I need to get out of my cell phone contract. I've had this same company (U.*. Cellular) since December 2002, and had no problems during my entire first 2-year contract. During that time I moved and transferred the service with me, again with no problems. Let me add that I have no landline, so my cell phones ARE my "home" phone and must be reliable (especially for my wife who stays home with our two young boys).

December 2004 is where it all started to go wrong. I signed another 2-year contract, to upgrade my plan and get new phones. I have had nothing but problems making/receiving calls at my residence since that time. The signal strength bounces around like crazy, and calls get dropped after 20 seconds - 2 minutes with no warning. This happens for several days every few weeks, and then the system seems to stabilize for awhile... but the problems always return. I have tried multiple "new" phones with no success, so it has to be a system problem and not a phone equipment problem. I have called USC and logged complaints / service tickets every time I've had problems, so everything is documented.

After this last flare-up the last few days, I've had enough and MUST change carriers. I cannot leave my wife with a phone line that could cut out at whim. Not only is it inconvenient, but dangerous... imagine if one of our sons was injured and she had to call 911, but couldn't get through because the call drops repeatedly!! What irks me the most is that my service used to be flawless *in this same area*, but then developed problems with no explanation as soon as I signed my last contract (7-8 months ago).

SO, anyone have experience/suggestions getting out of their cell agreements? If USC won't work with me, http://www.celltradeusa.com looks like an option. Anyone used that service? Thanks all -

I've had no problems with my Verizon service. My wife did have one crappy phone, but I fixed that by getting myself a new one, and tansferring her number to my old one (see, ladies, chivalry ain't dead. Crippled or maimed maybe)

Unfortunately, my experience probably won't do you a ton of good, because carrier services vary by region. What might be great here might not be there. But, I got awesome reception on my trip through South Dakota. Even in the badlands, where the locals said there was no cell service.

What'* the penalty if you drop your current contract?? Usually only a couple of hundred dollars. Not a small amount for sure, but not impossible to work around either

There, that'* my two cents.... (35 cents Canadian)

im assuming by land of lincoln in your location, you mean illinois.......US Cellular blows over here and u know it get T-Mobile Or Cingular, those are the best 2 in the state, i reccomend t-mobile (im with them and have no troubles) they always get full signal in my house/basement/outside/in car/at school/at school basement/etc...etc...etc

Usually you have to pay a fee to break your contract....but again, that depends upon your contract.

Have someone tell them you died or something......Haven't tried that one yet....see if it works. Or tell them to figure that stuff out and you're not paying the bill until they do.....Worked for me in the past. Then I switched to NEXTEL and been happy ever since.

figure out a location where your phone will not work at all. then tell then you moved there and you phone doesnt work. it got me outa my sprint deal with a yr left on it. but where i moved to my sprint phone didnt work. try that one out it will work with some but not all companys.

Usually if you tell them you lost your job and can't make payments they terminate it. Without having to payout the contract.