Please note this is only valid for people who do not have a messaging plan. If you pay for a bundled messaging add-on you can not use the increase as a reason for breaking the contract since the increase does not affect you. This is also only valid for people not worried about losing your current phone number. If want to keep the phone number you will have to do some more hagling with the CR you talk to.
1. This step is very important. If you have not sent or received a SMS message within the past three months send a SMS message to your T-Mobile phone now. If you try this without having a recent text message on your account. T-Mobile will deny your request stating that the change will not affect you since you do not use text messaing.
2. Log into your T-Mobile account. Click on Billing, then Current Usage. Verify you see the SMS Text message. If you do not see a message wait a few hours and check back. Based upon my experience the site updates a few times per day. If you do not see the message the CR will not see it.
3. Call T-Mobile's main support number at 1-800-937-8997. When prompted by the automated system say "Cancel my Account". This should send you to the right department.
4. When the customer service (CR) person asks why you are calling say, " I want to cancel my account. I was notified today that the SMS messaging rate will be increasing from $.10 to $.20. on 8/29." Some CRs seem to know about this and others don't. They may put your on hold and verify the change.
5. The CR will probably come back and offer you incentives to keep your contract. Deny all offers.
6. If you haven't used text messaging within the past 3 months the CR will say the change doesn't affect you and you will need to pay the ETF. Tell them you sent/received a text message today and it will affect you. Tell them to check your recent activity.
7. The CR may say the change doesn't take effect until 8/29. Quote T-Mobile's Terms of Service here. Tell the CR that according to the ToS you must cancel within 14 days of receiving the notification. If they argue over this point or any other point simply read the following exerpt from the ToS
Section 3: IF WE MODIFY A MATERIAL TERM OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH YOU AND THE MODIFICATION WOULD BE MATERIALLY ADVERSE TO YOU, WE WILL NOTIFY YOU OF THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION AND YOU CAN CANCEL THAT SERVICE WITHOUT PAYING A CANCELLATION FEE (WHICH IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY) BY FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS IN THE NOTICE. IF YOU DO NOT CANCEL YOUR SERVICE BY FOLLOWING THOSE INSTRUCTIONS, OR YOU OTHERWISE ACCEPT THE CHANGE, THEN YOU AGREE TO THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION, EVEN IF YOU PAID FOR SERVICE IN ADVANCE. IF THE NOTICE DOES NOT SAY HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO CANCEL, THEN IT IS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE NOTICE, UNLESS A LONGER PERIOD IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
7. The CR should then put you on hold to cancel the account.
8. Once done log back into your T-Mobile account. You should not be able to view any current details or current plan details.
9. If you can not get anywhere with the CR ask to speak to a manager or hang up and call again to get another CR.
10. If all else fails tell the CR you will file a report with the FCC and fill out the form located at http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. Most of the time filling out this form will result in swift action by the service provider.
In my case I contact support early in the day and requested the cancellation. Since I hadn't used text messaging in the past three months the CR told me I would have to pay the ETF. This CR knew about the change and was very friendly about it. He told me to just send a new text to my phone and wait a few hours and call back. I sent the text and waited until it showed on my online account manger. The second CR had no idea about the change and it required a lot of prodding on my part to get him to cancel it. Getting a good CR is just the luck of the draw. The process can be very easy or very difficult based on the CR you talk to.
Also, make sure you tell them you need to port your phone number, so they can't cancel your contract yet. They are not allowed, by federal law, to prevent you from porting your number.
You have to switch to AT&T before cancelling with T-mobile or else you lose the number.
Tell them to keep your account active, but note the ETF credit so it doesn't get charged. Then go to AT&T and switch your service and sim-card.
Nice guide. However, three points that I learned by calling customer service:
1) You CAN get out of the ETF with a messaging plan IF you have incurred an overage in the last three months! So if you have not incurred an overage, start sending text messages TODAY like crazy to someone who has an unlimited plan. Make sure you go over by at least 1 message.
2) You CAN'T cancel before you receive your next bill. In that bill with be the OFFICIAL NOTICE that the messaging rate has gone up. For me it is July 3rd.
3) Once you receive the bill you have 30 days to cancel. There is no special way you need to cancel. You can cancel by activating an AT&T account and porting your number over. Though you will want to scan you last t-mobile bill for the ETF (or lack thereof).
This is what I got as reply to my email query. I am filing complain with FCC now. It is ridiculous because one CSR did tell me that ETF wouldn't apply. To confirm I had emailed support and got this:
I know how upsetting it is to have increases for this usage. The bill inserts regarding the Early Termination Fee waiver will be mailed starting June 27. After reviewing your account I see that you have already transferred your number to another provider and cancelled your T-Mobile service. Since the messaging rates do not change until August 29 and you have cancelled now while under contract, the Early Termination Fee will be applied and cannot be adjusted. Customers who qualify for the waiver have 30 days from the receipt of their bill insert to terminate their contract without an ETF. After 30 days, you will no longer be able to cancel your contracts without an ETF, and the communicated rate changes will be effective August 29. We are sorry that you have decided to leave T-Mobile for this reason. Although the messaging rates will increase T-Mobile will be offering a blocking feature in late July which will alleviate many text charges. I am sorry that you did not wait to have all this explained to you. The $200 early termination fee is a valid charge since you have cancelled while under contract. If you decide to return to T-Mobile we would love to have you back. You will have 90 days to return without having to pay a new activation fee and the termination fee will be adjusted for you. After 60 days you would need a new SIM card though and after 90 days, a new activation and SIM will be required and the termination fee will not be adjusted.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Step by step cancellation guide I put togther.
