HOT: Avoid Verizon Early Cancelation Fee, get out your contract free

[Brian M]

Originally posted by: ncage
thanks OP. I called them and they canceled my contract with no problem.

Interesting, you got out of the $175 early cancelation fee already?

So, YMMV on when Verizon starts honering this even though the policy cleary states it's within 60 days of receiving the statement with the additional fee.

 

[joelmold]

So, YMMV on when Verizon starts honering this even though the policy cleary states it's within 60 days of receiving the statement with the additional fee.

actually, it looks to me like what the OP posted *is* the notice. if you use your service after october 1, you are implicitly agreeing to the contract change. if you do not agree to the increased fee, then you need to call *now*...

 

[vrbaba]

Originally posted by: Brian M

Originally posted by: vrbaba

Originally posted by: Brian M

Remember that this only avoids the Verizon Early Cancelation Fee, but if you received a free Verizon phone or discounted phone you may be obligated to pay a fee for canceling. This is due to the commision money they receive from your monthly service.

Most people HAVE a contract because they got a phone or got a new phone with a new contract. So, according to this, if I still cancel mine, I would still pay them the 175 fee.

No. The $175 is charged when you cancel your service contract, but this new fee gets you out of that. Check with who you bought your phone from because some vendors write additional clauses in their contract that require you to honor your full contract or pay them back some of the savings your received on your phone.

I got my service and phone from Verizon itself. so besides the 175 fee, I dont know of any other charges i would get. so if it gets me out of this contract, thats golden.

Has anyone TRIED to do this successfully yet?

 

[Brian M]

Originally posted by: joelmold

So, YMMV on when Verizon starts honering this even though the policy cleary states it's within 60 days of receiving the statement with the additional fee.

actually, it looks to me like what the OP posted *is* the notice. if you use your service after october 1, you are implicitly agreeing to the contract change. if you do not agree to the increased fee, then you need to call *now*...

No I don't agree with that analysis. I interpret it as the notice being the first bill with the additional fee, and then you have 60 days to cancel without incurring additional fees from the time you received that bill. The new $0.40 fee hasn't taken effect yet, that happens on Oct. 1.

 

[Brian M]

Originally posted by: vrbaba

Originally posted by: Brian M

Originally posted by: vrbaba

Originally posted by: Brian M

Remember that this only avoids the Verizon Early Cancelation Fee, but if you received a free Verizon phone or discounted phone you may be obligated to pay a fee for canceling. This is due to the commision money they receive from your monthly service.

Most people HAVE a contract because they got a phone or got a new phone with a new contract. So, according to this, if I still cancel mine, I would still pay them the 175 fee.

No. The $175 is charged when you cancel your service contract, but this new fee gets you out of that. Check with who you bought your phone from because some vendors write additional clauses in their contract that require you to honor your full contract or pay them back some of the savings your received on your phone.

I got my service and phone from Verizon itself. so besides the 175 fee, I dont know of any other charges i would get. so if it gets me out of this contract, thats golden.

Has anyone TRIED to do this successfully yet?

It really seems to depend if you'll incur any more fees. I bought a Motorola v710 from Verizon last year w/ a 2yr contract, and they informed me at purchase that if I cancelled early I'd pay $175 plus more $$$ in fees because I got a heavy discount and multiple MIR's for my v710. I'd call Verizon and ask if you'd owe any more $$$ for your phone if you get out of your contract early.

ncage said he got out of his contract free already, surprising because it sounded like you'd need to wait until Oct. 1.

 

[vrbaba]

Originally posted by: joelmold

So, YMMV on when Verizon starts honering this even though the policy cleary states it's within 60 days of receiving the statement with the additional fee.

actually, it looks to me like what the OP posted *is* the notice. if you use your service after october 1, you are implicitly agreeing to the contract change. if you do not agree to the increased fee, then you need to call *now*...

I think OP means that Administration Fee will be charged STARTING OCT 1. So you will need to wait TILL your october bill comes out with the charge ON your statement.
I dont see the charge on my July statement, so I have no reason to call them yet.

 

[vtohthree]

Originally posted by: phils725
Activating another phone on your account will NOT extend the contract 2 years UNLESS the phone was purchased at a VZW store or retailer at a promotional rate (the prices they advertise are actually the promotional rate) You activating a warranty replacement does not extend your contract, and if the person did that, they were wrong, and you could go back to a store within one bill cycle to get it reverted back. However, if you added a promotional feature (i.e. added unlimited IN calling, when you only had a limited number before etc.) that will extend the contract.

Also, for a warranty replacement, you should have just gone to a VZW company store, they would have given you an identical replacement to your phone at no charge (so long as it was under warranty, and had no physical/water damage)

I knew it.. THose LYING....people... It didn't make any sense to me.. none at all, they even claimed to have extended my contract at first because I did the easy move(change of address for billing purposes), then I reiterated it to them, asking, "the contract is extended because of that? and they said yes... I hung up, and called again, and someone "clarified" it was because I activated another phone........I NEVER CHANGED MY PLAN, same price, same minutes.

edit: they claimed that if I had purchased the phone under warranty from them, that my contract would have not extended. That it was extended because a vendor issued me the phone. It's criminal...Yeah, verizon has good coverage, but should anything change according to their system on your account, it's your fight, I even asked to speak with their supervisor. I have to find proof of their claims.

 

[BrokenVisage]

Stolen from FW.

 

[labgeek]

Originally posted by: Shallok

F THE CHANGES HAVE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOU, HOWEVER, YOU CAN END THE AFFECTED SERVICE, WITHOUT ANY EARLY TERMINATION FEE, JUST BY CALLING US WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER WE SEND NOTICE OF THE CHANGE.

