Switching internet providers in Nova Scotia is easier than most people expect. If you're moving from another cable provider to Purple Cow's cable service, the switch is literally unplugging one modem and plugging in ours, the connection goes live in seconds. If you'd rather have help, you can book a Purple Cow technician online for a time slot that works for you, and we'll text you before we come. If you're moving to Purple Fibre, a technician runs the fibre-to-the-home line and gets you set up in about an hour. In every case, keep the old service overlapping for a day as insurance, then cancel it once the new one is confirmed working.
Most people who put off switching internet providers do it because they're worried about what happens on the day. Will there be a gap in service? Do I have to be home? What do I do with my old modem? Will my Netflix still work tonight? Here's the honest, boring answer to every one of those questions.
The quick answer: how long does switching take?
From decision to first bill on the new service, expect roughly one to two weeks. The pieces are:
- Sign-up: about 10 minutes online or over the phone.
- Modem shipping or install booking: a few days, depending on your address and whether you're doing a self-install cable swap, booking a Purple Cow technician for a cable install, or scheduling a Purple Fibre install.
- Install itself: seconds to a couple of minutes for a cable modem swap, about an hour for a Purple Fibre install with a technician.
- Overlap with old service: optional, but recommended, keep the old service running for one day after the new one is confirmed working, just to make sure everything is stable.
- Cancelling the old service: a phone call, usually 10 to 15 minutes.
The switch, step by step
Check your address
Before signing up, use the address checker on the new provider's site to confirm what's actually available at your home. Speeds and even which network reaches your address depend on your specific street, sometimes down to your specific building.
Pick the plan that matches how you use the internet
Most Nova Scotia households don't need gig internet. A 100 Mbps plan comfortably handles 4K streaming, video calls, gaming, and normal work-from-home for a typical family. Bigger households, remote workers doing heavy uploads, or content creators should size up. Don't buy speed you won't use.
Sign up and pick your install path
Sign up online or by text, about 10 minutes. Then you pick how you want to get connected. For cable, you have two options: get the modem shipped to you and swap it in yourself (fastest, if you already have a cable jack live in your home), or book a Purple Cow technician to come do it for you at a time slot that works for your schedule. For Purple Fibre, a technician needs to come to complete the fibre-to-the-home connection.
Keep your old service running
Don't cancel your existing internet yet. The single most important switching tip: leave the old service on until the new service is confirmed working. Most providers bill monthly, so a day of overlap costs almost nothing and completely eliminates the risk of being offline.
Install day
Cable, self-install, if you're switching from another cable provider, you literally unplug their modem and plug in ours. The connection goes live in seconds. If your home has an existing cable jack that isn't currently active, ours activates it the same way. Setup card in the box walks you through it. (Also, the box moos when you open it. It's the small things.) Cable, technician-assisted, a Purple Cow team member comes to your address in the booked time slot, plugs the modem in, confirms it's working, and shows you the Wi-Fi setup. We text you before we come so there's no surprise doorbell. New builds or homes that have never had cable service, we run the cable to your home ourselves. Purple Fibre, the technician runs the fibre-optic line from the pole to your home, mounts the small terminal box outside, installs the ONT (the fibre modem) inside, and sets up your Wi-Fi. About an hour. You need to be home.
Test everything
Before cancelling the old service, spend a day actually using the new one. Stream on a few devices. Do a couple of video calls. Make sure Wi-Fi coverage works in the rooms you care about. If something feels off, it's much easier to sort out while the old service is still running as a fallback.
Cancel your old service
Once the new service is confirmed working, call your old provider to cancel. This is usually a 10 to 15 minute call. They will try to save the account with a retention offer. You do not have to accept it. Ask for a written cancellation confirmation.
Return your old equipment
Your old provider will give you a return address or arrange a pickup. Return their modem, router, and any TV or phone equipment they own. Take photos before you ship, and keep the tracking number. Missing-equipment fees are one of the most common surprise charges on a final bill, and they're almost always disputed successfully with photo evidence.
What people worry about (and what actually happens)
Will I be offline during the switch?
Almost never. If you're switching from another cable provider to Purple Cow cable, the swap is instant, unplug their modem, plug ours in, connection is live in seconds. If you're moving to Purple Fibre, the fibre install runs alongside your existing service so you're only "switched" once we confirm it's working. In either case, keep the old service running for a few extra days as insurance.
Do I need to be home for the install?
Depends on which path you pick. For a cable self-install, no, the modem ships to you and you swap it in whenever you want. For a technician-assisted cable install, yes, at the time slot you booked online (we text you before we come). For Purple Fibre, yes, the technician needs to run the fibre line and set up the ONT inside your home. Typically about an hour.
Do I have to buy a new modem or router?
No. Every Purple Cow plan includes a wireless router at no separate rental fee. Wi-Fi 6 on Purple Fibre plans, standard wireless router on cable plans. When you cancel your old service, you'll return their equipment and start using ours.
What about my email address from the old provider?
If your email is with the old provider's domain (like an @provider.ca style email), that email address will stop working once you cancel. This is the single best moment to migrate to a free email service you own, Gmail, Outlook, or iCloud, which stays with you forever regardless of which internet provider you use. It takes an evening to set up and forward, and it's worth doing once so you never face this switching cost again.
