How to cancel phone service (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile)

Canceling a phone line sounds simple, but doing it in the wrong order is the most common way people lose their number or get a surprise final bill. This guide covers Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, what you still owe, and how to cancel just one line on a family plan.

Switching carriers? Do not cancel

When you sign up with a new carrier and choose to keep your number, the new carrier asks the old one to release it. As soon as the number moves, your old line is closed automatically. If you cancel first, the number can be released and may be hard or impossible to recover. Get your account number and number transfer PIN, start service with the new carrier, and let the port do the work. See how to switch phone carriers.

Before you cancel: checklist

• Phone balance: check how much you still owe on any phone, watch or tablet. It usually becomes due in full when the line closes.
• Bill credits: promotional credits for a phone or trade-in stop when you cancel, so the remaining balance may be higher than you expect.
• Unlock: if you plan to keep the phone, pay it off and ask for an unlock before you leave.
• Two-factor codes: move bank and email verification to an authenticator app or a new number, or you may be locked out.
• Backups: save photos, contacts and messages to iCloud or Google.
• Voicemail: carrier voicemail is deleted when the line closes. Save any messages you need.
• Equipment: home internet gateways, hotspots and leased phones usually must be returned.
• Bundles: streaming perks and device insurance tied to the plan end too.

How to cancel Verizon phone service

How to cancel AT&T wireless

How to cancel T-Mobile service

What you still owe when you cancel

Two-year contracts with early termination fees are largely gone at the big US carriers. What replaced them are device payment agreements. When you cancel, the unpaid part of each phone, watch or tablet usually becomes due, and monthly promotional credits stop. If you got a phone “free” with credits, the amount due can be large, because the credits were never a discount up front.

Your final bill also covers service up to the disconnect date, and how partial months are handled differs by carrier, so ask. Pay the final bill in full. Unpaid balances can go to collections and hurt your credit.

Canceling one line on a family plan

The account holder can remove a single line without closing the account. The same rules apply to that line’s phone balance and credits. Keep in mind that many plans charge less per line as you add lines, so removing one can raise the price of the others. If a family member wants to take their number elsewhere, the new carrier can port just that number, and the line closes on its own. That is usually better than canceling it.

Canceling watch, tablet and hotspot lines

Cellular watches, tablets and hotspots each have their own line and monthly charge. They are easy to forget and are some of the easiest savings on a bill. Cancel them the same way as a phone line, and check for device balances. An Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch still works over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with your phone after the cellular line is gone.

Do you really need to cancel?

If the reason is cost, a cheaper plan with the same carrier, or a prepaid brand on the same network, may keep everything you like for less. See how to lower your phone bill and our guide to MVNOs. Asking the retention team about offers when you call to cancel sometimes gets a discount, though there is no guarantee.

Moving abroad or suspending instead

If you are leaving the country for a few months, or deploying with the military, ask about suspending the line instead of canceling. Carriers offer temporary suspensions, sometimes at a reduced monthly fee, and military members can often suspend or end service under special rules. Suspending keeps your number, which matters for bank and account verification. Another option is porting the number to a low-cost prepaid plan or a number-keeping service while you are away.

Canceling for someone who has died

Carriers have a separate process for closing the account of a person who has died. It usually needs a copy of the death certificate and proof that you are the executor or next of kin. Ask for the bereavement or survivor team when you call 611 or visit a store. You can often transfer a number to your own account instead of closing it, which helps keep access to verification codes.

Problems when canceling and how to fix them

• The rep keeps offering deals instead: say clearly that you want the line disconnected, and ask for the confirmation number. You can listen to offers, but you do not have to accept them.
• You were billed after porting out: the old carrier may bill up to the port date. If you are charged for time after that, contact them with the port date and ask for a credit.
• The port is stuck: a number lock, wrong account number or expired PIN is the usual cause. Turn off number lock in the old carrier’s app and generate a new PIN.
• You cannot verify the account: only the account owner, or someone they have added as a manager, can cancel. Ask the owner to add you, or to make the call.
• You dispute the final bill: ask for an itemized bill and a supervisor. If that fails, you can file a complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints.

Write down the date, time and name of everyone you speak with. Chat transcripts are useful too, so save or screenshot them. That record makes any later dispute much easier to settle in your favor.

After you cancel

• Keep the confirmation number until the final bill is paid and shows a zero balance.
• Return any leased equipment within the carrier’s deadline and keep the tracking number.
• Remove your payment card from the carrier account if auto-pay stays on.
• If you are keeping the phone, check it is unlocked. See how to check if your phone is unlocked.
• If you are selling the phone, sign out of iCloud or your Google account and erase it first.