How To Cancel A Mobile Phone Contract In Germany

Your contract is ending, you found a better deal, or you’re just done with your current provider, whatever the reason, cancelling a German mobile contract is easier now than it used to be. Below is a ready-to-use letter (in German, since your provider needs it in that language) along with everything you need to know about notice periods and number porting.

The 2022 Law Change That Made This Easier

Since a reform of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) took effect in December 2021, consumers have gained real advantages. Mobile contracts can no longer auto-renew for another full year if you forget to cancel. Instead, once the minimum term (Mindestlaufzeit) ends, the contract automatically switches to a monthly, cancel-anytime arrangement—with just one month’s notice required. This applies to contracts signed after December 2021. If your contract is older and hasn’t been renewed or modified since, the old rules with automatic 12-month renewal might still apply.

Check your contract or your provider’s online account to see which notice period applies to you.

What to Include in Your Letter

To make sure your provider can match the cancellation to your account without delay, include:

Your full name and address
Your customer number and/or contract number
Your phone number, if applicable
The date
A clear statement that you’re cancelling, with your preferred end date
A request for written confirmation of the contract end date
Your signature

The Template (Keep This in German)

[Dein Name] [Deine Adresse] [PLZ, Ort]

[Name des Mobilfunkanbieters] [Adresse des Anbieters] [PLZ, Ort]

[Ort], den [Datum]

Kündigung des Mobilfunkvertrags, Kundennummer [XXXXX], Rufnummer [XXXXX]

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

hiermit kündige ich meinen oben genannten Mobilfunkvertrag fristgerecht zum [Datum einfügen, alternativ: „zum nächstmöglichen Termin“].

Ich bitte Sie um eine schriftliche Bestätigung des Kündigungseingangs sowie des genauen Vertragsendes.

Falls möglich, wünsche ich eine Portierung meiner Rufnummer zu meinem neuen Anbieter. Die entsprechende Mitnahmeerklärung reiche ich gegebenenfalls separat nach.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

[Unterschrift] [Name in Druckbuchstaben]

Quick translation for your reference (don’t send this part): This cancels your mobile contract effective on the date you choose, requests written confirmation of receipt and the exact end date, and mentions you’d like to keep (port) your phone number to your new provider.

Sending it as a PDF

If you want to send this as a PDF, type it up in any word processor (Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice), fill in the brackets, print and sign it, then scan it — or use a digital signature if your provider accepts one. Many providers now also allow cancellation by email or via an online form in your account dashboard. Check your provider’s website under „Kündigung“ or „Vertrag beenden“ (end contract) first — it can save you the mailing step entirely.

Keeping Your Phone Number (Portierung)

Want to keep your number when you switch? The easiest route is to request number porting directly with your new provider, they’ll typically handle the cancellation of your old contract as part of the switch, as long as you flag this during sign-up. If you’d rather cancel yourself and arrange porting separately, just mention it in your cancellation letter and coordinate the port with your new provider afterward.

Early Termination Rights

There are situations where you can cancel a mobile contract before the regular term ends:

Poor network coverage: If your provider can’t deliver adequate coverage at your address and you can document this, you may have grounds for early cancellation.

Price increases: If your provider raises prices during your contract term without a corresponding improvement in service, you generally have the right to cancel early; providers are actually required to inform you of this right when they announce a price change.

Moving abroad: If you relocate permanently outside Germany and the contract can no longer be reasonably used there, early cancellation is usually possible too, again, expect to provide proof.

Common Pitfalls

A classic mistake: miscalculating the deadline. The notice period counts from the day your cancellation actually arrives at the provider — not the day you mail it. Build in a few extra days, especially if you’re sending by post.

Another thing people often miss: add-ons and bundled packages (streaming subscriptions, device insurance) usually don’t end automatically when you cancel the main contract. Check whether these need to be cancelled separately.

And if your contract includes device financing (a phone paid off in installments), cancelling your plan doesn’t automatically end those installment payments, that often continues as a separate agreement.

Confirmation and Checking Your Bank Statements

After sending your cancellation, most providers confirm in writing or by email within one to two weeks. If you hear nothing, call customer service. Also check your bank statements after the official end date, if charges continue, you can request a reversal through your bank within eight weeks of the debit, provided it was a SEPA direct debit.

Bottom Line

Thanks to the TKG reform, cancelling a mobile contract in Germany is much simpler than it used to be — usually just one month’s notice. Use the German template above, and remember to sort out number porting if you want to keep your number, and check whether any add-ons need separate cancellation.

How to Cancel a Mobile Phone Contract in Germany