[P.H.A.D.E]

There is a little known secret about your cell phone contract that your wireless service provider doesn't want you to know.

You can cancel whenever you want without paying a termination fee.

Plenty of people have tried arguing with a customer service rep. Some have tried threatening legal action. Others just flat out refuse to pay and several months later find that they are being pursued by a collection agency.But there actually is a way to terminate your contract early AND avoid the early termination fee. All you have to do is get them to cancel you.

There is a very simple way to do this. Become unprofitable.
If you're paying them $50 a month but costing them a few hundred - They most definitely will cancel you.

So how is it done? A few years back you might of noticed that everyone stopped paying roaming fees. One wireless giant started the "no more roaming charges" program, and the rest followed like the sheep that they are. But just because you are no longer paying the $0.69/min doesn't mean your provider gets off scott free.

Even though you stopped paying for roaming charges years ago, your wireless service provider has been eating the costs. This is done to keep complaints to a minimum, and of course, you as their customer.
So let's do the math.
At $0.69 a minute, a 2 hour long call in a roaming spot just cost your carrier almost $83.00
Even with some of the higher end plans, this would still be quite a hit.

**Let Me Know If You Guys Want More Info On This**

[patrick.waugh]

Yep, you go right ahead and get yourself cancelled, and ruin your credit so next month you'll be on a pay-as-you-go plan.

That is the plan for you if you don't believe in honoring contracts you enter into voluntarily.

Good luck with your new phone.

Patrick

[pioneerfarmer20]

I had a horrible time trying to deal with Sprint. Finally, I just told them that we were promised better service and in fact hardly had ANY service and they cancelled with no fees what so ever.

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[Blacklatino]

I'm not leaving my carrier. However, I am curious on how this ends

[TfD]

The customer care reps have a lot more power than you think.
Be nice, ask, don't get all huffy, and usually good things happen.

[Apollo_Creed]

You can also call everyday like some people did that just were constantly complaining about service. They keep records of your phone calls. Three times a day is not bad. That's why Sprint dropped some people about a year ago. Anytime you call, tell them something negative about the service and keep asking to speak to a supervisor. Don't tell them what you're trying to do, that will come in time, at least within 2 to 3 weeks. Just playing Devils Advocate. By the way, sooner or later they will get tired of hearing your voice and will dismiss you.

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[P.H.A.D.E]

Maybe I Should've Put A Different Title On The Thread!!!

I'm NOT Leaving My Carrier!!

This Is Just A Little Something For Anybody That Just Wants To Leave Their Carrier ASAP And Doesn't Want To Pay The ETF!!


Soooo No, I Didn't Get Ahead Of My Self:

Yep, you go right ahead and get yourself cancelled, and ruin your credit so next month you'll be on a pay-as-you-go plan.

That is the plan for you if you don't believe in honoring contracts you enter into voluntarily.

Good luck with your new phone.

Patrick

And No I'm Not Getting All Huffy:

The customer care reps have a lot more power than you think.
Be nice, ask, don't get all huffy, and usually good things happen.

PS: I'm Not Taking It As Criticism, I'm Just Clearing Things Up!!

[jgostained]

This might work for att because I have several friends who they have canceled due to being out of the network coverage area but I personally have been off Tmobiles network since I signed up with them I live about 5 hours to the closest tmobile location and they know it they always ask me when I call into customer service how my service is out there and I tell them great! These big companies make 90 percent of their money off 10 percent of their clients they are not worried about one person roaming nonstop in my opinion

[wirelessforever]

Yep, you go right ahead and get yourself cancelled, and ruin your credit so next month you'll be on a pay-as-you-go plan.

I cancelled AT&T service a few years back because their service was just completely H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E in West Los Angeles. I talked to several customer service reps and sent several emails requesting the termination of my service. I noted that I wished my service terminated at the end of the month (with more than 2 weeks' notice). I indicated that I was willing to pay the Early Termination Fee but no other charges other than the ETF and my normal end of cycle fees.

AT&T kept arguing with me and refusing to close my account. Two weeks turned into 6 weeks. They finally billed me the early termination fee and an additional month's service (which I did not ask for and told them not to provide). I told them that I would pay their extortion fee ... err I mean their early termination fee but under no circumstances would I agree to an additional month of service that I never asked for.

