TechCrunch just posted on a really interesting service, CellSwapper. They’re a New Jersey based service that lets users change their cell plans early without the $250 fee by swapping plans with someone else. It’s a brilliant idea that gets rid of the bane of most mid-contract cell phone users.
It operates like an eBay for cell contracts, with some financial incentives for the party that takes on the contract. Recipients avoid activation fees and often get cash and/or a phone as part of the deal. Anyone looking to get the new iPhone is sure to check this service out.
I will be dumping my cell phone contract when the i phone comes out but I will be using Celltradeusa.com
I used celltrade last year to get into my Verizon Wireless Contract and now I`ll be using them to get out …
I am a celltrade fan for life :)
Your link off of the logo is broken.
Hi Oliver
The thing with such services, which I absolutely honestly love as a consumer and a geek is that as a business they don’t really have any sustainable competitive advantage do they? What do you feel about that. Someone else who starts it tomorrow is equally likely. Why I ask that is because I think such services might do great in India but then how do you make money for long
How’s it going otherwise
Gaurav
I recently tried cellswapper and it doesn’t work. I don’t know how it works with other providers, but with Cingular the person taking over your contract has to agree to fulfill the remaining months on your contract in addition to signing another 11-month contract. No one wants to do that – they might as well sign a brand new contract themselves.
Also, cellswapper requires that you pay an $18.95 fee to just correspond with the buyer. I personally think this fee should only apply when a successful transfer is complete. My personal opinion – waste of time and money.
Excuse me miss Evee, but your comment has some bad information in it. I actually used Cellswapper to get out of my AT&T plan and it worked for me. The buyer of my contract only needed to sign an 11 month contract instead of the usual 24. He was desperate to get out of his Sprint plan, which i took over, and was very willing to do it.
Also the fee was only required after we both confirmed that we wanted to do the deed not just for mere communication.
Jer, You are WRONG and Evee is RIGHT. Please note you don’t get any contact info about the buyer unless you make a pymt. Looks like these guys at cellswapper are running some scam. Once the buyer shows interest I PAID $19. As I made my pymt, the buyer became non responsive….hmmm looks like someone went into hibernation with that $19.
I just posted my at&t “family” plan on http://www.adioswireless.com free! I want to save $150 on “pro-rated” early termination fees.