What is the MTN contract cancellation fee? How much does it cost to cancel your MTN contract in South Africa? Those are questions that many people have been asking. Millions of South Africans have cellphone contracts with one network or the other. It’s a great way of getting the gadget of your dreams while paying an affordable monthly fee. But many people decide to cancel their contracts before the end of the agreed to period. If you do this, you will have to pay a cancellation penalty. So, what’s the amount for MTN in South Africa?
MTN Contract Cancellation Penalty
The MTN contract cancellation fee is different from one person to the other. It depends largely on the the cost of the gadget that you got as part of the deal, as well as the number of months remaining on the contract. The following is a rough outline of what you can expect to pay should you choose to end your MTN contract early.
- The equivalent of one month’s subscriptions.
- The amount remaining on your phone, tablet or laptop.
- Any unpaid usage charges for previous months.
Cancelling your MTN contract can be expensive
Here is something to consider; the MTN contract cancellation fee can be rather expensive for most people. Let’s say you got the latest phone as part of the deal.
It means you would have to pay the full amount for purchase of that phone when you cancel. That can be a lot, depending on the model that you have got.
Remember we noted that most people take out contracts because they simply cannot afford to buy phones and other gadgets using cash. A contract is a way of spreading out the payments.
So, if you decide to cancel the contract, you will be effectively obliging yourself to make the once off payment that you had tried to avoid in the first place. That’s not good.
It all depends, of course, on how many months are left on your particular contract. If you are left with a month or 2 on a 24 months contract, you probably will pay an affordable fee. However, if you are left with 20 months on a 24 months contract, your payments will be much more. So, that’s something to consider.
Examples: MTN contract cancellation fees
The table below shows a few examples meant just to highlight the MTN contract cancellation fee. This section is only meant as a guideline. It’s based on what we have seen while doing market research. As noted earlier, each contract is different. So, MTN contract cancellation penalty will also be different;
| Gadget | Months remaining | Monthly payment | Cancellation fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Note | 12 | R1 878 | R9 225 |
| Samsung Galaxy S20 | 18 | R1 299 | R12 448 |
| iPhone | 6 | R697 | R4 445 |
As you can see in the above table, you will have to pay a bigger MTN contract cancellation fee if you decide to cancel early into the contract.
Those that decide to do so late in the contract pay fairly reasonable amounts. So, if you sign a contract and you opt out within a month, that’s going to mean you will have to pay a lot more.
You can see in the above example that some of the amounts that you will have to pay are excessive. Paying R12 000 to cancel on a Samsung Galaxy S20 that has 18 months remaining is almost similar to just buying the phone using cash.
What can you do to avoid the MTN contract cancellation fee?
So, what can you do to avoid the MTN contract cancellation penalties? In essence, MTN is actually generous when it comes to cancellation of contracts. Other networks charge even more.
The thing to remember is that you should never get a contract that you are not sure of. If you are not sure about your ability to meet your monthly obligations, then you should stay away.
The same applies if you are not sure you like the gadget that you are getting. Remember, once you have made your purchase, it won’t be possible for you to return the phone.
A large chunk of the MTN contract cancelling fee is made up of the amount for your phone or gadget. So, make sure that you like what you are getting. That way, you won’t rush to cancel.
Another way to avoid the MTN contract cancellation penalty is by saving up and buying your gadgets on cash. Most people find this difficult, but it should be an inspiration. Paying cash means you will be paying less than others who are getting the same gadget on credit. It also means you won’t be tied down by a contract.
Summary
In this article, we showed you what you can expect to pay should you decide to cancel your MTN contract early. MTN contracts usually run for up to 24 months.
THe MTN contract cancellation fee depends on the number of months remaining on your contract. In terms of composition, the penalty is mainly comprised of the amount that’s remaining on your phone, tablet or laptop.
It’s also composed of a month’s penalty fee as well as any charges that may have accrued in previous months. If you want to learn more, here is how to cancel a contract on MTN.
Check out our SA Broadband forum if you would like to learn more about MTN contract cancellation penalties.