So, I know some of you are going to disagree with this post, but since it provides an easy way to get the new iPhone at a subsidized cost (199/299), I am posting anyway.
Under the agreement you sign with AT&T, AT&T has the right to change the terms of your contract at any time. If they decide to change your contract, they give you the option to terminate your contract without paying an early termination fee. So, if AT&T decides to raise the iPhone data price to $100 per month, they are fully permitted to do this under the contract, but you have the right to say "goodbye".
So, we only need to wait until they raise the price on some service they offer and then rely on this clause to terminate. Waiting...waiting...waiting... O.K., they did it!!!! They decided to raise the costs of calling 411 (twenty whole cents). So, I called 611 today, explained this clause, directed the CSR's attention to this section of the service agreement, and they noted in the records that I am permitted to port my numbers to another carrier without paying the ETF. It was so simple (took like 10 minutes), even one of the haters below would be able to do it.
Some of you will say that this is wrong... I can hear it coming. But, this is exactly what AT&T negotiated with you. They want the right to change the fees at any time and allow you to get out of the contract (thinking back to my days in Contracts class in law school, this was probably required since unilateral changes to a contract without additional consideration would probably be unenforceable.)
Call 611, mention this clause, cite the 411 increase, talk to a supervisor if necessary, and get them to note in your file that you can terminate. Then, port whatever number you want to a pay as you go plan with another carrier. A few hours later go into an AT&T store, sign up for service, and port your number back. Very very simple.
It seems a little silly for AT&T to change this fee by so little, thus triggering this loophole, a few days before the iPhone comes out, but they did.
Hope this helps...
Under the agreement you sign with AT&T, AT&T has the right to change the terms of your contract at any time. If they decide to change your contract, they give you the option to terminate your contract without paying an early termination fee. So, if AT&T decides to raise the iPhone data price to $100 per month, they are fully permitted to do this under the contract, but you have the right to say "goodbye".
So, we only need to wait until they raise the price on some service they offer and then rely on this clause to terminate. Waiting...waiting...waiting... O.K., they did it!!!! They decided to raise the costs of calling 411 (twenty whole cents). So, I called 611 today, explained this clause, directed the CSR's attention to this section of the service agreement, and they noted in the records that I am permitted to port my numbers to another carrier without paying the ETF. It was so simple (took like 10 minutes), even one of the haters below would be able to do it.
Some of you will say that this is wrong... I can hear it coming. But, this is exactly what AT&T negotiated with you. They want the right to change the fees at any time and allow you to get out of the contract (thinking back to my days in Contracts class in law school, this was probably required since unilateral changes to a contract without additional consideration would probably be unenforceable.)
Call 611, mention this clause, cite the 411 increase, talk to a supervisor if necessary, and get them to note in your file that you can terminate. Then, port whatever number you want to a pay as you go plan with another carrier. A few hours later go into an AT&T store, sign up for service, and port your number back. Very very simple.
It seems a little silly for AT&T to change this fee by so little, thus triggering this loophole, a few days before the iPhone comes out, but they did.
Hope this helps...
