iPhone activation screwup by Verizon? (kind of a long read)

[Sharrock]

So tonight I decided that enough is enough with my malfunctioning Droid and it was time to upgrade to an iPhone. My only hurdle is that I wasn't eligible for an upgrade until September, but I knew my phone wouldn't last that long. So what I ended up doing was adding a line to my account, get the iPhone at the subsidized price, switch my real phone number from the Droid to the iPhone, then downgrade the Droid to an old RAZR that I have laying around the house to lower the bill. My plan was to just pay out the RAZR until the end of the contract (Jan 2012 I believe), then cancel and have my iPhone. I assumed that while my new iPhone had my old number transfered to it, it would still be considered a brand new contract with a different end date.

HOWEVER

When I got home I logged into my account on the website, and I noticed underneath the RAZR account summary, the end date of the contract was 3/11/2013. The iPhone is listed at 1/15/2012, with an eligible upgrade in September, just like my Droid in the first paragraph.

WTF?????

Did Verizon just commit a major goof on their part and not switch the actual contracts like I thought they would? Theoretically if this were to stand, I can cancel my RAZR line within 14 days and not pay a cent in monthly charges and ETFs, and be eligible for an upgrade on my iPhone line in September? I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this situation, since this isn't exactly an ordinary situation.

 

[AppleNewton]

Basically you bought a new line and device for the subsidized price and a different number. You took that device off the new lines number and put it on your existing line.
The phone does not follow the contract/upgrade cycle only the number/line specifically does.
So there isnt any mix ups, what you can do is probably cancel the new line but i'm not sure if theyll require the original device you purchased with that line back.
but it looks like the new line will end in 2013 (2 years after sign up date) and your current phone number is eligible in Sept. so it seems normal to me.

 

[Sharrock]

The RAZR I have is several years old (I got it in 2006), if they want it back within 14 days in order to cancel the line without an ETF, then I have no problems with that.

But honestly though, it just doesn't make sense. I was under the assumption that even though I was transferring my old phone number to a brand new phone, it would be a brand new contract regardless of phone number. It kinda feels like I cheated the system, which of course wasn't my intention at all.

 

[Fernandez21]

The RAZR I have is several years old (I got it in 2006), if they want it back within 14 days in order to cancel the line without an ETF, then I have no problems with that.

But honestly though, it just doesn't make sense. I was under the assumption that even though I was transferring my old phone number to a brand new phone, it would be a brand new contract regardless of phone number. It kinda feels like I cheated the system, which of course wasn't my intention at all.

The contracts are on the lines, not the phones. However if you cancel your new line, they will want the iPhone back, regardless of which number you have on it.

One thing I don't know is whether or not you get the lower ETF or not since there is no smartphone on that line anymore.

 

[Sharrock]

The contracts are on the lines, not the phones. However if you cancel your new line, they will want the iPhone back, regardless of which number you have on it.

One thing I don't know is whether or not you get the lower ETF or not since there is no smartphone on that line anymore.

Thats what I was thinking too. $175 is alot better than $350.

 

[gvillager]

So tonight I decided that enough is enough with my malfunctioning Droid and it was time to upgrade to an iPhone. My only hurdle is that I wasn't eligible for an upgrade until September, but I knew my phone wouldn't last that long. So what I ended up doing was adding a line to my account, get the iPhone at the subsidized price, switch my real phone number from the Droid to the iPhone, then downgrade the Droid to an old RAZR that I have laying around the house to lower the bill. My plan was to just pay out the RAZR until the end of the contract (Jan 2012 I believe), then cancel and have my iPhone. I assumed that while my new iPhone had my old number transfered to it, it would still be considered a brand new contract with a different end date.

HOWEVER

When I got home I logged into my account on the website, and I noticed underneath the RAZR account summary, the end date of the contract was 3/11/2013. The iPhone is listed at 1/15/2012, with an eligible upgrade in September, just like my Droid in the first paragraph.

WTF?????

Did Verizon just commit a major goof on their part and not switch the actual contracts like I thought they would? Theoretically if this were to stand, I can cancel my RAZR line within 14 days and not pay a cent in monthly charges and ETFs, and be eligible for an upgrade on my iPhone line in September? I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this situation, since this isn't exactly an ordinary situation.

The RAZR is now on the newly activated number and the contract date is correct with an end date of 3/11/13. The iPhone is now on the existing line and your upgrade and contract end date does not change. If you cancel the new line (which is now on the RAZR) within 14 days they will require that you return the iPhone. This is how things are supposed to work.

 

[Sharrock]

Alright, that makes sense. How about the ETF on the RAZR line though? Will it be the smartphone rate or the regular rate?

 

[AndrewR23]

I cant get my mind past the "long read" in your topic..this was a very short read haha...Hope everything works out.

Yes i know my comment is pointless lol.

 

[Sharrock]

I cant get my mind past the "long read" in your topic..this was a very short read haha...Hope everything works out.

Yes i know my comment is pointless lol.

haha yeah I thought the same thing. It just looked kinda long to me lol.

 

[gvillager]

Alright, that makes sense. How about the ETF on the RAZR line though? Will it be the smartphone rate or the regular rate?

You received subsidized pricing for a smartphone, so you would be charged the ETF for a smartphone.

 

[ritmomundo]

You received subsidized pricing for a smartphone, so you would be charged the ETF for a smartphone.

Theoretically, yes. But I think it all depends on the CSR you talk to. If you get a nice one, I think you should be able to get the ETF for the dumbphone... But do it over the phone- from past experiences with VZW, the CSRs on the phone are much more lenient than the ones in store.

 

[gvillager]

Theoretically, yes. But I think it all depends on the CSR you talk to. If you get a nice one, I think you should be able to get the ETF for the dumbphone... But do it over the phone- from past experiences with VZW, the CSRs on the phone are much more lenient than the ones in store.

This would defeat the purpose of them having a higher ETF for smartphones. But then again there is a possibility of talking a CSR into almost anything. If I were the CSR I wouldn't go for it simply because I wouldn't be able to justify the credit to my superiors.