Cell-phone cancellation-fee proposal draws static

I don't see the point behind cancellation fees and think they should be eliminated altogether. If you're not satisfied with the service, then it's something that the companies need to work on. If you're a subscriber to a service that has limited coverage and move to an area not served by that provider, you shouldn't be penalized. Two years is a long time to commit to something you don't like.

Also, if you have a family share plan, each number you have is subject to a $175 cancellation fee so if you decide to drop a number, then you have to pay $175 for the pleasure of doing so.

years ago we had cingular phones for our family. the phones had very limited service areas. the company did not tell us this prior to buying the phones. also, we had a problem that the previous owner of my son's phone number had a block on that number. my son could get calls and hear the caller, but the caller could not hear him, or he could make calls, you could hear him but he could not hear the caller - we called it "one way phone service". cingular could not figure out how to get the block off, and refused to give another phone number without paying for a new contract and cancellation fee. we were fed up with the entire cingular service, but guess who had to pay cancellation fees for 4 phones!!!!! this is robbery.

Maybe they should just start charging us full price for the phones?

To those who are only focused on their cancellation stories--you're missing the real story--as stated in the article:

"In exchange for the government's approval, the agreement would let cell phone companies off the hook in state courts where they are being sued for billions of dollars by angry customers. If approved by the FCC, the proposal also would take away the authority of states to regulate the charges, known as early termination fees."

Yes, there would be modest changes to termination fees but really NO change to those looking to cancel in early stage due to poor service. In return for that, the companies get a WINDFALL exemption from consumer complaints going forward and the END to current complaints already filed.

This is really just another "federal preemption" scam which will whitewash the corporate scams and cut off avenues for consumer redress. Like Washington hasn't already concentrated enough power in its hands!!----and we see how responsive it's been to our priorities and issues!! We're the little dopes and the government and the pols get together and divvy up all our money while wearing ear plugs to block any sound from our voices!

meant to say the "government and the big corporations get together to divvy up our money..." Sorry.

can you hear me now wrote:

years ago we had cingular phones for our family. the phones had very limited service areas. the company did not tell us this prior to buying the phones. also, we had a problem that the previous owner of my son's phone number had a block on that number. my son could get calls and hear the caller, but the caller could not hear him, or he could make calls, you could hear him but he could not hear the caller - we called it "one way phone service". cingular could not figure out how to get the block off, and refused to give another phone number without paying for a new contract and cancellation fee. we were fed up with the entire cingular service, but guess who had to pay cancellation fees for 4 phones!!!!! this is robbery.

Ouch, sounds like you REALLY got screwed. Assuming you paid with a credit card, couldn't you have disputed the charge, being that your son couldn't use the service he paid for? Monday morning quarterback, I know!

our federal gov't has no right to get involved in this...... let the individual states take care of it...slowly but surely we are becoming a communist country....took much federal control...enough already

If you cancel your cell service, and the cell company charges the fee to the credit card you gave them when you signed up, you can dispute that with the bank tht issues your credit card. Neither MasterCard nor Visa permit such charges, regardless of what you signed. The cell company would then have to try to collect from you some other way.
If the service or phone are defective in some way you should be able to cancel without a fee. In this case, it is the merchant who is not providing the service...and not a case of "buyer's remorse". Keep good records of your poor service and your attempts to get the proper service you're paying for, and dispute the monthly charges with your credit card bank.