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Nextel - Cancellation Provisions

Nextel • "Flexible contracts" • Cancellation difficulties • Billing disputes • "Free trial" • Sales practices • Insurance • Business customers --- News • NYC Sues Wireless Phone Companies for Deceptive Advertising • Consumer Group Sues Nextel, Cingular • Class Action Suit Filed

Kris of De Soto, WI (8/31/05):
Three months ago I moved from Minnesota to Wisconsin. In Minnesota I used Nextel and enjoyed their service. Unfortunately, I am unable to get a signal on my Nextel phone in my new location. The closest signal is 30 miles from my house.

I contacted Nextel to cancel what was left of my contract (I have one year left). Customer service wanted to know if I had checked the coverage map before I moved or a "future coverage" map on the website. I had, and service wasn't coming any time soon. She then told me the only way out of my contract was to find another person to take over my account. She stated that they do not offer the same services as the other cell phone companies and that if you don't have signal, they don't allow you to cancel your contract without paying the $200 fee.

No one wants to take over this account. I am being charged $200 to terminate a contract because Nextel does not provide service in my area.

John of Sykesville MD (10/3/03):
I had 5 phones on my account. I called the day that one of the contracts ended to have that phone cancelled. Today would be the 4th time I have called to see why it was still on my bill. They said they had no record of the original call and refused to cancel the phone on the original date. They also refused to reverse the charges from that phone on my bill. By my calculation I have wasted over three hours of my time during the 4 phone calls I have made and am losing about $180.00.

Troy of Brooklyn (8/19/03):
I had a year contract with Nextel for 300 minutes, free incoming, and free nights & weekends which ended in May 2002. I was told that I would keep the same promotion plan when my contract ends. Nextel renewed my contract without advising me. Now I received a bill for $640. Nextel stated that my contract expired and they removed my nights and weekends.

How could I renew a contract without signing or verbally agreeing to it? I spoke to many customer reps for Nextel and I'm getting different stories and run around. Their investigation department never even called me back after I made a claim. The supervisor didn't even want to give me his name, but told me that Nextel have the right to make whatever changes they want at anytime. He also mentions that their sales people do anything to make a sale and that’s a different department, so it doesn’t concern him.

Angel of Glen Oaks NY (1/27/03):
I signed a 1 year contract with NEXTEL for a plan that like all their plans included calls rounded off to the second rather than the next minute, it also included OFF PEAK calls beginning at 8:00pm. I was told when I signed the contract that if I should break the contract within its period, I would have to pay a $200 fee. A few months ago, NEXTEL changed their OFF PEAK time from 8:00pm to 9:00pm and also began rounding their minutes up to the next Minute. I contacted Customer Service, and all I was told was that NEXTEL has the right to modify their service.

I cannot understand why I have to pay NEXTEL a $200 fee if I break my contract, but NEXTEL can change the contract and not PAY ME a FEE. That is unfair. I agreed to keep my account for 1 year & and they agreed to provide me with to-the-second calls and 8:00 pm off peak start times. They failed to keep their end of the deal!! I believe NEXTEL should pay its customers a fee for breaking their end of the deal. I highly support the court case against NEXTEL.

Brenda of Winder GA writes (10/30/02):
I paid my Nextel account in full on Sept 25th. At that time I also canceled our service we had had with them for about 2 and 1/2 years. They gave me a confirmation number for my payment and another confirmation number for my disconnection. Now over a month later I get a bill for $345. I called to find out why and they are telling me the acct was never canceled (they can't find my confirmation number) and that if I cancel there will be a $200 disconnect fee, which we were never informed of or signed anything that said that.

I have been dealing with problems with Nextel for months. I spent over an hour on the phone with them last night and am very upset. I can't pay them any more, I don't owe them anymore. I have proof that I paid my bill and yet they are harrassing me.

Regina of Warrensville Hts., OH (8/7/02):
I signed up for Nextel cellular phone service about 14 months ago and was told that I was on a one-year contract for this service. After the year mark, I began to see that my long distance was no longer free, I called the company and they told me that the long distance was only for one year (I was not told this in the beginning.) I realized that the rate plan I had was not financially in my best interest so I got on the on the Nextel web page and found that I could possibly lower my cell bill by choosing a different rate plan.

So about 2 months ago via internet I switched my rate plan to what is called Nextel national shared minute plan. When I got my next bill I began to realize that it had skyrocketed even higher. At this point I had to make a decision to finally get rid of these phones since I obviously couldn't afford them. At the end of July I placed another call to Nextel and spoke to Michael Lee, I explained that I couldn't afford to pay the phone bills and I cancelled the service to my mothers' phone and explained to them that she rarely used it anyway. Michael Lee said that he would cancel this phone, and then stated to me that he could charge me a $200.00 cancellation fee, since I was still under contract with them.

I asked him why was I still under contract, and he told me that whenever you switch rate plans, you are signed up for another year. I told him that this information was nowhere to be found on their web site when I switched plans, he then said "well I believe you didn't know so I'll waive the fee for you." Today I called to cancel my phone and was told by the agent that no fee would be waived for this phone, even after I explained to her that I was never aware that I was signed up for a new contract, this agent sternly told me "no one is going to waive that fee for you ma'am." She then said I would be charged $200.00 per phone for canceling.

I feel Nextel has used deceptive business practices to keep consumers under contract.

Bryan of Yuba City CA (4/29/02):
I agreed to a locked-in 2-year rate plan contract with Nextel. They are now changing my plan without my permission. I want to get out of my contract because they have broken it. They now say I have to pay a fine of some $200 to try to drop my contract. I am going to be stuck with 2 phones I bought that I can't use anymore. They are trying to stick me with all this charges.