AT&T is an American multinational holding company that’s widely recognized around the world for being the largest telecommunications company in the market. In the US, AT&T holds the title of being the biggest provider of mobile telephone and internet services as millions of Americans rely on their plans and offerings. Their popularity isn’t only thanks to their number of users but also for the wide range of available plans in wireless prepaid plans, deals, cell phones, and internet plans that are being upgraded on a constant basis due to the rise of internet-dependent devices nowadays.
Having high speed internet is a requirement, as everyone lives connected with each other thanks to the existence of this service, and in a digital era, not having a reliable internet service will prove to be a massive downside in every aspect. The desire for fast speed can be for many reasons, maybe to some users it could be useful to watch a favourite TV show or series in the better (yet demanding) image quality, and maybe for others is just to enjoy video calls and meetings with friends or family members around the world in the highest quality and reliability.
How is AT&T Implied in these Situations?
As it was stated before, AT&T internet service is one of the largest internet services suppliers in the US, meaning that at least millions are using their services on a daily basis. For over a decade, AT&T has been providing broadband internet, IPTV, and VoIP services in bundles and discounted rates, and these aren’t bad at all! But times change, and maybe for multiple reasons, it’s time to switch internet suppliers.
Changing an internet service provider like AT&T shouldn’t be a problem, right? Just a simple call to their customer service and everything should be set… Sadly that isn’t the case anymore. Before 2019, the cancellation process was considerably easier, as calling the customer service to provide some details and following easy steps was all that was required. Nowadays, it’s just a completely different mess. That’s why the next guide on How to Cancel ATT Internet was prepared, to make sure that no one gets lost during the process.
AT&T Service Cancelation Policies:
In 2019, AT&T decided to implement a new cancellation policy, and it drastically changed the whole cancellation approach as the process became a whole new different thing. After these changes went into effect, the company showed that prorated refunds weren’t longer supported, meaning that if the user cancels the service before the end of the billing cycle, then a refund wouldn’t be received. In fact, the user is the one who has to end up paying for the remaining days of the billing cycle where the service won’t be used.
Let’s just say that a certain individual decides to cancel the internet service after 2 weeks of usage, well, under former cancellation policies, the company was eager to refund the extra days that were paid. Now, it will be under the user’s expenses to pay the rest of the 14 days (in this example) where the service wouldn’t be used.
Learn More: How to Boost WiFi Signal through Walls?
How to Cancel ATT Internet
Step #1: Contact AT&T Customer Service.
The first step to cancel the internet service involves getting in contact with AT&T. There are at least 3 ways of doing so, the first one is via an online request through an AT&T Account and the second one consists of calling them at their office’s number (which is 1-800-288-2020). Keep in mind that the online cancelation request is only applicable to residential high-speed DSL and Traditional home phone service.
The third option isn’t available for everyone as it involves physically going to AT&T stores and waiting until the case is attended by someone from customer service. Not everyone has time to spare or live nearby these stores, that’s why online procedures are becoming more common nowadays.
Step #2: Providing Information and Answering Questions.
After deciding which method will be used to get in contact with AT&T Customer Service, it’s extremely important that all relevant account information is at hand. Once the online request or call is sent, be prepared, as AT&T will provide multiple options such as moving or changing the service and suspending service for a variety of reasons.
Moving or Changing the Service: They will actually offer a move or change of service as the first choice (to avoid losing valuable customers). If the user decides to move the internet service due to changing locations, then AT&T will pick plans that are available in the new address. On the other hand, if the user decides to change the service, then the company will list their popular-pick plans to change it while keeping the internet service.
Suspending the Service: At last, the cancellation option will be provided (unexpectedly it will be the last alternative listed in most cases). However, there are many listed choices that the user must select when picking this option: suspend due to Military enlistment, Natural disasters, Vacations, or Personal Reasons.
This time, everything will be decided by the user depending on the situation, but it’s important to note that there is a monthly fee involved in the Vacation hold. However, suspensions of service are free of charge in the case of natural disasters or Military redeployment.
Step #3: The Available Choices on the Cancelation Policy.
Cancelling the AT&T Internet service within the first 14 days of the billing cycle won’t produce any penalty on the user, meaning that no extra fee will have to be paid. On the other hand, after passing those ‘safe days’ an Early Termination Fee (ETF) must be paid. The maximum fee is $180 and it’s targeted to users who still have a term commitment of 12 months, but the price will depend on how many months of commitment the user has at the moment of cancellation. Once the user understands everything, the service can be cancelled.
Finally, after cancelling the internet service, there is something called the Equipment Non-Return Fee. This fee is targeted to users who don’t return the equipment (which must be done unless instructed otherwise). The AT&T equipment must be sent undamaged at any UPS or FedEx Office within 21 days after cancellation, but if the equipment is wall mounted do not remove nor return.
Failing to return the equipment will result in an extra $150 fee that will be charged to the user’s account. But if the user manages to return the equipment within 6 months of cancellation after paying the fee, then that payment will be refunded.
Reasons to Cancel an AT&T Internet Supplier Service:
Cancelling an internet supplier service like AT&T requires proper thinking and analysis before jumping to premature conclusions. People who decide to change their internet supplier do it for the simple fact that other services are providing better offerings and features. In the case of internet service, maybe the competition offers better speed and more stability. In this era of competitiveness, everyone is doing their best to beat their competition in the market, and offering better services is simply an effective tool.
However, sometimes speed and quality have nothing to do with the matter, maybe it’s the exact opposite. High-quality internet plans (like some of the provided by AT&T) aren’t cheap by any means, and maybe that extra speed is just plain unnecessary. Meaning that money could be saved by just cancelling the current plan and downgrading to another plan. Finally, maybe AT&T isn’t a problem and the situation is external to the company. For example, moving out to another property (that could be in another state or country) means that an internet supplier has to be contacted, and in the new area AT&T could or couldn’t be the best choice based on the needs and budget.
Freqently Asked Questions:
Is It Possible to Cancel AT&T Internet Service Without a Termination Fee?
Yes, it is! As there are many ways in which it can be done. First, if the service is cancelled within 14 days of activating it, AT&T won’t force any fee into the user’s account. On the other hand, if the 14 days have passed then to avoid paying this annoying fee the user has to wait until the end of the term commitment before requesting cancellation.
If the AT&T Equipment is Wall Mounted, Should it be Removed?
Avoid removing the wall-mounted equipment as the user should wait for AT&T instructions on the case. Remember that not everyone is quirky when it comes to the tools and maneuvers required to remove this kind of equipment. To avoid any possible infrastructural or physical damage, AT&T has a soft side toward this kind of situation, kindly wait for their instructions.
Canceling AT&T Internet Service means that the User won’t be able to Request it Again?
Sometimes changing internet suppliers doesn’t end as expected, and as a direct result of taking wrong decisions, maybe returning to the previous service doesn’t sound that bad. And no, AT&T won’t hold any grudge toward customers who decided to cancel the service and then want to come back, in fact, this is extremely common in this modern society, and since it will mean another customer for the company, no one would ever reject something like this.
Related Post: