New phone before contract expires?

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I suspect I already know the answer to this question. However, I would ask
that you confirm whether I'm correct or not. My two-year contract with
Verizon does not expire until March 2005. I would like to upgrade my phone
before that time. I do not want to tamper with my existing contract,
because technically it is my parent's name. Eventually, I'll get out from
my parent's family share plan, and get my own. For now, I just want a
different phone -- and I would not object to paying the full retail price if
it were necessary. Will this pose a problem for me?

One model that I have been looking at is the Nokia 3589i. Anyone have any
thoughts about this phone. I've seen several models up on eBay. Would I be
better off financially to acquire it from someone on eBay, and just get
Verizon to activate it? Or do you folks recommend purchasing it at the
Verizon store?

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

"Anthony J. Bertorelli" <shadowman2001@ocsnet.net> wrote in message
news:jbfwc.10$n%5.7@fe07.usenetserver.com...
> I suspect I already know the answer to this question. However, I
would ask
> that you confirm whether I'm correct or not. My two-year contract
with
> Verizon does not expire until March 2005. I would like to upgrade
my phone
> before that time. I do not want to tamper with my existing
contract,
> because technically it is my parent's name. Eventually, I'll get
out from
> my parent's family share plan, and get my own. For now, I just want
a
> different phone -- and I would not object to paying the full retail
price if
> it were necessary. Will this pose a problem for me?
>
> One model that I have been looking at is the Nokia 3589i. Anyone
have any
> thoughts about this phone. I've seen several models up on eBay.
Would I be
> better off financially to acquire it from someone on eBay, and just
get
> Verizon to activate it? Or do you folks recommend purchasing it at
the
> Verizon store?
>
>
>

My mother in law just had this same problem. Well not really a
problem. She went into the store and tried to buy at the price listed
on the phone (Here is where the fun began) she was told that because
her contract does not end until August 2004 she could not get it at
that price listed until at least July 25, 2004. She said the phone is
broke and she had to replace it. She spoke to three people and two
stores. Both stores employees stated the same. She called customer
service and they confirmed what the personnel at the stores stated.
She called me, I told her to call my friend at Verizon and he would
take care of it.

She went to the store and bought the LG 4500 it has a retail price of
$279 plus tax and it is now under a $50 rebate so the phone will cost
$250 and then all she need do was call the 1-877 number and give the
person the EIN number of the new phone and her cellular number. They
change it in the system, you then dial *228 SND and select option 1
and it programs the phone over the air. She is now very happy.

On the secondary note however, had she waited until July she would
have had the same New Every Two and the phone at re-signing the
contract would have been $119.00 plus tax, minus the $100 for (NET),
then a $50 rebate which would have made her pay nothing. She would
however have had another 2 year contract. My friend said he understood
about the phone not working and she did not want to pay monthly
charges for a phone that does not work. So she said her costs per
month times 4 months would have been more than what the actual phone
saving were (Paying for something you can't use made no sense to her)
so now she will be on a month to month and may actually switch
services. She will not have any ETF since there will be no contract.

Elector

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Anthony J. Bertorelli wrote:
> I suspect I already know the answer to this question. However, I
> would ask that you confirm whether I'm correct or not. My two-year
> contract with Verizon does not expire until March 2005. I would like
> to upgrade my phone before that time. I do not want to tamper with
> my existing contract, because technically it is my parent's name.
> Eventually, I'll get out from my parent's family share plan, and get
> my own. For now, I just want a different phone -- and I would not
> object to paying the full retail price if it were necessary. Will
> this pose a problem for me?

No. If you buy a phone (that works on VZW) you can use it on
an existing plan/contract with no effect. You don't have to buy the
phone from VZW. When you do move to your own contract you
can keep the phone you are currently using (assuming you stay with
VZW). One alternative that comes to mind if you did this would be
to keep the phone you buy now and take whatever you could get
for no/little additional cost to the new plan and have it as a backup.

You sound like someone who might want to pay a bit more up front
and reduce your risk. You can save money buying on eBay but it's
very much like investing in junk bonds or penny stocks (you also
have to factor in the warrantee implications).

You should call CS and see if they will give you the subsidized price.
You won't get the new-any-two $100 but you may be able to get
subsidized price. This may or may not involve extending your contract.
If you have had your existing phone for a year and you are on a two
year contract you may be able to get the 1 yr. price.

With respect to the contract. Keep in mind that even though your
line is on a family share it is actually treated independently.
1) Unless it is the primary line on the family share it is not eligible
for new-any-two because it is technically on a $20/month contract.
2) The contract termination date can be different for each line on a
family share plan. If the primary line is terminated then the secondary
line(s) will be moved to single plans for the duration of the contract
for that line -- actually you can move lines out of a family share to
individual plans at any time. Keep in mind that a family share requires
at least 2 lines (I think you would get more minutes on an individual
so it's a technicality but there could be an issue with existing promos).
3) You may even be able to transfer financial responsibility of your
line from your parents to you without effecting the plan.

So you might be able to do something like:
a) Change the financial responsibility for your line from your parents
to yourself.
b) Negotiate price on the phone involving contract changes/extension.
You would be able to move your line/contract to an individual plan
any tim in the future. lots of options...

-Quick