Any good methods to break a verizon phone contract without ETF?

[fbrdphreak]

You guys need to take your tin-foil hats off. I'm just pointing out how pathetic it is that the OP is going through all this trouble to find a way to get out of his contract. Spend that time and effort earning money instead of trying to circumvent the system and you could easily make the money to offset ending your contract early.

But whatever - you guys keep fighting the good fight. Damn the man!!

 

[Chiropteran]

You guys need to take your tin-foil hats off. I'm just pointing out how pathetic it is that the OP is going through all this trouble to find a way to get out of his contract. Spend that time and effort earning money instead of trying to circumvent the system and you could easily make the money to offset ending your contract early.

But whatever - you guys keep fighting the good fight. Damn the man!!

Circumvent the what? The system? You realize that the customer agreement which allowed me to cancel WAS THE SYSTEM. I didn't circumvent the system, I used it as it was written out

It was Verizon's rep on the phone struggling and trying to convince me that their own customer agreement was wrong. Too bad for them, I didn't give up that easy.

And hey, $260 for 2.5 hours, that comes out to a bit over $100 an hour. I'm sure you make $200/hour at your job, but I don't, and $100/hr is a generous enough increase over my regular pay that it was well worth it.


Pathetic is paying $75/month for 24 months ($1800) PLUS an initial $200 for the subsidized hardware, for something you could get for $350 or less unlocked off contract. I'm not going to fall into that trap again. I'll be happily using my $30/month prepaid plan for unlimited data (realistic limit of 4GB after which speeds are throttled) instead of Verizon's $100/month SHARE EVERYTHING scam of a plan with it's 2GB limit.

 

[soulcougher73]

Here's an idea: don't be a cheap-ass and if you want to break the contract you are legally-bound to, then pay the ETF and be...legal.

He did do it legally. Its called a contract. They broke it. May want to brush up on your learning curve.

 

[corkyg]

He did do it legally. Its called a contract. They broke it. May want to brush up on your learning curve.

Good point. Many folks forget that a contract is a two-way street. I can find many instances where VZF has failed to provide their end of the contract. With proof, that is grounds for a breach. The end result may well be an amicable parting of the ways with no ETF.

 

[JTsyo]

Which prepaid are you using OP? Virgin?

 

[Chiropteran]

T-Mobile. The $30 unlimited data deal was perfect for my usage

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[wirednuts]

somehow i think this is going to break into a microsoft eula debate

 

[lothar]

You guys need to take your tin-foil hats off. I'm just pointing out how pathetic it is that the OP is going through all this trouble to find a way to get out of his contract. Spend that time and effort earning money instead of trying to circumvent the system and you could easily make the money to offset ending your contract early.

But whatever - you guys keep fighting the good fight. Damn the man!!

The OP mentioned he did this for only 2.5 hours to get rid of a $260 ETF.

That is essentially $104/hour.
How many jobs do you know that pay $104/hour?
Do you get paid $104/hour?
Do you have a job offer for OP greater than $104/hour so he didn't have to spend his precious 2.5 hours worth of time and effort to break his contract early?

 

[swilli89]

The OP mentioned he did this for only 2.5 hours to get rid of a $260 ETF.

That is essentially $104/hour.
How many jobs do you know that pay $104/hour?
Do you get paid $104/hour?
Do you have a job offer for OP greater than $104/hour so he didn't have to spend his precious 2.5 hours worth of time and effort to break his contract early?

Nicely put.

 

[blupa2009]

Success. 2.5 hours on the phone, but well worth it to save the $260 ETF. Ultimately the Federal Universal Service was the key to getting my service canceled. The new customer agreement has an exception to allow Verizon to simply credit the difference, but as I pointed out to the rep I was under the earlier customer agreement from 2011 which didn't include that line.

He let me cancel without paying any part of the early termination fee.

I have had Verizon for several years now and I barley even use my phone paying for 2 lines $175 per month so I think I am going to try use this method with them ad try get out of my contract.

Any tips on what I should say I'm going to call them tomorrow.

 

[Chiropteran]

I have had Verizon for several years now and I barley even use my phone paying for 2 lines $175 per month so I think I am going to try use this method with them ad try get out of my contract.

Any tips on what I should say I'm going to call them tomorrow.

Have them send you a copy of the customer agreement that applies to your account, and make sure it's the right one. The agreement on the website is more recent and has this loophole closed, but it's only been that way since Feb of this year. If your account started earlier, you should be under a different agreement- get them to send a copy to you in email. Tell them you will wait on the line until you get it, the first time I called they said they would send it, I hung up, and I never got it.

These are the important parts of the customer agreement:


This part is the basis for canceling without an early termination fee. Look at your bills for the last few months, see if the "Federal Universal Service" fee has increased at all, even by $.01 You tell the rep that that constitutes a change and it does indeed have a material adverse effect on you, and you would like to cancel the affected services with no early termination fee.
Can Verizon Wireless Change This Agreement or My Service?
We may change prices or any other term of your Service or this agreement at any time,
but we’ll provide notice first, including written notice if you have Postpay Service. If you
use your Service after the change takes effect, that means you’re accepting the change.
If you’re a Postpay customer and a change to your Plan or this agreement has a material
adverse effect on you, you can cancel the line of Service that has been affected within
60 days of receiving the notice with no early termination fee.

This part is important because the rep may lie and say the Federal Universal Service is some kind of tax or government fee. It's not. It's a charge set by Verizon and Verizon collects and keeps all the money.
What Charges Are Set by Verizon Wireless?
You agree to pay all access, usage and other charges that you or the user of your
wireless device incurred. For Postpay Service, our charges also include Federal Universal
Service, Regulatory and Administrative Charges, and we may also include other charges
related to our governmental costs. We set these charges; they aren’t taxes, they aren’t
required by law, they are kept by us in whole or in part, and the amounts and what they
pay for may change.