They refused to correct the bill. I refused to pay until I received a correct bill. They did send me to a collection agency. I kept telling them that I would agree to pay the ETF but not the extra month that I never asked for. The collection agency agreed to settle the bill for 1/2 price (which would have been less than the ETF) and I refused. This went on for months. There was never a resolution. AT&T finally just dropped the matter.

That is the plan for you if you don't believe in honoring contracts you enter into voluntarily.

This is silly beyond words. If the CARRIER doesn't honor their commitments and responsibility, why should the consumer.

And the ENTIRE concept of an ETF should be made illegal under the federal RICO statues (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act). No where else in life does a group of businesses conspire against the consumer to rip them off for going to another company.

Does McDonalds charge you a fee if you go to Burger King? NO

Does your dentist charge you a fee if you go to a new dentist? NO

Does your water company charge you a fee if you move and go to a different water company? NO

Does your power company charge you a fee if you move and go to a different power company? NO

Does your landline phone provider charge you a new if you move and go to a different landline phone company? NO

This CONSUMER RIP OFF exists no where else in life. I've never understood the concept of defending it.

[Duvi]

Yeah, but does McDonalds discount your meal to buy from the montly?

Does your dentist give you a discount on the deductibles to stay with them?

Does your water company give you a discount on your water bill to stay with them for two years.

Does your power company give you a discount on you power bill to stay with them for two years.

Does your landline company give you a discount on cordless phones?


Your able to bring your own $600 dollar device and start up service with at&t. Prepaid son!

Wireless carriers aren't ripping you off when they give you a razr for free and you sign the dotted line, but when another carrier has what you want, its a rip off. I bet if the made all their non-prepid plans contract free and charged you $400-$800 for a phone, you would still call it a rip off. Its called subsidy man.

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[Eric_V]

I got out of my contract when Sprint changed some fees they were charging. A lot easier than calling three times a day and going to areas out of service.

[janessaclark]

Yeah riiiight they have your Social, you just let me know how much it's gone down after they cancelled you.

[wirelessforever]

Does your dentist give you a discount on the deductibles to stay with them??

Neither does any cell phone carrier I've ever used give me any such discount

Does your water company give you a discount on your water bill to stay with them for two years.

Neither does any cell phone carrier I've ever used give me any such discount

Does your power company give you a discount on you power bill to stay with them for two years.

Neither does any cell phone carrier I've ever used give me any such discount

Does your landline company give you a discount on cordless phones?

Neither does any cell phone carrier I've ever used give me any such discount

Prepaid son!

More sillyness beyond words.

Would you pay your water bill on a prepaid basis? Run out of water 2 days before the end of the month and not have water until you refresh your "water card?" NO.

Would you pay your electric bill on a prepaid basis? Run out of electricity 2 days before the end of the month and not have electricity until you refresh your "electricity card?" NO.

Would you pay your cable TV bill on a prepaid basis? Run out of cable TV 2 days before the end of the month and not have TV until you refresh your "TV card?" NO.

No other company requires you to pay extortion in order to use a basic service of life. Prepaid? RIDICULOUS. You don't run the rest of your life like that. It AMAZES me how people defend this RIDICULOUS practice which is nothing other than extortion.

Wireless carriers aren't ripping you off when they give you a razr for free and you sign the dotted line, but when another carrier has what you want, its a rip off. I bet if the made all their non-prepid plans contract free and charged you $400-$800 for a phone, you would still call it a rip off. Its called subsidy man.

You make a LOT of ridiculous assumptions and conclusions without any basis in fact.

Over the last ten years I have had numerous phones. With the exception of my current Curve, ALL of my previous phones have been unbranded phones NOT purchased from any carrier. So your argument is bunk.

Secondly, with respect to my Curve, I HAD to buy this from my carrier because it was impractical to get it anywhere else. I paid $250 for my Curve the first day it was released and I'll d*mn well guarantee you it did not cost RIM or my carrier $250 to manufacture and sell that phone to me. Subsidy? Ridiculous.

Carriers have colluded for years with this ETF nonsense and it should be made illegal. It is basically a violation of U.S. anti-trust laws and should be investigated and shut down by the U.S. Justice Department.

[sarahnkids]

"Would you pay your cable TV bill on a prepaid basis? Run out of cable TV 2 days before the end of the month and not have TV until you refresh your "TV card?" NO"

Just FYI, you do pay your cable bill 1 month in advance


But on topic... good luck getting out of a contract. Thats why it's called a contract.

