What to Expect When Changing Mobile Operator
Everyone loves to complain about a cell phone operator. Maybe they have terrible customer service, it’s too expensive, or they can’t get 4G. But we rarely really worry about changing carriers because it always seems like a lot of pain. Fortunately, the switching process is now much easier (and cheaper) than it used to be.
Choosing the most suitable carrier is a separate process , but there are a few details to consider before you make the switch. We’re not going to tell you which carrier to pick here, but I recently ( finally ) ditched AT&T, so I thought it was time to share my experience. Regardless of who you choose, you can always transfer your old phone number at no additional cost (although you might run into hiccups if your new carrier doesn’t have a service in your old area code).
Some cellular operators will redeem you outside of your contract
If you want to change carrier but your current contract has not expired yet, you must pay an early termination fee (ETF). Depending on where you signed the contract and how much money you paid for the phone, this cost can range from the cost of one bill to hundreds of dollars. (Obviously, if your contract has expired, you can skip this section entirely.)
So, first figure out how much your ETF will be. The easiest way to do this is to call your carrier and ask them. Keep in mind that when you do, they will try to bargain with you in order to deter you. Decline their offers and get the alleged ETF, but don’t cancel your mobile plan just yet.
Then see how much, if anything, your new carrier will reimburse you for that ETF. This varies from operator to operator and changes over time, but here’s what each one is offering right now:
- Verizon : Verizon won’t redeem you from your old contract, but they do offer $ 300 Verizon credit to swap your old phone .
- AT&T : AT&T will not redeem you from your old contract, but will give you credit for the transition . You will receive a $ 100 credit to switch to AT&T, and you can get an extra $ 200 in credit if you swap with the right phone.
- Sprint : Sprint will pay in full for your old contract and phone bill with an American Express Reward Card . You will need to give Sprint your old phone and sign a new contract.
- T-Mobile : T-Mobile pays your old contract and phone charges in full with your prepaid Visa card . You need to drop your old phone to T-Mobile in order to close this deal.
However, keep in mind that these trades change a lot, and where an operator may offer ETF coverage right now, this may not happen in the future (and vice versa), so check with your potential new operator before doing anything. Many prepaid carriers, including Ting and Republic Wireless , often offer similar plans as well, so if you’re going that route it’s worth checking out their current offerings as well.
If your new carrier offers exchange credits on your old phone, this is usually a fairly straightforward process. You are trading your old phone when you sign up for a new contract and after that you receive either a credit for an upcoming account or an electronic gift card.
If your new operator pays for your ETF, the process gets a little more complicated:
- Sign up for a new contract with your new provider.
- They will transfer your phone number, which will automatically initiate the cancellation process for your contract.
- In a couple of weeks, you will receive a copy of the final invoice from your old carrier. Pay the bill and make a copy of the statement. Then send a report with a clearly labeled ETF to your new carrier.
- Your new carrier will reimburse you for the ETF, net of any additional taxes and fees.
When all is said and done, the refund time can take several months (it took me almost three to get mine, but I didn’t have to deal with any things about phone refunds so I’m not sure how long it is tak) so make sure you have the money to cover the ETF before you start with it.
Finally, another financial factor to consider before switching: you usually pay an activation fee (usually around $ 15) on your new plan. This is a small amount, but it is still an additional cost that you should be prepared for. It’s also worth noting that while out-of-contract phone plans can be pretty steep , you won’t benefit from a foreclosure when you switch to it, so these plans are most useful to consider when your contract has already expired. …
You may need to change your phone (so make a backup of everything)
If you want to transfer your old phone to a new carrier, there are a few things you need to check. First of all, you need to have your own phone. If you are still paying for it, you either need to pay the rest in full before you make the switch, or exchange it with your old carrier for a loan or refund.
You also need to make sure your phone will work on your new network. In the US, T-Mobile and AT&T are connected to the GSM network. Verizon and Sprint are on the CDMA network. This means AT&T phones will likely run on T-Mobile, but you can’t bring a Verizon phone to T-Mobile or AT&T, or vice versa. Likewise, CDMA often requires a phone to be compatible with their particular network, so even switching from Verizon to Sprint can be tricky.
All of this means that you will most likely have to get rid of your old phone. So, before you make the switch, back up your data. If you’re using Android, your Google account is already doing a lot of backups and this guide will help you the rest , while iPhone users can use iCloud or iTunes to create a backup .
Everything else is simple and automated
While all of the above may sound a little daunting, fortunately, the actual process of switching to a new carrier is easier than you would expect if you’ve never done it before. As soon as you sign up for a new contract, your old number is transferred (assuming you want to) and your new cell phone will work immediately. I haven’t done this since the early 2000s, so I was pleasantly surprised that the experience was a little less cheesy than it was before and didn’t require any effort on my part. If you still want to keep your number, make sure you don’t cancel your old plan until you switch to a new operator.
Plus, you just need to set up your new phone (we have guides for both Android and iPhone if you’re new to this) and you’ll soon forget that your old carrier even exists. While you tweak all of this, make sure you check out some of the hidden bonuses that come with your new plan to make sure you are getting the most out of your new carrier.