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General discussion

greedy verizon - upgrades?

Sep 10, 2004 5:46AM PDT

I am so naive to the upgrade process. I've been with Verizon for a few years now and in April04, a salesperson called asking me to renew my service which apparently had expired in Nov03. Because I was in need of a new phone, I said I would renew for one year but only if I didnt have to pay for a new phone. He said buy a phone, call me, and I will credit your account $50. I'm just now looking at a Samsung-a650 but have to renew for 2 years to get it at the 2-yr plan price ($19.99@Radio Shack, $59.99@Verizon). In other words, having renewed for that one year didn't buy me much. Am I way off base here? Should I have done something different...like only having to have to renew one additional year to get the 2year-plan price? So confused.

Discussion is locked

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Sep 10, 2004 6:01AM PDT

Last word from me on greedy Verizon. Have you all noticed when searching for new phones on line, fairly high-quality phones are offered for free or deeply discounted at sites like Letstalk.com, wirefly.com, intelenetwireless.com, (inphonic.com)...but they are offered at Verizon for a much higher price even when "upgrading"? The catch is, you have to be a brand new Verizon customer or change carriers when purchasing from those other (inphonic.com) sites.

So if you are a brand new Verizon customer, you get rewarded with the free phone or deep discounts....but if you are an existing customer, you get no reward from Verizon for your years of loyalty. I wonder if more Verizon customers got together when our contracts were ready to expire if we might have more leverage in getting the same deeply discounted or free phones?

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Sep 10, 2004 12:04PM PDT

You are wrong on getting any form of discount. I've been a Verizon Wireless customers for 2 1/2 years. I have the 2 year contract with the Americas Choice plan and with a 2 year contract, when it comes time for an upgrade, you get up to $100 off the purchase of a new phone with a new 2 year contract. For one year contracts, you get the price shown for a one year contract, plus any rebates for the phone. Same with the 2 year contract. Verizon Wireless owned stores charge more, but I personally think a person will get better service from a Verizon Wireless owned store. At least that was my experience. The authorized agents may charge less, but service might not always be good at the authorized agents. Plus many authorized agents sell other wireless services, which may help keep prices low, but I found, at least in my area of NW Indiana, the authorized agents tend to not have as much knowledge, sell accessories that look like it was made cheap, and at least one store by me also sold a number of discontinued phones as new, which should raise a red flag to any potential customer. My first phone was purchased at Radio Shack at Southlake Mall in Hobart, IN and had a couple of problems when i was signed up for service. Radio Shack put down the wrong plan, and the worst problem I had was they never inquired if I wanted insurance. I wish I had it when i lost my original phone because Radio Shack tried to pull a fast one on me. I also was forced to pay the $175 early termination fee because they tried to sell me a then new Motorola 120c (original phone) for $225 (not including tax)when it was $179. I went somewhere else and I was offered a new phone for $80, but I had to start my contract over for getting the new phone through their Oops plan. Something Radio Shack never inquired about, plus I was told by a Radio Shack salesman that insurance was not an option through them. They lost out on this sale because of my last experience with them. I'd rather pay more at the Verizon Wireless owned stores than through the authorized agents who could screw people up. I'm wondering if that's why some of you are having problems with Verizon Wireless, because some of you went to the authorized agents instead of Verizon Wireless.

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Sep 10, 2004 10:30PM PDT

Dave1973 (I would ask you this directly rather than on the board if I knew how)...

Verizon seems to list:
Retail price (no plan)
Price w/1yr plan
Price w/2yr plan

If you select the 2yr plan are you saying you get an additional $100 off that 2yr plan price?
Thanks for all your info and comments!

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Sep 12, 2004 7:27AM PDT

If you have a 2 year plan now, when it's time for an upgrade, up to 2 months before the current contract is up, that's when the instant credit can be applied to the phone, up to $100. My last contract was a 2 year contract, and I went with it in 2002 because I couldn't afford the activation fee, which was waived on all plans, but now Verizon charges activation fees on new customers for nationwide plans, $35 for 1 year and $15 for 2 year, but activation fees don't apply to existing customers.
The prices you see in the Verizon Wireless owned stores are the prices you would pay with a new contract. I don't remember if it showed the retail price or not for someone who's already in a contract. I do know my Samsung SCH-a650 flip phone is $209.95 for someone already in a contract.
But to get to the point, you needed to be in a 2 year contract already to be eligible for the instant credit (up to $100) when your contract was up. I asked when my contract was up at the Verizon Wireless store so I know when to get my upgrade. When you do an upgrade, your old contract is terminated at no cost, and you're in a new contract, whether it's 1 or 2 years. If Verizon still has the same plan that you signed up at the time of your original contract, you have the option to stay with it or change it. I should mention that you need to have a plan now of $39.99 to be eligible for the instant credit now. When i signed up in March 2002, I was eligible for the instant credit with the $35 plan for a 2 year contract. You have to weigh which option is right for you. I suggest you go to your local Verizon Wireless store, if you pay there, or call them up to find out when your contract is up, and if you plan to stay with Verizon Wireless to find out when your eligible for an upgrade. Since you said you were in a 1 year contract, at upgrade time, you'll only be eligible for the price of the phone with 1 or 2 year plan and any rebates that might be offered with the phone. If you choose a 2 year plan next time around, then 22 months later, you'll be eligible for the next upgrade with the instant credit, up to $100 when you sign a new 2 year contract. But I say you were smart to start out with the 1 year plan. That way you wouldn't have the service as long if you didn't like it. If I would have been able to afford the activation fee in March 2002, I would have started out with a 1 year contract before I committed to a 2 year contract later. I know this is long and I'm sorry about it. Another thing I should add is if you need the latest phone more often, 1 year contracts work best for you, even if you won't be eligible for the instant credit. I just need a good working phone, so 2 year works fine for me, and my new Samsung SCH-a650 has made the service even better than my old Motorola 120c, which had too many dead spots. But overall I've been happy with Verizon Wireless for all places I travel on Verizon Wireless's network. In Michigan on Alltel's network (Verizon Wireless's extended network, that's been a different story.

