
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4+ weeks before | Check what's available at the new address. Read your contract for move fees, term and early termination charges. |
| 2–4 weeks before | Book the move or the new service. Confirm whether you'll self-install or need a technician, and get the date in writing. |
| 1 week before | Download big files and updates. Note your WiFi name and password. Plan a hotspot backup for the first day or two. |
| Moving day | Unplug the modem and router last. Pack them with their power adapters and cables in a clearly labelled box that travels with you. |
| First evening | Connect at the new place, re-use your old WiFi name and password, run a speed test, and check that smart devices are back online. |
| Within 15 days | If you cancelled a provider, return any rental equipment and keep the receipt or tracking number. |
Don’t Forget the Other Utilities
Internet is only one part of the move. In Alberta you’ll also need electricity and, for most homes, natural gas set up at the new address. Our sister company Get Energy has a step-by-step guide to transferring energy service when you move. Moving into a place with a legal suite? See our basement suite internet guide before you decide whether to share a connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should I book an internet move?
Aim for two to four weeks before moving day, and longer if you're moving at month-end or in summer, when installers are busiest. Booking early matters most if the new place needs a technician, a new line or a different technology than you have now.
Can I take my internet provider with me when I move?
Only if your provider offers service at the new address, and the same plan may not be available there. Check availability for the exact address, including the unit number, before you give notice or book anything.
Is there a fee to move my internet service?
It depends on the provider and your contract. Get WiFi includes one free location move every two years, with a $75 fee for more frequent moves. A Fiber Internet customer on a two-year term moves free if fibre is available at the new address and they renew the two-year term from the move date.
Can I use my old modem at my new place?
Often yes if you're staying with the same provider and the same technology, such as cable to cable. A move from cable to fibre, or a change of provider, usually means different equipment. Rental equipment must go back to the provider if you cancel.
How do I keep my devices connected after I move?
Set up your WiFi at the new place with the same network name and password you used before. Phones, laptops, smart speakers and cameras will then reconnect on their own, without being set up one by one.
What should I do if my internet isn't ready on moving day?
Use your phone's hotspot for essentials, but watch your mobile data allowance, because streaming and video calls use it up quickly. Download what you need for work before the move, and save large updates and backups until your home connection is live.
Moving Soon? Set Up Internet at Your New Home
Get WiFi offers fibre and cable internet in communities across Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan, including Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon and Kelowna. Compare plans on our rates page, or sign up online with your new address and preferred start date. Already a customer? Contact us before you move and we’ll check availability at the new address. More how-tos are in our Internet Guides hub.
Get WiFi is a local Canadian internet provider offering high-speed fibre and cable internet across Alberta.
Part of the Get Energy family.