Is there any way to get out of ATT contract?

[meemster]

I'm bummed out and I'm stuck.

I got the iPhone 4 the day it came out last year (6/24). This year, ATT is not offering us iPhone 4 people an early discount price. Even if they did, I'd get locked into another 2 year contract, a vicious cycle that has kept me with ATT for 4 years now.

I'm looking to get out, and was all ready to jump ship to Sprint until they yanked their $125 switch-over credit on 10/1 (just in time for iPhone 4S release, yay.) Now, I'll be paying a ~$185 ETF to get off ATT (times 2 because we have a family plan) and break my contract.

Is there any way for me to get to the Shangrila that is Sprint w/o paying an exorbitant ATT ETF? And also, are the contracts with Sprint also 2 year contracts?

 

[Corey]

I think you will be stuck with AT&T unless you pay the EFT. Unless they do something that is a breach of the contract, you're on the hook for it unless you opt to pay out.

 

[dougmcarthur]

I don't know if the contracts in the US are the same as in Canada, but I know a lot of folks who just sell off their contracts to other people who just moved to the province/country and want a local number. Ask AT&T about whether it's possible to transfer ownership of the remainder of your contract to someone else. If it is possible, start posting on craigslist, kijiji, wherever until you find a willing buyer. Tada!

 

[MannyGeee]

welllll there is one way.... but it requires dying.

Which in turn will make it difficult to use you shiny new iPhone 4S!

 

[MannyGeee]

I don't know if the contracts in the US are the same as in Canada, but I know a lot of folks who just sell off their contracts to other people who just moved to the province/country and want a local number. Ask AT&T about whether it's possible to transfer ownership of the remainder of your contract to someone else. If it is possible, start posting on craigslist, kijiji, wherever until you find a willing buyer. Tada!

really? thats cool! I had tried to get out of my VZW contract to go on my company's plan through AT&T, I was told to pound sand and send them $350 on my way out...

 

[solidkevin]

Yes but you have to pay a fee to get out of the contract, I believe it is from $200-$300, its a lot but if you have a lot of years stacked on its worth it.

 

[Fausty82]

I'm bummed out and I'm stuck.

I got the iPhone 4 the day it came out last year (6/24). This year, ATT is not offering us iPhone 4 people an early discount price. Even if they did, I'd get locked into another 2 year contract, a vicious cycle that has kept me with ATT for 4 years now.

I'm looking to get out, and was all ready to jump ship to Sprint until they yanked their $125 switch-over credit on 10/1 (just in time for iPhone 4S release, yay.) Now, I'll be paying a ~$185 ETF to get off ATT (times 2 because we have a family plan) and break my contract.

Is there any way for me to get to the Shangrila that is Sprint w/o paying an exorbitant ATT ETF? And also, are the contracts with Sprint also 2 year contracts?

1. Die
2. Find someone to take over your account and pass credit check
3. Pay EFT

That's it, as far as I know.

 

[mc511#CB]

You will have to pay the eft which is alot of money and probably not worth the money to get out of the contract and to go back in with verizon and then pay the iphone 4s.

 

[Bias X]

I'm pretty sure the way At&t's early termination fee is based on how much longer you have on the contract.
Meaning it goes down every month that you are closer to the contract ending.
I will be paying the early termination fee seeing as how i only have a few months left on contract.
I will let you know how much its cost is if you haven't already found another way to get your iPhone.

Also if end up sticking around and you're on a family plan, you could just add a new line to the contract for 10 (i think) dollars a month.
You could cancel everything on your old line (except for the line itself) and make the new line the 4S

 

[Fausty82]

I'm pretty sure the way At&t's early termination fee is based on how much longer you have on the contract.
Meaning it goes down every month that you are closer to the contract ending.
I will be paying the early termination fee seeing as how i only have a few months left on contract.
I will let you know how much its cost is if you haven't already found another way to get your iPhone.

Also if end up sticking around and you're on a family plan, you could just add a new line to the contract for 10 (i think) dollars a month.
You could cancel everything on your old line (except for the line itself) and make the new line the 4S

But doing that will mean that you lose that phone number - an important fact to consider.

 

[zackawee27]

I know on Sprint you can get out of the contract by getting an early termination fee. Maybe as AT&T has a early termination fee.

 

[Fausty82]

I know on Sprint you can get out of the contract by getting an early termination fee. Maybe as AT&T has a early termination fee.

That's already been mentioned at least 5 times in this thread... and the OP was looking for a way out of contract WITHOUT paying ETF.

 

[j7469]

1. Die
2. Find someone to take over your account and pass credit check
3. Pay EFT

That's it, as far as I know.

4. Join or get drafted to active duty military. That will also get you out of the contract.

 

[Premium1]

sprint's contract's are also 2 years since they recently just got rid of 1 year contracts.

 

[Bias X]

But doing that will mean that you lose that phone number - an important fact to consider.

True I forgot that.
Remember to talk to the manager though. Sometimes they are really helpful and can have you keep the same number.

 

[Fausty82]

True I forgot that.
Remember to talk to the manager though. Sometimes they are really helpful and can have you keep the same number.

That is the key: a helpful/cooperative rep. Some are very regimented and others are quite easy to work with.

 

[Bias X]

That is the key: a helpful/cooperative rep. Some are very regimented and others are quite easy to work with.

Heh sadly enough ive been around the people at my local corporate store that they know me by my first name. Hopefully that isn't a bad thing . Because I'm going to talk to them tomorrow about what I should do about my situation and the beat possible route to get a 4S

 

[paul-c]

I never wanted to lose my old T-Mobile number, so I stuck around till the end of the contract before I jumped to Verizon. It was worth the wait.

 

[Massie]

I'm bummed out and I'm stuck.

I got the iPhone 4 the day it came out last year (6/24). This year, ATT is not offering us iPhone 4 people an early discount price. Even if they did, I'd get locked into another 2 year contract, a vicious cycle that has kept me with ATT for 4 years now.

I'm looking to get out, and was all ready to jump ship to Sprint until they yanked their $125 switch-over credit on 10/1 (just in time for iPhone 4S release, yay.) Now, I'll be paying a ~$185 ETF to get off ATT (times 2 because we have a family plan) and break my contract.

Is there any way for me to get to the Shangrila that is Sprint w/o paying an exorbitant ATT ETF? And also, are the contracts with Sprint also 2 year contracts?

I know you're talking Sprint, but have you thought about using the other line on the family plan? Is that eligible for an upgrade to the 4S? If so, maybe you could use that, then trade phones with whoever is on that line. You'd still be with AT&T, of course, and the 2nd line would need a smartphone plan if it is currently a simpler phone.

I'm a little surprised you're not eligible...I got my iP4 the day AT&T started selling them and I've been eligible for a little while now, and we've got a two-phone family plan. If your other family plan phone is not an iPhone or other smartphone, that might play into it since your bill isn't as high (one of the factors that play into upgrade dates).

 

[bacano22]

Just sell ur iphone 4 and the other iphone on ebay and pay the etf with that, and ull have money left over