This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013.
There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 1,672,045 times.
In today’s environment, a cellphone is as close to being a human appendage as something can get, without actually being attached to your body. And dissatisfaction—on one level or another—with cellphone plan carriers is pretty much a universal lament. Terminating a cellphone contract before its end date can be a daunting task, even for the most disgruntled customer. However, depending on your particular situation, there are methods that may be assist you in your efforts to cancel the agreement.
Canceling a Cellular Service PlanTo get out of a phone service contract, contact your plan's customer service. You can also try to sell your plan, contact a different carrier for help, or view your contract for loopholes.
Method 1 of 7:
Notify your carrier that you want to terminate. This is a logical first step in attempting to get out of your contract. Unfortunately, it’s probably also the least likely to succeed—unless you have some very valid reasons for the request. And even then, it will be difficult.
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Request to speak with a manager. It’s a good bet that you won’t have any success with a lower-tier customer service representative. If that’s the case, ask to speak with a manager. This individual may have more authority when it comes to making decisions on terminating the contract. [3] X Research source
Contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB). If your complaint relates primarily to poor phone service, file a complaint with the BBB. You can also register a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Once you’ve done that, try contacting your carrier again, to let them know the actions you’ve taken. You may find them more receptive. [4] X Research source
Advertisement Method 2 of 7:
Find someone willing to buy into your existing plan. The odds are that you either know someone, or have access to someone, who’s looking to change his or her cellphone plan. Ask around to your friends and family. You could also post a query on your social media sites. Obviously, make sure you’re dealing with someone who’s reliable and financially stable, if you expect the carrier to approve the change. [6] X Research source
Consider swapping plans with someone. If you’re not having any success finding someone to buy your plan, you might want to look into swapping plans, in which case you literally switch your plan with someone else’s. You’re a bit more limited in this scenario, because you’ll need to find an individual who currently has a plan you’re interested in—and vice versa. [7] X Research source
Determine the amount of your existing Early Termination Fee (ETF). One of the reasons people don’t leave a carrier they’re unhappy with is because of the dreaded ETF. However, carriers do prorate their ETF, basing the amount owed on the time remaining in your contract. [9] X Research source Call your carrier to determine the amount you’d be liable for if you terminated your agreement. You can also look here for an ETF calculator.
Check competing major cellphone plan carriers. Once you’ve figured out what your ETF is, research other major carriers (the major carriers are usually considered to be Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile [10] X Research source ) to find a plan that works for you. Once you’ve done that, contact the carrier to see if it would be willing to absorb your ETF if you made the switch to their service. [11] X Research source
Obtain a copy of your contract from your carrier. If you don’t have a copy of your cellphone plan agreement, contact your carrier to get a copy. If for some reason the carrier doesn’t have it, then it's possible that there is no contract. That could be your way out. This is probably unlikely to happen, but you never know. [14] X Research source
Check the contract for any terms referencing contract modifications. When you do get your contract, read through it carefully. See if there are any terms that talk about potential modifications to the agreement, and make note of them.
Find out if there’s a grace period. If you’ve just signed up for a plan, and are struck with instant buyer’s remorse, don’t wait to take action. You probably have a grace period (usually 14 days) within which you can cancel the agreement. Check your contract immediately, or call the carrier to find out the exact timeframe for cancellation. [17] X Research source
Follow the proper procedure for cancelling. Determine if there’s a particular method that you have to use to take advantage of the grace period cancellation provision. See if merely speaking with a customer service representative is enough, or if you have to submit a request in writing.
Return the phone. Assuming you haven’t bought your phone outright from the carrier, obviously they’re going to want it back. Again, find out how the carrier wants that done, and act accordingly. Also, don’t be surprised if you’re assessed a restocking fee of about $35. [18] X Research source
Advertisement Method 6 of 7:
Air your grievances on social media sites. If you have a legitimate complaint against the carrier, and you’ve had no success dealing with the various levels of customer service, you can always take your gripe online. Obviously, the more Facebook or Twitter followers you have, the better. And don’t hesitate to encourage your readers to re-post what you’ve written.
Use appropriate hashtags. Mention the carrier in the hashtag to your posts. You want to make sure that the carrier is specifically referenced, so that other dissatisfied customers of the company can find your posts more easily.
Notify customer service if you’re getting significant activity. If you find that your posts are getting a lot of views, you might want to consider contacting your carrier’s customer service department again, to let them know of the success of your campaign. They’d really prefer not to have their company’s public relations crisis management team get involved in the dispute if at all possible. That might be enough for them to let you go without a fight. [19] X Research source
Advertisement Method 7 of 7:
Consider paying the ETF. Sometimes it just pays to fork over the ETF, and be done with the aggravation. If you’ve made up your mind that this is the route you want to take, find out the exact amount you owe by contacting the carrier directly.
Cancel the contract and pay the fee. Notify the carrier of your decision. You may have to do this by phone, so a terribly distraught customer service representative can try to convince you to ease his or her pain by staying with the company. Maybe they’ll offer you an incentive to stay, like a phone upgrade even if you’re not due for one. If an incentive doesn’t do it for you, find out how the ETF will be paid, cancel, and bid the carrier farewell.
Think about selling your current phone. You’re probably planning on moving to a new carrier, and taking advantage of one of their phone offers (especially since trying to convert your current phone to a new carrier’s system can be a hassle, at best). If that’s the case, think about selling your phone as a way of offsetting some of the ETF you had to pay. Companies like Gazelle.com and Glyde.com handle these types of transactions. [20] X Research source
AdvertisementIf a carrier makes a “materially adverse” change to your agreement, you usually have 30 days to take action. It’s incumbent on you to carefully review each new bill you receive, to see if a change has been made. [21] X Research source
Under Federal law, some members of the armed forces can be exempt from paying ETF’s. If you’ve been relocated to another base, or deployed overseas, you’re probably exempt if your cell service doesn’t work in your new location, or if you’re not permitted to use a phone while you’re there. [22] X Research source
Don’t fabricate complaints to try to get out of your contract. A legitimate complaint is one thing—attempting to defraud the carrier is something else.
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This article was co-authored by Clinton M. Sandvick, JD, PhD. Clinton M. Sandvick worked as a civil litigator in California for over 7 years. He received his JD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 and his PhD in American History from the University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 1,672,045 times.
How helpful is this? Co-authors: 73 Updated: April 10, 2024 Views: 1,672,045 Categories: Featured Articles | Phone PlansEasy Ways to View Your Airtel Postpaid & Prepaid Data Usage
How to Use Your Cell Phone Plan on Your Tablet
3 Easy Ways to Obtain Your Straight Talk Account Number
How to Check Your Glo Night Plan Data Balance: 5 Ways
