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You can cancel your AT&T internet subscription anytime you want in one of the three ways, i.e., Via Call, Online through your AT&T account, or by visiting their local retail store nearby. If you cancel your services within the first 14 days of activation, you don’t have to pay any Early termination fee. However, if you plan to withdraw after that period, you must pay an ETF and other service charges.
The process of AT&T internet cancellation is not quite simple, as you must first understand your contract terms, Early termination policy, equipment return policy, etc., to avoid additional charges. To help you out, in this guide, I have talked about all these aspects. Let’s begin with the most crucial one first.
AT&T Cancellation Fee Internet – Early Termination Policy
Upon canceling your AT&T services after 14 days of activation, users are subjected to pay ETF based on their contract terms. Depending upon how much time is left in your contract period to end, this ETF is prorated ($15 every month) and can be calculated per the following table:
| Month in Service | Prorated Early Termination Fees |
|---|---|
| 1 | $180 |
| 2 | $165 |
| 3 | $150 |
| 4 | $135 |
| 5 | $120 |
| 6 | $105 |
| 7 | $90 |
| 8 | $75 |
| 9 | $60 |
| 10 | $45 |
| 11 | $30 |
| 12 | $15 |
How to Cancel AT&T Internet Services?
To cancel your AT&T internet plan, you must provide your Account Number and Personal Identification Number (mentioned on previous bills or in your account’s info) to verify you are the account holder. Once you have these things handy, follow this step-by-step guide to cancel att internet hassle-free:
1. Pay all the outstanding balances before the cancellation
If you are using any AT&T products like DirecTV, TV, or Landline services, apart from the internet, ensure that there is no outstanding balance for any of them. This is crucial to do before canceling att service so that they won’t levy any late fees or other charges to your account.
Also, it helps you to stay in a good position for any disputes related to restocking fees or equipment and make the cancellation process smoother & faster.
2. Check your contract terms
For AT&T internet-only plans, there are no contracts and thus no Early Termination Fee. However, if you are paying for any bundle with TV and phone services included, you must check your contract terms which can be 1 or 2 years. So, if you are on any contract, you are subjected to pay ETF, starting at $180 for 1-year and $360 for 2-year contracts.
This fee reduces every month by $15, so depending upon how many months are left in your contract period, you have to pay the balance amount of the ETF during cancellation. Those who wish to cancel ATT account without any early termination fees must wait for their contract period to be over and terminate the services afterward.
3. Request for your plan cancellation
After calculating your ETF and outstanding dues (if any), you can contact AT&T for internet cancellation in the following three practical ways:
Online through AT&T Account
AT&T allows you to submit online cancellation requests using DSL high-speed internet or a traditional home plan. However, if the internet service is a part of any bundle plan, you might not be able to use this method.
To cancel your AT&T DSL internet services online, go to this link, log into your account and follow the on-screen instructions.
Over the Call
If you are using any other type of internet services of AT&T, you can call them during their business hours, i.e. (Mon-Fri, 7 am to 8 pm), to submit your cancellation request. However, phone cancellation is a long process as they let you go through retention scripts. But you can make it faster by following these steps:
- Contact them at toll-free number 1800–288–2020 and verify your account details through the account number and identification pin to confirm you are the primary account owner.
- Skip the automated instructions and choose the “Cancel service” option when they ask you the reason for calling.
- Upon asking which service you wish to cancel, say “Internet”, and they will connect you to their customer representative.
- Tell them that you are moving to another country or outside the ATT service area if they ask you the reason for cancellation. This way, they won’t give you offers /deals to stay connected.
- Give them an exact cancellation date for your plan and ensure it is before your next billing cycle, or else they will charge you for the next month.
- Listen carefully to their equipment return instructions and note down the “return authorization number” they provided. This number is required to be submitted when returning your leased ATT equipment to the UPS store.
In-Person at AT&T Retail Store
In-store cancellation is the most convenient and hassle-free way to cancel your AT&T Internet services. While you can walk in directly to your nearby AT&T retail store, it is better to make an online appointment first to save time if the store is busy.
Go to this link to make an online appointment and then follow the same process listed as canceling over the phone. Sadly, you cannot return your leased equipment at AT&T retail store, so read the next section for that.
4. Return any leased equipment and take receipts
If you have any leased AT&T equipment (modem, router, landline, etc.), you must return it undamaged within 21 days of service cancellation unless the company gives you in writing to not return it.
