When you sign up for Verizon’s FiOS TV and fast internet, you enter into a contract with the service provider. The length of the contract has not always been clear to customers, but Verizon’s terms are now clearly listed on their website. Customers are usually locked into a two-year agreement, which means you will pay the same amount for your services until it expires.
Only after your contract has served its agreed term, you can not cancel it without infringing on your contract terms, even if you want to change providers or move.
The question most Fios customers have is whether Verizon FiOS automatically renews a contract, automatically when it is due for renewal at the end of its term.
In general, Verizon automatically renews a contract on the same type of service you have – TV or internet. This means that if you subscribe to Fios for Verizon FiOS high-speed home internet, it will automatically renew your contract when it expires for another two-year term at current rates. You can cancel your subscription 30 days before expiry or within 60 days from the contract anniversary.
The same applies to those who have Fios TV. If you subscribe to Fios TV, Verizon will automatically renew your contract when it expires for another two-year term at current rates.
You do not have the option of canceling or switching providers before your contract is up, but you can renegotiate, complain about high prices and try to negotiate a better deal with Verizon.
There are no guarantees that as an existing customer you will get any new deals as It may be difficult to negotiate a good deal if you leave it too late before your contract anniversary date because Verizon is obliged to give you a discount.
In this case, you can contact Verizon and ask them to lower your fee, either by explaining your budget situation or by saying that another company has offered better terms.
Verizon will not be able to remove any fees for breaking your contract but may be willing to reduce the line or installation fees.
You can also visit a Verizon store and talk to a representative there, but do not expect much to come out of a conversation if you have just a few months left on your contract.
Verizon reserves the right to refuse any discounts at their discretion. The best way to see whether Verizon is willing to negotiate with you is to try.
If you want to cancel your Fios TV and / or Verizon FiOS internet service before the end of your contract, then you will usually have to pay an early termination fee (ETF).
Early Service Contract Termination Fees Explained
The early contract termination fee is a standard fee for canceling your contract early
The amount you will be charged depends on how many months are remaining in your agreement. When you sign up for Verizon’s Fios TV service, you enter into a contract with the company.
The length of this contract has not always been clear to customers, but Verizon now says its terms are clearly stated. So it is vital that you know your contract length when you order or transfer service.
Here’s an overview of the costs for breaking a Fios TV agreement, depending on how many months are left in your two-year term:
- 6–11 months remaining: $20 charge for each month remaining in your contract (about $120 total).
- 12–17 months remaining: $20 charge for each month remaining in your term (about $240 total)
- 18–23 months remaining: $20 per month remaining in your contract (about $480 total).
- 24 or more months remaining: The full early termination fee is due.
You will also need to pay Verizon an installation fee of around $40 and a $15 activation fee.
For those who sign up for Verizon’s Fios internet service, early termination fees work slightly differently. With Fios, you enter into an agreement for 36 months and receive the same discount as new customers throughout that time.
So if you pay $50 per month but then decide to cancel after 18 months, you will be charged an early termination fee of $150. If you pay $100 per month but cancel after 12 months, the ETF is the same price (and so forth).
As always, if you want to switch providers or move your home before your contract term is up, you will have to pay an ETF.
The best way to avoid paying an early contract termination fee is to know your contract terms before signing the agreement.
That way, if you find that you are unable to afford Fios or do not want it after all, then you can switch providers or move your service elsewhere without penalty before the time comes.
If you have Verizon’s Fios TV or internet service and want to leave before the end of your contract, it is worth trying to negotiate a lower fee with Verizon or consider transferring your services to your new address.
DO NOT try to cancel without paying an ETF because that will be considered theft of service by Verizon and they will pursue payment in court. Instead, call and explain that you would like to transfer your services and ask if they will move the services to the new home, lower the ETF, or switch fees entirely.
If you want to cancel your Verizon Fios service before the end of the term of your contract, then you may have to pay an early termination fee (ETF).
The early termination fee is a standard fee for breaking a Verizon contract set by the terms of your contract and, as such, Verizon can change these fees at any time.
Month-to-month contracts may have an early termination fee equal to $ 20 per month, $ 40 for customers with a two-year contract and $ 80 for those who subscribe to a three-year term.
Verizon ETF will depend on how many months are left until the end of your two-year agreement; usually, it is approximately $20 per month for each remaining month on your contract.
If you cancel Verizon Fios TV or internet service after the first six months , then there will be an early termination fee of $120 for each remaining month in your contract.
However, if you sign up for a 12-month agreement and decide to cancel, you might have to pay an ETF of $240 for each remaining month, which adds up to a total of about $480.
If you have signed a 24-month contract and cancel your service after 18 months, then the early termination fee will be approximately $480 per month.
For those who sign up for 36 months of Fios TV or internet service from a local internet sales rep, the full early termination fee will be due.
Verizon’s Fios TV service contracts can be complicated, so it is important to take the time to read them carefully before signing.
When you sign a Verizon Fios contract from a local , you agree to pay an early termination fee if you cancel your service and return or equipment like internet gateway routers before the end of the term.
If you do not want to pay the full ETF at once but are willing to make payments on a monthly basis, then explain this to your customer service representative and ask what sort of monthly payments they can offer.
Remember that the ETF will be prorated to match the number of months remaining in your contract term. If you have signed up for a three-year agreement, then you will have to pay an early termination fee if you cancel after two years, regardless of whether or not there are payments left on your contract.
Overall, you can change providers or cancel your Fios TV and internet at the anniversary of the contract agreement. If you are not happy with the local internet services provided by Verizon once your contract expires, you can cancel without penalty.
But if you wait until after your two-year term has expired to cancel, make sure that you do so within 30 days of the end of the contract as otherwise, you will have to pay an early termination fee.
