Get out of your Cingular Contract w/o ETF

[Reckoner]

Credit goes to Cingularv551 from ChubbyWallet:

Cingular raised the cost of their text messaging from $0.10 to $0.15 per message effective 1/21/07.


According to their Terms of Service if they raise the cost of services you subscribe to, you can cancel without an ETF within 30 days.

People have had success in doing this, so it's worth checking out if you're dissatisfied with Cingular for some reason. Dial 611 from your cingular phone, hit 0 to speak to a CSR, then 4 to reach retentions.


Thread of Note

 

[bobdelt]

thats sweet... i wonder if the other companies will follow suit... of course I have sprints sero plan, that would just be silly to cancel

 

[vrbaba]

This happened with Verizon once... and some people did get success in revoking their contract. But When I and many others called, they told me that there is a clause (forgot wht exactly) and that accepting a text message is optional... so they are not changing anything that is contractual like price plan or rate.
but good luck...i hate all cell phone companies with these ****** contracts.

 

[MikeTheBuzzsaw]

Just say your moving out of the country. Works for me every single time.

 

[pdawg1717]

Originally posted by: MikeTheBuzzsaw
Just say your moving out of the country. Works for me every single time.

But don't you still have to pay an early termination fee? I wouldn't think they would care why you want out of your contract...

 

[thescreensavers]

so do lets say can I close my account today or within 30days after the 21?

B/c we may what to change

 

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by: thescreensavers
so do lets say can I close my account today or within 30days after the 21?

B/c we may what to change

you can do it now

 

[krunchykrome]

So where exactly does it state this rate increase? I dont have my December Bill yet, but I have no November bill and it does not say that. Is it on their website anywhere or is there a link?

 

[krunchykrome]

I just called and they said the text messaging fees are still 10 cents. Where is this new rate hike stated?

 

[Reckoner]

On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

Is that December's statement or November's statement?

 

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

Is that December's statement or November's statement?

November


If you check your bill online, click View Bill from your main account page, then choose View/Print Full Bill. The notice should be right at the bottom.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

Is that December's statement or November's statement?

November

WTH, I have my november statement right in front of me and it doesnt say anything like that.

I do have a note though that says "Your rollover balance has been adjusted. This may have occurred due to a recent price plan change."

You think that has anything to do with the text rate hike?

Nope, thats not it either. That rollover adjustment was because of my added family line.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

Is that December's statement or November's statement?

November


If you check your bill online, click View Bill from your main account page, then choose View/Print Full Bill. The notice should be right at the bottom.

Nope, nothing.

 

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

Is that December's statement or November's statement?

November


If you check your bill online, click View Bill from your main account page, then choose View/Print Full Bill. The notice should be right at the bottom.

Nope, nothing.

I dunno then, people are calling anyways so just keep trying.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats

Originally posted by: krunchykrome

Originally posted by: PaulNEPats
On my latest statement:

"Text & Instant Message Pay Per Use Rate Change
Effective 1/21/07, Cingular will charge $0.15 for text and
instant 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 or
MEdia Bundle, you can send and receive messages for as little as
a penny. Sign up & save at www.cingular.com/getmessaging or Dial
*NOW from your wireless phone."

Is that December's statement or November's statement?

November


If you check your bill online, click View Bill from your main account page, then choose View/Print Full Bill. The notice should be right at the bottom.

Nope, nothing.

I dunno then, people are calling anyways so just keep trying.

Im gonna wait for my next statement. My bill says .10 cents and theres no note of a rate hike. Their website says nothing of it. My online bill and account summary say nothing about it. And the rep told me the rates are still .10 cents.

 

[iamme]

my online bill doesn't say anything about this either

if you are able to cancel, what happens to your old cell phone number?

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: iamme
my online bill doesn't say anything about this either

if you are able to cancel, what happens to your old cell phone number?

I guess you lose it. My plan was to tell them to put a note on my account saying that I can waive the early cancellation fee. Then I was going to port my number to another carrier and cancel my service afterwards.

 

[Steve325]

what's the deal on people with text messaging plans already? I am thinking something along the lines of "I can't afford this $20 a month for the 3000 messages and would rather not pay the 15c per use, this is higher than all other competitors and I'd like to shop around"

do you guys think something along these lines would work?

Truth is, I want a plan with less minutes than 400 (39.99) a month. I hardly ever use my phone and I want to go with T-Mobiles Sidekick plan which happens to be $30 a month and 15c a minute for calling, which fits me much better

 

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by: Steve325
what's the deal on people with text messaging plans already? I am thinking something along the lines of "I can't afford this $20 a month for the 3000 messages and would rather not pay the 15c per use, this is higher than all other competitors and I'd like to shop around"

do you guys think something along these lines would work?

Truth is, I want a plan with less minutes than 400 (39.99) a month. I hardly ever use my phone and I want to go with T-Mobiles Sidekick plan which happens to be $30 a month and 15c a minute for calling, which fits me much better

It's worth a shot. If it doesn't work, cancel your text plan and call back in a few days.

 

[Reckoner]

Bah

 

[neocor]

What if you dint subscribe to text messaging ?
Can we still do it ?

I want to get out and go with new agreement with a new set of phones.

neo

 

[Reckoner]

Originally posted by: neocor
What if you dint subscribe to text messaging ?
Can we still do it ?

I want to get out and go with new agreement with a new set of phones.

neo

Doesn't matter, you should still be able to get out. It may take a couple tries, but keep trying.

 

[Marinski]

I've been wanting to get out of my contract. I don't think i have text messageing though. What did you guys say to get out?

 

[CCityInstaller]

Originally posted by: Marinski
I've been wanting to get out of my contract. I don't think i have text messageing though. What did you guys say to get out?

It doesn't matter if you have txt messaging or not, the cost of you sending/recieving one (should you choose) will increase by 50%. This is pure and simple greed on Cingular's part, as data fees (aka txt msgs) are 100% profit for the company. All you need to say if they push the issue is that you are uncomfortable with having to pay 50% more for a service should you choose to use as opposed to before. I worked for both Cingular Wireless and Sprint PCS for a number of years, and you'd be surprised by how easy it is to get out a contract if you are persistent.