Cingular Early Termination Clause Exposed
Everywhere I look there are claims that you can get out of your Cingular contract based on the increase in text messaging that will be taking place soon. Here are the details on how it will really go down. You call Cingular and they say no way. Why? The contract is in effect for changes regarding plans that you become locked into. What this means for the common Joe is that text messaging is a feature that can be removed and added at will. It is not a requirement. Technically Cingular doesn’t have to let you out of your contract. How do I know this? Phone calls, painfully long and argumentative phone calls. What they kept saying to me was no way, plain and simple. Don’t get your hopes up in case you wanted that early discount or you just wanted to skip town on them, they got you locked.
Not sure I understand your point of early termination. Are you referring to some thing different than the terms stated in the actual contract ?
According to the actual contract it states…
“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. You may cancel your service, for any reason and without incurring the Early Termination Fee, within thirty (30) days of signing your Wireless Service Agreement, PROVIDED, however, that if you cancel service you will remain responsible for any service fees and charges incurred. If you cancel within three (3) days of signing your Wireless Service Agreement, you will be entitled to a refund of your activation fee, if any. If you exercise this option, you may be required to return devices and associated accessories purchased in connection with your Wireless Service Agreement.”
I called AT&T to get out of my contract they said no but offered to change my 60.00 plan to a 30.00 one. I chose not too though. I called them 2 hours later and told them I needed to pay my 175 ETF-they had me on hold for 20 minutes with 2 different depts. Finally i told the lady i wanted to end it and told her that i would be willing to stay with them with there (pay as you go plan) if you would not charge me the 175 ETF fee, she told me she could charge me 1/2 of the ETF fee if i stayed with them. So i was somewhat happy as at least i was able to get the feee down to 80.00- might be something to try as a a last resort as it worked for me.
I just had an extensive phone call with the Cingu- sorry, AT&T people. They were able to suspend my phone service to a rate of $9.99/mo for the remaining three months of my contract.
So I’ll be paying only $30 (plus applicable fees, so probably around $50000) for the rest of my miserable time w/ cing- AT&T.
I happen to be on a business plan through my university, so this might not work for general users.