# 04 · Negotiate your internet, phone or TV bill (phone script)

**Use when:** a bill went up, a promo ended, or you've never asked. Works for internet, mobile, cable/satellite TV, home phone, and often alarm/security monitoring.
**Time:** 15–30 minutes. **Best time to call:** weekday mornings. Ask for "cancellations" or "retention" directly. That team usually has the most room on price.

## Prep (5 minutes, do not skip)
Fill this in before you dial:

| | |
|---|---|
| Current monthly bill (all-in, with taxes/fees) | [AMOUNT] |
| What it was 12 months ago | [AMOUNT] |
| Plan / speed / data you actually use | [e.g. 300 Mbps, 10 GB data] |
| New-customer price for the same plan (their website) | [AMOUNT] |
| Competitor offer at your address (name, price, speed) | [COMPETITOR, PRICE] |
| Contract end date / early termination fee | [DATE / FEE] |
| Equipment rental you pay for | [MODEM/ROUTER/BOX, AMOUNT] |
| **Target price** | [AMOUNT] |
| **Walk-away price** (above this you switch) | [AMOUNT] |

A real competitor offer at your address is the strongest card. Get one from the competitor's website before calling.

---

## The call

**You:** Hi, I'm calling about my account, number [ACCOUNT]. My bill has gone from [OLD] to [NEW] and I'd like to cancel or find a better price. Can you transfer me to the cancellations or retention team?

**Retention:** How can I help?

**You:** I've been with you [X] years. I'm paying [CURRENT] for [PLAN]. New customers get the same plan for [NEW-CUSTOMER PRICE], and [COMPETITOR] is offering me [PLAN] for [PRICE] at my address. I'd rather stay, but I can't keep paying [CURRENT]. What can you do?

*(Stop talking. Let them go first.)*

**Them:** I can take [X] off.

**You:** Thanks. That's still [NEW TOTAL] all-in. I'm looking for something close to [TARGET]. Is there a promotion or a loyalty rate for my account?

**Them:** [Better offer] or "That's the best I can do."

**You:** OK. If that's the best, I'll go ahead and switch. Can you tell me the cancellation process and any fees?
*(This is where the real best offer often appears. If it doesn't, you either switch or accept your walk-away price, which you set in advance.)*

---

## Extra levers (ask one at a time)
- "Can you remove the equipment rental fee? I'll use my own modem/router." *(Check your provider supports customer-owned equipment first.)*
- "Can you drop me to a lower speed / smaller data plan? I use about [X]."
- "Can you remove [ADD-ON / TV PACKAGE / PREMIUM CHANNEL / INSURANCE ADD-ON]?"
- "Is there a discount for autopay, paperless billing, bundling, or [MILITARY / SENIOR / STUDENT / LOW-INCOME] customers?"
- "I had outages on [DATES]. Can you credit those days?"

## Before you hang up
- New monthly price **including taxes and fees**: [ ]
- How long it lasts, and what it goes to afterwards: [ ]
- Any new contract or term? (Say "no new contract" unless you've done the math.)
- Confirmation in writing: email or account message.
- Agent name + reference number.

## Country notes
- **UK:** since 17 January 2025, Ofcom rules require mobile, broadband and pay-TV contracts to show any built-in price rises in pounds and pence at the point of sale. Check what your contract says before you call. At the end of your minimum term you can usually leave or re-contract. Ofcom's site explains your rights.
- **Italy:** under the "Bersani" law (Law 40/2007) you can withdraw from telecom contracts and the operator can only charge costs it can justify. Disputes go through AGCOM's free ConciliaWeb platform (conciliaweb.agcom.it). Italian letter in template 20.
- **US:** complaints about phone/internet service can be filed with the FCC (consumercomplaints.fcc.gov).

Put a calendar reminder for **11 months from today**: "Call [PROVIDER], run template 04 again."