Negotiating out of your cellphone contract can be daunting. Here's some other people's success stories to help get you psyched:
AT&T rate change notice:
Messaging Pay Per Use Rate Change Notification
Effective 3/30/08, AT&T will charge 20¢ for text/instant messages & 30¢ for picture/video messages sent or received on a pay-per-use basis. If you already subscribe to a Messaging Package or Media Bundle, there is no change to your rate. By purchasing a Messaging Package, you can send and receive messages for as little as a 1¢ per message. Sign up and save at att.com/getmedia.AT&T will increase the price on the Messaging (Text/IM & Picture/Video) Pay Per Use (PPU) features for new and existing customers on March 30, 2008. While the price increase impacts the Pay Per Use customers who tend to be light messaging users, our customers who have purchased messaging packages or MEdia Bundles will not be impacted. All of our customers will continue to be provided our best-in-class products, services, and support. Customers will be notified in advance of the price increase.
Critical Information:
The following pricing change will be effective in the billing systems on March 30, 2008:Text/Instant Messaging PPU Price:
Picture/Video Messaging PPU Price:Current price: $0.15/message
New price: $0.20/messageCurrent price: $0.25/message
New price: $0.30/messageMessaging PPU prices will increase on March 30, 2008. Any message sent or received on or after March 30, 2008 will be charged $.20 for text/instant messages and $.30 for picture/video messages.
Customer Notification:
Existing customers will be notified via a bill message beginning with bill cycles closing on January 16.Note: Customers will receive invoices beginning the week of January 21.
Relevant contract text:
IF WE INCREASE THE PRICE OF ANY OF THE SERVICES TO WHICH YOU SUBSCRIBE, BEYOND THE LIMITS SET FORTH IN YOUR RATE PLAN BROCHURE, OR IF WE MATERIALLY DECREASE THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IN WHICH YOUR AIRTIME RATE APPLIES (OTHER THAN A TEMPORARY DECREASE FOR REPAIRS OR MAINTENANCE), WE WILL DISCLOSE THE CHANGE AT LEAST ONE BILLING CYCLE IN ADVANCE (EITHER THROUGH A NOTICE WITH YOUR BILL, A TEXT MESSAGE TO YOUR EQUIPMENT, OR OTHERWISE) AND YOU MAY TERMINATE THIS AGREEMENT WITHOUT PAYING AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE OR RETURNING OR PAYING FOR ANY PROMOTIONAL ITEMS, PROVIDED YOUR NOTICE OF TERMINATION IS DELIVERED TO US WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE FIRST BILL REFLECTING THE CHANGE.
Have I just completely missed the boat on this, or is it still possible?
]]>* Here is what I am doing:
1. SENDING A LETTER OF CANCELLATION IMMEDIATELY.
2. CCing my state corporation commission and all three credit reporting
agencies.
3. Porting my lines over to my new carrier BEFORE they get the letter.
4. Pay them what I owe them for service I have used.
5. When they call me, I will tell them ONCE to please sue me for the early
termination fee, and also notify them on the same call that we no longer
have a business relationship, and they will be in violation of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 if they EVER call again. And I will throw
their letters and bills in the trash without even opening them up.
Can you tell me if this worked?
I just found this article today, so I may be too late. I have a text plan,
but couldn't I just call and cancel it and then use this argument? Also,
there are 5 lines on my plan, does every person have to call in, or since I
am the main line, can I do it for everyone?
Thanks!
Rich
]]>1. SENDING A LETTER OF CANCELLATION IMMEDIATELY.
2. CCing my state corporation commission and all three credit reporting agencies.
3. Porting my lines over to my new carrier BEFORE they get the letter.
4. Pay them what I owe them for service I have used.
5. When they call me, I will tell them ONCE to please sue me for the early termination fee, and also notify them on the same call that we no longer have a business relationship, and they will be in violation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 if they EVER call again. And I will throw their letters and bills in the trash without even opening them up.
]]>I recently cancelled my messaging rate plan, so if it's only been a few days since this change does anyone know if I'm eligable to cancel my contract? I would think since now the rate hike applies to me I could get out scott-free. I would also like to know what page on the contract that info is on, just to be prepared. I'm going to try tonight and tomorrow night and keep checking back to see if anyone was successful.
]]>Does this mean within 30 days of you receiving the notice that it will go up 3/30/08, OR within 30 days of your first bill after 3/30/08?
In other words, can you cancel it now, or do you have to wait until 3/30. And, if you DO wait until March, are you within the grace period where you can theoretically get out?
Also, so far this is a nice theory, but NOBODY has actually reported being successful...
]]>has anyone been successful yet?
]]>Sounds like a good item to get a detailed consumerist writeup - how to jump ship AND keep your existing phone number!
I'm trying to do an AT&T -> Verizon one myself (related to poor coverage at my house), but am baffled by how to keep the number I've had the past 6 years or so...
]]>@weave:
Going over your messages when you're on a messaging plan doesn't charge you the ppu rate, it charges you the overage rate, which would be either $0.05 or $0.10 depending on your package.
should be the same thing i would think
]]>It doesn't even mention material adversity in the contract text. It just mentions that if it changes to something other than what your plan says, you're allowed to jump ship. That's such bullshit.
]]>I love how everyone wants to get out of their contract...Verizon to go to Tmobile or ATT, in the ATT thread to go to Tmobile, Tmobile to go to ATT...it never ends.
]]>Come on T-Moble CHANGE SOMTHING!
]]>@Front_Towards_Enemy: Yeah, that cat cracked me up...
]]>Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
]]>Can anybody advise how to port a number when cancelling without an ETFs? Should I initiate a number porting prior to calling AT&T? I know that usually one should just port a number that will automaticall close the previous account. Thank you.
]]>I guess now i need to decide if I want to stay with AT&T and be able to use unlocked phones, or move to Sprint with their locked phones...
]]>Mission accomplished AT&T and Steve.
]]>20 cents?! Shouldn't the price of text messaging be going DOWN?!
]]>But what if you go over your plan? Than you're still being charged more than before ie a contract change. I would love to get out of my AT&T so can someone please clarify if you can get out if you have a texting plan already?
]]>Basically, just because you have a text plan doesn't mean you never go over it and get hit with the changed frees I'm guessing. If so, it should still apply.
(Sigh, guess I need to go to 1000 a month plan, which I'm sure is their intent. It's just way too easy to text on the jesus phone...)
]]>love that pic!!! teh kitteh is nommin'!!
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