Re: Expiring contracts
What they do as a matter of standard practice is to offer a "free something" to anyone who is coming up to the end of a contract. They won't mention any details - just phone up and offer a freebie. 2 years ago with my now SWMBO it was a "free" new router so she's ready when faster fibre broadband is available. Late last year it was a "free" TV box.
As they phone up, and don't mention any downsides, most idiopunters simply accept. If they decide to leave a month later - they find they can't as the sly beggars signed you up to a new 18 or 24 month contract.
I was "somewhat miffed" to find DWMBO had accepted this deal as I'd been waiting to switch. Of course, when I called to exercise our legal cooling off rights, we got the hard sell - but I think the guy got the idea from the tone of my responses that he needn't try too long.
Didn't stop them trying to bill us an extra £280 in cancellation charges though. Took several hours with their online chat people to sort that out.