It seems that the real key here is the word Material. You may be able to argue that an extra 40 cents is a material amount, but I certainly don't see it that way.

Changing a contract any amount is a material change to the contract. The amount of the change does not matter. If they are charging you any more at all, they have materially changed the contract with an adverse effect on the customer.

If you're really looking to do this, I'd suggest you start trying soon. If enough people do this, it may show up on some management report somewhere. At that point Vzn may decide it's in their best interest to honor the existing contract instead of letting you out of it because of 40 cents/month. I'm surprised it's not already that way going into it. They would have already been aware of the loophole. When the decision was made, I'm surprised an policy wasn't created at the same time to waive the fee for the life of an existing contract for anyone who calls.

 

[Brian M]

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage
Stolen from FW.

Nope, stolen from Slickdeals who may have stolen it from FW. Who cares anyways just spreading the word to AT.

 

[shurato]

No deal is ever stolen... how do you think everyone get's deals? By the way I don't check any other hot deal sites so THANK YOU OP!!! I've been thinking of paying the 175 fee to cancel my phone because I just got a company phone for free. If this works, then w00t saved $175! THANKS!

 

[LightningStrikes]

Nice to see all the amateur lawyers in town......



-LS

 

[xarmian]

Originally posted by: BrokenVisage
Stolen from FW.

which i'm sure was stolen from howardforums.com, as it's been under debate for the past month or two over there.. but who really cares when it comes down to it?

 

[isekii]

I wonder if anything like this is happening with Cingular.

 

[iamshady]

I'm waiting for my bill so I can get the go ahead. Is it possible to cancel the contract and be on a month to month basis so I can port the number?

 

[argoldst]

If anyone actually does this, please post the results.

 

[Ipno]

Nice. And a local carrier is offering 3 months free unlimited no contract at the same time... time for a switch.

 

[Slappy00]

Originally posted by: argoldst
If anyone actually does this, please post the results.

bump

i am interested in doign this too

 

[JBT]

hmmm I am thinkign about canceling mine now. I pay like 70 after taxes for 500 minutes and two phones... Seems pretty rediculous to me. I hate my phone too. Moto V265 sucks big time. I am definatly interested in this... Perhaps it might be time to call up Vonage.

 

[SirWoj]

bump for an interesting topic

 

[chrisram]

Just tried it. Have a 3rd line on a family share plan that doesn't expire until 7/2006 that isn't being used. Wouldn't let me cancel this line because of new charge. Customer agreement allows them to change fees at any time. Let us know if you can get this done and how.

 

[Brian M]

Originally posted by: chrisram
Just tried it. Have a 3rd line on a family share plan that doesn't expire until 7/2006 that isn't being used. Wouldn't let me cancel this line because of new charge. Customer agreement allows them to change fees at any time. Let us know if you can get this done and how.

Read the customer agreement, you have 60 days after notification of a new fee to cancel without incuring the Early Cancelation Fee. Once again, this doesn't work yet, the Administration Fee takes effect Oct 1. You need to wait.

 

[PuppettMaster001]

OMG this is perfect timing. I was going to call yesterday to cancel my phone cause I switched to TMobile. Luckily I am a lazy bastard.

 

[bhanson]

Originally posted by: Shallok

F THE CHANGES HAVE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOU, HOWEVER, YOU CAN END THE AFFECTED SERVICE, WITHOUT ANY EARLY TERMINATION FEE, JUST BY CALLING US WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER WE SEND NOTICE OF THE CHANGE.

It seems that the real key here is the word Material. You may be able to argue that an extra 40 cents is a material amount, but I certainly don't see it that way. Has anyone actually tried to cancel their account because of an increase of 40 cents a month?

My plan runs 40 a month, plus some taxes and fees, as such, I can't state with any confidence that less than 1% of my total monthly payment is a material amount.

$0.40 cents a month invested in the stock market would yield about $27,000.00 after 60 years.

I'm with Verizon, if they didn't have the best voice coverage out of anyone I'd be with someone else. Their prices are a tad higher but they have to pay for their towers and roaming agreements somehow. I don't mind.

 

[ECartman]

Originally posted by: Brian M

Originally posted by: chrisram
Just tried it. Have a 3rd line on a family share plan that doesn't expire until 7/2006 that isn't being used. Wouldn't let me cancel this line because of new charge. Customer agreement allows them to change fees at any time. Let us know if you can get this done and how.

Read the customer agreement, you have 60 days after notification of a new fee to cancel without incuring the Early Cancelation Fee. Once again, this doesn't work yet, the Administration Fee takes effect Oct 1. You need to wait.

Geez, get it right.

I got notification of the new fee on the last page of my August 03, 2005 bill. I have 60 days after Verizon sent that notice to call and "end the affected service without any early termination fee". That means I have until roughly October 3 to call and terminate service. If I use the phone after October 1, I have, according to the customer agreement, accepted the new terms (the 40 cent fee) and cannot cancel thereafter without the early termination fee.

Bottom line -- DO NOT WAIT. That is bad advice. Call now and cancel if you are gonna cancel. If you use your phone after October 1, you cannot cancel without early termination fee.

And yes, a 40 cent change in monthly charges is, legally, a change that has "a material adverse effect on you." Don't confuse a lay definition of material with a legal definition. In contract law, any change that changes the legal effect of a contract is "material." "Adverse" simply means it goes against your interests, and does not speak to degree.