Former customers sue Qwest over cancellation fees

Oct 17 (Reuters) - Two former Qwest Communications International Inc customers filed a suit against the U.S. telecommunications provider, looking to end early-termination fees for Internet subscribers, court documents showed.

The suit, filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, seeks class action status and challenges the practice of early-termination fees for broadband services.

The plaintiffs, Rob Vernon and Rory Durkin, said they were each charged $200 when they cancelled their high-speed Internet service.

Qwest markets its price-for-life plans as requiring a two-year agreement, but charges the early-termination fee regardless of when the customer cancels, the plaintiffs said.

"Qwest imposes this $200 fee on its internet customers regardless of the customer's reason for cancelling service, the time remaining on the subscriber's alleged oral term commitment and the lack of an agreement signed by the customer agreeing to such terms," the plaintiffs said in the lawsuit.

Denver-based Qwest could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reporting by Ajay Kamalakaran in Bangalore; Editing by Andrew Callus)