Guest Author - Kathy Fleming

Are you unhappy with your cellular provider? Found a great deal with another provider but are locked in a contract? You have two choice if you want to bail out: discontinue your service and pay early termination fees, or consider a contract reseller service.

If you are considering ending your contract, first look at how much longer you have in the contract. Weigh the termination fee vs. staying in. An early termination fee generally runs around $200. If staying in an unwanted contract for the duration will cost you more than that, you might consider cutting your losses and paying the fee. If you have only a short time left on the contract that may equal less than the fee, just stick it out. Mark on your calendar your exact contract end date so that you can get out of it right away and start a new service.

Also, read the fine print of your wireless contract. If your service provider has made a change to their services that changes the terms of the contract, you may have a free way out. For example, Verizon raised the rates on its text message service which changed their contract terms. Anyone with a contract containing the old terms was given the option to quit their plans without a fee.

Your other option is to consider a cellular contract swapping service. These services offer a way for people to buy, sell or swap their service contract. The site will put you in touch with other people in a sort of eBayesque sort of way where you can negotiate a deal. Most people would rather not go through the hassle of termination and new connection fees, so this can be a very attractive way to go.

Cellular carriers don’t seem to mind these services because while they may lose one customer, they may gain another. And technically the original contract is honored. It’s a way to keep everybody happy without losing money.

Some services can also save you money by not charging a service activation fee, since you are simply transferring your service. CelltradeUSA.com, Resellular.com and Cellswapper.com are a few examples of contract swapping companies. I suspect more such companies will pop up in the near future. I also suggest you look at all the services, compare what they offer, and choose which one seems right to you. And ask around to friends and colleagues as they may have used such a service themselves.