Question on the 12 month contract

[Guest]

I've been searching both here in the forum and also in the policy fineprint that is available online, yet I have not found an answer to this question. I thought that I'd ask the question here, so that others might be able to find an answer as well.

Once I've signed up for sonic, what happens at the end of the 12 month initial contract? Does my commitment change to month-to-month, or do I automatically re-commit to another 12 months? If it's another 12 month re-up, when could I terminate a new such contract without penalty? During the first 30 days of a new 12 month contract?

Similarly (and I have a guess here), what happens to the price at the end of the 12 month contract? For example, I see a $10 discount specified for the Fusion X1 product, but there is no associated verbiage that says "introductory" discount or the like. Can I count on getting $10 off my bill in month 13 ... because, um, clean living?

Finally, another related question. What if I want to change the terms of service during a 12 month contract via an upgrade, say Fusion X1 to Fusion FTTN X2? Do I still have to pay an early contract termination penalty to accomplish an upgrade?

- Casey

[dane]

At the end of twelve months, the circuit becomes month to month. If you were to disconnect early, a fee would be applied, generally $149 to $199, depending upon your circuit type. And as required by law, early term fees cannot be larger than the remaining montly fee, so if there was a month left in the term, it might be $40 instead of $149. Early term fee waivers are provided in some cases, for example if you are a member of the military and are deployed, or if your home is destroyed in a fire or natural disaster.

If there was an introductory price which may have been provided for some circuit types or locations, that would expire. You'll see these details, the standard rate, and the discount and its expiration date on every invoice/receipt. And yes, if you move, or upgrade from one circuit type to another, that re-starts the term commitment.

It might help to understand why there are term commitments: setup and tear-down of circuits result in costs, as does moves, and any necessary technician visits that are part of initial setup. The requirement of the term helps assure we can cover these costs (or at least offset them) during the service interval.

For some products, we have been considering offering no-term offers, which might have instead a setup fee, and if an on-site installation was required, we'd charge for that separately. This type of offer would have the flexibility of no early term fee, so folks might feel more comfortable giving Sonic a try!

We work to be as transparent as possible, and to provide a fair offering without hassles - and with local, friendly support, it's a winning combination!

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply and for the explanation. It's all pretty much as I expected. However, I didn't want to assume, and then be surprised if something turned out not as I imagine.

Regarding an initial term commitment or a comparable setup fee, it makes perfect sense to me. I just wanted to make certain that's what was involved, since I must have missed the language about the 12 month contract turning month-to-month after completion.

- Casey