Let me try this here. Wireless cancellation fees, the Evilbore edition.

[TakingBackSunday]

Because GAF is fucking terrible at reading a goddamn post, not to mention slimy:

I'm currently under a two year Verizon Wireless cell phone plan with a Blackberry Storm 9530, purchased in June of last year. I've reached the point of absolute frustration and hatred for this piece of shit (no significant OS updates in months, terrible selection of user-aps, awful interface design that severely overshadows a decent-to-great touch screen) and I think I'm going to jump ship to AT&T for the new iPhone later this month.

However, I've never done this before, and I'm not completely sure what kind of cash I'm going to have to plop down for this entire change. From what I understand (I think), Verizon charges an initial fee of $175 minus five dollars for each completed month of service under the current contract...I would end up paying, then, around $115. But, is there some separate Blackberry cancellation fee I'm not aware of? Does Verizon charge more if you intend to take your business to another carrier? Is there anything AT&T can offer as an incentive for transferring over? I only ask that last question because a friend of mine (and the rest of his family, too) went to an AT&T rep and explained that they all wanted to switch over to AT&T from Verizon and purchase iPhones, and AT&T ended up buying out their current Verizon contract so the family didn't have to pay for their termination fees.

Oh, and please don't immediately post "just get an Android phone hurrdurr," I'm pretty set on what I want.  And yeah, I know about AT&T's new monthly fees, I'm not concerned about them.

[WrikaWrek]

Get an Acura man.

[WrikaWrek]

Yo, i heard if you buy an Iphone you get 2 scarfs for free

[Mupepe]

Hahahaha

If you have good credit then AT&T might buy out your contract.  They did it years ago when I was under a Sprint contract.  There isn't a blackberry cancellation fee either.  Just go talk to them and find out what they're willing to offer you.

[Robo]

first

edit: fuuckk

[Don Flamenco]

nice try horny!

[bork]

Brandnew, what about holding out longer to see if Verizon is indeed going to be getting the new iPhone this year?

nice try horny!

[Mupepe]

Brandnew, what about holding out longer to see if Verizon is indeed going to be getting the new iPhone this year?

nice try horny!

isn't it just like 4 more days til he'll find out?

[Beezy]

iPhone, the hipster phone of choice

[Don Flamenco]

oh, it was like $150 to cancel a contract with verizon for me on a regular, non-smart phone that I was on my second contract with.  

I didn't haggle it too much because I just wanted a 3GS.  

[TakingBackSunday]

Brandnew, what about holding out longer to see if Verizon is indeed going to be getting the new iPhone this year?

nice try horny!

If it is indeed coming to Verizon, we'll know by June 7th.  It really wouldn't matter though, I'd still have to cancel my contract and buy a new phone.

[Beezy]

Avoiding ATTs service if possible definitely matters.

Edit: Also, didn't Verizon increase the early termination fee on their smartphones to like $300+? I remember people bitching about this.

[TakingBackSunday]

Christ, is that true?  I don't see it in their user agreement anywhere, let me check again.

Fuck, you're right.  Dammit, I'm screwed.  I hate this piece of shit.  Maybe AT&T can help 

[Beezy]

Yeah, this list of phones have the $350 early termination fee:

http://support.vzw.com/information/advanced_devices.html

[TakingBackSunday]

Well, I would only actually have to pay $220–it's the initial fee minus ten dollars each completed month.  Still though, that's a lot more than I was willing to pay 

[BlueTsunami]

I wouldn't touch AT&T after reading the shit they've been pulling with data caps and raising the cancellation fees two months before the iPad was released and pulling the caps shit after the initial rush for iPads.

This shit is like deciding to trick for Tyrone right after seeing him beat the shit out of another girl. You know what you saw homegirl, don't lie to yo'sef :'(

[The Fake Shemp]

AT&T is possibly the worst provider out there.

[bork]

AT&T is possibly the worst provider out there.

My family had nothing but problems with Sprint (especially me when I was using the Palm Treo years back) and finally switched to AT&T.  They've been helpful, have always addressed any issues we've had, coverage is great, and we ended up switching to their U-Verse internet service, which has been fast and has never cut out on us.  Can't complain.  It sounds like their cancellation fee stuff sucks, but that is every one of these providers.  It's far worse in Japan if you want to end your contract early, believe you me.   

