While Verizon Internet is a reputed ISP across the United States, you may have to bid farewell to it. Many times, Verizon may not offer the optimal performance/speed/maintenance in your area. Or you may be relocating to a place with no Verizon Internet coverage. In these instances, you need to terminate or cancel Verizon Internet temporarily or permanently.
But how do you do that? In this guide, I have covered everything you should know.
Can You Cancel Verizon Anytime?
Most Verizon Internet plans allow you to cancel at any time. However, depending on the contract you have signed, you may have to pay an Early Termination Fee called ETF. So, if you decide to move forward with the cancellation, you must be ready to spend some amount of ETF.
Things to Consider Before Canceling
While it is effortless to cancel Verizon Internet, you must not rush into it. Instead, you need to consider the following things. This way, you can avoid surprise charges.
Contract Implications
The first thing you should do is go through the contract you signed while getting the Verizon Internet plan. It should contain everything about the contract, including the starting date, potential financial implications, and special mentions.
For instance, if you have an additional lock-in period, the contract should mention that. While you are at it, make sure you note how many months you have been using Verizon Internet. This number will be necessary for the next step.
Understanding Your Early Termination Fee
As I mentioned in the beginning, Verizon charges an Early Termination Fee if you decide to cancel the internet plan before the contract expires. For instance, if you got the contract for 12 months but decide to cancel the service after 6 months, you will need to pay the ETF.
Verizon follows a prorated system to calculate the ETF. The base ETF is set at $350, but Verizon will offer a discount of $15 for each month you use the service. Here’s what it means:
If you have a 12-month contract but decide to cancel the service the same month, you need to pay an ETF of $350.
But if you have already used the Verizon Internet service for 10 months, you can discount $150 ($15×10) from the prorated amount. In this case, you need to pay only $100 for the ETF.
By the way, if you think the ETF is too high, you must consider options to transfer/suspend the Verizon plan.
Transfer Verizon Service Options
If you have an option to get Verizon Internet in the place you are moving to, you should consider the option of service transfer. It means you can get the same Verizon Internet service in another part of the city/country, but the speed/plan may vary.
The convenient part here is that you don’t have to pay the ETF or the installation fee at the new location.
If you continue with cancellation after all these points, read along.
Cancel Verizon Internet: Methods & Options
Here are the three options you have for canceling Verizon Internet.
Cancel Verizon Internet Online
You already use the Verizon Fios account to manage the plans and billing, right? You can use the same portal to cancel Verizon Internet. You can log in to the account and initiate the Cancellation process. However, you cannot complete the cancellation online.
Instead, you need to wait for a call from Verizon customer care. It is also one of the reasons why you should try the phone call method to cancel Verizon Internet.
Cancel Verizon Internet by Phone
A phone call is the easiest way to cancel Verizon Internet with minimal hassle.
To get started, you need to call (844) 837-2262, Verizon’s official customer care number. But make sure you have basic information such as your account number, ID verification, etc. When asked, provide all the data to the customer service executive.
The executive will guide you through the process and provide you with information about ETF, equipment returns, and other policies. You can follow these steps and make the remaining payment (upon receipt of the bill) to proceed with the cancellation.
Cancel Verizon Internet In-Person
If you would rather talk to a human being in person, you can visit the nearest Verizon store. The customer service executive there will help you start the Verizon Internet cancellation process. Once again, you might have to provide your account information.
You will also receive a confirmation from the Verizon store. Once you have this confirmation, you must look for equipment returns.
How to Return Verizon Equipment
If you don’t want to get hit by an unreturned equipment fee, you must return Verizon equipment after you have canceled the Verizon Internet service. Here are the steps you need to follow.
#1 Identifying Returnable Equipment
First, you should understand the equipment that you need to return. Ideally, you need to return every piece of equipment that you have been renting. So, unless you have purchased something by paying the full cost, that equipment needs to be sent back to Verizon.
#2 Equipment Return Procedures
The equipment return procedure for Verizon Internet is pretty straightforward.
- First, you need to contact Verizon Internet to confirm that you’re starting to return the equipment.
- Verizon will let you know the nearest UPS Store where you can process the return.
- Once you reach the UPS Store, provide your account details, and the staff there will scan the product serial number to confirm your return.
- Make sure you collect the receipt confirmation from UPS.
In addition to the in-store receipt, you will receive a confirmation email/SMS from Verizon.
#3 Avoiding Return Charges
If you don’t return Verizon Internet equipment within 30 days of service cancellation, you may be charged an unreturned equipment fee. The standard charges are:
- Broadband Home Router: $100
- Fiber Service unit: $210
- Fios Network Extender: $99
As you understand, these amounts are atrocious and almost double what you’d have to pay for a generic Wi-Fi router/Wi-Fi extender. So, it makes more sense to return the equipment.
Alternatives to Verizon Internet
Here are some Verizon Internet alternatives you can consider if you are not satisfied with Verizon or if it is not available in the area you are moving to.
Provider | Speed Range | Average Price | Coverage Area | Contract Requirements | Data Caps | Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verizon Fios | 200-940 Mbps | $39.99-$79.99 | Northeast/Mid-Atlantic | No long-term contract | None | Fiber Optic |
Xfinity | 50-1200 Mbps | $20-$100 | 40 states | No/Optional 1-year | 1.2 TB | Cable/Fiber |
AT&T Fiber | 300-5000 Mbps | $55-$180 | 21 states | No long-term contract | None | Fiber Optic |
Spectrum | 100-940 Mbps | $49.99-$89.99 | 41 states | No contract | None | Cable |
CenturyLink | 100-940 Mbps | $50-$75 | 36 states | No contract | None | Fiber/DSL |
Sure, you may not find an internet plan with the same price tag and speed limits, but you have options based on where you live.
Conclusion
As you can see, terminating or canceling Verizon Internet is a straightforward process if you know what is waiting for you. In particular, you must understand the Early Termination Fee and other financial obligations as a part of the Verizon Internet contract.