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Sep 10, 2004 11:07PM PDT

I had the same situation...I was a 5+ year Verizon Wireless customer with a LARGE usage plan (my average bill was $210/month). What did I ever get from them to show for it? NOTHING Phone selection is still way behing GSM models, customer service was average (although not as bad as some other providers I've heard about), but bottom line was I never really felt like they appreciated me as a customer.

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Sep 11, 2004 7:33AM PDT

well i have sprintpcs and my contract is up so now i get to choose to extend or stay the same, righ now they offer me $150 instant rebate for any phone plus if i order the phone online i get another $30 off on any phone so thats $180 off instant and also they just offer me 5% off on my monthly invoice as long i am a sprintpcs customer, i know is not much hey 5% is better than zero% righ now i am waiting to see how the new samsung coming soon looks, i want that phone bad since it has a 1gb+ stamp size hd inside enough for me to have my porn videos Happyj/k i love sprintpcs i know customer service is not that good but to me what it matters is the quality service on their network. also i have free unlimited internet access in all way including video email etc.... anything free so i guess they to value me as a customer, i been with them since i was 16yrs old i connect my first phone i bough from a friend with a permit didnt even have a job at the time, was n school now i am 23 now Happy righ now i am trying to see if sprintpcs will give me free 2way radio or at least lower to $5 from $10 and that would b perfect, $180off, already have free inlimited internet mbs etc...and hoping on the 2way radio i would do 3 yrs contract if they give me that for free. my current plan, $59 1000day mins and unlimited nights and weekend, i even got them to start my night plans at 7pm isntead of originally 9pm so is 7pm to 7am Happy weekend mins start friday at 7pm finish monday at 7am. funny thing is they call me to offer me unlimited internet for free and the 5%off monthly invoice.

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Oct 15, 2004 11:13AM PDT

<<but if you are an existing customer, you get no reward from Verizon for your years of loyalty. >>

Apparently you never knew that Verizon offers a 'new every two' policy...up to $100 of a replacement phone every two years, so if a phone would normally cost a new customer $80, the phone is free to a Verizon customer on contract with 'new every two'.

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Oct 17, 2004 3:03PM PDT

ahhh just got a better offer $180 of any phone if i sign again a new contract Happy

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Oct 18, 2004 2:43PM PDT

Hey there. My 2 year contract is ending in a couple months, and when I renewed it last time two years ago, I didn't get a new phone. Does that mean I'll have $200 credit towards a new phone this time? Thanks!

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades and inphonics.com?
Oct 19, 2004 4:28AM PDT

Unfortunately, they only give up to $100 instant credit toward the purchase of a new phone. The idea with the new every 2 year program is to take advantage of a new phone below the listed price. I made sure I got a new phone as I was ready to throw out my Motorola 120c phone, which is nothing but garbage. I say take advantage of the program, and you can upgrade 2 months before the contract is up. I however recommend going to a Verizon Wireles store rather than going though an authorized agent, as the authorized agents don't seem to keep up with the latest news from Verizon Wireless, most stores have limited selection of new phones, many I came across had major attitudes, and one store in my area had more discontinued phones than new phones, and selling them as new phones. RED FLAG!

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades?
Oct 19, 2004 10:03AM PDT

OMG-- I have had Verizon for about 4 years... like you spent money.. and like you seemed to be content with re-signing with Verizon...
Now I am getting OUT.
Here is my short Saga.
First I did an e-z move in the middle of my last two year contract... so it took me a week to actually get the upgrade credit on my online account.
I ordered the V60s on 10/1. Thought the phone was nice, V60's tended to get good reviews...
On 10/9 I called because it had been a week... was told that I would have my phone on Tuesday 10/12. Called 10/13 and was told it was in process. Called 10/15 and was told that the order was cancelled due to an error and the rep reprocessed and was promised that I would have my phone by today 10/19. I called today when I had not received it and was told that "we're sorry" that phone is no longer offered by Verizon.
Was told that it would be a week before my credit would be back on my account.
In the Midst of all of this between 10/9 and 10/19 I also sent 4 emails in effort to avoid the forever hold times... and they did not even bother to respond to one of my emails.
Im fed up...
Verizon has probably lost a long term customer for good..

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Re: greedy verizon - upgrades?
Dec 11, 2004 8:28AM PST

I have a similar problem. I am in the middle of a 2-year contract with Verizon (set to expire in Dec '05), my LG 3100L is completely busted. I went to the Verizon store to buy a new phone, with the hopes of getting the discounts if I extend my contract. But they told me that since I am in the middle of my contract, I don't have any other option but to buy a phone at the regular retail price! Is that what other carriers do too? Fine, that Verizon offers $100 instant credit at the end of the 2-year contract, but what if you wanna buy a phone in the middle of the contract?