Canceling your Verizon service can be a straightforward process, but one burning question looms large in many customers‘ minds when they‘re ready to make the break: Does Verizon prorate your final bill, or will you be stuck paying for a whole month of service you won‘t be using?
The answer, in most cases, is that Verizon does not prorate bills when you cancel your service. But there‘s more to the story. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about Verizon‘s final billing practices, including:
- Verizon‘s official policy on prorated final bills
- How different types of Verizon services (wireless, Fios, etc.) are handled
- What early termination fees you can expect if you cancel before your contract is up
- Tips for minimizing your final costs and avoiding billing surprises
- How Verizon‘s policies compare to other major carriers
- Step-by-step instructions for canceling your Verizon service smoothly
If you‘re preparing to part ways with Verizon, you‘ll want to arm yourself with this essential knowledge to make the transition as pain-free as possible for your wallet. Let‘s dive in!
Verizon Bills in Advance, So No Proration
To understand Verizon‘s approach to final bills, it‘s important to know that Verizon charges for its services in advance. When you receive your monthly Verizon bill, you‘re actually being charged for the upcoming month of service, not the month you just used.
For example, if your billing cycle begins on the 15th of each month, your bill on August 15th will cover your service from August 15th through September 14th. Verizon requires payment by the beginning of that service period.
This "bill in advance" approach is common in the wireless industry, as opposed to utilities and other services that often use "bill current" pricing, charging you after you‘ve used the service. Charging in advance helps carriers secure payment and maintain consistent revenue streams.
However, this advance billing setup means that prorating final bills can get messy from an accounting perspective. By the time you cancel, Verizon has already billed you for the full month of service. They would have to go back and recalculate your final charges based on your cancel date, issuing partial refunds or credits for unused days.
Rather than dealing with that hassle, Verizon simply sticks to their guns and charges the full final amount, even if you cancel your service early in the billing period. According to the Verizon customer agreement, neither party is entitled to a prorated refund of any charges if the service is terminated before the end of the billing period.
No Proration Is Common Among Major Wireless Carriers
Verizon‘s no-proration policy may seem burdensome to customers hoping to save a few bucks on their final bill. But it‘s actually in line with the rest of the Big Four wireless carriers in the U.S.
Here‘s a rundown of the final bill proration policies for major carriers, according to their customer agreements and published policies:
| Carrier | Prorates Final Bills |
|---|---|
| Verizon | No |
| AT&T | No |
| T-Mobile | No |
| Sprint | No |
As you can see, all of the major carriers have similar policies of not prorating final bills in most circumstances. It‘s industry standard practice, not a Verizon-specific policy.
The one notable exception is if you‘re canceling a prepaid account with one of these carriers rather than a traditional postpaid account. With prepaid service, you pay in advance for a set amount of monthly usage, so there‘s no recurring monthly bill or contract. If you cancel a prepaid account with an unused balance, you should be able to get a refund of your remaining prepaid funds, no matter which major carrier you‘re using.
Early Termination Fees Can Add to Your Final Costs
In addition to your regular monthly service charges, canceling Verizon before your contract term is up can result in painful early termination fees (ETFs). These fees help Verizon recoup the costs of subsidizing your device and locking in your business for a designated period.
For smartphone contracts, Verizon‘s ETF starts at a formidable $350. But it does go down by a set amount each month you stay in the contract. Verizon prorates its early termination fees based on the number of months left in your contract term.
Here‘s how Verizon calculates its ETF for smartphones:
- $350 minus $10 for each full month of your contract term that you complete.
- After 18 months, the ETF drops to a flat $130.
- The ETF is $0 once you‘ve completed your full contract term, usually 24 months.
For other types of devices, like basic phones, netbooks, and connected devices, Verizon charges a flat $175 ETF that does not prorate.
If you‘re on a device payment plan rather than a contract, you don‘t have to worry about ETFs. With device payment plans, you pay off your device in installments over a set term, separate from your monthly service charges. If you cancel before the device is paid off, you just have to pay the remaining balance in full. There‘s no additional early termination fee.
Some Special Circumstances Let You Avoid ETFs
While early termination fees can be a bitter pill to swallow when canceling Verizon, there are a few ways to get out of your contract scot-free in certain special circumstances:
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Deployment in the U.S. military. If you‘re being deployed for 90+ days, you can get out of your Verizon contract with no ETF, even if you opened the account after you were deployed. Just provide Verizon with copies of your deployment documents.
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Extreme technical issues. If you‘ve had multiple unresolved technical problems or complete losses of service, you may be able to end your contract with no fee on the grounds that Verizon failed to provide adequate service. Be sure to keep records of all reported issues.
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Material changes to your contract. If Verizon makes major changes to your contract terms, like increasing your monthly service price, you must be given notice and the option to cancel without an ETF.
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Death of the account owner. If the primary account owner passes away, their estate can typically cancel service without an ETF after providing a death certificate.
Exceptions to Verizon‘s No-Proration Policy
While Verizon‘s default policy is not to prorate any final bills, there are a couple scenarios where you might see proration on your final charges:
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Canceled Fios service. If you cancel Verizon Fios (internet, TV, or home phone) service before the end of a billing period, Verizon will prorate your final bill. According to Verizon‘s Fios terms of service, "If you cancel service, you will be refunded any prepaid fees minus any amounts due."