[The Fake Shemp]

We don't live in Japan, sir.

AT&T has massive coverage issues, especially with data, in major cities - moreso than any provider. Their new pricing structure sucks. And AT&T consistently comes in last place in consumer reports.

Yes, in 19 of the 26 cities surveyed, AT&T was ranked dead last in every category.

... Why anyone would want to go to AT&T beats me. I could maybe understand a few years ago when the iPhone was the best smartphone of its kind around, but that's not even the case anymore. All of the competing providers have handsets that are as good or better.

But - hey! - if someone want to eat a contract fee just for an iPhone, that's their stupid call.

[Brehvolution]

I never had a problem since switching from verizon to att more than 3 years ago.

I'm pretty sure all carriers have issues in major metro areas because it's not coverage that is the problem, it's capacity.

[The Fake Shemp]

None have had the problems that AT&T has. The company has just never been able to adjust for the high volume of iPhone users. In the major markets, sometimes the AT&T data coverage stalls completely from overuse. It's bad. Again, I'm not just using anecdotal evidence, both Consumer Reports and JD Power consistently rank AT&T last in provider reports. I mean, in only seven of the major cities surveyed, did AT&T not rank dead last in Consumer Reports. That's genuinely awful.

(AT&T's U-Verse is pretty highly rated, though.)

[The Fake Shemp]

JD Power also listed as AT&T as the worst in call quality, like thirty points or so behind every other major provider.

[TakingBackSunday]

I don't call people, so I'm good

[Smooth Groove]

JD Power also listed as AT&T as the worst in call quality, like thirty points or so behind every other major provider.

I had better experience with them than T-Mobile.  T-Mobile is by far the worst provider that I've ever used.  I can make a call instantly at a less than 50% rate in the LA area. 

[Van Cruncheon]

verizon: we suck the least(tm)

[ManaByte]

I jumped from AT&T from Verizon last May and they've been about 200% better to deal with in every way.

[The Fake Shemp]

I don't call people, so I'm good

Too bad that most of AT&T's service failures is attributed to data usage!

I had better experience with them than T-Mobile.  T-Mobile is by far the worst provider that I've ever used.  I can make a call instantly at a less than 50% rate in the LA area.

And I visit Los Angeles frequently and never have a problem! In fact, my phone was one of the few that had consistent data coverage on location, so we often used it as a modem!

If only there was an independent source that could perform a scientific survey to reach an objective conclusion on who the best carrier was. Something like Consumer Reports. Oh wait. Or maybe another independent source that could verify dropped calls, which - gasp! - AT&T takes the lead yet again!

iPhone is a good phone on an overextended network.

[The Fake Shemp]

I had quite a row with Verizon back in the day, and probably won't do business with them again, but they are almost always ranked ahead in customer satisfaction.

[Himu]

AT&T sucks. Get Verizon. I made the mistake of using facebook and shit on my blackberry even though I set up a data plan, and now AT&T is asking for 200 clams in data fee charges.

[The Fake Shemp]

He has Verizon. He is trying to opt out for AT&T because only the iPhone can suffice as an appropriate fashion accessory!

[Smooth Groove]

I had better experience with them than T-Mobile.  T-Mobile is by far the worst provider that I've ever used.  I can make a call instantly at a less than 50% rate in the LA area.

And I visit Los Angeles frequently and never have a problem! In fact, my phone was one of the few that had consistent data coverage on location, so we often used it as a modem!

If only there was an independent source that could perform a scientific survey to reach an objective conclusion on who the best carrier was. Something like Consumer Reports. Oh wait. Or maybe another independent source that could verify dropped calls, which - gasp! - AT&T takes the lead yet again!

iPhone is a good phone on an overextended network.

Maybe we had different experiences 'cause my phone sucks?  My phone is a crap low-end Nokia that I got because I got tired of replacing high-end phones that I accidentally damaged.  An uncle later gave me a $500 Sony phone but a key came off so I switched back to the cheap Nokia.  

I do plan on getting a better phone by the end of this year.  I'm just waiting to see what MS has to offer.  

[Himu]

Oh.

My bad then.

I don't know what to say, then. Other than going from Verizon to AT&T is like going from anal sex to vaginal sex. Sure, you'd have similar services and you'd still bust a nut, but why bother?

