How to Cancel Internet Service
Many providers only cancel by phone. We'll make the call. $29, and you only pay once it's cancelled.
Here's how to cancel internet service without paying for months you don't use: line up the new service first, find how your provider takes cancellations, get a confirmation number, and return the equipment on time. This page covers 4 providers we've researched, including TV service.
How to cancel internet service, step by step
- If you're switching, set up the new provider first so you're not offline in between.
- Check if you're on a term agreement. Ending a term early can mean an early termination fee.
- Find how your provider takes cancellations. Some only cancel by phone or in a store.
- Cancel and ask for a confirmation number, the date service ends and the date of your final bill.
- Ask how to return the equipment and by when. Get a receipt when you return it.
- Check your final bill and the next statement.
In our guides, AT&T Internet and Xfinity only cancel by phone or in person. That's the kind of call we can make for you.
Internet and TV cancellation guides
Each guide shows how the company takes cancellations, where to send or call, the notice period and fees, with links to its official pages. Letter tags mean we can mail a signed letter for you. For phone-only companies, we can make the call.
AT&T Internet
Phone onlyCancels by phone.
Notice: No advance notice. Cancellation is effective as of the last day of the billing cycle for billing purposes, with no refund or prorated credit (2019 Terms of Service Sec. 5(a)). Internet Air stays active until the end of the bill period.
Dish Network
Letter acceptedCancels by phone, by mail or by email.
Notice: None required; cancellation is effective no sooner than the date DISH actually receives the notice.
Spectrum
Letter acceptedCancels by phone, by mail or in person.
Notice: No advance notice; termination is effective after Spectrum receives the request. Monthly services are billed for the full month without proration, so cancel on or before the last day of the current service period to avoid the next month's charge (not confirmed).
Xfinity
Phone onlyCancels by phone or in person.
Notice: No advance notice required. Per Agreement Sec. 9(a), Comcast may continue service through the end of the billing cycle in which notice is received, and fees may accrue until service is disconnected and equipment returned.
How each provider takes cancellations
| Provider | How to cancel | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet | phone | 800.288.2020 |
| Dish Network | phone, mail, email | 800-333-DISH (800-333-3474) |
| Spectrum | phone, mail, in person | 855-757-7328 |
| Xfinity | phone, in person | 1-800-934-6489 |
Return the equipment on time
Unreturned equipment is the most common surprise charge after you cancel internet or TV. Every provider in our guides asks you to return leased equipment. Here are the fees each provider's official pages list:
- AT&T Internet. Non-return equipment fee: $150 for AT&T Fiber and AT&T Internet, $200 for AT&T Internet Air
- AT&T Internet. Early termination fee: none on current plans, which have no contract. Older plans with a term commitment can carry a fee of up to $180, prorated
- Dish Network. Early termination fee: set in your plan agreement
- Dish Network. Equipment return and non-return fees: set in your plan agreement
- Spectrum. Unreturned equipment fee: Per Spectrum's current schedule of charges; one Spectrum disclosure lists $90 each for modem and WiFi router (not confirmed)
- Xfinity. Early termination fee (minimum term agreements only): Not stated in the Agreement; set by the customer's minimum term agreement
- Xfinity. Early termination fee ceiling referenced on account change form (2020): Up to $460 (minimum terms up to 24 months)
- Xfinity. Unreturned Equipment Fee: Amount not published on the official pages; charged if equipment is not returned within 10 days of disconnection; refunded in full if later returned undamaged
- Xfinity. Xfinity Mobile fee after dropping Internet, Voice and TV: $25 per month per account (latest plan); $25 per line per month (older plans)
- Xfinity. Fee to close a deceased account holder's account: $0
Keep the return receipt or the tracking number for the box until your final bill shows no equipment charge.
Early termination fees
Term agreements trade a lower price for a commitment. Ending early can trigger an early termination fee, sometimes prorated by the months left. Month-to-month plans usually don't have one. Ask the provider for the exact amount before you cancel, and ask whether moving to an address they don't serve changes it.
Moving vs cancelling
If you're moving, you can transfer service if the provider covers your new address, and that can avoid a termination fee on a term plan. You don't have to transfer. If you want a different provider at the new place, cancel effective your move-out date.
Your final bill
Billing usually runs to the end of the cycle or to the disconnect date, and some providers keep billing until the equipment is back. Your final bill should show the end date, any equipment charge and any credit you're owed. If it doesn't match what you were told on the phone, use the confirmation number to dispute it.
Cancelling TV service by mail
Satellite TV can be different from internet. Our Dish Network guide shows Dish accepts written notice by mail, and its agreement says cancellation is effective no sooner than the date Dish receives your notice. A certified letter gives you that date.
Tips for cancelling by phone
- Have the account number and the account holder's details in front of you. Many companies only cancel when they're talking to the account holder.
- Say you want to cancel in your first sentence. You can turn down retention offers without giving a reason.
- Ask for a cancellation confirmation number and the exact date service and billing end.
- Write down the date and time of the call and the name of the person you spoke with.
- Ask them to email the confirmation, then check that it arrives.
- Check your next statement to make sure the charges stopped.
If you'd rather not make the call, send us a request. We call the company, handle the hold and the retention offers, and email you the confirmation. You pay $29 only after the cancellation is confirmed.
If they keep charging you after you cancel
Check the dates first. A charge that covers your notice period or the last billing cycle may be allowed by your contract. A charge for a period after your cancellation date usually isn't.
- Contact the company in writing. Say when you cancelled and how, and ask them to refund every charge after your cancellation date. Include your proof.
- If they don't fix it, dispute the charge with your bank or card issuer. Give the cancellation date and send the proof: a copy of your letter and the USPS delivery record, or the confirmation number from your call.
- If charges keep coming, ask your bank whether it can block future payments to that company.
- File a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer protection office. It creates a record, and some companies respond faster once one is filed.
Banks and card issuers set deadlines for disputes, usually counted from the statement date. Don't wait for several months of charges to pile up before you act.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel internet service online?
Usually not. In our guides, AT&T allows it only for some Internet Air accounts in Illinois, Massachusetts and New York, and Xfinity's online option books a callback rather than cancelling.
Do I have to return my router?
If it's leased, yes. Every provider in our guides asks for leased equipment back and can charge if it isn't returned.
Will I pay for the full month after I cancel?
Often, yes. Many providers bill through the end of the cycle or until the disconnect date. Ask for the final bill date when you cancel.
Can CertiCancel cancel my internet service?
For providers that cancel by phone, yes. We make the call and you pay $29 only after the cancellation is confirmed. You may need to be available in case the provider asks to speak with the account holder.