Getting a better deal elsewhere? Yes, you can cancel your Sprint service.
You saw a deal from another provider that you’d like to take advantage of, but you have months left on your contract with Sprint. Can you cancel your contract early? Will you have to pay any fees?
The answer is yes, you can cancel your contract early, but there are indeed some fees associated with that. Let’s take a look at the cancellation process and all that it entails:
- Do I cancel my account over the phone or online?
- What kind of fees will I have to pay when I cancel my service?
- Is there any way I can avoid paying these fees?
- What is the easiest way to get out of a contract?
Do I cancel my account over the phone or online?
You can only cancel your contract over the phone or in person. This is because cellular service agreements are contracts and they need to verify your identity before changing anything in your contract, including canceling it. If you decide to cancel your service with Sprint, call 1-888-211-4727.
What kind of fees will I have to pay when I cancel my service?
You’re likely going to be looking at a few different fees if you decide to leave Sprint.
Billing charges
Depending on where you are in your billing cycle, you’ll have to pay the remaining balance for the month due at the time you cancel your service.
Early termination Fees
In your user agreement/contract, you agreed to pay an early termination fee (ETF) if you cancel your phone service before the end of your contract. Sprint has two types of ETFs: one for smartphones and other connected devices and another for non-smart devices, such as flip phones.
The ETF for smartphones and other connected devices is up to $350 per line and up to $200 per line for non-smart devices. The total amount of your ETF is prorated, based on the number of months you have left on your contract. Obviously, the earlier you terminate, the larger your ETF will be.
Here’s how you can calculate the approximate amount of ETF you will have to pay:
- $20 x Y Months left on your contract for smartphones and other connected devices, up to a maximum of $350 and a minimum of $100 per line.
- $10 x Y Months left on your contract for non-smart devices, up to a maximum of $200 and a minimum of $50 per line.
There are a few of instances where you won’t be charged an ETF. One is if you paid for your device in full when you entered into the contract, or, your device was already paid-in-full when you brought it over to Sprint. The other is if you are on Sprint’s installment plan. In that case, you’ll still need to pay off the remaining balance due on your device at the time of cancellation.
Is there any way I can avoid paying these fees?
There are no guarantees, but here are a couple of things you can try to get out of paying these charges:
Poor service
Tell them their service sucks, but don’t be so blunt about it. Explain that you aren’t getting what you’re paying for. For instance, you can tell them that the reception in your area is lousy.
New provider pays your fees
You can also try to get your new provider to pick up your early termination fees. Some carriers are happy to do this to bring you on board as competition for cellular service providers is fierce right now. You might just have to trade in your phone and buy a new one on their network.
What is the easiest way to get out of a contract?
If you don’t want to sit on the phone and listen to Sprint’s retention spiel, just explain that you want to cancel your service because you’re moving to another country.
The bottom line
You can cancel your Sprint service at any time, but if you cancel it before your contract is done, you’ll have to pay early termination fees on top of the balance remaining on your cell phone bill.
You can try to get out of paying these fees by telling them you didn’t get what you paid for or getting your new provider to pay them on your behalf, but you’re ultimately responsible for paying them.