Please note this is only valid for people who do not have a messaging plan. If you pay for a bundled messaging add-on you can not use the increase as a reason for breaking the contract since the increase does not affect you. This is also only valid for people not worried about losing your current phone number. If want to keep the phone number you will have to do some more hagling with the CR you talk to.
1. This step is very important. If you have not sent or received a SMS message within the past three months send a SMS message to your T-Mobile phone now. If you try this without having a recent text message on your account. T-Mobile will deny your request stating that the change will not affect you since you do not use text messaing.
2. Log into your T-Mobile account. Click on Billing, then Current Usage. Verify you see the SMS Text message. If you do not see a message wait a few hours and check back. Based upon my experience the site updates a few times per day. If you do not see the message the CR will not see it.
3. Call T-Mobile's main support number at 1-800-937-8997. When prompted by the automated system say "Cancel my Account". This should send you to the right department.
4. When the customer service (CR) person asks why you are calling say, " I want to cancel my account. I was notified today that the SMS messaging rate will be increasing from $.10 to $.20. on 8/29." Some CRs seem to know about this and others don't. They may put your on hold and verify the change.
5. The CR will probably come back and offer you incentives to keep your contract. Deny all offers.
6. If you haven't used text messaging within the past 3 months the CR will say the change doesn't affect you and you will need to pay the ETF. Tell them you sent/received a text message today and it will affect you. Tell them to check your recent activity.
7. The CR may say the change doesn't take effect until 8/29. Quote T-Mobile's Terms of Service here. Tell the CR that according to the ToS you must cancel within 14 days of receiving the notification. If they argue over this point or any other point simply read the following exerpt from the ToS
Section 3:
IF WE MODIFY A MATERIAL TERM OF OUR AGREEMENT WITH YOU AND THE MODIFICATION WOULD BE MATERIALLY ADVERSE TO YOU, WE WILL NOTIFY YOU OF THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION AND YOU CAN CANCEL THAT SERVICE WITHOUT PAYING A CANCELLATION FEE (WHICH IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY) BY FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION INSTRUCTIONS IN THE NOTICE. IF YOU DO NOT CANCEL YOUR SERVICE BY FOLLOWING THOSE INSTRUCTIONS, OR YOU OTHERWISE ACCEPT THE CHANGE, THEN YOU AGREE TO THE INCREASE OR MODIFICATION, EVEN IF YOU PAID FOR SERVICE IN ADVANCE. IF THE NOTICE DOES NOT SAY HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO CANCEL, THEN IT IS WITHIN 14 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF THE NOTICE, UNLESS A LONGER PERIOD IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
7. The CR should then put you on hold to cancel the account.
8. Once done log back into your T-Mobile account. You should not be able to view any current details or current plan details.
9. If you can not get anywhere with the CR ask to speak to a manager or hang up and call again to get another CR.
10. If all else fails tell the CR you will file a report with the FCC and fill out the form located at http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm. Most of the time filling out this form will result in swift action by the service provider.
In my case I contact support early in the day and requested the cancellation. Since I hadn't used text messaging in the past three months the CR told me I would have to pay the ETF. This CR knew about the change and was very friendly about it. He told me to just send a new text to my phone and wait a few hours and call back. I sent the text and waited until it showed on my online account manger. The second CR had no idea about the change and it required a lot of prodding on my part to get him to cancel it. Getting a good CR is just the luck of the draw. The process can be very easy or very difficult based on the CR you talk to.
http://www.digitaljargon.com
Also, make sure you tell them you need to port your phone number, so they can't cancel your contract yet. They are not allowed, by federal law, to prevent you from porting your number.
You have to switch to AT&T before cancelling with T-mobile or else you lose the number.
Tell them to keep your account active, but note the ETF credit so it doesn't get charged. Then go to AT&T and switch your service and sim-card.
Nice guide. However, three points that I learned by calling customer service:
1) You CAN get out of the ETF with a messaging plan IF you have incurred an overage in the last three months! So if you have not incurred an overage, start sending text messages TODAY like crazy to someone who has an unlimited plan. Make sure you go over by at least 1 message.
2) You CAN'T cancel before you receive your next bill. In that bill with be the OFFICIAL NOTICE that the messaging rate has gone up. For me it is July 3rd.
3) Once you receive the bill you have 30 days to cancel. There is no special way you need to cancel. You can cancel by activating an AT&T account and porting your number over. Though you will want to scan you last t-mobile bill for the ETF (or lack thereof).
This is what I got as reply to my email query. I am filing complain with FCC now. It is ridiculous because one CSR did tell me that ETF wouldn't apply. To confirm I had emailed support and got this:
I know how upsetting it is to have increases for this usage. The
bill inserts regarding the Early Termination Fee waiver will be mailed
starting June 27. After reviewing your account I see that you have
already transferred your number to another provider and cancelled your
T-Mobile service. Since the messaging rates do not change until August
29 and you have cancelled now while under contract, the Early
Termination Fee will be applied and cannot be adjusted. Customers who
qualify for the waiver have 30 days from the receipt of their bill
insert to terminate their contract without an ETF. After 30 days, you
will no longer be able to cancel your contracts without an ETF, and the
communicated rate changes will be effective August 29. We are sorry that
you have decided to leave T-Mobile for this reason. Although the
messaging rates will increase T-Mobile will be offering a blocking
feature in late July which will alleviate many text charges. I am sorry
that you did not wait to have all this explained to you. The $200 early
termination fee is a valid charge since you have cancelled while under
contract. If you decide to return to T-Mobile we would love to have you
back. You will have 90 days to return without having to pay a new
activation fee and the termination fee will be adjusted for you. After
60 days you would need a new SIM card though and after 90 days, a new
activation and SIM will be required and the termination fee will not be
adjusted.