Get out of 2 yr contract w/out ETF

[VinnieL]

How can I get out of 2 yr. contract with AT&T, I emailed them after they increase the price for SMS, was denied and referred me for arbitration

[hme83]

Death is one way. Alternatively, although I have no personal experience with it, I have seen some indication that if you want to move to someplace with no native at&t coverage (so that you would incur excessive roaming) and provide proof of residence, then the remainder of your contract will be waived without EFT.

Beyond those things however, the contract is pretty one-sided (as all are); it gives at&t the right to change feature pricing with notification. Sounds like you've already pursued the available means of dispute/recourse, and you also agreed to arbitration in the contract. The pricing for voice service is technically the only pricing protection for the consumer within the contract terms.

[Blue4Life]

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The easiest way will be to pay the $175 early termination fee if you want out of the contract. The only other way I can think of (related to option number two listed in hme83's post) is make sure that at least 40% of your minutes are on a roaming partner's network for three or more consecutive months. With any luck, you'll receive a cancellation notice from AT&T Mobility soon after.

If you don't have any luck in getting out of your contract without paying a fee and the fact that most carriers have similar rates for text messaging, another option would be to check out if any of the text messaging plans would benefit you in any way.

Good Luck!

[Eric47]

does raising the price of sms 5cents per text make that big of a difference? you do realize every company just recently raised theirs to right? they are all 20 cents at all companys now.


200 is 5$ (roughly 25 pay per use texts)
1500 is 15$ (roughly 75 pay per use texts)
Unlimited 20$ (100 pay per use texts)
family Unlim (up to 5 lines) is 30$ (150 pay per use texts)

it makes no sense for even my grandmother not to have at least the 200 package these days.

[hme83]

Originally Posted by Eric47

does raising the price of sms 5cents per text make that big of a difference? you do realize every company just recently raised theirs to right? they are all 20 cents at all companys now.


200 is 5$ (roughly 25 pay per use texts)
1500 is 15$ (roughly 75 pay per use texts)
Unlimited 20$ (100 pay per use texts)
family Unlim (up to 5 lines) is 30$ (150 pay per use texts)

it makes no sense for even my grandmother not to have at least the 200 package these days.

Considering it is a 33% price increase, the fact that incoming SMS are chargeable, and other than just not having SMS access the only really "safe" thing to do is have a $15-20/month messaging plan, it probably is enough to make a difference for some.

[elmo01]

Originally Posted by hme83

Considering it is a 33% price increase, the fact that incoming SMS are chargeable, and other than just not having SMS access the only really "safe" thing to do is have a $15-20/month messaging plan, it probably is enough to make a difference for some.

the etf wont be waived as text messaging is an optional service... you can have it turned off if you wish

[tmobileman]

Originally Posted by Eric47

does raising the price of sms 5cents per text make that big of a difference? you do realize every company just recently raised theirs to right? they are all 20 cents at all companys now.


200 is 5$ (roughly 25 pay per use texts)
1500 is 15$ (roughly 75 pay per use texts)
Unlimited 20$ (100 pay per use texts)
family Unlim (up to 5 lines) is 30$ (150 pay per use texts)

it makes no sense for even my grandmother not to have at least the 200 package these days.

Tmobile's deal is 4.99 400 combo SMS/MMS; 9.99 1000 combo again, 14.99 unlimited, fam plan for all lines up to five 19.95 unlimited, and yes we are raising our rate to .20 as well in august currently .15

[efparri]

Originally Posted by Blue4Life

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The easiest way will be to pay the $175 early termination fee if you want out of the contract. The only other way I can think of (related to option number two listed in hme83's post) is make sure that at least 40% of your minutes are on a roaming partner's network for three or more consecutive months. With any luck, you'll receive a cancellation notice from AT&T Mobility soon after.

If you don't have any luck in getting out of your contract without paying a fee and the fact that most carriers have similar rates for text messaging, another option would be to check out if any of the text messaging plans would benefit you in any way.

Good Luck!

Data roaming is easier to do than voice roaming since you only need to use six megabytes while roaming for three consecutively billing cycles.

Roaming: Roaming charges for wireless data or voice service may be charged with some plans when outside AT&T's wireless network. Display on your device will not indicate whether you will incur roaming charges. Services originated or received while outside your plan's included coverage area are subject to roaming charges. Use of Services when roaming is dependent upon roaming carrier's support of applicable network technology and functionality. Check with roaming carriers individually for support and coverage details. Billing for domestic and international roaming usage may be delayed up to three billing cycles due to reporting between carriers. If your usage of the Services on other carriers' wireless networks ("offnet usage") during any two consecutive months exceeds your offnet usage allowance, AT&T may at its option terminate your wireless service or access to data Services, deny your continued use of other carriers' coverage, or change your plan to one imposing usage charges for offnet usage. Your offnet usage allowance is equal to the lesser of 6 megabytes or 20% of the kilobytes included with your plan and for messaging plans the lesser of 3000 messages or 50% of the messages included with your plan. AT&T will provide notice that it intends to take any of the above actions and you may terminate your agreement. You may be required to (1) use a device programmed with AT&T's preferred roaming database; and (2) have a mailing address and live in the United States, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Moving to another area to avoid paying the early termination fee seems to be penny wise and pound foolish.