This section is great for handling almost ANY other counter the rep has for your argument. Read it to them and say "okay, I understand you disagree but the customer agreement says that I can't trust what you or any other customer representatives say, so if you want to dispute what I am saying you need to show me where it is disputed within the customer agreement".
This agreement and the documents it incorporates form the entire agreement
between us. You can’t rely on any other documents, or on what’s said by any sales or
customer service representatives, and you have no other rights regarding Service or
this agreement. This agreement isn’t for the benefit of any third party except our parent
companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, and predecessors and successors in interest.
Except where we’ve agreed otherwise elsewhere in this agreement, this agreement
and any disputes covered by it are governed by the laws of the state encompassing the
area code of your wireless phone number when you accepted this agreement, without
regard to the conflicts of laws and rules of that state.


Also, you need to be very persistent. Note that if they hang up on you, it's a black mark against them, but as long as you hang up first they are fine. So don't hang up. If they say they need to "check on some things" and they will "call you back tomorrow" just tell them you would rather hold, the call back will probably never occur if you do hang up.

It might or might not help to also give your full honest reasons for wanting to terminate your service. I did this, it didn't seem to help, but maybe it was a consideration in the end when he finally agreed to no ETF after I brought up the universal federal service fee change.

 

[blupa2009]

Spoke to Verizon today and they said they couldn't email me the customer agreement because they didn't have it, I never mentioned what I wanted it. They said the will send me a hard copy through the mail.

Weird how they can't just email it.

 

[midwestfisherman]

Here's an idea: don't be a cheap-ass and if you want to break the contract you are legally-bound to, then pay the ETF and be...legal.

Reading comprehension challenged?

 

[glenroebuck]

Check your bill - if they recently changed the universal service fee you can get out with out etf. USF is an amount THEY control and do not have to charge you, but they do. If they raise it you have 60 days to contest it and get out with no ETF>

 

[Lyfer]

I would not be surprised if you see $260 on your final bill.

 

[corkyg]

Weird how they can't just email it.

Probably a lot of handwriting on it - it may not be a document in electronic format. Good practice is to keep your copy in the box the phone came in.

 

[blupa2009]

They keep on sending me out the wrong forms even when I made it clear about 10 times that I needed the customer agreement forms.

This is the 3rd time they sent me a stupid letter with the record of my contract acceptance which basically just has info about my plan on it.

Are they trying to avoid sending me the customer agreement? The last lady I contacted told me to just check on verizon.com for it but I told it I never agreed to that one. She also got annoyed a little because she says she has never had to send out customer agreement forms and usually they don't do it.

She finally worked out how to do it (i think) I asked her if she was 100% certain it was the right forms, she said yes but what to do if they send me the wrong info again?

 

[Bateluer]

They keep on sending me out the wrong forms even when I made it clear about 10 times that I needed the customer agreement forms.

This is the 3rd time they sent me a stupid letter with the record of my contract acceptance which basically just has info about my plan on it.

Are they trying to avoid sending me the customer agreement? The last lady I contacted told me to just check on verizon.com for it but I told it I never agreed to that one. She also got annoyed a little because she says she has never had to send out customer agreement forms and usually they don't do it.

She finally worked out how to do it (i think) I asked her if she was 100% certain it was the right forms, she said yes but what to do if they send me the wrong info again?

Are you getting names or employee numbers of whom you speak with? Will be handy if you have to escalate to leads, sups, or managers.

 

[Chiropteran]

They keep on sending me out the wrong forms even when I made it clear about 10 times that I needed the customer agreement forms.

That is ridiculous. What reason do they give for refusing to simply email it to you while you are on the line? They had no problem emailing me my copy, so unless it's a new policy I can only think maybe they don't have your email on file or maybe it's a law that varies by state.

Or perhaps I got lucky with the rep I spoke with.


Edit: If I was in your situation I would get a little more demanding.

Like...

"The customer agreement on the website has been edited after my service started, so it doesn't apply to me. I have requested the agreement that does apply to me, and have not received anything, repeatedly. Am I to assume that I am not held under any agreement at all, and I can cancel at will without an ETF? Please cancel my account without charging me an early termination fee."

 

[blupa2009]

That is ridiculous. What reason do they give for refusing to simply email it to you while you are on the line? They had no problem emailing me my copy, so unless it's a new policy I can only think maybe they don't have your email on file or maybe it's a law that varies by state.

Or perhaps I got lucky with the rep I spoke with.


Edit: If I was in your situation I would get a little more demanding.

Like...

"The customer agreement on the website has been edited after my service started, so it doesn't apply to me. I have requested the agreement that does apply to me, and have not received anything, repeatedly. Am I to assume that I am not held under any agreement at all, and I can cancel at will without an ETF? Please cancel my account without charging me an early termination fee."

When I first called they said they couldn't email it due to privacy reasons then the last phone call she said she couldn't email it because it didn't allow her too.

I have not mentioned to any of the Verizon staff I talked to about why want the customer agreement but the last time I called she seemed to be defensive and basically told me that they have the right to make changes to it without my consent
and that she said it states this in the customer agreement.

Basically this is what happened I told her I needed the customer agreement I agreed to and I need it emailed or mailed.

she replied " you do know you can look on our website and the customer agreement is there.

I told her yes but I wanted the one that I agreed to when I first got the contract.

she replied saying that they have the right to make changes to it without my agreeing to it she said it states this is the customer agreement.

She also spoke of how she had never heard of any requesting this before.

So I am thinking the don't have a customer agreement for my account somehow or they lost it. You know I looked through my Verizon documents and can't find it anywhere in my house. I can't even remember signing one to be honest. It was all done through the phone.