In case of not returning or sending damaged equipment, you have to pay a $150 equipment non-return fee. The fee will be reflected in your account or added to your credit card.
If you return the equipment within 6 months of service cancellation, the refund for the equipment non-return fee will be credited to your account. However, the fee for damaged equipment will not be refunded in any scenario.
AT&T doesn’t ask you to return wall-mounted items and their cables. However, the other leased equipment must return to it via the nearest UPS or FedEx store.
Take the account number, prepaid shipping label (mailed by ATT) and return authorization number along with your leased equipment to the store.
The return facility is free at UPS and FedEx stores. Just give them the required details and equipment, and they will pack and ship it back to AT&T on their own. Don’t forget to take your return confirmation slip after that for future reference.
5. Check for any disputed or surprise billing charges after the last billing period
Once cancellation is made, log into your AT&T to double-check that they have not charged you any additional or late fees. You can check your account once after the day of cancellation and once after the billing cycle is over. It is crucial if you cancel at&t service online or over the phone.
6. Contact Customer Care for disputed fees/charges after cancellation (if any)
If any disputed fees are reflected in your account even after successful cancellation and equipment return, contact their customer support to fix it. Before contacting them, keep the following documents handy:
- Printed email confirmation of your cancellation request
- A receipt of their store visit
- Confirmation receipt received from UPS or FedEx store after returning the leased equipment
Upon contacting their customer support, choose “Dispute Charges” as your issue, and they will forward your call to the concerned department. If you’re traveling and need guidance on connecting to specific Wi-Fi, such as Hilton Honors, you can check out this guide on steps to hilton honors WiFi login.
Other Options to Consider Instead of Internet Cancellation
AT&T also offers plenty of options to transfer, downgrade and upgrade your current internet services instead of simply canceling at&t internet service. Here are some of the possible options you can try at your convenience instead of cancelation:
- Shifting to AT&T Another Service: If you are using DSL internet and want to shift to Fiber, you can use this option. Choose “Change” or “Manage My Plan” in the ATT mobile app to see all the available service options. If you shift to AT&T’s other service, you must sign a new contract.
- Transfer the Service to Another Address: If you are shifting to a new place where AT&T is available, you can ask them for a service transfer to a new address. For moving AT&T internet services, call (800) 288-2020; however, for fixed wireless internet service transfer, contact (877) 990-0041.
- Temporary Suspension: If you are going out for work or on a long vacation, you can temporarily suspend your AT&T internet services by paying a monthly suspension fee. Suspension due to serving in the military or natural disaster is free of cost. For wireless internet suspension, call (800) 331-0500, and for others, contact at (800) 288-2020.
- Transfer Account Billing to Someone Else: If your account is in a good state, you can transfer it to another person by choosing the “Start Transfer” option under the billing section in the AT&T app. If you are using multiple services of AT&T, you have to separate them to get separate billing. After two billing cycles, the services can be recombined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The AT&T cancellation number is (800) 288-2020. It is advisable to call them within their business hours, i.e. Monday to Friday 7 am – 8 pm to register your cancellation request for the same day. Requests received after business hours are over processed the next business day.
It can take around 1-4 hours to process and complete your cancellation request by the AT&T team. Usually, the request gets completed within two hours of the equipment’s return.
Canceling att account is hard because the retention team keeps suggesting various options of upgrading, downgrading or shifting to another service or plan instead of cancellation. They want you to keep using their services. One simple way to get rid of it is to give them the reason for moving out of the ATT service area to process the cancellation request.
Yes, you can cancel your AT&T internet subscription anytime after its activation. If you cancel within the first 14 days of service activation, you don’t have to pay any early termination fee. However, if you cancel after 14 days, ETF is applicable according to your contract period and terms.
No, AT&T doesn’t prorate your final bills. So, even if you decide to cancel their services after 1 or 2 days of the last billing cycle, you will be charged for that entire month. Thus always cancel a few days beforehand to your coming monthly billing cycle to avoid that.
Verdict
If you don’t want to go for other options than canceling att service, make sure you do it appropriately, as explained in this guide. Before contacting them for cancellation, keep all the required documents handy and check your outstanding charges and ETF.
To avoid disputed charges or non-return fees, return the equipment in working condition within 21 days. Double-check your account for dispute charges after cancellation and contact their team for further assistance.