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iPhone Early Upgrade Logic (or lack thereof)

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sampleton

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 22, 2012
7
0
Hello

I am well aware that there are multitudes of threads redundantly expressing the same answer to the question of whether or not you can upgrade to an iPhone 5 shortly before your upgrade availability date. However, I am curious about the logic behind Verizon not allowing me to upgrade my archaic Samsung Intensity II to the iPhone 5. I would appreciate any help leading toward an adequate explanation.

Thanks,

sampleton
 
alphaod

alphaod

macrumors Core
Feb 9, 2008
22,183
1,245
NYC
The reason for allowing upgrades at all is so a service provider like Verizon can keep for you a customer for two years (or however long you sign a contract for).

It has nothing to do with what phone you have, or how much you're paying for service. From a technical standpoint there are too many variables to account for if a SP calculated a separate upgrade cycle for each account.

So if you are only say 5 months in to your 24 month contract, it's not logic that dictates your upgrade eligibility, it's the fact that you must stay with them or pay a termination fee.
 
S

sampleton

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 22, 2012
7
0
alphaod said:
The reason for allowing upgrades at all is so a service provider like Verizon can keep for you a customer for two years (or however long you sign a contract for).

It has nothing to do with what phone you have, or how much you're paying for service. From a technical standpoint there are too many variables to account for if a SP calculated a separate upgrade cycle for each account.

So if you are only say 5 months in to your 24 month contract, it's not logic that dictates your upgrade eligibility, it's the fact that you must stay with them or pay a termination fee.
Click to expand...

I should have added this in the original post, but the part I do not understand is that I was allowed, by a manager, to upgrade my phone this weekend (one month early). However, they will not let me upgrade to an iPhone 5.
 
S

sampleton

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 22, 2012
7
0
Somebody has to have a logical explanation for this. Verizon would not simply prohibit me from upgrading to a phone which, in addition, would add more money to our monthly bill.
 
Applejuiced

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
What difference does it make?
Explanation or not its up to them if they want to pay for your subsidy.
And if you're not due for an update there isn't much you can do besides buy it full price or pay the etf and leave them.
 
S

sampleton

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 22, 2012
7
0
Applejuiced said:
What difference does it make?
Explanation or not its up to them if they want to pay for your subsidy.
And if you're not due for an update there isn't much you can do besides buy it full price or pay the etf and leave them.
Click to expand...

See, they are willing to let me upgrade early for literally any other phone. I don't understand why they would exclude the iPhone 5.
 
S

swervinsuburban

macrumors regular
Nov 5, 2012
243
0
sampleton said:
Somebody has to have a logical explanation for this. Verizon would not simply prohibit me from upgrading to a phone which, in addition, would add more money to our monthly bill.
Click to expand...

Verizon's iPhone stocks have been low still so maybe they wanted to save them for new customers or people who are past their upgrade date
 
ixodes

ixodes

macrumors 601
Jan 11, 2012
4,429
3
Pacific Coast, USA
sampleton said:
See, they are willing to let me upgrade early for literally any other phone. I don't understand why they would exclude the iPhone 5.
Click to expand...
Here's why.

The carrier must pay a very high price to buy each iPhone from Apple. In turn they drive up the carriers operating cost.

Hence they are very willing to allow you to easily move to anything but an iPhone, now you know why. Just like Apple they run a business and expect maximum profits.
 
S

sampleton

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 22, 2012
7
0
ixodes said:
Here's why.

The carrier must pay a very high price to buy each iPhone from Apple. In turn they drive up the carriers operating cost.

Hence they are very willing to allow you to easily move to anything but an iPhone, now you know why. Just like Apple they run a business and expect maximum profits.
Click to expand...

That still does not make sense. Whether I upgrade now or in even 4 months from now, I will still be paying the same amount toward the iPhone. I could see if Samsung could maybe gave an issue because I have not reaches the end of the contract, but that was not an issue according to Cusomer Care.
 
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