Will my smart home stuff need to be re-set-up?
Often, no. If you keep the same Wi-Fi network name and password as your old router, everything (smart speakers, thermostats, cameras, doorbells, TVs) reconnects automatically without you having to do anything. Just tell the technician (or set the new router yourself) to match the network name and password you had before. If you decide to change your Wi-Fi name or password, then each device will need to be reconnected once.
What if the new service has a problem on install day?
The technician doesn't leave until it's working. If something comes up in the first few days that only shows up during real use, Halifax-based support is text-first, no phone tree, no hold time. Purple Cow is the highest-rated ISP in Canada on Google, and a big reason for that is how the first week is handled.
Will my bill get weird for a month?
Only in the sense that if you overlapped by a day or two, you may have paid the old provider for a partial month at the end. Most providers pro-rate final bills. Purple Cow's own bill is flat and predictable from month one, the price you sign up at is the price on every bill after.
What if I move again in six months?
Purple Cow is month-to-month with no contract. If you move, the service moves with you (or ends cleanly if you're leaving the province). There's no early termination charge because there's no term to break.
The one thing most people wish they'd known
The biggest mistake we see people make when switching isn't a technical one. It's cancelling the old service too early because they don't want any billing overlap. A single day of overlap costs almost nothing and converts "will there be a gap in my internet?" from a real worry into a non-issue. Wait until the new service is confirmed working, then cancel.
The second most common thing people wish they'd known: get off your provider-branded email address. Not because there's anything wrong with it, but because it locks you into that provider. Migrating to a Gmail or Outlook account once is a one-evening job, and after that you can switch providers whenever you want without ever losing an email address again.
How Purple Cow makes switching easier
A few specific things about switching to Purple Cow are designed to remove the anxiety:
- Cable swap takes seconds. Switching from another cable provider? Unplug their modem, plug ours in, done. No downtime, no waiting on a technician unless you want one.
- Book a technician if you'd rather. Book a time slot online that works for your schedule. Our team member comes to your home, plugs in the modem, and confirms it's working. We text you before we come.
- No contract. Month-to-month means no early termination fee if it doesn't work out. Every plan.
- Flat pricing. The price you sign up at is the price on every bill after. No 12-month promotional rate that jumps at month 13.
- Router included. Wi-Fi 6 on Purple Fibre, standard wireless router on cable. No separate equipment rental line item.
- Text-first support. Halifax-based. No phone tree. Text 1-902-800-2660 and a real person answers.
- No usage fees, no data caps. Stream, upload, back up as much as you want.
- Free installation on Purple Fibre. Cable installation is quick and disclosed up front. New builds and homes without existing cable service get the line run to the home.
Purple Cow was named the highest-rated ISP in Canada on Google, and PlanHub's Best Internet Plan and Best Value Plan for Halifax. Getting the switch right is a big part of why customers stay.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to switch internet providers in Nova Scotia?
From decision to first bill on the new service, about one to two weeks. Sign-up takes 10 minutes, the modem is shipped or the technician visit is booked, and you typically overlap old and new service for one day before cancelling, just to make sure the new one is stable.
Will I be without internet during the switch?
No, if you overlap the two services. And if you're going from another cable provider to Purple Cow's cable service, the swap itself is essentially instant, you unplug their modem and plug ours in, and you're live in seconds. Keep the old service running for one day as insurance either way.
Do I need to cancel my old internet before I sign up for the new one?
No. Sign up for the new service first, get it installed and working, then cancel the old one. Cancelling first is the single most common switching mistake.
Do I need to be home for the install?
Depends on which install path you pick. For a cable self-install (unplug old modem, plug in Purple Cow modem), no, do it whenever you want. For a technician-assisted cable install, yes, at the time slot you booked online. For a Purple Fibre install, yes, the technician runs the fibre line and sets up the ONT inside your home.
Can Purple Cow send someone to help set up my cable service?
Yes. If you'd rather not do the modem swap yourself, you can book a Purple Cow technician online for a time slot that works for your schedule. We text you before we come so there's no surprise at the door.
What if my home has never had a cable connection?
Purple Cow will run the cable to your home. New builds and homes that have never had cable internet before get the line installed as part of the setup.
What happens to my old modem and router?
You return them to your old provider. They'll give you a return address or arrange pickup. Take photos before shipping and keep the tracking number in case a missing-equipment fee shows up on your final bill.
What happens to my email if I switch providers?
If you use an email address from your current provider, that address will stop working once you cancel. Best time to migrate to a free email service (Gmail, Outlook, iCloud) is now. Set up email forwarding on the old address for a few weeks so nothing gets lost.
Does Purple Cow charge an installation fee?
Purple Fibre installation is free. Cable installation is a small, disclosed charge or often waived depending on current promotions. Ask when you sign up and it'll be clear before you commit.
Is there a contract with Purple Cow?
No. Every Purple Cow plan is month-to-month with no contract. You can cancel at any time with no early termination fee.
How do I check if Purple Cow is available at my address?
Use the address checker at purplecowinternet.com. Enter your address and you'll see which plans apply, cable, Purple Fibre, or occasionally both.
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