Holy crap, her "friend" has some really crazy hair.

I bet he's just taking over her phone contract as a way to make her feel grateful and try to get into her pants.

or you can just request an address change to a blackout area and say you moved. They wont know the difference

Can someone summarize the topic points of the video for those who can't see it? Or did Phil cover all of them?

I had Alltel at one time and moved to Miami where I literally had no service at all. I didn't have a land line and I couldn't even make a call on my phone to get my service canceled.

I had to go out to another company and get a phone through them in order to even be able to call Alltel to get them to let out of my contract and even then it took one or two weeks of calls and "troubleshooting" with various tech reps who were all just reading the same script before they finally conceded.

@yaced: Some companies are asking customers to bring in a lease or utility bill showing proof of residency in a dead zone (blackout area). When I worked at Sprint, we required proof of this nature for moving to a dead zone, proof that the account holder was dead, or proof that the account holder was leaving for the military.

@sleze69: * move to an area without network coverage
* complain constantly about poor service
* make more than 50% of your calls while roaming so the cellphone company eventually fires you as a customer
* use a materially adverse change of contract to get out of service
* find someone to take over your contract and transfer it to them

I think that was all of them.

Yea. Honoring contracts and sticking to an agreement is so old school. I mean, who would do that?

@iambeaker:

Hehe Photoshop

Though I can understand why you wouldn't want to have to pay the $175 fee, please be aware that this is much more trouble than it seems.

For instance (and this really applies only to AT&T as that's the only company to which I have interior knowledge):

move to an area without network coverage
Not technically feasible for many people, simply due to the fact they live and work in a suburban area. AT&T even has partner contracts with people out in the boonies, so unless you're moving to the grand canyon, this would be somewhat difficult.

complain constantly about poor serviceNo, please. Do not do this. One, you'll spend more time than you'd like talking to CSR's who have no patience for you and are not willing to help. Also, you'll just fill your record with notes that you're being bitchy. If you *are* going to complain, please have legitimate reasons, be concise and friendly. Ask to speak to a supervisor and explain your concerns. 9 times out of 10 if you approach it with reasons that make sense someone will work with you, especially the resolutions department

make more than 50% of your calls while roaming so the cellphone company eventually fires you as a customerYes! Do this if you'd also like an $8000 phone bill.

use a materially adverse change of contract to get out of serviceSorry, but most likely this will not happen.

find someone to take over your contract and transfer it to themBEST SUGGESTION YET! However, your friend will end up paying a "transfer of service" fee, which they may not be happy with.

@donnie5: The companies you have them with sure don't. They just make it up as they go along. With the stipulation in the contract that says they can, of course.

Lessee, in perusing my terms of service (AT&T)...

1. Excessive roaming can be used to terminate your roaming altogether or start charging you for it in addition to terminating your contract. It's the provider's choice. see "Off Net Usage"

Hmm, altering your phone to not use the network properly...I smell fraud first, but in any case

2. Altering your equipment to use another network is a breach of contract on your part. see "Device"

Best to just not sign a contract, ever. And yes, this makes phones expensive.

@robdew2: Yes. The reason they subsidy lock their phones is so they know you can't take it to another provider. Your contract subsidizes the cost of the phone. Its why you can get a $700 iphone for $199!

@SynMonger: I beg to differ. I've had AT&T service for a very long time and had zero problems with them overall. If they're trigger happy about changing anything, its the fees - and personally that's just profit mongering.

What's your beef?

@donnie5: sure as hell not me. i think it was the satanic bible that said "do unto others as they do unto you". words to live by.

"move to a 'blackout' area"

yeah, b/c moving is so much cheaper than a cell phone ETF.

@donnie5: How is using a loophole in a contract to get out of it dishonoring the contract? Does the contract state, "I, _______ , agree NOT to use any loopholes such as, but not limited to, blackout areas, poor reception, etc. to cause this contract to be null and void"?

Especially if they change the price of, well, anything (text msgs, min., etc.). If I sign a contract in which I, the consumer, agree to pay 10 cents for every minute over my plan and then they raise it to 12 cents, then I would have no problem calling and telling them to cancel my plan.

@yaced: Hehe Fraud

Random question that would probably be best put to AT&T reps, but I'm lazy.

I'm moving in February to an area with spotty-at-best 3G coverage, and have an iPhone. Would this be enough to get me out of my contract?? I suspect that in the small town, I'll have 3G, but probably not out at my new house.

