FamilyPlan Contract Question

[DrummerDude952]

My Family is in a familyplan. We want to switch to AT&T because of the iPhone. All of our contracts expire at different times (i think), and we want to all switch at once. Can this be done? I probably sound stupid here. We just want to all switch at the same time.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by DrummerDude952

My Family is in a familyplan. We want to switch to AT&T because of the iPhone. All of our contracts expire at different times (i think), and we want to all switch at once. Can this be done? I probably sound stupid here. We just want to all switch at the same time.

You can switch them all at once but in order to avoid any ETF you will have to wait until the last contract has expired. You can stay month to month on the others until then.

Hope this makes sense.

Welcome to WA

[DrummerDude952]

Not sure exactly what you mean. I don't want any ETF's but I don't know how to get 'month-to-month".

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by DrummerDude952

Not sure exactly what you mean. I don't want any ETF's but I don't know how to get 'month-to-month".

Sorry, what I meant was as your contracts expire, do not renew them; and they will automatically be on "month to month". When the last contract expires, port all your numbers out at the same time.

The other way would be porting your numbers out individually as their contracts expired and adding them to your family plan on at&t. This can sometimes get messy, since you will maintaing both providers. I would only recommend this if you absolutely cannot wait until your last contract is up.

Makes sense?

[DrummerDude952]

How do you not renew a contract. Does it happen automatically or do you have to do something special. I don't mean to sound ignorant (I am very literate with computers) but I don't really know how these contracts work. My dad is the one paying the bill...

Thanks for the quick replies.

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by DrummerDude952

How do you not renew a contract. Does it happen automatically or do you have to do something special. I don't mean to sound ignorant (I am very literate with computers) but I don't really know how these contracts work. My dad is the one paying the bill...

Thanks for the quick replies.

You have to consciously renew your contract by getting a new phone at the upgrade price or by signing up for another contract term. If you do nothing after your contract/s expires you will automatically be month to month.

[DrummerDude952]

That's interesting. My mom became eligible for new every two on the fourth, but we haven't used it, and it says "Contract Expires: 09/19/09"

[Charlyee]

Originally Posted by DrummerDude952

That's interesting. My mom became eligible for new every two on the fourth, but we haven't used it, and it says "Contract Expires: 09/19/09"

Some is not right there, I would suggest you give your provider a call. If she didn't take her upgrade it should not have an expiry date of 14.5 months out.

PS: Is it possible that 9/19/09 is the last date when all the lines are out of contract? I have 2 lines and each one shows individual contract information but I don't know how other providers do it.

[DrummerDude952]

Thanks for the help. We plan on calling today.

[jesslyn04]

This is very similar to a question/problem that I have been having and was wondering if I could get some advice.

My contract was originally going to be up in June, '08. In March '07 my father added my line to his family plan when HE got a new phone and extended his contract through an assumption of liability because I was in Europe and this was the cheapest way for me to keep my phone.

I never signed a new contract or agreed to anything. I returned home a few days ago and my phone started acting up (battery problems) so I decided I would switch to get an iPhone. I went to Verizon to cancel my account and they told me that not only could I not opt out, I had to further extend my contract if i wanted to get a new phone. I decided to go with the new two year plan because the cost of the phone I wanted on a 2 year plan was $99 and on a 1 year plan was $249 - practically the cost of an early termination fee if I decided to do that later.

Should I have been allowed to cancel my service since technically all contracts remain separate on a family line?

Further, in talking to my father, I have found out that Verizon has been charging him ridiculous amounts for overages and texts even though he switch to a plan with unlimited texting included AND he and i have never gone over the 700 minutes included in plans. Also, they included charges without telling him and he is now ready to terminate all of our lines early...

Having signed a contract just yesterday, will we now have to pay $175 on each line to terminate? I am swimming in all of this, can't wrap my head around, and all in all furious at Verizon. I wish I had known this information from my dad before getting the new phone and contract, but I know there is a 30 day return window - can I get out of my 2 year extension in that 30 days as well??

[spleck]

Originally Posted by DrummerDude952

That's interesting. My mom became eligible for new every two on the fourth, but we haven't used it, and it says "Contract Expires: 09/19/09"

You can usually upgrade phones 2 months before the end of the contract--you're just getting an extra 2 weeks. I don't think that's too unusual.

Originally Posted by jesslyn04

My contract was originally going to be up in June, '08. In March '07 my father added my line to his family plan when HE got a new phone and extended his contract through an assumption of liability because I was in Europe and this was the cheapest way for me to keep my phone.

I think an assumption of liability starts a new 2 year contract.

I went to Verizon to cancel my account and they told me that not only could I not opt out, I had to further extend my contract if i wanted to get a new phone. I decided to go with the new two year plan because the cost of the phone I wanted on a 2 year plan was $99 and on a 1 year plan was $249 - practically the cost of an early termination fee if I decided to do that later.

Since you were on contract you couldn't cancel, but you were eligible for an upgrade since you hadn't hand one for a while.

Further, in talking to my father, I have found out that Verizon has been charging him ridiculous amounts for overages and texts even though he switch to a plan with unlimited texting included AND he and i have never gone over the 700 minutes included in plans. Also, they included charges without telling him and he is now ready to terminate all of our lines early...

Having signed a contract just yesterday, will we now have to pay $175 on each line to terminate? I am swimming in all of this, can't wrap my head around, and all in all furious at Verizon. I wish I had known this information from my dad before getting the new phone and contract, but I know there is a 30 day return window - can I get out of my 2 year extension in that 30 days as well??

I'm not positive, but I think you can cancel an upgrade/contract extension within 14 days. That would just revert you to the previous contract which was probably extended in March 07 when your contract was assumed.

I suggest you review the overages and such and work on that. I think you're going to be stuck with ETFs no matter what you do.

Hopefully someone else will chime in with better advice. If not, you may want to start your own thread for this.

[Casper7200]

Originally Posted by jesslyn04

This is very similar to a question/problem that I have been having and was wondering if I could get some advice.

My contract was originally going to be up in June, '08. In March '07 my father added my line to his family plan when HE got a new phone and extended his contract through an assumption of liability because I was in Europe and this was the cheapest way for me to keep my phone.

I never signed a new contract or agreed to anything. I returned home a few days ago and my phone started acting up (battery problems) so I decided I would switch to get an iPhone. I went to Verizon to cancel my account and they told me that not only could I not opt out, I had to further extend my contract if i wanted to get a new phone. I decided to go with the new two year plan because the cost of the phone I wanted on a 2 year plan was $99 and on a 1 year plan was $249 - practically the cost of an early termination fee if I decided to do that later.

Should I have been allowed to cancel my service since technically all contracts remain separate on a family line?

Further, in talking to my father, I have found out that Verizon has been charging him ridiculous amounts for overages and texts even though he switch to a plan with unlimited texting included AND he and i have never gone over the 700 minutes included in plans. Also, they included charges without telling him and he is now ready to terminate all of our lines early...

Having signed a contract just yesterday, will we now have to pay $175 on each line to terminate? I am swimming in all of this, can't wrap my head around, and all in all furious at Verizon. I wish I had known this information from my dad before getting the new phone and contract, but I know there is a 30 day return window - can I get out of my 2 year extension in that 30 days as well??

I was reading and just wanted to clarify a few things that I have read...

An Assumption of Liability (AOL) does not require a contract extention. Previous to January of 2008 there was a 1 year contract agreement but that has since been changed. As far as the ETF Call Customer Service ETF are now variable and decrease by $5/month if you signed a new contract after 2006.

Yes you can get out a signed contract if it is within 30days of signing you must return the equipment with all the original packaging as well.

As for your dads lines have him or you (if your authorized on the acct) call in and talk to Customer service go over the plan and find out what is going on with those overages the call is free (unlike to other carriers) and is also airtime free and it never hurts to check.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

Originally Posted by Charlyee

You have to consciously renew your contract by getting a new phone at the upgrade price or by signing up for another contract term. If you do nothing after your contract/s expires you will automatically be month to month.

like Charlyee said.....you have to consciously extend the contract and the companies will be sending you all kinds of adds to buy new phones for good prices under the condition that you extend your contract......just ignore these.........and when all the contracts are up then you can switch easy peasy

[Celloman]

I suggest talking to VZW customer services and bringing up the charges to your dad and your contract cancellation questions at the same time. They may be more willing to work with you on the charges if they think you might stay with them. If you tell them flat-out that there's no way you'll stay with VZW, they won't have as much incentive to make you happy. You could go in to a store, but I've honestly had better results calling CS on the phone - they will (sometimes) actually make things happen.

[JT53]

Originally Posted by Charlyee

You have to consciously renew your contract by getting a new phone at the upgrade price or by signing up for another contract term. If you do nothing after your contract/s expires you will automatically be month to month.

I was reading this and wondering how to not renew and not be on a month to month contract at the end of the contract term. Do I need to call Verizon and explicitly say not to put me on a month to month contract at the end of my contract term? Thanks.

[leafsfan81]

Originally Posted by JT53

I was reading this and wondering how to not renew and not be on a month to month contract at the end of the contract term. Do I need to call Verizon and explicitly say not to put me on a month to month contract at the end of my contract term? Thanks.

Long before your contract is up, Verizon [or any other provider, really], will start contacting you about renewing your contract and upgrading to a new phone. If you are looking to LEAVE your current provider, do not act on the offers they send you in the mail. So long as you don't agree to continue the contract either verbally or by written agreement by changing to a promotional rate and/or upgrading your phone with discounted pricing you will be considered a customer going month-to-month that can cancel at any time.