[Garz]

Wirelessforever - I know you stated above that you settled with the collection agency for half of the bill but you did not get the best of ATT. They got the best of you because the collection will still be on your credit report but it will show as a paid collection. That's still a big negative on your credit score.

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[scotts11]

Yea but the problem with the mcdonalds example is that they don't have you sign a contract to eat exclusively with them.

I agree the ETF is wrong but thats what you get for getting that brand new blackberry for 100 bux or even free. Everyone makes a sacrifice when their kids want a sidekick and you have AT&T-Verizon-Sprint...I mean i wouldnt know im nowhere near having kids.

But take it from someone who works for AT&T, the company's work for YOU, whether you believe it or not..they all spend millions upon millions of dollars on devices, customer service, and most importantly their network.

you can either pay FULL price for a phone and stay out of contract or you can save yourself the money and hassle by signing a 2 year or maybe a year contract, getting that brand new curve for 100 or even free and being happy

[wirelessforever]

Wirelessforever - I know you stated above that you settled with the collection agency for half of the bill but you did not get the best of ATT. They got the best of you because the collection will still be on your credit report but it will show as a paid collection. That's still a big negative on your credit score.

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A.) That is NOT what I said. I said they OFFERED to settle for 1/2. And I refused. In other words, they refused to correctly send me a bill but agreed to settle for less later. I told them that I would NEVER settle with them under any cirsumstances unless and until they sent me a proper bill. A proper bill being their extortion fee (which I agreed to pay) minus the month's service which I did not ask for, did not want and did not use. Just another example of how horrible AT&T is.

B.) I've never had any retribution on my credit score from AT&T and I'd sue them if I did. I have a FILE of emails telling them to close my account. They have not a leg to stand on. Statute of limitations is almost up but if they send me a correct bill, I'll pay them tommorow. Years and years and they still can't figure out how to add up a correct bill.

AT&T simply stinks.

[Garz]

Scotts11 - that is very true!

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[wirelessforever]

they all spend millions upon millions of dollars on devices, customer service, and most importantly their network.

Any idea how expensive a nuclear reactor is to produce electricity?

Any idea how expensive a dam is to build a reservoir to provide water?

Any idea how expensive it is to build a McDonalds? ('bout a million)

ETFs have nothing to do with carrier costs. There are ka-zillions of businesses who have significant operating budgets but don't extort and blackmail money from their customers.

There isn't an electricity company in America who doesn't have HUGE operating costs and HUGE liability exposure. Cell phone companies are kids play by comparison. (and no electric company I've ever heard of charges ETFS to get their service).

you can either pay FULL price for a phone and stay out of contract

Simply not true. Carriers ALL require a contract to get service. Even if you bring your own equipment. And if you believe that cell phone companies are losing money giving away plastic Nokias at $19.99 with a contract, you need to study economics. Made in China, they probably cost $2.00 to manufacture.

[cate]

i know cingular (yes, cingular at the time) dropped me because i was "off network". they sent me notices & they helped me purchase a new phone when i switched over to verizon.

it was pretty crappy, but oh well.

[Garz]

Maybe $2 to manufacture but the providers but providers pay much more. Contracts don't bother me. I'm always going to have a cell so it really does not matter and I have not jumped ship in 9 years. I get to upgrade every 12 months so I'm happy with that.

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[brownieangel23]

Another way to get out of a cell phone contract is to cancel within 30 of a price change. I know with Sprint there is a clause that state something like "customer has 30 day to cancel service after notice of price change is giving" (something to that effect). By the company raising rate it voids the contract. By not cancelling you are now agreeing to the new terms. I know for a fact that this is true b/c I just got a letter from Sprint informing me of a price change and in the letter it stated I have 30 days to leave without paying a ETF

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[Garz]

I have never had a rate change. I have been on the same plan for about 5 years now and will not change it since the plans now cost more money with less minutes.

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[wirelessforever]

i know cingular (yes, cingular at the time) dropped me because i was "off network". they sent me notices & they helped me purchase a new phone when i switched over to verizon.

it was pretty crappy, but oh well.

There you are. I've missed you!

Verizon is ok. Not crazy about CDMA. Want a technology that will work anywhere (not just USA, North Korea and South Africa). Lotsa billing problems. But overall good coverage in most big cities. And pretty good coverage in Los Angeles.

I'm still happiest with TMo.

[brownieangel23]

Rate change are usually very rare b/c then everyone would use the chance to leave

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