No more contract traps! BGH stops cell phone contracts with a term of more than 24 months

Cell phone contract extended? Attention, this may be illegal!

It's not that unusual: you've only just signed your cell phone contract and the next offer is already on the table. A big bonus is promised if you immediately extend the contract term for another two years - if you are satisfied with the provider's services, this is a very tempting savings offer. However, it is also one that is not permitted, as the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has now clarified once again.

The ruling was triggered by the case of the provider Primacall, which had lured customers into premature renewal shortly after the start of the contract. The NRW consumer advice center sued - and won. The ruling of July 10, 2025 (case no. III ZR 61/24) has established that the 24-month rule is inviolable.

What exactly is prohibited - and why?

The TKG regulates two things crystal clear:

• A contract may have a maximum term of 24 months.
• After expiry, it may only be extended on a monthly basis - and can be terminated at any time with one month's notice.

Sounds simple - but providers such as Primacall have tried to circumvent this regulation with tricks. Instead of waiting until the first term is over, they lure customers into signing up prematurely - effectively tying them in for more than 24 months. This is exactly what the BGH has now prohibited.

Wolfgang Schuldzinski from the NRW consumer advice center says clearly:
"Providers must not force consumers:inside into contracts with a term of more than 24 months through early contract extensions."

Already extended? You can do this now

If you have been taken in by such an offer and have extended a contract even though the initial term has not yet ended, there is good news:
You can cancel the contract at any time at the end of the month - if you do so by the 15th of the current month.

The consumer advice center advises you to take a close look before renewing contracts - even if bonuses and discounts are advertised. It's better to check for yourself whether the tariff still suits your usage behavior. Just because there's a "loyalty bonus" doesn't mean that the offer is really cheap in the end.

Put an end to the extension pusher column!

Finally a BGH ruling that is not legal gobbledygook, but speaks in plain language. 24 months is 24 months - not 25, not 36, not "but only if you extend now"!

What Primacall has done is nothing more than extending contracts under false pretenses. This is no small matter, but systematic consumer deception. The attempt to drive customers into long-term contracts with a bait-and-switch offer is nothing new - but has now finally been legally stopped.

So keep your hands off "instant-renewal-and-cash-in" offers. If you have a good product, you don't need any tricks. Those who use tricks usually have a lousy product. It's as simple as that.