[The Fake Shemp]

Could be. I don't think I've used a Nokia for years, simply because of how flakey some of their models are.

I've been super satisfied with my Android phone. It rocks. I'm probably another year away from looking at an upgrade.

[The Fake Shemp]

Verizon is widely regarded as the best. T-Mobile usually ranks higher in JD Power and such in customer satisfaction than Sprint, but Sprint has a bigger and more robust 3G network (and the WebOS platform, if that's your thing). Sprint has pound-for-pound the best pricing. AT&T has the iPhone, but its network is widely regarded as the worst.

[Don Flamenco]

Oh shit, I just realized I should ask about who's the best out of all these cellphone bill company thingies. So who's the best?

*insert any company here* is BY FAAAAR the worst, I get so many dropped calls, they're just out to screw their customers and their network is awful, blah blah blah blah blah

[The Fake Shemp]

 

[Mupepe]

Pick the company that has the phone you want.

[brawndolicious]

Pick the company that has the phone you want.

well you should try to narrow it down to a couple phones from each.

No reason to stick to one phone and that's it.

[Don Flamenco]

Verizon is widely regarded as the best. T-Mobile usually ranks higher in JD Power and such in customer satisfaction than Sprint, but Sprint has a bigger and more robust 3G network (and the WebOS platform, if that's your thing). Sprint has pound-for-pound the best pricing. AT&T has the iPhone, but its network is widely regarded as the worst.

So you're fucked if you got an iPhone?

And I don't know if it's the medication but I'm reading every post in Rory Gilmore's voice.

It depends on where you are.  If you're in a major metropolitan area/college town, your iphone is fine.  There'll be some spots where 3G drops for a bit and you have to use Edge, maybe have a few dropped calls throughout the year, but it works fine.   

[Akala]

I have ATT and an iphone and have no major gripes...which puts me in the internet minority, I guess.

the only thing that sucks is that when you really want a phone (mardi gras, festival, when the Saints win a SB), you aren't going to have one.

[AdmiralViscen]

Verizon's increased ETF should only apply if you bought the phone later than November of 09. Otherwise you have the old lower rate that you agreed to when you signed your contract.

Verizon is widely regarded as the best. T-Mobile usually ranks higher in JD Power and such in customer satisfaction than Sprint, but Sprint has a bigger and more robust 3G network (and the WebOS platform, if that's your thing). Sprint has pound-for-pound the best pricing. AT&T has the iPhone, but its network is widely regarded as the worst.

Didn't you hold the exact opposite opinion when I said this like 3 months ago.

[The Fake Shemp]

Probably. I'm a jerk like that.

[TakingBackSunday]

Sorry to bump this.  But Admiral, can you link to something that says such (that the new ETF policy only applies to purchasers after November of 09)?  If that's true, that's fucking awesome and it is now much much more likely I'm gonna get a 4G.

[AdmiralViscen]

Well, logic dictates that altering your ETF would constitute an alteration of your contract and would leave you free to terminate your contract with no ETF at all. This happened with Sprint earlier this year when they raised some random fee by .25 cents and it was an open door to walk with no penalty.

Just go to your local Verizon store and ask a rep what the ETF is on your account.

[AdmiralViscen]

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/11/04/confirmed-verizon-wireless-to-charge-up-to-350-early-termination-on-advanced-devices/

[TakingBackSunday]

[BlackMage]

GET A NEW PHONE BUT DON'T CHANGE TO AT&T THEY ARE HORRIBLE

[TakingBackSunday]

harumph harumph harumph

I will be in a major city for 9 or 10 months out of the year, so I won't worry.

[AdmiralViscen]

Major cities are worse for ATT

[TakingBackSunday]

Uh, what.  I'm in a college town on the outskirts on Nashville.  It's going to be fucking fine.

[Mupepe]

Uh, what.  I'm in a college town on the outskirts on Nashville.  It's going to be fucking fine.

Just to be safe I'd ask the opinions and experiences of other iphone peoples in your town.

[TakingBackSunday]

It's a hipster town; of course they all love the iPhone

But nah, from my friends at Belmont who have them, they say the only issue they have is a dropped call every once and a while.  It's alright,; I've had about 4 or 5 dropped calls on this current phone in the past 3-4 months, I'm used to it.  I mostly text anyway.