Cancelling an Internet or Mobile Plan: Service Cancellation Letter

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Wondering how to cancel your French mobile phone or Internet plan? Whether you need to terminate your Orange internet service in France, cancel an SFR contract for your mobile phone, or close an account with Free, Sosh, or Bouygues Telecom, the easiest thing to do is to send a service cancellation letter in French (lettre de résiliation) by registered post.

Why do you have to send a registered letter? While some French telecommunications providers (such as Sosh and RED by SFR) accept cancellation online, not all of them do. Some operators accept online cancellation for mobile phones but not for Internet plans. However, they all accept cancellation by post, which is why we recommend sending one to cancel your plan. What's more, sending your cancellation letter in French by registered post will enable you to keep track of when they receive the letter. Just be sure to send the letter as a "lettre recommandée avec avis de réception".

How to Write a Service Cancellation Letter

Not sure how to write a cancellation letter in French for your broadband or mobile contract? Follow the internet connection cancellation letter format below as a guide to writing your internet service termination letter (Lettre de Résiliation). Don't forget to include the following information in your cancellation request:

  • Your full name (first name, family name)
  • Your account number (identifiant abonné)
  • Your account ID (numéro de Ligne de l’abonné)
  • The date you wish to close your account (make sure to provide at least 10 days warning)

Sample Lettre de Résiliation

If you want to cancel your account because you are moving, simply copy and paste the free cancellation letter template below, and fill in your specific information:

Your Name
Your Address
City, Postal Code

Your Operator
Address
City, Postal Code

Your City, The Date

Obj: Résiliation de mon abonnement (operator)

Madame, Monsieur,

 

Je vous informe, par la présente lettre recommandée, de ma volonté de résilier mon abonnement internet et mobile désigné sous le numéro de contrat #########.

 

Ma période d’engagement s’achève le (date). Néanmoins, mon contrat devra prendre fin le (date). J’ai conscience que, dans le cadre de mon abonnement internet, je vais devoir vous rendre le matériel. (note: only include this sentence if you are cancelling an internet contract)

 

En effet, devant prochainement déménager à l’étranger, je n’aurai plus la possibilité de bénéficier de vos services à l’adresse de ma nouvelle habitation. Vous retrouverez ci-joint les justificatifs de cette situation.

 

Je vous demande de m’envoyer une facture de clôture de compte ainsi qu’une confirmation écrite m’indiquant la date effective de résiliation.

 

Je vous remercie par avance de faire le nécessaire pour accéder à ma demande de résiliation et vous adresse mes sincères salutations.

 

[Signature]

Your Name

 

Don't forget to send supporting documentation that proves your upcoming move.

Mailing Address for Cancellation: Where to Send Your Termination Letter

Here we have put together a list of addresses for cancelling your Internet or mobile phone plan in France. Telecom provider contact details can change, so it's always best to check directly with your provider as to the most up-to-date postal address for cancellation. Don't forget that if you are cancelling an Internet plan, you are also responsible for returning any relevant material (internet box, TV decoder, cables, etc). Our guides to cancelling your Internet plan in France and cancelling your mobile plan in France provide further information.

Addresses for Cancellation of Service
Operator Address
Orange logo small Orange Service Résiliation, 33734 Bordeaux Cedex 9
Bouygues Telecom Consumer Service Bouygues Telecom, TSA 59013, 60643 CHANTILLY CEDEX
SFR SFR Service Résiliation, TSA 30103, 69947 LYON Cedex 20
Free Free Résiliation, 75371 PARIS Cedex 08
La Poste Mobile LA POSTE MOBILE, Service Client - TSA 16759, 95905 Cergy Pontoise Cedex 9
NRJ Mobile NRJ Mobile - Service Client Euro-Information Telecom, 53098 Laval Cedex 09
Lebara mobile Lebara Mobile Service Client, 78 rue Championnet, 75018 Paris
Lycamobile Lycamobile SARL, 23/25 rue de Berri 75008 Paris

When to Send the Service Cancellation Letter

The termination of your mobile phone or Internet plan will take effect 10 days following the date of the reception of your cancellation letter, unless you have noted a date further in the future. Note that if you are cancelling your plan because you have left the country, you may have to wait until you have already left and have the appropriate documentation before you can cancel your Internet or mobile phone plan.

Supporting Documentation

If you have a plan that is sans engagement (non-binding), you do not need to provide any accompanying documentation to justify your cancellation.

Fixed-term plans, on the other hand, tend to include fees for early termination. However, if you are cancelling your fixed term plan because you are leaving the country, you should be able to close it without penalty. This is considered a motif legitime de resiliation, and is mandated by French law (loi Chatel).

You must include supporting documentation that proves your upcoming move in order to leave your plan without being charged early termination fees. While you should check with your provider to verify what types of documents they accept, typical pieces justicatives commonly accepted by French telecommunications operators include:

  1. Copy of a rental contract or property ownership title
  2. A copy of your work contract (note that it must specify a term of at least six months to a year)
  3. A moving bill
  4. Tax assessment notice
  5. For students: a letter of acceptance for a school program (of at least one year)

Note that the documents may have to be translated if they are not in French, English, Spanish, or German.