Understanding Altice Mobile Early Termination Fees

If you are trying to switch mobile carriers, you are probably dealing with the headache that is the early termination fee. Companies can charge you for leaving, and you might not realize it’s part of your contract with them. So what can you do?

Why do phone companies have early termination fees?

Many companies offer discounted equipment, especially discounted phones for people who are loyal customers. But what you may not realize is your loyalty is rewarded not just with a discounted phone but with a renewal of your contract. 

Most companies do this without telling you that they are renewing your contract as part of that discount or promotion, even though it is clearly labeled in the fine print. If you don’t read the fine print, you may not realize that you are now on the hook for an early termination fee. 

When you sign a contract, there might be a link to that contract like one year or two years. You are agreeing to pay Altice Mobile a monthly amount for 1 year or two years. When you don’t because you have to move or you just don’t like their service anymore, Altice Mobile loses the profit for the remainder of your contract. However, they get it back by charging you an early termination fee.

How do I know if my contract with Altice Mobile has an early termination fee?

Altice mobile operates under Optimum so you need to review the customer service agreement as well as the terms and policies from AlticeMobile and your individual contract. Remember that signing up for Altice Mobile service means signing a contract. 

Altice Mobile is the same as other contract-free services in that there is no early termination fee listed for those not under contract. However, there may be times when a fee shows up that shouldn’t, potentially because you were misled by a representative. 

Can I negotiate with Altice Mobile over my early termination fee?

You never know until you try. Start with customer service. When you do, you can simply make it clear why you have to leave and ask that they waive the early termination fee. For example, if you are going out of business so you can’t afford your service anymore, or you are moving, they might be willing to waive the cancellation fee and the early termination fee. If you lost your job and you can’t afford the service anymore, they might also be willing. 

How can I avoid early termination fees?

You can avoid early termination fees in a few different ways. 

1. If you can prove that the company with whom you are under contract violated the terms of that contract, you might be able to get out of it without having to pay extra fees.
2. If you can negotiate before you sign up to reduce or alleviate these fees, that might be part of a new contract.
3. If you can prove that a salesperson misled you in writing about the terms of your contract, cancellation policy, early termination fees, and so forth, you might be able to get out of it.
4. If you use a contract buyout from a competing company, they might cover the cost, but they usually require you to pay the early termination fees first and then they reimburse you with a prepaid debit card.
5.  The best way however is for you to buy an unlocked phone at full cost and then look for unlocked options with prepaid, contract-free services. 

I’m being charged an early termination fee but I shouldn’t be, what can I do?

At FairShake, we can help. Learn how our process works in your favor — or start now…