@rachaeljean: No.
You can disable the 3g on your iphone, and it'll default back to the GSM network (it should do this automatically but sometimes it stupid and if it gets even a whiff of 3g it will try to use it). Disable it and you'll have slow data but good coverage - provided the regular GSM/Edge coverage is not spotty also.

@rachaeljean: Oh also. If it becomes a problem, sell your iphone and ebay a new one. I know that sounds shitty but at least you won't be dealing with an annoyingly inoperational phone, you won't have to pay an ETF and you don't have to start a new contract.

@donnie5: Good call. If you don't like the agreement, don't sign the contract.

I'm sick of weasels that want the service, sign on the dotted line, get the cell phone, and then try to stick it to the company that provides the service (while whining loudly).

I dislike large dastardly corporations too, but we can all shop responsibly, take our business elsewhere, and get good deals without trying to cheat people. Personally I call when my contract is about to expire and negotiate then. I always get a good deal.

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: But I bought the phone for those lightning fast 3G things and such.... ;) Shouldn't I be able to weasel out of it if I don't get 3G anymore!?

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: Yes, people DO get out of contracts because of adverse changes. They post about it on this very blog quite often, actually. Thanks for trying!

How would I get an $8000 phone bill for roaming when my calling plan includes free roaming? Your logic fails.

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: Good tip, but there's nothing wrong with the phone itself. It's just that we're buying a house in a rural area, and I don't want to keep paying for features I can't utilize at the advertised speed. Also, frankly, I due in March and if we can cut the cell phone bill in half by ditching smart phones and going back to regular ones, that would help things along.

@fate47 - Meh.:

Especially if they change the price of, well, anything (text msgs, min., etc.). If I sign a contract in which I, the consumer, agree to pay 10 cents for every minute over my plan and then they raise it to 12 cents, then I would have no problem calling and telling them to cancel my plan.

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway:

make more than 50% of your calls while roaming so the cellphone company eventually fires you as a customer


Yes! Do this if you'd also like an $8000 phone bill.

No, your bill will not go up. Free roaming is offered standard to consumers these days. But the roaming is not free to the cell phone companies, they foot the bill. If you cost them too much in roaming fees, they can "suggest" that you take your business elsewhere.

Of course, my T-Mobile Blackberry could roam unto AT&T's network but not allow me to make non-emergency calls.

@DH405: In general, to cost them anything you'd have to go off their network, or off of a large network. As I said in a previous statement unless you're going to the grand canyon and using your data card, they aren't even going to pay attention.

You live in Florida and make a bajillion calls from California? No problem, that whole state is wired up tight. You'd have to go to the middle of no where BFE (or travel internationally) before you even showed up on the map for excessive off network (eon).

@rachaeljean: No. Because the phone supports 2g. No.

@mac-phisto: lol, you don't actually move. You change your service address to one in a podunk town where they don't have cell service.

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: I bet if I called enough and whined about it they'd let me out. :p

I know it "supports 2g." But who buys a 3g device then moves to the boonies and deserves to keep paying for things they aren't using!?

I want out, AT&T. I want out bad.

@rachaeljean: Pro tip. If you are going to keep the iPhone 3G, disable 3G in the settings. The 2G-3G handover causes a lot of dropped calls.

[www.usatoday.com]

@dohtem: So, then I can complain about dropped calls and get out of my contract?? Am I following you correctly?

@rachaeljean: I understand, I really do. But they aren't going to listen. And calling and complaining multiple times is going to be a pain for you and the people you talk to. They're most likely going to suggest you do an early upgrade to a different device. But this will put you into another 2 year contract. Your best bet is to deal with it until your contract is up - May? you said - and just find a new providor. Cheaper, less stressful.

Anyway it sounds like you'll have 3g in town, just not in your house. IN YOUR HOUSE USE YOUR WIFI!

@rachaeljean: Did you try this - [consumerist.com] ?

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: The contract isn't up until December '10. :(

Frankly, I want to switch to T-mobile, who will offer the cheapest monthly plans for bare-bones cell phones for our needs. And since I already have a lucrative iPhone plan, I don't think they'll let me downgrade to a basic talk plan with a no-frills phone, right? Upgrade all you want, but downgrades are no-no's.

