Am I still under contract with ATT?
You own an AT&T wireless service, probably subscribed to the company many years ago, and benefited from one of their promotions to have a new mobile phone. The only drawback was that it came with a two-year service plan requirement. The act of locking into a contract did not feel like a big constraint back then. But now you are not very pleased with the service that AT&T provides or the charges they impose. You are asking yourself whether you can change the carrier but have to avoid early termination fees. Oh, are you still bound by the contract with AT&T Internet? Let’s find out.
What Is The Term On My AT&T Contract?
The first thing that one should understand is the date upon which his or her contract agreement with AT&T expires. AT&T contracts are normally for one or two years. This period begins when you activate a new line, transfer service to a new phone at a lower price, and agree to an extended term.
To find out your contract end date with AT&T.
- Look at the previous billing statements - You may find the contract end date there
- Check your AT&T Wireless contract details online – There should be details on your contract status and when it expires.
- Use the AT&T Premier website (https:>[Premier ATT] (http://www.premier.att.com)
- Call *611 from your AT&T device - An agent can check it for you
- Visit an AT&T store - Any rep can tell you all about your account.
If you know your contract end date, then you can be sure that you will be free to move to another carrier without incurring early termination fees. Currently, most AT&T contracts do not renew automatically, which means that you would be at liberty to change services once the contract is over.
What If You Do Not Recall Signing An Extension?
If you were an AT&T customer in the past two years and switched your phone, then you automatically subscribed to a new contract. This is a common strategy employed by the major cellular carriers to retain the customer for a longer time.
Whenever you buy a cheaper phone from AT&T or participate in any other offer, a contract renewal is often involved. The new contract end date is usually the date you received a new gadget or when the promotion began.
If you took your phone to AT&T and are just getting accessories or adding a line to the account, sometimes it can keep your contract going. The only way for an organization to avoid the creation of new contracts is by refusing to accept service promotions when purchasing new devices and instead, purchasing the gadgets at full retail prices.
What are AT&T's Early Termination Fees?
However, if you decide to cancel service with AT&T before the contract period elapses, you will be expected to pay an early termination fee. Early termination fees for standard wireless contracts at AT&T are fixed at $180. Any line that you have on top of these will attract a $15 to $325 per line fee.
The early termination fees are calculated on a sliding scale according to the number of months remaining on the contract. Thus if you have six months left you will be charged half of the ETFs. However, even a prorated fee may be a couple of hundred dollars – which should be enough to encourage a person to hang in there if they can.
Ways You Can Leave Your AT&T Contract
If switching carriers is a priority but you want to avoid termination fees, you do have some options.
- Pay off the fees: For instance, if you have the cash and you want out, the only way is to make the payment of the fees and get out of the scheme. And you will save if your new carrier is cheaper and you will recover your costs in due course.
- Suspend service temporarily: You can freeze your AT&T service for up to 6 months through the AT&T Premier website. This keeps monthly charges on a device from piling up without having to sign up for a new contract.
- See if AT&T will let you out: The customer loyalty reps do have some authority in this area and can cancel contracts. If you plead your case politely, then they will be convinced.
- Consider contract buyout services: There exist third-party companies such as CellPlanter and ContractCarrierBuyout that have services allowing them to pay off your contract or take it over for a given price.
In my opinion, it is quite challenging to let go of AT&T if you still have a few months on your contract term. Your best bet is to become a savvy consumer – ask questions, do not sign on the dotted line or upgrade without reading everything carefully, and beware of so-called ‘free’ gifts. It can help avoid situations that the parties did not agree to before entering into the contract, which is detrimental in the long run.
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