Dec 18 2005
How to Get Out of a Cell Phone Contract
Last month I wrote about how I was trying to get out of my cell phone contract with Aliant. Initially I got my cell phone as part of a package deal that included high-speed, a regular landline telephone, and a cell phone. My monthly bill was never more than $100. But then I moved to a new neighbourhood, and for some reason Aliant doesn’t provide high-speed service to this downtown area of the city. Without high-speed, I lost the savings I would have got from the package deal, and a month later I got a $131 cell phone bill.
Because I was stuck in the cell phone contract, I couldn’t afford to get high-speed from another provider. So I wrote a letter to Aliant telling them I wanted out of my contract, and I didn’t want to pay $20 for each month that was left on my contract ($400 for 20 months). I also told them I planned to contact the media with my story (e.g., calling into an openline radio show). Aliant eventually told me that they plan to expand their high-speed service to my neighbourhood sometime in the new year, but they couldn’t give me a date. (I later discovered they said the same thing to a friend of mine who lives nextdoor, and that was last year.)
I played nice and continued to talk with Aliant for about a month… until my latest cell phone bill came in: $156. I was ready to kill somebody. Fortunately my girlfriend jumped in (because I was losing it fast) and called Aliant for me. She left a strongly-worded message that basically said this game is over, we’re contacting the media now. Later that day a VP from Aliant called back and told us they would (finally) let us out of the contract free of charge. And two days after that, I handed in my cell phone to them with good riddance.
In the past two months, I’ve paid nearly $300 for my cell phone, which works out to about 50 cents a minute. And then Aliant expected me to pay $400 on top of that to get out of the contract. They were very polite, but it was like they didn’t hear what I was asking them, didn’t recognize that I was being reasonable in my request. They gave me the runaround for a month. Only when they knew for certain that they were going to get some bad publicity out of this did they agree to let me out of my contract.
My only regret is that I didn’t get tougher with them sooner.
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Tags: aliant, cell phones, contracts
It’s unbelievable that because they don’t provide a service, you would still be obligated to stay in the contract.
I recently switched providers, not for contract or bill related problems just technical ones. I absolutely hated the PPPOE (Aliant) crap and I switched to Rogers Cable Internet.
Thanks for the warring. I was just about to sight up for it.
I am having a similar style issue.
Read my blog to see what I’m dealing with.
http://whats-it-to-you-punk.bl.....liant.html
P.S:
I have 3 Radio Towers accross the street.
3 Radio Towers vs 1 Aliant tower = no service
Hello there
I am in a similar predicament as you were in. My father got me a cell phone at least 3 years ago. My cell phone broke and he gave me his. A crappy Motorolla Peanut phone which has broken too. I am told by Aliant that i have to wait until May to get out of my contract with them. I would much rather be out of it right now! i need to know how to handle this and end this contract so i can get a new phone for christmas (which is in 10 days!) Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. thanks
Frankie (Aliant hater)
I never heard of Aliant but I had a similiar problem with Verizon Wireless. I learned of a company through smartmoney.com that can get you out of your cell phone contract without having to pay early termination fees. I tried the celltrade service about 4 months ago and had success. I plan on using celltradeusa again when the i-phone comes out :)