[Blue4Life]

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Assuming that the op successfully gets out of their contract and that their true motive for terminating their contract was because of the SMS price increase, where would they go? Wouldn't that pretty much eliminate most of the major carriers?

[Eric47]

they would have to move where 2% of the population lives.

[tttlp3]

I doubt the sms increase has anything to do with it , just somebody trying to get out of their obligations.

[rirwin]

if he wants to do the "move" thing i can assist, pm me

[KyleAndMelissa22]

Alltel raised SMS rates last year, up from 10 cents, now it's 15 cents.
Most everyone else charges 20 cents.

I don't even use text anyway, and my phone isn't even capable of MMS.
Last text message that went through my phone was: March 17, 2008.

[tmobileman]

Originally Posted by tttlp3

I doubt the sms increase has anything to do with it , just somebody trying to get out of their obligations.

Always someone looking to get out then they will go to another provider, and something minor will make them want to get out of that contract, I swear, do some of these people KNOW THERE ARE PREPAID SERVICES if you don't like the contract so much?

[cw30000]

That's not the point. The point is they alter the contract, and it should let you get out.

Do you think I would be a millionaire if I can just take 1 penny from each person living in the United States?

Originally Posted by Eric47

does raising the price of sms 5cents per text make that big of a difference? you do realize every company just recently raised theirs to right? they are all 20 cents at all companys now.


200 is 5$ (roughly 25 pay per use texts)
1500 is 15$ (roughly 75 pay per use texts)
Unlimited 20$ (100 pay per use texts)
family Unlim (up to 5 lines) is 30$ (150 pay per use texts)

it makes no sense for even my grandmother not to have at least the 200 package these days.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by cw30000

That's not the point. The point is they alter the contract, and it should let you get out.

They did not alter the contract. The SMS and Data are user chosen add-on options. They are not part of the contract, which is you can change and go in and out of such packages every day if you choose to. Raising the price of SMS is not considered to be altering the contract.

[cw30000]

I am not trying to argue. If what you say is true, what preventing them to raising the cost to $2 a message or even $20 a message.

Call waiting, call forwarding, 3 ways, etc, that's not part of the contracts as well. So they can taking it away any day.

When you sign the contract, you are in contract with what is listed on the brochure at that moment.

Originally Posted by Charlyee

They did not alter the contract. The SMS and Data are user chosen add-on options. They are not part of the contract, which is you can change and go in and out of such packages every day if you choose to. Raising the price of SMS is not considered to be altering the contract.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by cw30000

I am not trying to argue. If what you say is true, what preventing them to raising the cost to $2 a message or even $20 a message.

Call waiting, call forwarding, 3 ways, etc, that's not part of the contracts as well. So they can taking it away any day.

When you sign the contract, you are in contract with what is listed on the brochure at that moment.

I am not arguing either, just trying to point somethings out.

You are absolutely right in that when you sign a contract you sign with what is listed in the brochure and call fwding etc are all part of the contract you sign. However, text and data pckages are available options for you to chosse if required. They will never appear in contract either.

It is going to be very difficult to take away features like call fwding because they are included in the contract price whether you need it or not.

Text and data packages are a different story since they are optional add-ons, nowhere does it mention that price will remain the same for these the duration of the contract, and yes they can raise it to whatever they want but hopefully won't.

[hme83]

Originally Posted by cw30000

I am not trying to argue. If what you say is true, what preventing them to raising the cost to $2 a message or even $20 a message.

Call waiting, call forwarding, 3 ways, etc, that's not part of the contracts as well. So they can taking it away any day.

When you sign the contract, you are in contract with what is listed on the brochure at that moment.

The only items that are covered under "contract" are those that are outlined within the rate plan section of your service agreement. You are correct that most of the voice related items could not be changed by at&t while you are under contract - but even that is not absolute. For example - "Early N&W" is a feature and is not a contracted service. Outside the scope of this conversation, but also voice related would be the "Unlimited M2M" feature for lines of service that are not under contract. The price for these items could be changed at any time by at&t without affecting any contract.

The rate plan specifics only provide for access to SMS and MediaNet on a "pay per use" basis without specifying what each "pay per use" rate is. Therefore, at&t could not remove the "pay per use" access to these features entirely without impacting their contractual obligation; if the "pay per use" rates were increased so exhorbitantly ($-wise) that one could realistically argue they had in effect been removed, that would potentially be an approach. However, imo the availability of reasonably priced SMS plans (which you can opt in/out of as often as you like on a prorated basis) negates the likely success of that argument as well.

[walkguru]

im not trying to argue either but what about the actual contract that you signed when you signed up. isent that the binding part of the contract? just wondering.

[hme83]

I've never even signed anything.