Focus Group Early Termination Fee: What to Expect When You Try to Leave

"Astronomical" Is the Word Trustpilot Reviewers Actually Use

On uk.trustpilot.com/review/focusgroup.co.uk you will find more than one 1-star review describing the final bill after cancellation using words like "astronomical", "outrageous", "punitive" and "nothing like what we were told". If you are considering cancelling a Focus Group contract and you want to know what you are walking into, start here.

We are Compare The Networks, an independent, OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service, helping UK businesses compare mobile, VoIP and broadband deals since 2008. We are not affiliated with Focus Group. This article explains how Focus Group early termination fees typically work, why they feel so punishing, and — crucially — when you might have grounds to challenge them.

Why Business Telecoms ETFs Are So Brutal

Consumer telecoms contracts are regulated. OFCOM caps, cooling-off periods and clear price-change rules apply. Business contracts — the kind Focus Group sells — are a different animal entirely.

On a typical B2B VoIP or mobile contract, if you cancel early, the provider's standard calculation is something like:

Remaining months × monthly charge = early termination fee

So on a 36-month contract at £150 a month, cancelling at month 6 leaves 30 months × £150 = £4,500 payable in a single lump sum, often within 14 or 28 days. That is the raw arithmetic. No discount for the fact that Focus Group no longer has to deliver the service. No reduction for the costs they no longer incur.

That is why reviewers use words like "astronomical".

The Four Scenarios for Leaving Focus Group

Scenario 1: Your Contract Has Expired

If you are past the minimum term and out of the renewal notice window, you can leave without paying an ETF. Check your contract for the notice period (often 90 days) and serve written notice. Our leave Focus Group guide walks through this step by step.

Scenario 2: You Are Still Inside the Minimum Term

This is where the fee bites. Expect to pay the remaining monthly charges for the rest of the term, often as a single lump sum. See the maths above.

Scenario 3: You Have a Misselling or Unauthorised-Charges Claim

If you were mis-sold the contract, or if services appearing on your invoice were never authorised by you, you may be able to exit without paying the ETF. CISAS can order the contract cancelled. See our misselling article and unauthorised charges article.

Scenario 4: Focus Group Has Materially Breached The Contract

If the service has been down for extended periods — and several Trustpilot reviewers describe exactly this — you may have a material breach argument. See our outages article and post-cancellation billing article.

How to Calculate Your Focus Group Early Termination Fee

Step 1: Find Your Contract Start Date and Term Length

Check your signed contract. If you do not have it, ask Focus Group in writing to send it. If they cannot, that is itself a problem — see our contract problems article.

Step 2: Find Your Monthly Charge

Look at your most recent invoice. Use the total monthly charge, not just the headline mobile or VoIP line.

Step 3: Find Your Minimum End Date

Add the term length to the start date. 24 months from 1 March 2025 is 1 March 2027.

Step 4: Calculate Remaining Months

From today to the minimum end date, in months. Round up, because Focus Group will.

Step 5: Multiply

Remaining months × monthly charge. Add any handset finance balance if applicable.

Step 6: Add VAT

The result is usually quoted plus VAT.

Worked Example

36-month contract started 1 January 2025
Monthly charge: £240 including VoIP, mobiles and broadband
You want to cancel on 1 July 2026
Remaining months: 30
ETF: 30 × £240 = £7,200 (plus VAT if applicable and plus any device finance balance)

That is a lot of money to pay in a single lump sum. It is why many businesses feel trapped.

The "Astronomical" Complaint: Where It Gets Worse

Several Trustpilot reviewers describe the final ETF figure being higher than a straight remaining-months calculation would produce. Possible reasons include:

Discounts reversed: If you were on a promotional rate for the first 12 months of a 36-month contract, the ETF may be calculated on the standard rate for the whole remaining term, not the discounted rate you were actually paying.
Handset finance balloon: If handsets or VoIP phones were subsidised, the balance becomes payable.
"Restoration" or early-exit admin fees: Buried in the terms.
Cessation charges: Openreach ceases on connectivity products can cost hundreds.

