Need help understanding your bill?
DumbPractice's profile

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

Saturday, February 16th, 2019 3:47 PM

I need to cancel a wireless line, but AT&T won’t let me!!

I have 3 lines on my account. All had/have a Next installment plan on them. I have paid off one installment plan on an old iPhone 6 that I haven’t had in years. I wanted to cancel # the number that I show associated with it which is a # I’ve never even used one time. AT&T is telling me I can ONLY cancel my main line which is associated with a couple of my businesses. I can’t lose that line. How can I cancel a line I’m not using without losing my cell # I have had for years?? 

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Employee

 • 

3.5K Messages

5 years ago

You've done a cross upgrade of some type. That number has an installment plan on it but you're using the hardware on a different number. Carefully go through the line items of the paper bill PDF in myAT&T and see what it shows.

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

ACE - Expert

 • 

64.7K Messages

5 years ago

The answer is simple, installment plans are tied to the number and can not be moved to another number. If you cancel that number, you terminate the installment plan. The reason for this is all of those BOGO promotions. If you could move the installment plan to another number, most customers would cancel that new line they had to open to get a free phone. So, bottom line, ATT is not stopping you from cancelling the line you want to cancel and you are not being penalized if you cancel it. You would just be paying off a phone earlier than planned but it is money you would pay eventually anyway.

ACE - Expert

 • 

64.7K Messages

5 years ago

That makes no sense. You can cancel any line on your account. Call again, I suspect some sort of misunderstanding. 

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

5 years ago

I was on the phone with them for over an hour. They said if I cancel the line I want to cancel, I’d be hit with early termination fees for doing so because THEIR records show it still has an installment plan on it, although what I see on the app is completely different than what they have in their records. 

ACE - Expert

 • 

64.7K Messages

5 years ago

Being billed for an installment plan is not an early termination fee. An early termination fee is for cancelling a service contract. Is that line on a 2 year service contract? If so, then yes, you will be charged an ETF. If you see no installment plan on your bill for that line, then there won’t be any installment plan charges.

ACE - Sage

 • 

116.6K Messages

5 years ago

There is a difference between “won’t cancel the line” And ”won’t cancel the line without charges for ETF”. They fairly warned you, but you can still cancel the line, just expect a big bill next time. 

 

 

Contributor

 • 

3 Messages

5 years ago

Here’s my point...I had 3 installment plans. One is now paid off. Because I HAD to use an upgrade to get another phone for one that was out of warranty, yes, the SIM cards were switched to allow me to CONTINUE to use my main line which is tied to marketing materials used in my photography business. I can’t afford to lose that line, which is the only option AT&T is giving me. It seem quite simple to me that given I still have the equipment that the installment plans are on, that I should be able to choose which lines I want to keep the installment plans on. I’m still paying for the installment plan and the lines. AT&T is NOT losing anything by allowing me to cancel a line that I have never even used, in favor of keeping two that I do use. That’s the part that is baffling to me. It doesn’t change anything but The $20 line fee which is what my bill would be reduced by no matter which line is canceled. So, my question remains, WHY can’t I choose which line(s) to keep active, and STILL continue to pay on the installment plans until they are paid out? 
Not finding what you're looking for?
New to AT&T Community?
New to the AT&T Community? Start by visiting the Community How-To.
New to the AT&T Community?
Visit the Community How-To.