A selection of posts prompted by reader's success stories in canceling the cellphone service without early termination fee, and how they did it.

• After Battle, Marie Gets Escapes Verizon Contract
"Lesson: booting your issue up to the VP of Customer Service really works."

• Verizon Makes Customers Fax In Old Contract To Cancel Service Without Termination Fee
"Once the supervisor saw the fax she didn't argue with me at all. I would recommend this tactic for anyone having trouble."

• Script For Escaping Verizon Contracts Without Fee, Based On Text Message Rate Raises
"Use this aggressive step-by-step script for leaving your Verizon contract early, without paying $175, in under 30 minutes."

• Cancel Verizon Without A Fee Even If You Have A Txt Msg Plan
"Reader Jonathan writes in to tell us how he canceled his Verizon contract without an early termination fee...even though he has a txt messaging plan."

• Script For Escaping Cingular Contracts Without Fee, Based On New Arbitration Clause
"We're not sure if it will work but this information comes to us courtesy of a very disgruntled customer who says he used it to cancel his contract after 8 years of service."

11:33 PM on Thu Mar 8 2007
By Ben Popken
11,279 views
6 comments

Comments

eightkid at 06:12 AM on 03/09/07
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I got out of two Verizon contracts that were almost 10 years old. I started out arguing the text-massage fee increase, but I got a supervisor who must have been informed by management to be an incorrigible rude a-hole. I got so fed up with this jerk that I ended the call and promised myself to give it a shot the following day. I spent the rest of that afternoon scouring this web-site and found a very small blurb about Verizon raising their Admin fee on the February bill. I called back the next day and got out of the contracts without an ETF with no problem. I'm now a proud Cingular customer.........for now.
notlazyjustdontcare at 05:23 PM on 03/09/07
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Where are our thumbs-up photos?
jgodsey at 07:02 PM on 03/10/07
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i figured out something bloody obvious last time i had to change my service plan with t-mobile. After we narrowed down the plan options and she kept FLOGGINg unlimited nights and weekends (the are the times i turn OFF my cell) I said 'which plan does NOT include a contract?' and she said oh the one without the unlimited nights and weekends. answer=yes.
thanks that will be the one i'm taking.
Zach Everson at 12:08 AM on 03/11/07
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I got out of my Verizon Wireless contract with a year left on it by telling them I moved to a basement apartment where I couldn't get coverage, it was my only phone, and I'm a sole proprietor who needs to be able to always have cell service. It took a few calls and a supervisor, but I got out of the contract.

They wouldn't let me keep my phone number, however, so I kept reminding them that as a sole proprietor I couldn't afford to lose my number. They relented. And I wasn't lying about my situation.
BostonSportsGuy at 02:28 PM on 03/20/07
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I have tried to cancel my contract over the last 2 days, as my Company has given me a Cingular phone (Blackberry).

I tried contacting customer service, and visiting the store to cancel. They have told me twice that I need to pay the $175.

Since they have logged my requests, can I still do this strategy (admin fees or text fees)?
TeddyW at 07:18 PM on 04/10/08
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I needed to avoid paying $375 in "pro-rated" early termination fees on my "family plan" so I posted my cellphone plan on www.adioswireless.com and found someone to take it over. It did take 3weeks and a $19.95 "match fee" but it's gone