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Cancel or reactivate AT&T service for U.S. military or service members

Want to cancel or restart your AT&T service due to deployment? Here’s what to know if you’re a member of the U.S. military or a qualified dependent.

Thanks to the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and state laws, if eligible, you:

  • Can hold your wireless or home phone number for up to 39 months, so long as you reactivate your service within that time frame.
  • Pay no Early Termination Fees if you cancel your wireless service.

Heads up: If you’re an employee of the Department of State or other non-military U.S. government organization, you may be able to suspend service due to federal government deployment.

AT&T allows a service member, spouse, or dependent to cancel service under the SCRA and/or applicable state laws if the service member is:

  • Serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, Commission Corps of Public Health, Commission Corps of NOAA, National Guard, state military forces, or organized militia called into active service by a state governor
  • Being transferred for 90 days or more (or the time period given by your state of residence)
    • Going to active-duty deployment, basic training, boot camp, full-time training, or annual training
    • Attending a school designated as a service school by federal law, or by the secretary of the related military department
    • Transferring from base to base
    • Serving in the Reserves or National Guard and called to active duty
  • Relocating outside an AT&T service coverage area
  • Deployed after your AT&T service contract began
  • Listed as an active member of the U.S. military by the U.S. Department of Defense

Also, your account must be in good standing, and you must agree to pay the latest bill.

You can find more info on your rights on the National Guard website or similar websites for your state.

If you’re being deployed or transferred, you can cancel wireless service up to 30 days before you leave. Before you cancel, keep these things in mind:

  • Plan discounts: Canceling lines on a multi-line plan will cause you to lose any associated discounts for remaining lines.
  • Equipment upgrades: If you upgraded a device within 14 days of submitting a cancel request:
  • Installment plans: You may be able to keep your device without any more monthly installment payments, if you meet these requirements:
    • You entered into the installment plan before you received deployment orders.
    • You’re outside the 14-day buyer’s remorse return period.
  • Partial-month charges: If you cancel your service in the middle of a bill period, we’ll prorate your bill. You only pay for the days you had the service—not the full month.
  • Automatic payments: AutoPay ends 90 days after your final bill is paid.

Ways to cancel wireless

You can submit a request to cancel online or by fax up to 30 days before you leave.

Online: We’ll ask for the required info and provide a place to upload your deployment orders.

Submit an online military cancel request

Fax: We’ll need you to include this info in your fax:

  • Account name (as it appears on the bill)
  • Account number
  • Phone numbers you want to cancel
  • Date to cancel the lines
  • Full name of the service member being deployed
  • Deployment date
  • The option you're choosing (cancel or cancel and hold)
  • Deployment orders

Fax number: 847.513.5954 (long-distance charges may apply)

Restore service

When you return, you can restore your service the same way you canceled. You’ll have to provide this info:

    • Your name as shown on the account
    • Your account number
    • The phone number you want to reactivate
    • The date you want your service to start again

Keep in mind

    • When you restart your AT&T service, you’ll choose from our currently available plans and add-ons.
    • If you had device protection before canceling your service, we’ll automatically add a protection option from our current offerings to your account when you restart your AT&T service.

If you meet all eligibility requirements, contact us. We’ll explain your options and help you. Can’t call us? Send an email with the completed forms for the service you’re holding or canceling to ATTMilitaryRequest@att.com. Make sure you include Military cancel in the subject line.

Please allow up to 24 hours for processing.

Billing, payment, and contract info

While your service is held or canceled for eligible deployment:

  • You can sign up for paperless billing to make sure you get your bill on time.
  • You’ll get a partial-month charge if your service is canceled in the middle of a bill period.
  • You'll get up to 2 more bills.
  • You're responsible for any existing balance, as well as the final bill.
  • Your contract end date, if applicable, remains the same.
  • Your AutoPay automatically ends 90 days after you pay the final bill.

Restore service

When you return from service, you can restore your service by contacting us at 800.288.2020. Have this info handy when you get started:

  • Your name as shown on the account
  • Your account number
  • The phone number you want to reactivate
  • The date you want your service to start again

Keep in mind: When you restart your AT&T service, you’ll choose from our current plans and add-ons.

Last updated: November 25, 2024

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