The Hidden Risks in “Set‑and‑Forget” Telecom and Cloud Contracts

Telecom and cloud services often fall into a dangerous category: “they seem to be working, so we don’t touch them.” While understandable, that mindset can quietly create risk and waste over time.

In this post, we’ll look at why “set and forget” is risky—and how to regain control without disrupting your business.

Pricing changes while you’re not looking

The market for connectivity, cloud, and voice changes quickly. New technologies emerge, competition increases, and pricing shifts. If your contracts are more than a couple of years old, you may be paying yesterday’s rates in today’s market.

On top of that, many contracts:

• Start with discounted rates that expire.

• Include step‑up clauses where prices rise over time.

• Add fees when you change or add services.

If you’re not actively managing these contracts, you can end up paying significantly more than a new customer for the same service—or paying more for less capable technology.

Technology and security don’t stand still

Your business has probably changed since you first signed those contracts:

• More cloud apps, more remote workers, more devices.

• New security and compliance requirements.

• Different customer expectations for uptime and responsiveness.

A network or security service that fit your needs three years ago may now be a bottleneck or a blind spot. The longer you go without reviewing the architecture, the more likely it is you’re carrying technology debt: outdated services that quietly increase risk.

Evergreen auto‑renewals reduce your leverage

Many telecom and cloud contracts auto‑renew for another full term unless you cancel or renegotiate within a specific window—often 30–120 days before the term ends.

If you don’t track those dates:

• You can roll into a new term at unfavorable rates.

• You lose the leverage of being “near the end of contract” when negotiating.

• You may get stuck with services that no longer fit your needs.

Simply knowing renewal dates and notice periods is a big step toward avoiding unpleasant surprises.

A simple contract health check

You don’t need to be a lawyer to run a contract health check. For each major service:

• Note the term end date and required notice period to avoid auto‑renewal.

• Tag the service as Critical, Important, or Nice to Have based on business impact.

• Estimate the monthly cost and whether you’ve added or changed services over time.

Then ask:

• Has the price changed since the contract started?

• Has your usage changed significantly?

• Has your business changed in ways that might demand a different solution?

If the answer is “yes” on multiple fronts, it’s time to put that contract on a watch list.

How to break out of “set and forget”

You don’t need to renegotiate everything at once. Start with:

• The top 3–5 contracts by monthly spend.

• Any contracts renewing in the next 6–12 months.

• Services that support critical revenue or compliance functions.

For each of these, explore whether there are better options or opportunities to right‑size, consolidate, or modernize. This might involve talking to your existing provider, looking at alternative providers, or working with a neutral advisor who can benchmark the market.

The payoff

Moving away from “set and forget” doesn’t mean constant upheaval. It means:

• Fewer unpleasant surprises at renewal time.

• A network, voice, and cloud environment aligned to how your business actually runs today.

• The chance to free budget for new initiatives rather than overspending on old ones.

A bit of proactive attention to telecom and cloud contracts can deliver outsized returns in both savings and risk reduction.