Can you cancel a cell phone contract for providing bad reception or poor service?

It depends on the contract. Some contracts say things like "we do not guarantee uninterrupted service or coverage" and that you are prohibted from sueing the company over the contract (from my Cingular contract). In that case, the company is probably covered legally and you can not simply cancel the contract. However, if you complain regularly, show up in person to their local store, and get your phone and SIM card replaced often (assuming it's a free service), they might let you out of the contract to save themselves further hassles.

Most cell phone services that require a year or two-year agreement allow you to cancel within 15 days or so after you begin the service. That way, if the service is going to be really bad you can try it and cancel before you are locked into a two-year agreement or a $175 cancelation fee. The details in the first answer are very insightful as well.

You can but you first have to prove bad service.
A letter from a lawyer may help get their attention.

A cell-phone contract is signed with intent of provision of service
and if service and reception isn't met as per their agreement then
they are in violation of it.

You must show proof of violation of agreement to cancel this or any contract.

I used to be with Cingular before the cell phone number portability law went into effect. I kept getting the company line from them: "We're adding new cell towers all the time! Your reception should get better within a month or so." After a year of complaining and no change in the reception/dropped call rate, I switched the day you could change, but had to get out of my Cingular contract first. They let me off because of the reception issues noted in my account. If you complain and document who you talk to, you may be able to use this information to get them to let you out of your contract early.

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Yes you can - and it is not that hard. All you have to do is file a complaint against them with the FCC. I had T-Mobile and they PROMISED me that it would work where I lived. I was getting reception only now and then, and I have no regular home phone, no land line. My cell is my ONLY phone and I cannot have it only working when the coulds are in a certian position and the stars are all alligned, etc. They were not going to let me out and I filed a complaint with the FCC and quick as a heartbeat they let me out of the contract and even offered to refund part of my money without me asking. Don't waste your time on them, go right to the FCC, I told others at work, they did the same thing and they also were let out of their contracts (Sprint I believe). If you are paying for something you are not getting, best to cancel and go with a company that can provide it.

Don't you wish? I think you might have better luck getting your soul back from satan. In other words-I haven't had any luck.

Yes you can! See link:

http://wirecracker.vflyer.com/1/index.html

Depends on the wording of the contract. Contract lawyers are among the fastest shysters (sorry citizen lawyers) in the world. Read the commitment on an airline ticket, if you want to see something amusing. They guarantee nothing, only that they will make some sort of vague attempt to move you from point A to point B. They're not responsible for anything, including actually moving you as a paying customer.

Having said so, I returned a cell phone and received a service refund because the phone simply did not work at my home. This was done within the time frame specified by the company and they were willing to do so.

My cell phone is horrible with reception in my apartment and at work. I have sprint and am 9 months into a new 2 year contract without upgrading my phone. What can I do to get out of this and get something more suitable. Please help. Complaing to them for a year is not what I want.

Thanks

I do not think you can. I have been trying for more than 5 months because I cannot get reception at my home which is only 1 mile from the Sprint store and according to some smart fellow in Florida looking at a computer screen I do receive service. I am in San Angelo Texas which is West Texas and the overall service is horrible. But, I am not complaining about all the places I do not receive service only that I cannot receive service in my home. By the way, no one else can who has Sprint in San Angelo.
This is the most non user friendly company I have ever dealt with and I would certainly encourage everyone who might consider a cell phone to not use Sprint. But, I think it is impossible to cancel a Sprint Contract. Consequently, just do not sign with Sprint or use Sprint. You will be much better off and your pocket book will thank you.

i have t-mobile, and for the last month have had "NO SERVICE" more then i have had service. my phone reads emergency only 98% of the time. T-mobiles explanation, is theres a power outage at the tower. I guess that means the blame is on the power company, who by the way says they dont have an outage, and if there was one it wouldnt last a month. someone please help me get out of this contract

Nope, thats the entire point of a contract. The only way out of it is to talk to manager that knows how to be human still, and tell that person that your phone was purchased to work in a specific area and since the merge with At&t, you have not been happy with service and that it is unnaceptable and should be fixed quickly...Good luck