Want to get out of your wireless contract? The T-Mobile edition
If there’s one thing we get asked most, it’s probably the “I want to get out of my contract because _____ sucks!” email. We decided to put together a nice little guide for all you T-Mobilers wanting to jump ship. Bits and pieces have actually been pulled from some of our commenters, so thanks David and everyone else! There are a couple downsides, though. For one, this particular method does not allow you to port your number over to another provider. You’ll have to do some more work to get that accomplished. Check out the full rundown after the break, and check for other carrier editions coming soon!
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David points out that this method only works for people that do not currently have a messaging plan. If you do, the recent text messaging rate increase won’t work as there is no contractual change that applies to you.
- If you haven’t sent or received a SMS message within the last three months, send a text to your T-Mobile phone. If this isn’t done, T-Mo will most likely deny your request stating that the change doesn’t affect you since you don’t get your text on.
- Log in to your T-Mobile account online at www.t-mobile.com. Hit the billing tab, then current usage, and verify you see the text message you sent yourself. Or any other received text. As long as you see a recent text message, you are good to go.
- Call T-Mobile at 800-937-8997. When prompted by the automate system say scream iPhone as loud as humanly possible “cancel my account.”
- When you are transferred over to a live person, they’ll ask you why you wish to cancel your service. Tell them that you were notified that the text messaging rate will be increasing from $.10 to $.20 on 8/29. If the rep doesn’t know about this yet, they will likely go ask someone and come back to you.
- Most likely, they’ll try and bait you to stay by offering you secret golden deals. Deny all of them!
- If you have not used text messaging in the past 3 months the CR will tell you that the change doesn’t affect you and you’ll need to pay the ETF. Tell them about the text you sent yourself (or any other text message you received in the past 3 months) and have them check your recent activity.
- If the rep tells you that the change doesn’t take effect until 8/29, quote T-Mobile’s Terms of Service. Tell them that according to the Terms of Service, you must cancel within 14 days of receiving the notification. If they really try and push your buttons, banhammer them with the following Terms of Service excerpt: Section 3:
IF WE MODIFY A MATERIAL TERM OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH YOU AND THE MODIFICATION WOULD BE MATERIALLY ADVERSE TO YOU, WE WILL NOTIFY YOU OF THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION AND YOU CAN CANCEL THAT SERVICE WITHOUT PAYING A CANCELLATION FEE (WHICH IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY) BY FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS IN THE NOTICE. IF YOU DO NOT CANCEL YOUR SERVICE BY FOLLOWING THOSE INSTRUCTIONS, OR YOU OTHERWISE ACCEPT THE CHANGE, THEN YOU AGREE TO THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION, EVEN IF YOU PAID FOR SERVICE IN ADVANCE. IF THE NOTICE DOES NOT SAY HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO CANCEL, THEN IT IS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE NOTICE, UNLESS A LONGER PERIOD IS REQUIRED BY LAW. - If you had to read that whole damn thing to the Krispy Kreme junky on the phone, they’ll briefly put you on hold while they cancel the account.
- Once the account is cancelled, check back on www.t-mobile.com to ensure that you can’t access anything. If you can’t access anything, your account has been successfully cancelled.
- If you still haven’t got anywhere by the end of this long ass post, hang up, and talk to someone else. They’ll most likely help you.
- If all else fails, tell the CR on the phone that you’re going to file a report with the FCC. Fill out this form here http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. That should ensure a swift action taken by your wireless carrier.
Let us know how this works for you and what provider you end up switching to!
I tried calling numerous times to no avail. I even got hung up on by one of the customer service reps.
SOOOOOOOO…..
