What will I pay to leave my contract early?
Less than you fear — and less again with every month. Contracts with operators run for a fixed term, typically 6 to 24 months. Leave early and you pay a contractual penalty — but it is not a flat sum. It tapers: it falls for every full month of the term you have served. Its size depends chiefly on the handset subsidy and the benefits you received — the penalty is there to claw back the discount, not to punish you. Once the term ends, the contract rolls over automatically to an indefinite term and notice is free of charge. And this is exactly where people lose money: they forget to give notice and keep paying.
📋 The rules
- Committed terms typically run 6 to 24 months
- The penalty tapers — falling every month
- Its size reflects the handset subsidy and benefits
- After the term, the contract rolls to an indefinite one
- At that point notice is free of charge
🔓 Exceptions
- The notice period runs with the billing cycle, not from the day of delivery
- For a contract concluded at a distance you have a 14-day right of withdrawal
- You can port your number when you move to another operator
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The biggest loss comes not from the penalty but from inertia. Once the committed term expires, the contract rolls over automatically to an indefinite term — it does not end by itself. If you do not actively give notice, you keep paying the original price, even though the subsidised handset was paid off long ago. At that point leaving is free — and many people never take it. If you are leaving during the term, ask for an exact calculation of the penalty: it tapers, so by month twenty of a 24-month term it is usually small. And mind the timing: notice runs with the billing cycle — deliver it in good time, or it takes effect a whole month later.
📎 Official sources
- Slov-Lex · Electronic Communications Act →
- Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications →
- Slovak Trade Inspection →
❓ Frequently asked
How is the penalty calculated?
It tapers — falling for every full month of the committed term you have served. Its size derives chiefly from the handset subsidy and the benefits you received on signing. It claws back the discount rather than punishing you.
When is notice free?
Once the committed term has ended. The contract then becomes indefinite and can be terminated at no charge. But it does not end by itself — you must actively give notice.
What if I forget to give notice?
You keep paying the original price, even though the subsidised handset is long since paid off. It is the commonest and most needless loss — recalculate your terms as soon as the committed period ends.
When does notice take effect?
The notice period runs with the billing cycle, not from the day of delivery. Deliver it too late in the cycle and it takes effect a month later, so you pay for one more month than you meant to.
Will I lose my phone number?
No. You can port your number when you move to another operator, and the new operator arranges it. Keeping your number is no reason to stay in a contract that no longer suits you.
🔎 Common searches
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