So, just curious...I'm stuck in a contract with T-Mobile until February 2008...bastards (I thought the phone would come out LAST year, and when it didn't, I gave up and reupped for two years). So how are you going to get out of your contract. If you're with Verizon, you're lucky with the uppage in SMS prices, but for some of us, it's not so easy.
I'm not suggesting anybody does this, as its likely illegal, but if you are really at the end of your rope with your cell provider, this DOES work:
Most companies will let you off the hook if you move to an area where they don't provide coverage. So you can either find a big gaping hole on their coverage map, or just pick a foreign country. Then you call and tell them you're moving there, and you found out they don't have service, so you want to cancel. I did this myself because my previous cell phone company (don't want to name names) was crooked and a bunch of liars and I was fed up with their BS.
I read a lot about it on various forums before trying it. I've heard of it backfiring -- the company might ask for proof of change of address or something like that.
In my case they didn't ask for any proof, but it was a little time consuming to negotiate my way into it. Some of the customer service reps are paranoid, and some are just awfully pushy salespeople, and they will offer all kinds of alternatives, like putting your service on extended vacation. (At the low cost of $6 a month! Not including the new contract you have to sign when you come back! Yippee what a deal!) I just told those people I would mull it over, and then called back a little later to deal with somebody else. All told it was 4-5 phone calls and one e-mail, but I got my service canceled with no charges.
I've been with Verizon since then and although the service isn't perfect, its much better than my previous, and at the very least I'm not aware of them having blatantly lied to me, which my old provider did on several occasions -- one occasion compelled me to involve the BBB and I got a large discount for the next few months after that.
I certainly wouldn't do this just because I wanted to get a phone from a different provider. Part of the price of the phone is the obligation to the contract, and I'm happy with my cheap Verizon phone so I will observe the terms of my contract.
My previous contract -- with the hated provider -- was on a phone that I had purchased off eBay. I benefited absolutely ZERO from that contract. The reason I was in it in the first place is related to one of the lies I mentioned above, and that's why I had no problems conning my way out of it.
