Maybe switch to some other broker - I switched from basic eTrade to basic CommSec about a year ago and brokerage is cheaper and it is much more reliable. The problem with eTrade is that during high traffic days, it cannot cope and melts down. So, when you need to sell sometimes, you can't. The only drama with changing online brokers is you cannot sell shares in your portfolio for a few days while the transition is in progress. You need to take this into account.