NSR: Getting out of celphone contract

[snowsprite]

Anyone here done this successfully? Please share your strategy. No guns or violence...I'm trying to stay out of the lowest pit of hell.
Sprite

[mr_gyptian]

they are worse than the mob, good luck. One of my moved to an area that Sprint did not cover. Their response: TS.

[spanky]

I tried with AT&T. I had one month left on my contract. I called and asked if I could just pay for that month and end the contract early. Their response was "If you end the contract before the end date, we'll charge you $175." No ifs, ands or buts.

The day after my contract expired, I switched to Verizon. I also dropped AT&T as my long distance provider as well. I know AT&T and AT&T wireless are 2 separate companies, but I didn't want any more dealings with anything related to AT&T!

[Spats]

If you've only got a few months left, it's usually cheaper to switch to the cheapest possible plan ($10-25) and wait it out, rather than paying the $175. Many companies will let you switch plans without extending the contract.

As far as wiggling out of it, generally you're SOL.

[Ubersheist]

Originally posted by spanky

The day after my contract expired, I switched to Verizon.

Be warned: Verizon is absolutely positively NO better. I've been haggling with them for a month now. I recently moved into an area where the coverage is pretty poor. I tried to use the card that my services were poor for the area, and therefore I should be able to get out of my contract. Thier answer: No dice. Keep coughing up each month for sh!tty service. As soon as my contract is up (which isn't for a long, long time), I'm throwing out my cell phone.

[Grange]

My sister was with AT&T and moved to an area with no service. She tried to get out of her contract and was SOL.

I currently have Sprint and am now without a contract (mine expired about a year ago). I am month to month should be able to cancel anytime I want. The problem is I moved to a new location and the only way they will give me a new number is if I sign a new contract. Now everytime I give my number to someone here they have to dial long distance even though if I am across the street.

[snowsprite]

I just filled out a complaint form w/ the Better Business bureau. The bastidge who sold me the phone never gave me a contract, nor did he tell me that they have a 30-day risk free period to back out.

Anyway, I think I am going to just let them try to slam me w/ the cancellation fee and then not pay it. They can try to charge my credit card, but I've already informed them not to honor any charges from AT&T or AT&T wireless. If it happens to slip by, I will contest it.

We'll see how it goes. I think I am going w/ nextel instead. I can get 14,000 freakin' flyer miles on Delta when I activate!

Sprite

Edit: I've only had the phone since April so I hold out some hope (maybe I'm naive!)

[basom]

http://www.scoopsnoodle.com/large/20...1122407-01.jpg

[Buzzworthy]

Originally posted by snowsprite
I just filled out a complaint form w/ the Better Business bureau. The bastidge who sold me the phone never gave me a contract, nor did he tell me that they have a 30-day risk free period to back out.

Anyway, I think I am going to just let them try to slam me w/ the cancellation fee and then not pay it. They can try to charge my credit card, but I've already informed them not to honor any charges from AT&T or AT&T wireless. If it happens to slip by, I will contest it.

We'll see how it goes. I think I am going w/ nextel instead. I can get 14,000 freakin' flyer miles on Delta when I activate!

Sprite

Edit: I've only had the phone since April so I hold out some hope (maybe I'm naive!)

You are in NYC?? Nextel will be great, but you are looking at a 2 year contract, no matter what. Their CS is so hard, even after you are over, you have to fight with them for 45 minutes to cancel. (last experience).

I used to be in the business. I have successfully gotten out of any contract I have had without ever paying a dime. Four years of slinging the evil things gave me some insight.

Give me some specifics and I may be able to help. It is all about finding the right person to talk to also.

Uber, Verizon has alwasy been the easiest to deal with in the past 6 years of my cell usage and selling/servicing them. FYI. ATT is the worst that I dealt with, Nextel was 2nd worst.

