T-Mobile Alters its Wireless Contract Early Termination Policy

Here's a mobile phone contract update for T-Mobile subscribers. The carrier appears to have changed its policy towards the Early Termination Fees (ETF) for its mobile phone contracts.

The new T-Mobile Early Termination Fees (ETF) policy indicates that consumers that are moving out of the carrier's coverage area or overseas will be charged with the fee. However, customers moving overseas due to military deployment will not be charged with an ETF.

This T-Mobile Early Termination Fees (ETF) policy change took effect on February 8th, 2011. This means that consumers who cancelled service (without paying the ETF) before February 8th will not be charged with the fee.

So why did T-Mobile enforce this new cell phone contract policy? Well, the word on the street indicates that the change was made to discourage the abuse by some consumers who are specifically moving out or signing contracts before they knew they were moving overseas.

What do you think of this change? Do you think that it's fair?

Stay tuned for more wireless contracts news and information.

AT&T's Prorated ETFs Are Now In Effect

Here's some excellent wireless contract news for AT&T subscribers.

The wireless carrier has formally announced that the change ion their wireless contract policy regarding ETFs or early termination fees has been implemented. Customers who have signed up an agreement or wireless contract with AT&T starting on May 25 will be charged with a prorated early termination fee should they choose to end or terminate their contract or agreement before it expires.

Here's the official press release issued by AT&T:

More Flexibility for Wireless Customers

San Antonio, Texas, March 31, 2008

AT&T (NYSE:T) today announced a new approach to early termination fees (ETFs) that provides greater flexibility for wireless customers.

Beginning on May 25, the company's new and renewing wireless customers who enter into one- or two-year service agreements will no longer be required to pay a single, flat early termination fee. Instead, that fee, which is $175, will be progressively lowered by $5 during each month, every month, for the term of the contract. (The single, flat ETF will continue to apply to new and renewing customers who enter into one- or two-year service agreements prior to May 25.)

The company noted that it continues to offer options for those customers who do not want term commitments or ETFs, including:

* Buy a phone at full price and go on a month-to-month service plan.
* Bring your own compatible GSM device. With this option, you can buy a SIM (subscriber identity module), slip it into the back of the phone, and select a month-to-month service plan.
* Choose one of AT&T's GoPhone prepaid wireless plans.

I know that a lot of customers have been waiting for this to happen. I have read countless of complaints about the high cost of these fees. Early termination fees can be a pain especially if you have signed several contracts. This decision by AT&T should make it easier for customers to shift to a different carrier.

You can tune in to the AT&T News Room for more press releases regarding wireless contract and important announcements.

Sprint May Change Wireless Contract to Limit Data Usage

Here's some bad wireless contract news for Sprint Data subscribers.

According to sources at the Sprintusers. com forum, Sprint will be updating its Terms Of Service or wireless contract in mid-July and will be capping its mobile broadband data usage at 5GB. A sad bit of news for subscribers who enjoyed the unlimited services of "best data" carrier.

Here's the statement that conveyed the decision:

Sprint reserves the right to limit throughput speeds or amount of data transferred and to deny, terminate, modify, or suspend service if usage exceeds 5GB per month in total or 300MB/month while off-network roaming. Check your subscriber agreement rights on Sprint.com

Before this disheartening announcement, Sprint was praised for offered truly unlimited mobile broadband. Remember that once the new Terms Of Service or Cwireless contract policy becomes active, users who go over the 5GB cap, or a 300MB roaming cap will incur extra fees. This policy will be applied to both network cards as well as tethering mobile phones to laptops.

Sad as it may seem this decision is not out of line with other carriers. AT&T and Verizon Wireless also impose the same limitations to subscribers. I guess, it's in Sprint's interest to place the cap on mobile broadband data usage. However, these means that many Sprint subscribers will migrate to other carriers. I thought Sprint was trying to keep their subscribers from migrating to other networks.

Some experts say that the CAP could be rolled out in advance of the QChat introduction. Sprint may have a vested interested in cleaning up their network throughput because QChat will replace the older iDen Direct Connect and requires EVDO Rev A. The impact of the data cap on the widely anticipated WIMAX rollout is an object of interest for those in the know.

Anyway, this is being seen by some as a good opportunity to cancel their Sprint wireless contract due to a material change in the policy. Disappointed subscribers have the normal 30 day window to cancel without paying the ETF or early termination fee fee. If you have been waiting for a good opportunity of getting out of a Sprint wireless contract then this maybe your chance.