For those on AT&T, WARNING: Early Termination fees raise June 1st!

[adseguy]

I was reading the 7 ways an iPhone is better then Android thing when I saw that June 1st AT&T's termination fees go from the usual $175 to $325!!! WHHHHAAATTTT?? I've got an iPhone 3GS right now so I'm in that category

1.) Is this true?

2.) What can I do to avoid this? Can I cancel now and keep my number? Can I cancel now and just get an EVO plan BEFORE the EVO comes out. Obviously I don't care either way I just want to make sure I keep my number AND not get charged the extra $150.

 

[sikclown]

I was reading the 7 ways an iPhone is better then Android thing when I saw that June 1st AT&T's termination fees go from the usual $175 to $325!!! WHHHHAAATTTT?? I've got an iPhone 3GS right now so I'm in that category

1.) Is this true?

2.) What can I do to avoid this? Can I cancel now and keep my number? Can I cancel now and just get an EVO plan BEFORE the EVO comes out. Obviously I don't care either way I just want to make sure I keep my number AND not get charged the extra $150.

That early termination fee only applies to customers that sign a new contract in June. Current customers signed a contract with the $175.00. If they change the terms of that contract you signed last year then you can cancel it without an ETF. Call AT&T to find out if the are in fact changing your contract.. If so you can cancel with no ETF, again because you did not sign for 325.00

 

[reallynotnick]

You can not sign up for an iPhone AFTER June 1st... aka it's not retroactive.

 

[Hairydawg75]

Only applies to new contracts....you have nothing to worry about unless you renew your contract with AT&T after June 1st

 

[phantomevo77]

Correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't AT&T dock $5 off the $175 each month you are in the contract?

This is in the AT&T contract terms...

Cancellations/Early Termination Fee: An Early Termination Fee of $175 may be assessed against you in the event that you terminate your Wireless Service Agreement and/or selected plan before the expiration of its term. For Service activated on or after May 25, 2008, the Early Termination Fee will be reduced by $5.00 for each full month toward your minimum term that you complete

 

[TheBlackPrince]

Glad they aren't retroactively raising them. Which I guess they technically could do if they worded the previous contract right

 

[MarqBland]

Glad they aren't retroactively raising them. Which I guess they technically could do if they worded the previous contract right

Too bad they aren't actually. Anytime a cell phone company makes changes to your contract, you have the right to cancel your contract ETF-free. That's the law...they are changing your contract so you have the right to do so. For instance, when Sprint took the price for the per-message texting fee from like $.10 or $.15 to $.20, there was a window of time for people that were affected by that rate could call and cancel their contract with no fee. That's what I did for my parents because I had finished college and wanted to get off of their family plan. Worked just fine, so too bad that AT&T isn't making it retroactive because you'd definitely be able to cancel for free.

 

[evotitans]

Too bad they aren't actually. Anytime a cell phone company makes changes to your contract, you have the right to cancel your contract ETF-free. That's the law...they are changing your contract so you have the right to do so. For instance, when Sprint took the price for the per-message texting fee from like $.10 or $.15 to $.20, there was a window of time for people that were affected by that rate could call and cancel their contract with no fee. That's what I did for my parents because I had finished college and wanted to get off of their family plan. Worked just fine, so too bad that AT&T isn't making it retroactive because you'd definitely be able to cancel for free.

Basically its a sucker play for when the new iPhone(NO I do not call it 4G) is released. Something tells me that there really might be another iPhone for another carrier sometime within the next year.

Its a great chess move by AT&T, new ETF before release, and then when all its current customers I suckered into buying the new iPhone they are stuck for 2 years.

So when these customers do the upgrade, new contract, new ETF with alot higher cost to get out.

 

[katmandoo122]

Correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't AT&T dock $5 off the $175 each month you are in the contract?

This is in the AT&T contract terms...

That is true, although after June 1, it will be $10 per month for new contracts with a SmartPhone.

 

[adseguy]

Thanks guys!!! False alarm!

 

[Rigmaster]

ATT is doing what they can to keep customers. They bumped up upgrade eligibility, changed the ETF for new contracts starting June 1, and have been instrumental in getting AAPL to release the new iPhone in early to mid-June.

The moves will reduce but not stop the exodus. When Evo and next iPhone are side-by-side, it just won't be the clear win iPhone had in the past. That means fence sitters, like me, are moving on to a better phone on a better value and better coverage network.

I'm in that 97% of Americans covered, but I still fail to connect calls on a regular basis.

 

[Zellster]

My ATT contract expires Nov 5th 2010 and my cancellation fee is going to be $85. I'll gladly pay it to jettison my Bold though I cannot complain about ATT whatsoever. They have been a decent carrier. I was with Sprint before ATT so I'm used to them as well. I loath Verizon.

 

[Rigmaster]

My ATT contract expires Nov 5th 2010 and my cancellation fee is going to be $85. I'll gladly pay it to jettison my Bold though I cannot complain about ATT whatsoever. They have been a decent carrier. I was with Sprint before ATT so I'm used to them as well. I loath Verizon.

You should let us know if ATT tries to upsell you to iPhone this summer. I have a feeling they're going to go beyond moving eligibility for current iPhone owners to other phones. They'll be swallowing some of the subsidy, but very little. They've more than made that back through your billing thus far.

I think if ATT doesn't show AAPL that it's truly committed to iPhone, it has 0% chance at 4G/LTE version.

I don't hate VZW, but I heard everything I had with them from someone at the VZW corporate level. That person point blank said, "Of course we know we charge the most and lose people from time to time because of that. But it doesn't matter. If people believe we offer the best, then they'll pay because they think they have the best. It's much easier to sell at higher prices now than when this business first started and we all really had to compete directly against each other. Now, we make sure our plans and services never 100% align so we always have a claim as THE BEST."

Never had someone pretty much just say we charge what we want and people pay it because they can.

Of course there are places where VZW coverage is significantly better. All carriers have that going for them. But the gap is so much closer now that paying for coverage everywhere if you don't go everywhere is pointless.

 

[p00kienrayray]

2.) What can I do to avoid this? Can I cancel now and keep my number? Can I cancel now and just get an EVO plan BEFORE the EVO comes out. Obviously I don't care either way I just want to make sure I keep my number AND not get charged the extra $150.

I switched from T-Mobile to AT&T to Sprint with the same number. You can't cancel your AT&T and then port your number to Sprint. You would have to port your number from an active account first, and once thats done, your AT&T account automatically cancels. If you're under contract, you'll get hit with the ETF, however much that is. You'll also need to buy (or have) a Sprint-compatible phone and start a new plan (or jump on an existing plan) in order for them to port a number over.

Of course there are places where VZW coverage is significantly better. All carriers have that going for them. But the gap is so much closer now that paying for coverage everywhere if you don't go everywhere is pointless.

EXACTLY. Everyone justifies paying extra for verizon for their vast coverage. But I'm pretty sure most verizon customers (and most people in general) don't even need the extra coverage.

 

[C_Dub]

Phew, I was scared there for a minute. Damn you guys!! lol