Moving abroad. Can I break contract?

**kyroguy** · 04-13-2012, 08:30 PM

Just like the title says, I am leaving the country for school and will therefore be way out of Verizons coverage area. I need to get out of my contract one way or another. I don't want to pay the ETF but realize that I may not have a choice.

Is there any chance that they will just let me out? I have been a subscriber x2 for over 8 years with nearly half of that being full blown smartphone plans. Will they consider the money they have already made off of me? How about discounting the ETF? I have heard of people moving to areas of poor/no coverage and being let out of contracts for that reason. Is that just a myth? I resigned my contract right before they went to tiered data, I think that was July?

Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

**Super_Mario** · 04-14-2012, 10:03 AM

They actually stopped that policy about a year and a half ago. So now, even moving out of the country doesn't warrant a waiver. Since you're breaking the contract, looks like you'll need to pay.

**Spensil** · 04-18-2012, 04:29 PM

^ What he said. I moved to Brazil a few months ago, and I tried to cancel my contract. They told me the same thing, that the policy was changed and you could no longer cancel without ETF for moving out of the country. Apparently people were faking the move and then reactivating or changing companies. I keep the account, and just keep it suspended until I decide to go back to the US ($15 per 90 days). If you haven't used it, you can unlock one phone per year to be used on another network. I use my Verizon CDMA Torch 9850 on one of Brazil's GSM networks.

EDIT: Alternately, if you still have one of those unlimited data plans (I have such a plan, which is why I'm keeping it suspended), you could offer on craigslist or something for someone to take over the contract. There are always people looking for those grandfathered unlimited data plans.

**CharlesH** · 04-19-2012, 11:51 AM

I know it doesn't apply in the OP's case, but I expect that Verizon will still let active military servicepeople out of their contract if they get transferred to an area without Verizon service, but they require official military paperwork to support the claim. I don't know how they deal with the case where the orders are subject to security restrictions.

**Jared DiPane** · 04-19-2012, 11:53 AM

You could likely transfer the service to someone else if you have unlimited data.

People are looking for that, especially since they could change it to 4G and use it on other devices as well.

**Super_Mario** · 04-19-2012, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesH

I know it doesn't apply in the OP's case, but I expect that Verizon will still let active military servicepeople out of their contract if they get transferred to an area without Verizon service, but they require official military paperwork to support the claim. I don't know how they deal with the case where the orders are subject to security restrictions.

Yeah they will cancel or suspend for military but if you actually read the OPs post, they state they are going out of the country for school.

**stackberry369** · 04-19-2012, 03:51 PM

Doesn't bigred have international data plans?

**Artemis68** · 04-22-2012, 05:24 AM

They only stop service for you for free if you're military. If not, you are out of luck. I suggest eating the ETF and sell the phone to make up for the cost? VZW has horrid roaming options and i would not use them overseas at all.

Sent from my VZW Thunderbolt.