UPDATE 10/22/2011: Since writing this article in June of 2010, Clear has probabaly revised this policy several times. Looks like they are as high as $115 if you cancel towards the beginning of the contract. Click on the early termination fees link below to see the latest policy.

In June, CLEAR revised their Early Termination Fee policies. In addition to revising the policies, they added their fee schedule to their website under the title of "Early Termination Fees" CLEAR's earlier ETF policies and fees were confusing at best, and difficult to find. ETF charges from customers who faced them for cancelling a contract early and reported them in numerous forums, varied wildly, apparently with no rhyme or reason.

So now CLEAR has a publicised list of early termination fees, and has placed them on their website for all to see. So what do the new fees mean to those that are contemplating signing up with CLEAR? Well, for one, you can now understand what it will cost you if you decide to terminate a contract early. Fees for purchased devices are pro-rated by the number of months you have the service, going down each month until you reach zero at the end of 24 months. Fees for leased devices remain the same and are not pro-rated.

CLEAR's new policy is much improved over the previous one. The ETF on a contract cancelled just after the 7-14 day trial period use to be a minimum of $120 regardless of the number of devices you had such as a home modem or usb modem. Now, if you are leasing your equipment and decide to cancel early, the fee is called a "restocking" fee, and runs $40 per device being returned. Fees vary depending on whether you lease or purchase the equipment when signing a contract, with fees running higher on purchased equipment. Purchasing the equipment when signing a contract may work for those that are sure the service is going to be good at their location, but for those that have doubts about keeping it long term, leasing makes much more sense, especially since CLEAR recenly raised the purchase price of all modems.

With these changes in CLEAR's ETF policies, customers can now feel a little more at ease when signing that 2 year contract. The fees are lower, and if you have your fixed (residence or business) location checked for signal strenth and speeds prior to purchase, the 2 year contract does make it much cheaper to get started using CLEAR's services. AusTex VoIP recommends always having a free signal check performed at fixed locations, and you should have no problem finding a CLEAR retail outlet or CLEAR Authorized Reseller that will do this in any city with CLEAR service, especially if you are willing to go with a 2 year contract. For a comparison of costs over a 2 year period, check our "Cost Comparison" menu here on the AusTex VoIP website.

We have seen signs that cause us to believe that CLEAR is listening to feedback from customers, whether they are pleased with the service and making recommendations for improvement, or are customers that have a complaint about certain aspects of the service or support. CLEAR's user forum on their website is growing every day, and many of the concerns being brought up are being addressed. Our service at our location has always been very good, and our use of the mobile usb around town has been extremely useful, as we are frequently traveling around town. It's nice to see CLEAR make it less painful to get information that allows an interested consumer to make a more informed choice.