Snow, if you did it over the phone, they have records. If they did not tell you about a contract, you have the out right there. Problem is you have to prove it and get access to the tape. Did you sign anything? Verbal does not mean shit, even though they say it does, go higher up the ladder if you get that. Also, the 30 day period is in the paperwork you recieved with your phone (should be) so that has no bearing unless you actually did not receive anything.

If you want to pick this tiny brain, please go for it.

[snowsprite]

Thank you Buzz! I gotta run to exercise class...but I will PM you tonight.

Sprite

[Anxious Mo-Fo]

Originally posted by snowsprite
I think I am going w/ nextel instead. I can get 14,000 freakin' flyer miles on Delta when I activate!

I only counted 10,000 on the Delta Plan... where do the extra 4,000 come from?

[Buzzworthy]

Originally posted by snowsprite
Thank you Buzz! I gotta run to exercise class...but I will PM you tonight.

Sprite

Most likely you may not get a response till Monday though. I got the worlds slowest connection at home.

I will give you all the tricks I know. Plus you don't want to talk to me tonight, I am celebrating a promotion I got yesterday and there is a very good chance I will be drunk.

[mr_gyptian]

sprite,

cell phone providers zealously report people to credit rating agencies. $200 scheckels isn't worth it.

[snowsprite]

Originally posted by Anxious Mo-Fo
I only counted 10,000 on the Delta Plan... where do the extra 4,000 come from?

You get 7,000 per phone you activate and I'm getting two.

Sprite

[snowsprite]

mr gyptian...I'll bear that in mind!

Buzzworthy, hope you're enjoying your friday night. I'm about to make mine buzz-worthy too. Sam Adams is waiting!

Sprite

[Plakespear]

Most people I know with Nextel hate it.

[Anxious Mo-Fo]

Originally posted by Plakespear
Most people I know with Nextel hate it.

Does ANYONE have a cell phone plan that they can actually recommend? AT&T, Verizon, Nextel, Cingular, T-Mobile... last time I checked, they all suck in one way or another.

[DaveTV]

ATT Free2go - no contract! - what I use

[mrw]

Originally posted by Plakespear
Most people I know with Nextel hate it.

Yep, got one...hate it

[TJ.Brk]

Good luck. If you want to hear what is really fucked up. You know all those active military, Guard, and reserves over in Iraq right now. Well the Defense Dept is having one hell of a battle with cell phone companys. Our troops are over fighting a war and the cell phone company's are making them pay for their cell service plus the cancellation fee's.

Frankly I'm surprised this isn't big news. But then again the cable news networks are tied in with the company's that own those cell networks.

But if you contract will cost you more than the cancellation fee, then you are stuck paying the cancellation fee.

Quite frankly I got rid of my cell phone. Much happier without it.

[rtp]

I use sprint and a realativly happy with it. I travel quite a bit and it gets go reception almost every where I go.

[frerad]

I have Cingular with a low end plan (300 normal, 3500 wkend/nights) for 29.99 (no long distance charges if I am calling from within my home area of 7 western states).

Never had any problem with it and just re-upped for 2 years to get a better phone, since the old one was... old.

I believe Cingular just bought AT&T Wireless also.

[SponsoredByDuctTape]

I recently switched from Verizon to Cingular. Had to terminate my Verizon plan early. I had like nine months left, so I just paid the $150 - cheaper than sticking it out. And as far as I know, Verizon won't let you go into cheaper plans. "Oh yeah, you can pay more, but you can't pay less."

The only problem I had with Verizon was that the Motorola phone had a crappy antennae that kept breaking. The dudes at the Verizon store fixed it for free a couple of times, but I couldn't get a new phone. They wouldn't let me upgrade the phone unless I paid full retail for it. They said if I wanted to replace the phone, I'd have to talk to Motorola. Motorola said I had to go through Verizon. Round and round we went. I've had no problems with Cingular.

A friend of mine who used to run a Verizon store suggested that you negotiate with the new cell company to pay your cancellation fee for the old company. If they won't pay it all, they might be willing to split it with you, via credit or rebates or something, to get your business.