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Suspended lines. If you put a temporary suspension on your Verizon line (more on that later) and then cancel the line without reactivating it, Verizon may prorate your final charges back to when the suspension started.
However, suspended lines are the exception that proves the rule. If you merely suspend your Verizon service without canceling, you will still be charged a recurring fee for each month the line is suspended, in addition to any applicable plan charges.
Suspension fees vary depending on the type of service, but they‘re typically $10-$30 per month for consumer accounts. So while suspending your line lets you temporarily pause service and avoid full plan charges, it‘s not a completely cost-free option.
Do Your Homework Before Canceling
Now that we‘ve laid out the nitty-gritty details of how Verizon‘s billing works when you cancel service, let‘s talk about some steps you can take to minimize your final costs and make the cancellation process as smooth as possible.
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Check your contract end date. If you‘re not in a hurry to cancel, the easiest way to avoid ETFs is to wait until your contract term is up. You can check your contract end date online or in the My Verizon app by going to the "My Devices" page and selecting the device you want to check.
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Know your billing cycle. To avoid paying for a full extra month of service you won‘t be using, aim to cancel well before your next billing cycle begins. You can find your account‘s billing cycle start date in the "Billing" section of the My Verizon website or app.
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Give ample notice. Verizon requests at least 30 days‘ notice before canceling lines or closing your account. While you can often initiate a cancellation with less notice than that, giving a buffer helps ensure the cancellation is processed in time.
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Get your new carrier situated first. To avoid a lapse in service, make sure you have your new carrier account and device set up before you cancel Verizon, especially if you‘re porting your number over. Your new carrier can work with Verizon to get the number ported, then you can cancel once the process is complete.
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Consider other options. Think carefully about whether completely canceling is the right move. If you‘re canceling Verizon service for a set period of time, such as for an extended trip abroad, a temporary suspension may make more sense than canceling and reactivating later. You‘ll pay a small monthly fee, but it‘s cheaper than maintaining your full service plan.
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Return any Verizon devices or equipment. If you have a Verizon-provided router, set top box, or other device, be sure to return it in a timely manner to avoid non-return fees. Verizon will typically send you a prepaid shipping label to send back the equipment.
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Review your final bill thoroughly. Even if you‘ve done everything right on your end, billing mistakes can happen. Go over your final bill with a fine-toothed comb, and don‘t hesitate to contact Verizon if you see any discrepancies or charges you don‘t understand.
How to Actually Cancel Your Verizon Service
If you‘ve weighed your options and decided canceling Verizon is the right call, here‘s a step-by-step guide to the cancellation process:
- Contact Verizon. To get the ball rolling, you‘ll need to reach out to Verizon‘s cancellation department. There are a few ways to do it:
- Call Verizon‘s cancellation line directly at 1-844-837-2262. Be prepared for long hold times, especially if you‘re calling during peak business hours.
- Start a live chat with a Verizon representative on the contact page of their website. This lets you handle the process electronically without waiting on hold.
- Visit a Verizon store in person to speak with an associate. They may direct you to call the cancellation line, but it‘s worth asking if they can process it in-store.
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Have your account information ready. When you connect with a rep, make sure you have your Verizon account number, the phone number(s) you want to cancel, and the primary account holder‘s Social Security number or passcode.
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Prepare for the retention pitch. Be ready for the rep to try to persuade you to stay with Verizon. They may offer you discounts, bonus services, or other perks if you‘ll agree to keep your service active. It‘s up to you whether to hear them out or politely decline and proceed with the cancellation.
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Get an estimated final billing amount. Before you hang up or end the chat, ask the rep for an estimate of your final charges, including any early termination fees or outstanding device balances. You don‘t want any surprises when that last bill hits!
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Confirm the cancellation and check for a confirmation email. Make sure the rep verifies that your cancellation request has been processed and gives you a cancellation date. You should also receive an email summarizing your cancellation request. If you don‘t see one within a day, follow up with Verizon.
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Return any Verizon-provided devices. As soon as you receive your shipping label, send back any Verizon equipment you have to avoid racking up non-return fees.
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Monitor your email and text messages. Verizon should send you a message confirming your service disconnection has been finalized. This is your cue that it‘s really over!
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Port out your number if you haven‘t already. If you want to keep your number and transfer it to a new carrier, work with your new provider to get the port initiated before you cancel Verizon. But if you forget to do it in advance, you should have a brief grace period to port out your number after your cancellation goes through.
And there you have it, the full scoop on whether (and how) Verizon prorates your final bill when you cancel your service. While dealing with final billing, early termination fees, and service transfers can feel overwhelming, knowledge is power.
By learning Verizon‘s policies inside and out, planning ahead, and following the cancellation steps to a T, you can make your breakup with Big Red relatively painless. And just think – once you make it through to the other side, you‘ll have the freedom to explore other carriers that might be a better fit for your needs and budget.
So cut the cord with confidence, knowing you‘re now a pro at navigating the ins and outs of Verizon‘s final billing process. The next time a friend is stressing about switching cell phone providers, you can be their own personal expert resource. Look at you go!
