How do I cancel an 18 month Mobile contract?

[Extra 300 Driver]

I have a personal phone with Vodafone. It’s on an 18 month contract, of which I have 12 months to go. I have been asked to take a company mobile which I can make personal calls on and move my number across, so a win win situation!

The trouble is although my new company phone is also on Vodafone I am being asked to pay a £215 contract cancellation fee!

Does anyone have any idea how I can avoid this? My current monthly line rental is £35 so I can offset the £215 against the saving over the year but its still £215!!!!

Any help would be much appreciated.

[GKP]

Why not get your company to take over the payments of your current phone?

[touchingcloth]

You might find that whilst you cannot cancel you can reduce down the tariff. Pretty sure someone I know did this with Orange, if you find you can get onto a £15 tariff then wait a couple of weeks and then cancel it should work out better.

If not I would just run the phone anyway, after all you are paying for the minutes so might as well use them; are you also sure that if you were to leave the job you could get your number back out of the company, if not then the benefits of keeping the same number now may be not worth in the longer term.

[princeperch]

touchingcloth said:

You might find that whilst you cannot cancel you can reduce down the tariff. Pretty sure someone I know did this with Orange, if you find you can get onto a £15 tariff then wait a couple of weeks and then cancel it should work out better. If not I would just run the phone anyway, after all you are paying for the minutes so might as well use them; are you also sure that if you were to leave the job you could get your number back out of the company, if not then the benefits of keeping the same number now may be not worth in the longer term.

agreed, an associate was in a similar position, he kept his original mobile, took the co one, and used the original one as his "house" phone to make calls on

[Extra 300 Driver]

I asked about them taking on my contract, but dur to a contractal obligation with Vodafone we all have to be on the same contract.

I could go on to the lowest tariff but this still wouldnt free up my number. I have contact all over the world that have my number and I really need to keep it.

[princeperch]

Extra 300 Driver said:

I asked about them taking on my contract, but dur to a contractal obligation with Vodafone we all have to be on the same contract. I could go on to the lowest tariff but this still wouldnt free up my number. I have contact all over the world that have my number and I really need to keep it.

move it over to a pay as you go number then - ive got some sims if you need one

[viper_larry]

Extra 300 Driver said:

I asked about them taking on my contract, but dur to a contractal obligation with Vodafone we all have to be on the same contract. I could go on to the lowest tariff but this still wouldnt free up my number. I have contact all over the world that have my number and I really need to keep it.

Can't you just reduce the tarriff to the lowest available and then divert the number permanently to your new one? That way your contacts will still be able to reach you? (Won't work for text messages though)

[Parrot of Doom]

Whats the phone? It might be worth selling it on Ebay and recouping the costs, if its a good phone you'll easily get over £100.

[Extra 300 Driver]

Parrot of Doom said:

Whats the phone? It might be worth selling it on Ebay and recouping the costs, if its a good phone you'll easily get over £100.

Bloody good idea!

Its a K750i

[touchingcloth]

Extra 300 Driver said:

I could go on to the lowest tariff but this still wouldnt free up my number.

You still ask to cancel your contract and port your number over but do it after you have reduced your tariff. The cancelation fee will be worked out on the monthly payments still owing for the remainder of the contract at the current tarriff, if the tariff is lower then the early cancellation fee should be as well.

[Extra 300 Driver]

touchingcloth said:

Extra 300 Driver said: I could go on to the lowest tariff but this still wouldnt free up my number. You still ask to cancel your contract and port your number over but do it after you have reduced your tariff. The cancelation fee will be worked out on the monthly payments still owing for the remainder of the contract at the current tarriff, if the tariff is lower then the early cancellation fee should be as well.

OK will do that now, is there a minimum amount of time I need to be on the new tariff?

[touchingcloth]

Extra 300 Driver said:

is there a minimum amount of time I need to be on the new tariff?

No idea am afraid, in fact not even sure it will be the same with Vodafone, they may just say it is 18 months at that rate and it's tough. Just a trick I know worked for someone on Orange and even they may have even changed their rules now. Got to be worth a try though ....

Good luck. And yes K750 will be worth something on ebay, just had a look and a few on there at £150ish so that will soften the blow as well

[fido]

as per previous threads, i'd say either:-

i. sell the phone on
ii. take the upfront hit of £xxx, but get a really good deal on your new phone package.

swings & roundabouts.

[anonymous-user]

Why not ask your company to pay to end your contract?

[Extra 300 Driver]

garyhun said:

Why not ask your company to pay to end your contract?

Dont make me laugh!

[wiggy001]

Why do you want your personal number to become your work number? I know I'd definitely want to keep the two things seperate!

[GlenMH]

wiggy001 said:

Why do you want your personal number to become your work number? I know I'd definitely want to keep the two things seperate!

Oh - I have to phones for that very reason. Means I can turn the work one off when I want some peace but mates can still get hold of me in the evening/weekends. I would think very very carefully about porting your personal number to a company phone - the potential for c*ck up when you move on is far too high!

Also means that when you are job hunting, you don't have to make or take calls on your work phone. Both my phones are similar so use the same car kit etc etc which adds to the flexibility.

Glen

>> Edited by GlenMH on Tuesday 31st January 14:13

[mybrainhurts]

Extra 300 Driver said:

I have a personal phone with Vodafone. It’s on an 18 month contract, of which I have 12 months to go. I have been asked to take a company mobile which I can make personal calls on and move my number across, so a win win situation!

Are you sure you want to do that if the number is important to you?

What happens if you and your employer fall out?

You get the heave-ho, and they keep your number.....