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If you hate your cell phone contract and desperately want out without having to splurge the outrageous fees carriers slap you with, then you may want to read on.  So long as a carrier gets the full term of a contract, they could care less how many people end up picking it up. The good news is you have a way out of an unhappy relationship, and it can all be done with some clever online moves and a phone call.

Since carriers typically begin turning a profit 18 months into the contract term, they’ve made it maddeningly difficult and expensive to get out. But you can cut them loose by finding someone willing to take it off your hands. You can transfer ownership of a contract for free with Rogers and Fido, while Bell charges $20 and Telus $25 to get it done. The shameless cash grab, notwithstanding, the process can be done over the phone with the carrier in as little as 15 minutes (or longer depending on red tape), and it can be with anyone, anywhere in the country. A few websites have been designed to help with this very issue.

CellClients
Post the carrier, contract terms, plan and other details on CellClients for others to respond to should they want to take over, but you will have to dish out $19.90 to post an ad on the site. You have the option of including your phone in the deal too. Read the FAQ on their site and you'll see plenty of info.

CellSwapper
Click on a plan and you get more details like what the contract's expiry date is and whether or not the carrier will allow you to change your monthly plan without a contract extension. The cost is US$24.95 for a "Showcase Swapper" posting, which goes on CellSwapper's home page. Or you could pay US$18.95 for a regular posting. Just note that they make you send over the SIM card along with the phone. The FAQ is purely American, but the gist of what's in there applies to Canada too.

Cell Plan Depot
Also based in the U.S., Cell Plan Depot can narrow down listings to Canadian carriers and contracts only and you can customize what you’re looking for. Registering and posting an ad is free, but only for up to 14 days. There are extras involved in their Gold ($19.99) and Diamond ($24.99) membership packages that include add-ons to help you get rid of your contract sooner by giving it more exposure on the site.