How to Cancel Your Phone Plan or Contract

Why phone plan cancellations are different from streaming subscriptions

Cancelling Netflix costs $0. Cancelling a phone plan can cost hundreds of dollars — not because carriers charge a penalty, but because your phone is almost certainly financed. Understanding the difference up front saves you from a nasty surprise.

The landscape in 2026:

• Traditional early termination fees (ETFs) — fixed penalties like $350 for leaving mid-contract — are largely gone from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile consumer plans.
• Device installment plans — which replaced ETFs — mean your phone is paid off in 24 or 36 monthly installments. When you cancel, the remaining balance is due immediately.
• Leased phones — on some trade-in programs, you don't own the device at all and must return it to avoid a non-return fee.

The practical effect is the same as an ETF: leaving early costs money equal to roughly what you'd pay for the remaining months. The only real difference is that competitors will sometimes pay that balance to get you to switch.

Step 1 — Know your actual exit cost before you do anything

Log in to your carrier account (or call their customer service line) and look up:

1. Device installment balance — the amount left on your financed phone. AT&T calls this your "Next" balance. Verizon calls it the "Device Payment" balance. T-Mobile shows it as your "Equipment Installment Plan" balance.
2. Prorated service charges — you'll pay for service through your cancellation date.
3. Any administrative or disconnection fees — usually small ($10–25), but worth knowing.

Add those up. That's your real exit cost. If a competitor is offering to pay your device balance to switch, now you know exactly whether the deal covers it.

Step 2 — Decide about your phone number

This is the most time-sensitive decision. You have two options:

Keep your number (port to a new carrier): Under FCC regulations, you have an absolute right to take your phone number with you. Carriers cannot refuse a port request and cannot charge you a porting fee. The key rule: do not cancel your old plan before starting the port. Your number must be active on the old carrier to transfer. If you cancel first, the number may be reassigned and lost.

Abandon the number: If you don't need the number — upgrading to a new number or don't use the line — you can cancel directly without porting. Skip ahead to Step 4.

Step 3 — Port your number to the new carrier

The port is initiated at the new carrier's end, not the old one. Here's the process:

1. Sign up for service with your new carrier (do not activate a new number).
2. Tell them you want to port your existing number.
3. Provide:
   • Your 10-digit phone number.
   • Your old carrier's account number (found on your bill or account page).
   • Your old carrier's account PIN or transfer password — usually a 6-digit PIN you set, or sometimes the last 4 digits of your SSN.
   • The ZIP code on your old account.
4. Sign the Letter of Authorization (LOA) — the new carrier provides this.
5. Wait for the port to complete.

Timeline: The FCC requires simple ports to complete within one business day. A single consumer line on AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile typically ports in a few hours to one business day. Business lines, VoIP-originated numbers, or ports involving special configurations can take up to two weeks.

When the port completes, your old line is automatically cancelled. You don't need to call your old carrier to cancel — the port does it. You will still receive a final bill for any remaining device balance and prorated service.

Step 4 — Cancel directly (if not porting)

If you're not porting your number:

By phone (recommended): Call your carrier's cancellation or retention line and choose the "Cancel service" or "Disconnect" option in the automated menu. Have your account number and PIN ready. The retention team will offer you deals to stay — be clear that you want to cancel.

• AT&T: 1-800-331-0500 (say "cancel" when prompted)
• Verizon: 1-800-922-0204 (say "disconnect")
• T-Mobile: 1-877-746-0909 (or chat online)

Online: AT&T and Verizon allow cancellation or port initiation through their online account dashboards. T-Mobile allows cancellation through its app and online. Log in and navigate to account settings or billing, then look for "Cancel line" or "Manage account."

Step 5 — Switching incentives: who pays what in 2026

All three major carriers run promotions to cover your exit costs:

• T-Mobile: "Freedom to Switch" — covers ETFs and device balance for up to 2 lines (amount varies, check current promotion terms; historically up to $650/line in trade-in credits).
• AT&T: Switcher credits — up to $500/line when you bring your own phone or trade in, as bill credits over 24 months.
• Verizon: Trade-in and switch offers — value depends on device condition and current promotion.

These credits typically arrive as monthly bill credits over 12–24 months, not as instant payment. If you owe $400 on your device and a carrier offers $400 in trade-in credits paid over 24 months, you're still paying out of pocket for the device balance now while waiting for credits. Factor in your cash flow.

Step 6 — Review your final bill

After cancellation or port completion, your carrier will issue a final bill. Common unexpected items to watch for:

• Non-return fee — if you leased or traded in a device and didn't return it in time (typically 14–30 days from cancellation).
• Full month charge — some carriers charge for a full month even if you cancel mid-cycle (check your plan terms).
• "Activation" or "administrative" fees — dispute these if they weren't disclosed upfront.

If there's a charge you weren't quoted, call your carrier and dispute it before paying. Document the conversation (get a name and case number).

If you have trouble cancelling

Carriers are required by FCC rules to process port requests promptly and cannot hold your number hostage over a balance dispute. If your carrier refuses to port your number, you can file a complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/consumers/guides.

For general principles on revoking payment authorization when a company won't stop billing you, see how to cancel any subscription. If you're cutting multiple services at once, you may also want to see cancel Netflix or cancel Amazon Prime. Browse all cancellation guides for more.