Where to look for a solution?
Let's look at the regulatory documents. According to the RF Government Resolution of 09.12.2014 No. 1342 "On the procedure for the provision of telephone services", the subscriber has the right to unilaterally terminate the contract at any time, subject to payment for the telephone services rendered to him (Article IV, paragraph 48). In turn, telecom operators must provide for the procedure for terminating the contract with the subscriber in the "Terms of Service", which must be published on their official websites.
For the most part, telecom operators working with individuals are not interested in making the contract termination procedure easier, and place information about new tariffs, package offers and additional services on the title pages. And for the "Terms of Service", which list all the rights and obligations of both the subscriber and the operator, the payment procedures, suspension, change and termination of the contract, you have to go to the "Search the Portal" section. By the way, it did not help to find the document on the official Beeline website either.
The direct path: a visit to the operator's office
As an express analysis of the "Terms of Service" found on the portals of leading operators shows, the chapter describing the procedure for terminating the agreement between the subscriber and the operator is in the document of MTS (included in the section "Other conditions") 1 and "Tele2" (section "Suspension, modification, termination of the Agreement"). In the text that Megafon posted on its portal, one point in Article 2 , devoted to the termination of the agreement between the operator and its subscribers, is devoted to the procedure, conditions for concluding, modifying and validity of the agreement. The corresponding chapter 3 is also in the "Procedure for the provision of communication services" of MGTS and in the "Terms of the provision of communication services" of Rostelecom.
At the same time, all operators recognize the right of subscribers to unilaterally terminate the agreement in full or in part for the use of one or more numbers. To do this, users of Megafon and MTS services must send a written application to their operator, having previously paid for all services rendered to them. For subscribers of Rostelecom 4 and Tele2, in addition to submitting a written application, another option is indicated in the "Terms of Service", although it is formulated rather vaguely: "in another way, provided for by the Subscriber's tariff plan."
The tortuous path: refusal to top up the account
Another way to convey to the operator your unwillingness to stay with them is further given in the MTS document. It suggests not to credit "to the Personal Account associated with one or more Subscriber Numbers, during the period specified in the Subscriber's Tariff Plan, funds in an amount sufficient to achieve a positive balance on such Personal Account." In other words, pay for already rendered communication services, do not top up the personal account with the operator and completely refuse to use the services.
However, the inactivity of a SIM card before the expiration of a certain period is a condition for unilateral termination of the contract with its user for all operators. For Beeline and Tele2 this happens on the 181st day, for Megafon - on the 91st, for MTS - on the 184th. For fixed-line operators, this period is much shorter. Thus, according to the MGTS document, the contract with the subscriber is terminated at the initiative of the operator unilaterally out of court if the subscriber does not pay the invoice issued for the service of providing access to the local telephone network within 25 days from the date of its receipt. In this case, 100% prepayment for this service must be made.
Mobile subscribers should use this method of breaking off relations with the operator with caution, not forgetting to refuse not only the use of the number, but also all paid services connected to it. After all, money for them is written off to the provider's account on a daily basis and, what is most unpleasant, regardless of whether you use the service or not.
How to avoid losses?
