Comments on: FCC to hold hearing on early termination fees

The federal agency will address consumer complaints of early termination fees on cell phone contracts in a June 12 hearing.


by gbreed07 June 3, 2008 6:39 PM PDT: Early Termination fees are the biggest scams. The contract are written so only a lawyer understand the terms. The simple solution would the consumer has 30 days to cancel the contract; plain and simple.; Like this Reply to this comment


by mdavis03 June 4, 2008 6:21 AM PDT: How about cellphone companies just request that people who terminate their contracts early require the customer return the used cellphone to recoup those "heavy losses" that they seem to think they suffer. THEY GET THE CELLPHONES AT COST ANYWAY! It doesnt cost them anything to activate a cellphone or account, and it doesnt cost them anything to terminate an account. Just some of their time. My friend works for Alltel and its nice to hear some of the tales that he has about them screwing customers.; Like this Reply to this comment


by dyetheskin June 4, 2008 8:55 AM PDT: lots of users have devices that would normally cost twice as much or more than the average ETF so would make no sense to hand in these devices to cover costs anyways.; Like this Reply to this comment


by Renegade Knight June 4, 2008 11:21 AM PDT: Looking at Sprint and Verizon. Same phone. Similar (I'm assuming) ETF. Vastly differenet phone price. The fee's are not related to the subsidy anymore. They are duress for keeping us in contracts. I'm having a hard time finding a contract term that's not 2 years.; Like this Reply to this comment


by omnichad June 4, 2008 1:15 PM PDT: What if I want to pay full price for a simple phone and not be locked into a contract? What's the ETF for then? The cell phone system's broken until I can activate a used cell phone and not be locked into a 2 year contract with an early termination fee that does *nothing* except lock me in to a provider (not even at a discount cost, like DSL companies try to do).; Like this Reply to this comment


by kylebuttermore June 4, 2008 2:26 PM PDT: it would be awesome if they removed that fee, $200 to leave is BS!; Like this Reply to this comment


by lavern June 4, 2008 2:57 PM PDT: don't sign the contract if you don't want the fees. Its pretty simple if you cancel early you will have to pay a fee. Pay full price for the phone and don't sign the contract or quit whining. People always want everything for free....jeez; Like this Reply to this comment


by wwjackpot June 4, 2008 5:28 PM PDT: ETFs and 2 year contracts are why I use a prepay phone. No contract and if I don't want to keep it I just stop buying minutes.; Like this Reply to this comment


by spectralfx June 4, 2008 7:47 PM PDT: Otherwise...perhaps the alternative is to not let anyone out of a contract they sign. You sign a contract, no one violates any part of the contract, everyone sticks with the contract till the end. I may just be talking crazy though...

ETF's are a part of the business...don't like 'em, don't sign up...; Like this Reply to this comment


by Composer_1777 June 4, 2008 8:15 PM PDT: People need to learm how to pay for things in this country. Prices in the U.S are extremely low compared to any 1st world country. with that said we should not be forced into 2 year contracts, pretty soon it will be 3 then 4 then we mine as well put more communist laws in place to get things cheaper. "It's better for the common good to let carriers run monopolies on cell phones and media, locking up everythin to only their service for years and years; just to keep the corporations happy and the lazy americans from caring." If you don't like a contract, you have no choice but to sign it anyway. The terms and conditions of contracts don't matter because there is no realistic choice or negotiation. So people who say "if you don't like the contract, don't sign it" are kidding themselves into thinking there is a realistic option.; Like this Reply to this comment