AT&T now offers prorated early termination fee

AT&T now offers prorated early termination fee

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Published on: 28 May, 2008 by PhoneArena Team

AT&T now offers prorated early termination fee

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A couple of years ago, Verizon Wireless addressed an issue regarding the high price of ETF (early-termination fee) for the two-year contracts, by introducing a prorated billing. On May 25th, AT&T followed in Verizon’s footsteps by presenting a new system for calculating the termination fee, which unfortunately is available for only new and renewing customers. The fee will drop by $5 for each month that the customer spent on its network, this means if you want to cancel your contract after one year you would have to pay $115 instead of $175. The downside is that if you do that a month before the contract expires, you would still have to pay $55. Sprint and T-Mobile also announced their plans to introduce prorated termination fees, which will probably be offered by the end of this year.

source: AT&T Wireless via UnwiredView

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1.
It appears that Verizon Wireless is truely the market trend setter. Verizon Wireless introduced the Unlimited calling plans, and six hours later AT&T announced that they too wish to offered unlimited plans and everyone else followed suite. Two years ago Verizon Wireless introduced Pro-rated Early Termination Fees all on their own to help out their customers, and now finally all of the other carriers seem to be following as well.

Thank you Verizon Wireless for leading the way, no wonder you are nationally the "Most Reliable Network".
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6.
they might be the first; but they are far from the best. taking your example of the unlimited plans; look at sprints' plan to all others. sprints' unlimited is truely unlimited; where as all others is just unlimited voice.
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7.
#1 guy must be from verizon wireless... lol... :P
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21.
Yes Verizon may just have unlimited voice for 99.99, while Sprint has unlimited everything for 99.99, but you pay for what you get. You pay less and get a crappy service and all these free things, or you pay more for a service that is reliable. Shouldn't it be classified under quality, not quantity?
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #6 ( Show )
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24.
My Verizon contract is up on Aug 30th 2008 (I have been a Verizon customer for 6 or 7 years now). Since the new iPhone is coming out mid-July, having heard about Verizon's prorated early termination fee (ETF), I decided to ask Verizon what my ETF would be if I cancelled my service 45 days before my contract was up. Here is relevant portion of the reply, verbatim . . .

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First off . . . I must admit that your inquiry about cancelling services comes as a bit of a surprise. You've been a great, loyal customer, and if there is anything I can do to keep you with us, please allow me the chance.

With that said, however, allow me to elaborate on your contract; as it stands your contract is set to expire 8/30/08, as you mentioned. Right now your ETF, if you were to cancel at any point prior to 8/30/08, would be $175.

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Hmmm . . . "to cancel at ANY POINT prior to 8/30/08, would be $175". That just doesn't sound like a prorated ETF to me.
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25.
Well the operator lied to you... read the article still posted on the verizon site

http://news.vzw.com/news/2006/11/pr2006-11-16e.html
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #24 ( Show )
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3.
LEAD THE WAY TO NICKEL AND DIME YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!
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4.
How is that nickel and dimeing? The customer signed a contract and got a phone at subsidized pricing, and Verizon prorates the ETF based on how much of the contract you have completed, unlike other carriers who up until now charged the entire ETF regardless of if you were one month into the contract or 23. Seems like if you have to sign a contract (I think you should have the option of full retail without one) that this is the best way to go.
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5.
And only 18 months behind Verizon Wireless on this one... congrats AT&T... congrats.
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8.
For the record... Cingular offered prorated fees in some markets several years ago. So really they were the trend setter... VZW just liked the idea and went with it. I dont even like att, but you VZW lovers disgust me with your verbal ejaculation of the company. In their history they have rarely been the first at anything. Even VZW people that have been around will tell you that. They used to claim that they let Sprint launch things first so that they could make their product work better.

Trend setter.... whatever.... you guys are clearly not wireless industry veterens.
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16.
Between ATT and VZW:

First to prorate ETF: VZW
First to offer UNLIMITED messaging: VZW
First to off price plan changes WITHOUT contract extension: VZW
First to roll out 3G: VZW
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #8 ( Show )
Reply to elgee02 Hide 2 replies to this comment
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9.
but yet VZW is ranked #1 in customer service compared to everyone else.
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10.
listen who ever was talking about sprint comparing to verizon is an idiot. VZW uses Sprint like a bath towel. Sprint is garbage that is why they had to offer that plan.
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11.
This is for comment # 6..... You might wanna do your homework a little bit more before posting. Sprint's internal documents indicate that they will now be pursuing to disconnect people who drastically exceed 5 GB on thier network for their Broadband service, and a measely 300 MB on their roaming network. Not only will they now charge ridiculous overages for both of those limits but they will threaten to shut you down altogther. So much for their "Unlimited Anything" plan. On another note: Way to go AT&T ... and to think; it only took you over a year to do it. As for VZW not being "first" in the industry to do things ... hmmmm.... let me think of another first: they were the first with PTT ( although Qualcomm perfected it for Nextel ), remember that?... back when VZW was Cell One? Another first? .... They are the first to offer "Open Access" handsets to use on their service. What other domestic cellco is doing that? To comment #3... how is AT&T nickel and diming you? Did you not read this post? They are REMOVING five bucks from your ETF for every month you have service. My God, where is the honor in this country? People always sign contracts, agree to the rules , but then want to re-write the rules when it's beneficial for them. Comment #4 was right: Just buy a phone at full retail.
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12.
comment #9 T-mobile is ranked highest in customer service
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17.
hahah youre wrong VERY worng
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22.
OMG wow, T-mobile has pretty much the worst customer service ever. You should probably look up your facts.
Reply to this comment This comment is posted in response to #17 ( Show )
Reply to Larryzek Hide 2 replies to this comment
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13.
Fanboys, fanboys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do, when Ralphie comes for you!?
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15.
Phones, fees, cheaper plans blah blah blah... vzw is still the best network. Crystal clear service, never a dropped call and coverage almost everywhere except underground in the train. I don't know about anyone else but I stick with a wireless provider for their WIRELESS SERVICE!
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18.
*** DITTO ***
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19.
18 months behind? at&t when they functioned as Cingular was doing this loooooooooooooooooong before verizon even though about prorating their etfs, research before you make a blatently retarded statement such as you have made, and thank you #8 for actually knowing what you are talking about
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20.
I wouldn't get all uppity about something Cingular did, dude...seriously. Think about it; they introduced prorated ETFs in SOME markets?..... SOME markets...as if the rest of the nation wouldn't like it. VZW did this Nationwide so that makes them first to "FULLY" deploy prorated ETFs. What good is bragging about what Cingular did if only certain markets knew about it? Just plain retarded. So, as far as I'm concerned....to the markets that DIDN'T have it; yes, AT&T ( Cingular, or whatever you wanna call them ) is 18 months behind.
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