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Carrier 23 months in - VZW Upgrade?

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puma1552

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Original poster
Nov 20, 2008
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I'm 23 months into my 2 year contract, my contract end date is September 19th (I have a launch day 6).

I wouldn't mind upgrading now and I suppose I don't really care about signing a new contract for an SE, since I can get the phone for just $50 if I do vs. $500 to buy it outright. On one hand contracts suck, but I guess I've never really been bothered by them either, since I only upgrade every two years anyway.

Any chance getting Verizon to move that upgrade up to now? I know this used to be possible but I think in recent years for whatever reason they've really cracked down on doing this for people.
 
Just talked to them, nope, wouldn't do it.

Asked him what the incentive was for me to stay with them since they got rid of the early upgrades then...half the time people upgraded their phones not because they loved their carrier, but because they had an upgrade available and like shiny new objects. I mean if you're going to make me go to the very end of my contract instead of bumping me one lousy month, then I may as well cross shop other carriers.

Didn't seem to matter. Wouldn't budge, which is ridiculous. They'd rather get one more payment and potentially lose a customer rather than an additional 23 payments and lock me down as a customer for much longr. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but what do I know. Didn't even bother transferring me to retentions, lol.
 
puma1552 said:
Just talked to them, nope, wouldn't do it.

Asked him what the incentive was for me to stay with them since they got rid of the early upgrades then...half the time people upgraded their phones not because they loved their carrier, but because they had an upgrade available and like shiny new objects. I mean if you're going to make me go to the very end of my contract instead of bumping me one lousy month, then I may as well cross shop other carriers.

Didn't seem to matter. Wouldn't budge, which is ridiculous. They'd rather get one more payment and potentially lose a customer rather than an additional 23 payments and lock me down as a customer for much longr. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but what do I know. Didn't even bother transferring me to retentions, lol.
Click to expand...

So make good on the threat and jump to another carrier when you're done.

But is it really that hard to wait till the 25th month to get a new phone?
 
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bufffilm said:
But is it really that hard to wait till the 25th month to get a new phone?
Click to expand...

Not at all. But I'd rather get the new phone, sell my 6 for $230 to Gazelle now before the value tanks when the 7 is released and my contract is up, and then use that money to put into my new seasonal cycling hobby to accessorize a bike I just bought, while I still have 3 months of riding left to enjoy. So, I have my reasons.
 
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puma1552 said:
Not at all. But I'd rather get the new phone, sell my 6 for $230 to Gazelle now before the value tanks when the 7 is released and my contract is up, and then use that money to put into my new seasonal cycling hobby to accessorize a bike I just bought, while I still have 3 months of riding left to enjoy. So, I have my reasons.
Click to expand...

Understood.

But it seems Verizon is not budging, so your options are pretty limited.
 
puma1552 said:
Just talked to them, nope, wouldn't do it.

Asked him what the incentive was for me to stay with them since they got rid of the early upgrades then...half the time people upgraded their phones not because they loved their carrier, but because they had an upgrade available and like shiny new objects. I mean if you're going to make me go to the very end of my contract instead of bumping me one lousy month, then I may as well cross shop other carriers.

Didn't seem to matter. Wouldn't budge, which is ridiculous. They'd rather get one more payment and potentially lose a customer rather than an additional 23 payments and lock me down as a customer for much longr. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but what do I know. Didn't even bother transferring me to retentions, lol.
Click to expand...
Often enough it depends on who you speak to (and what their mood might be at the time). Over the past years and a handful of upgrades I've had occasional success moving up the upgrade date by a week or two up to a month or two, and just about as many failures as well.

With all the talk of contracts going away I hadn't realized that contracts were still an option actually.
 
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It's been a long time since I was with Verizon, but in general, I've never been sent to retention a unless I stated my intent was to leave OR asked for detentions specifically.

Of all the carrier's I've dealt with Verizon had by far the worst customer service and this is true for their fios team as well. Lucky for me their fios service is stellar because I don't think I can deal with the awful customer service with any regularity. I was actually told I was lying about a promo offer I was given when setting the line up...
 
I recall for the launch of the 6, with Verizon, anyone who had an upgrade date in September (even those on September 30/31) had their upgrade dates moved up to September 1st.

Otherwise, they would not be able to pre-order the new iPhone with upgrade eligibility, and I'm sure Verizon imagined that a lot of people would jump to another carrier just to not get sold-out on the iPhone.

I'd say wait. I know you said you "wouldn't mind" upgrading now (whatever that means) but... it's 1 month. Even if they don't move up the upgrade date to September 1st for everyone (which I believe they will), and even if you don't want an iPhone 7, the existing models will definitely become less-expensive.
 
With the Verizon edge plan they would let you upgrade early. You'd just make your last x months payments when going to upgrade.

I had such hostile experiences at Verizon stores I haven't been in one for years. I pay Apple for the Upgrade plan now and refuse to talk to Verizon. It's been wonderful. No more reps slamming their pads on the table in anger walking away because I refuse to buy cases or insurance plans.

I'd go to Google Fi if I could with an iPhone.

I don't think they offer the SE with an upgrade plan tho :(.
 
Just went to the Apple Store.

After much research decided I would just do the trade in with installments plan on the SE, just without trading in my 6. Then I don't need to bother with a contract, which ultimately is better anyway I guess.

Started the process, and was told I couldn't do the installment plan with the carrier financing since I'm still under contract? But they would let me drop $500 cash today and I could get it?

This directly contradicts what Apple support online chat told me a couple weeks back - they said I could get a new phone with installments and sell my old one privately with zero impact on my contract since I'm just switching a device and not doing anything with the contract.

Who's right?

EDIT: Been chatting with an Apple specialist online for like 15 minutes going in circles, this person basically confirmed I should be able to buy the phone on the program I tried to, yet seems to have no knowledge of the June 28th changes to the program (switching to carrier financing instead of Citizens One and no longer needing a credit check and having to get a locked device instead of an unlocked or sim free version).

This is exhausting.

EDIT 2: I finally asked this lady if she was aware of these program changes and after much chagrin she came back to tell me she gave me incorrect info, and then started talking about the iPhone upgrade program, which isn't even the program I'm trying to do. smh.

EDIT 3: Finally confirmed you cannot buy a new SE on carrier financing while under contract unless you add another line. Verizon chat also confirmed this. So they will happily take your $500 up front today to buy it outright, but you can't do carrier financing. What a stupid system.
 
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