I filed a complaint with the FCC, the Federal Trade Commission, the BBB, and sent an email to:
Robert.dotson@T-Mobile.com (Tmobile’s CEO)
Bonita.inza@T-Mobile.com
Sue.nokes@T-Mobile.com
It worked! AND they let me port my number
I called today because I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS and talked with a rep whom told me no then I spoke with a manager who was VERY RUDE and told me I recived a notice I told her no I did not then she tells me I probly threw it away (whatever, I have not recived my bills in the mail for about 4 months I pay online) anyhow she tells me the time to call in and cancel is expired and she will do nothing for me besides I dont text enought for it to make a big matter to me, I said EXCUSE ME? you do not tell me what makes a diference to me and what does not that is for me to decide not you! (I text about 50 mesages a month with no messiging bundle, i pay per message) SHE HAS NO right to make that statement! She also is interupting me all the time NEVER letting me finish a sentence, I told her I want to talk to her supervisor, she tells me their is no one availible to talk to. I told her that I know my rights and I am NOT AN IDIOT this is clearly withen my rights to cancel my contract their is no expireation date so quite trying to tell me that I am past the “date” to cancel. Anyhow I am not sure what to do next here a supervisor is supposed to call me withen 24hours but I REALLY doubt that will happen! any sugustions please advise thank you
hjl22@sbcglobal.net
did they ask for your new address information or official documentation/proof of your el salvador address, or did they just accept your word?
Thanks
Can I do this now, on 10/03/08? Or is it too late because of the 30 day thing. I have been paying online for the last few months, and I don’t remember getting any notice about this increase. Does that matter?
Thanks for any help.
would love to hear an answer to steve’s question above…
I called T Mobile yesterday(10/11/08) and had a long 3 hr conversation with them to wave my ETF for two lines i.e $400. But they kept on saying they did notify me by a flier in the bill that message rates are going up. I was not sure if they sent any flier of that sort. They also said, I was out of the time frame in which they could wave off my ETF. They were adamant to escalate my case further. Now what??…….I dunno what to do…?…I want to get rid of T-Mobile…..and I am not sure whether to lodge a complain with FCC, as I dunno the consequences of it.(Legal stuff, so kinda worried)…
same question here….. am I too late to get out??
I called then during the grace period, they did not oblige. Then i called them again in September and said my job is gone and i am posted back to my home country and i request them to waive etf and cancel the contract, the rep asked me to go to the nearest tmobile store and show them the passport with a foreign address. I went to the tmobile store explained them what the rep said and it was all taken care of. Now i am contract and monthly bill free. I got a new cellphone from my employer. My wife is using prepaid and she used $3.00 in 2 months. I think Tmobile pay by day plan is the best in US. SMS incoming is $0.05 and outgoing is $0.10.
what? are you fucking retarded? T-mobile sucks !!!
Alan, you are a dumb piece of shit
what if i have unlimited text, But i sitll want to get rid of tmobile.. i was thinking of canceling my unlimited text and would that work if i do what the steps above say?? please can anyone help me get out of tmobile
I guess we know who you work for.
I am so sick of Tmoible.Its getting out of hand
first i go over the minutes and then they say they will change my plan so i dont have to play for the $400.00 in overages.So i get a bill saying i owe $666.98.Surprising right?
Normally the bill is 200-300 dollars.
I called them and customer service was like im sorry we couldnt back date it.
What a great way to tell me.
So i had to pay this bill.
Im so sick of them.
All they want is your money.
Switch to Ata&t and get 50% off your phone and get the iphone.
Better than having gaymoible.
I have something to say to tmoible
Fuck Tmoible.
I fucking hate you guys!
I will be cancelling all 4 lines and paying the early fees.
And my kids will be getting iphones.(:
Have a good year tmoible
Hey!
If the above talk about the texting rates going up doesn’t affect you…and you want to cut your bill that your wife is on…the easiest way is to put her phone on the CHEAPEST plan you can without any extra services. The cancellation fee is $200 per line, but sometimes if you can put a line on the absolute minimum charge you save in the end rather than paying the absolutely ridiculous termination fee for the remainder of your contract.
So, I really hate t-mobile.
I’ve been with them for like 4 years, and I HATE IT.