Always ask for the ETF breakdown in writing. Line by line. You are entitled to it.

Can You Challenge an "Astronomical" ETF?

Maybe. UK contract law distinguishes between:

A genuine pre-estimate of loss (enforceable)
A penalty clause (unenforceable)

The modern test, from the Supreme Court case Cavendish v Makdessi (2015), is whether the clause is "out of all proportion to any legitimate interest" the provider has in enforcing the contract.

If the ETF charges you the full remaining monthly revenue, with no deduction for costs Focus Group no longer incurs (call carriage, license fees, support time saved), that is arguably out of proportion to their actual loss. It is an argument — not a guarantee — and you would need to run it through complaint and CISAS to test it.

In practice, providers often settle for a reduced ETF when challenged seriously. It is worth pushing back. The worst outcome of pushing back is that you pay the original amount.

The Critical Rule: Everything in Writing

We cannot say this often enough. When you tell Focus Group you want to cancel, they may phone you. They may offer a "deal" to stay. They may quote an ETF that sounds reasonable.

Get every figure and every offer in writing.

If they call: "Please put that in writing and email it to me." Any legitimate offer can be confirmed by email. Any legitimate ETF calculation can be provided in writing. If they refuse, that is evidence for CISAS.

Sometimes Paying The ETF Is Still the Right Move

This surprises people, but run the maths. If:

Your current Focus Group bill is £500/month
A comparable deal with a direct network or honest alternative provider is £300/month
You save £200/month = £2,400/year

If the ETF is £5,000 and you have 24 months left, paying the ETF and switching saves £2,400 × 2 = £4,800 over the remaining period. Net saving: £0 in year one, £2,400 in year two, and you are free at the end of year two rather than still in year three on the old contract.

Even breaking even makes sense if it ends the operational headaches. Our leave Focus Group guide covers the mechanics. Get a free quote for what the alternative actually costs.

Steps to Cancel Cleanly

Get your contract. Find it in your inbox or request it in writing from Focus Group.
Calculate your ETF. Use the method above. Ask Focus Group for their figure in writing too.
Check for grounds to exit without ETF. Misselling, unauthorised services, material breach.
Compare replacement options before you serve notice. You do not want to be without a phone system on day one. Get a free quote, VoIP quote or virtual landline.
Serve notice in writing. Email, not phone.
Port your numbers. You are legally entitled to port your numbers to a new provider.
Confirm the final bill in writing before paying.
Watch for post-cancellation invoicing. See our post-cancellation billing article.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a Focus Group early termination fee calculated?

Typically remaining months multiplied by your current monthly charge, often with promotional discounts reversed and any handset finance balance added on. Always get the breakdown in writing.

Why are Trustpilot reviewers calling Focus Group ETFs "astronomical"?

Because on multi-year contracts — 24 or 36 months is standard — the raw remaining-revenue calculation can produce very large numbers. A £150/month contract cancelled at month 6 of 36 produces a £4,500 ETF before VAT.

Can I refuse to pay an unreasonable ETF?

You can challenge it. Under the Cavendish v Makdessi test, a clause "out of all proportion to any legitimate interest" is unenforceable as a penalty. Complain in writing, escalate to CISAS if unresolved.

What if I have a misselling claim?

If you were mis-sold, or if services were added without your consent, you may be able to exit without paying the ETF. See our misselling and unauthorised charges articles.

Will Focus Group reduce the ETF if I push back?

They sometimes do, especially if there are genuine service issues or disputed charges. Put everything in writing, keep the tone factual, and be prepared to escalate to CISAS if needed.

Get an Honest Quote Before You Sign Anywhere

Get a free quote and we will compare real business telecoms options. Transparent pricing, 24-month terms, written ETFs.

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About this article. Claims reported here are attributed to public reviews on Trustpilot and similar platforms. They represent the opinions of the reviewers cited, not statements of fact by Compare The Networks. Brands named may dispute these claims. If you are a brand representative who believes any content requires correction, please contact us.

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