As for using my Wifi at home... this is exactly why I want out of the iPhone contract!!! :) It's superfluous. I'm going to be staying home all day with a baby, I can use my regular computer. I have loved having my iPhone while I work, but I really won't need it anymore.

If worse comes to worse, I might just pay the damn ETF. It might save in the long run. 9 months of excessive cell phone bills vs. $300 in fees. I think I'd wind up ahead of the game.

Although... I really think I might have a shot with a sympathetic rep. I mean, even Comcast wouldn't try to force me to keep paying my highspeed cable bill if I move to an area they only offer dial up in. It's barbaric!

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: Just because you are the cranky CSR on the other end does not invalidate her claim.

@rachaeljean: The first thing they're going to tell you when they check your coverage is that your 3g sucks. They're going to tell you to disable it. They're going to write into your account they told you to disable it. And when you say no, you aren't cooperating and thus they aren't going to cooperate with you. And if you complain about not having 3g out there, they're going to say "we don't guarantee coverage everywhere." That's what we say.

Disable the 3g. This will keep you from dropping calls on spotty coverage. The iphone uses 3g for voice too, so if its crap your phone will be crap. Disabling it will continue excellent service on the GSM network. Your data speeds will be slower, yes. However you have service. So AT&T is doing its job, and nothing you say will make them claim otherwise.

Use Wifi in your house. Its faster than 3g, FREE, and reliable.
If you go in town and know you have 3g, turn it back on. Simple.

If you really really really don't want to pay the $30 data plan, you could say you lost the stupid thing, but they'd need the IMEI for another phone, so you'd have to get one.

Get a gophone. They're $20. Swap it out for the iphone. Wait out your contract. Then, move to another provider.

Really, I've exhausted my knowledge. Unless you get a super super lenient CSR, they're going to repeat all I've said and tell you no. If its really that big of a hassle, transfer your contract to someone else before you move.

@dohtem: I looked into that actually, but since I have a texting plan, I couldn't make it work for me :( Thanks for the tip though!!! :)

@dohtem: i know, but that's not how it's presented in the video.

@dohtem: Cranky nothing. This is what they will say. They will tell her no.
Especially considering she hasn't even moved yet and doesn't even know if it will work or not.

@rachaeljean: Sorry to hear. AT&T also prorates their ETF. It won't hurt to ask how much it would cost to cancel. It might be affordable.

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: Thank you for all your responses, but I respectfully disagree.

I shouldn't have to cripple my newfangled iPhone just to get reasonable service. Switching the 3G on and off depending on where I am in my home town is ridiculous. This seems like the very situation these clauses were written for, IMHO. As an empowered consumerist reader, I would argue this and escalate it until I got the resolution I was looking for.

Wifi is not free at my house now, and it wont be when we move - I still have to pay for internet service.

If they would let me stop my contract now and get a GoPhone, I would. But I'm pretty sure that goes against the contract part. I'm definitely not going to get an GoPhone in addition to continuing to pay on my iPhone contract in the meantime.

If Comcast can be swayed, then surely AT&T can too. I just hope I don't get you on the phone when I call in March ;)

I want to A/S/L that chick in the glasses.

@dohtem: Ooooh they do prorate the ETF now!? Last I had checked they didn't. I might just do this, thanks!

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: I know for sure there's no 3G coverage out there. I've been to the town many times. Most of the time there's NO service, period. It's very rural. The tiny town has 3 or 4 bars though, I think.

@dohtem: Hehe I got nothing.

@Oranges w/ Cheese is surfin the info superhighway: no, the exact opposite is in the contract. the materially adverse change. ya wait till you have a 14 year old daughter go over your minutes by a few hours, that extra $.02/minute gets materially adverse pretty quickly.

@rachaeljean: The "get a gophone" means buy one and put your sim card in it, not in addition to your current service. AT&T employees aren't legally allowed to tell you to do that, since you're taking a phone from an outside source and using it instead of your contractual device.

Dohtem is right, they do prorate the ETF now, so depending on when your contract originated it might be affordable if you seek to cancel in March.

It really depends on who you get on the phone.

Best tip: Call later in the evening, when the retention department is closed. Better yet, call late on a sunday. This way, you'll be working directly with the representatives and their supervisors and not the department designed to keep you in your contract.

@JohnDeere: True, but that's materially adverse on YOUR part, not on theirs.