..I had the Sidekick and I wanted to call and cancel everyting that you have to have in order to use the phone because I got a cheap to-go phone at Walmart so I would save money, and when I called they wouldln’t let me. Those douche bags said that I have to pay my bill first. FUCK THAT. I’m on a family plan with my 2 brothers who don’t pay anyting.
I should be able to do what I want with my phone, not what those low life lozers want me to do.
Cheap money hungry bastards.
How much do you have to pay to get out of the contract if your contract isn’t up?
..can someone tell me please (:
Thanks.
GET OUT OF YOUR T-MOBILE CONTRACT NOW
T-Mobile allows a “change of responsibility”. Which means someone else can take over your remaining contract with T-Mobile.
I put my plan on Craig’s List and offered 2 free phones to anyone who wanted to simply take over our plan for the 9 months that was left on it.
The bonus for them:
-they don’t have to sign a 2 year contract, they just finish yours.
-they don’t have to pay an activation fee, you already paid it.
-they got 2 great phones for free. I gave them my wifes pink razr and my t-mobile dash smart phone.
The bonus for me:
-GONE FROM T-MOBILE and am now completely enjoying my new iPhone.
Once you’ve listed your plan on Craig’s List and someone is interested, simply call up T-mobile and do a change of responsibility and move the account completely out of your name and into their name. (they will have their credit checked)
I haven’t seen it….but how much hassle for lack of coverage cancellation ? I’m moving to a place where coverage is VERY spotty at best, and my BB 8320 will connect via wifi, but if I didn’t have that, I’d have NO coverage in the house, and spotty coverage in the yard.
I know Verizon coverage works down there (very rural). I have had all their other services, and have had no problems with TMobile or Verizon, but TMobile has screwed me on a $100 rebate.
Thanks.
I would offer someone my contract and 2 nice phones, but first of all haha, I am a klutz and I break a lot of phones by droping them so I don’t have much to offer.
&& I called T-Mobile the other week and they said that I can get an upgrade once the bill is paid, which happens to be over $700, which is RIDIC!
I HATE T-MOBILE!
But since they said I can get a free upgrade to any phone I want, does that mean I can also get out of the T-Mobile contract and keep my phone number?
I have a family plan with 4 phones on it. I want to cancel my t-mobile plan. Will I have to pay $200 for each phone or just $200 and have my whole family plan canceled?
Adam,
I’m under the impression myself that there’s a fee for EACH line. I’d LOVE to keep TMobile for the fact that I’m paying less than if I changed services…..but the coverage where I live SUCKS, and their maps show I’m at the edge of the border for coverage. I told them to bring their test equipment to my house and test it there. We shall see…as I’m still waiting to hear back from them.
Yes, you will have to pay $200 per line, that’s $800. If you 4 people in the family plan are all friends, then you can ask your individual friends to “change responsibility” i.e take their individual lines in their own names. Doing this doesn’t cost any thing. 4 of you should have SSN’s and some good credit history. After you guys have contract on your own name, each individual pays $200 and walks out. Who wants to stick to T-Mobile, can remain in contract.
hey my husband wants to get metropcs and he has like 1 and half years left maybe less and he wants out of the contract buit he has to pay 200 first and metro pcs just came out like 1 to 2 months ago if you can please tell me how he can cancel without paying a cancelation fee it would be very much appreciated thank you
how does my husband get out of his contract without paying 200 for caneling he wants to switch over metro pcs that just came out 2 months for with everything unlimited and i mean everything and we can keep the same number that he had with tmobile how can he cancel without paying please
thanks Wayne and Lalit. appreciate it.
I hate tmobile.. they lie and whenever you call with a problem they never keep notes. You always have to repeat the same story to every customer service that they switch you to. I hate that company and I cannot wait until they go down…
Oh, just hack your iPhone already and stay with T-Mobile. They have great rates, great customer service, and they offer tech support on the iPhone as well. I think it’s awesome. And wait until the Sony Ericcson Android phone with the Rachel OS is out later! 8.0 megapixel camera with optical zoom. What’s not to love?