How to Get Out of a Phone Contract

A new phone! It's shiny! You want it! Unfortunately, it's only offered by a different cellular provider than the one you're using. You want out of your current contract but, after talking with a rep from the company, you've decided the cancellation fees are too rich.

What can you do?

You're in luck: carriers don't care who fulfils the contract. You are allowed to transfer your contract to someone else, although there may be an administration fee. Bell charges $25, and Telus charges $20 for this privilege, but that's a lot cheaper than many cancellation fees.

How do you find someone to take over your contract? There are sites that can help -- for a price. Three that serve the Canadian market include:
CellClients: Started in mid-2007, this Canadian-based website was launched by a graduate student who wanted to change carriers, back when the iPhone was coming to Canada. For $19.90, you can place an ad with details of your plan and, optionally, the phone that comes with it. You can also offer a cash incentive -- this may be necessary for some plans and to get rid of older phones, especially if they are not smart phones. The fee is refundable if the plan or phone is not sold within 30 days. CellClients also sells unlocked cellphones; if you buy one, they'll waive the ad fee.

If you want a contract, you can search for plans by carrier, phone, the number of months left on the contract and the monthly charge. There is an extensive FAQ and they provide live online help.

CellSwapper: The Canadian version of a U.S.-based site, it also covers the UK and Australia. CellSwapper charges $18.95 US for a regular ad and $24.95 US for a home-page placement. If you decide to purchase your replacement plan via the website, they will refund 25 per cent of your fee. Their "How It Works" FAQ is US-centric, but most points apply to the Canadian market.

Cell Plan Depot: Another US-based site with UK and Canadian coverage, it offers a free trial period of 10 days. Three options, at $16.99, 19.99 and 24.99 US, are offered, with increasing levels of exposure and priority listing. You can list (and search) by location. But this bites: although you can enter your phone model when placing an ad, there seems to be no way to search for one.

If you're a commitment-phobe, you can also search for a contract that suits your time frame. Bonus: although you still have to undergo a credit check as would any new client, you avoid the hassle of activation.

Finally, if you're a haggler at heart and are unhappy with your current plan, these sites can arm you with information you can use to (diplomatically and politely) browbeat your current carrier into more acceptable terms.

Know of other sites that provide similar services? Please feel free to post them in the comments section below.