Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Upcoming 'VZ Edge' Program May Allow No Contracts and Earlier Upgrades for Verizon Users

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,458
37,693



Following T-Mobile's recent announcement of its new "Jump" phone upgrade program and its "Uncarrier" policies, a leaked document (via Droid Life) suggests that Verizon intends to introduce a similar "VZ Edge" program that will allow Verizon customers to purchase phones on a monthly payment plan that will include upgrade capabilities after half of the device purchase price has been paid.

verizonedge.jpg
Though details on the upcoming changes are scarce, the document implies that VZ Edge will function similarly to T-Mobile's Uncarrier program, letting customers purchase unsubsidized, off-contract phones via a monthly payment plan. T-Mobile customers can purchase devices like the iPhone 5 by offering a downpayment and a device fee of $21 per month. With the Jump add-on, customers pay an additional fee to access twice yearly upgrades.

Verizon's "flexible new plan" promises the latest devices, lower upfront costs, no upgrade fees, and no service contracts. Currently, Verizon only lets its customers upgrade on a 24-month basis, after contracts have expired.

It is unknown what Verizon intends to charge per month for the plan, but more information should be available on August 25, which is the program's scheduled launch date.

Article Link: Upcoming 'VZ Edge' Program May Allow No Contracts and Earlier Upgrades for Verizon Users
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/15/upcoming-vz-edge-program-may-allow-no-contracts-and-earlier-upgrades-for-verizon-users/
I was going to jump ship from VZ to T-Mobile at the end of the month... But this might change my mind.

If you're buying your device upfront I think T-mobile is still a better deal even if you consider slower speeds and less coverage.
 
I'm confused about how it works. After you pay off your 50% of the old device, you give them the phone and you can update again? Or after 50% is paid off you can acquire more debt and be paying off two phones?
 
appleguy123 said:
I'm confused about how it works. After you pay off your 50% of the old device, you give them the phone and you can update again? Or after 50% is paid off you can acquire more debt and be paying off two phones?
Click to expand...

Probably the former if it mirror's T-Mob's plan. It's basically a lease. It's not for me. I prefer to own what I pay for, and let's not fool ourselves, it is more expensive than the conventional contract phone route but I can see where it works for many people, just like car leasing.
 
devinstan said:
I hope AT&T jumps on board too. I like to continue to upgrade my iPhone each year.
Click to expand...

Look closer at the deal. This is just Verizon more or less double dipping. It would be one thing if the plans were lower but instead they keep the plans the same rip off level and now making you pay full price for the phone.
 
No contract plans are plain BS here in the US.

They might seem cheaper, but I bet if they only offer this type of program then by a year, all their plan prices will be hiked to the same prices we are paying now w/ contract plans and we will have to pay for a phone fee on the side so even more money to their pockets and no lost or quotas from phones sales.
 
Is it just me or are all of these early upgrade plans horrible, horrible deals?

Why don't people realize they can get 300+ for their one year old smartphone and then use an early upgrade to get the newer ones for 400 or so? 300 is conservative. iPhone 4s are still 350ish online used.
 
If you are an android fan, these plans make life real sweet.

It allows you to leapfrog every few months to the latest and greatest android phone of the week.

For dedicated iPhone users, this is not as much of a big deal, especially on AT&T where I have gotten early upgrades on all my iPhone lines.

----------
Ajones330 said:
Well Att will definitely follow suit...
Click to expand...

AT&T has their head way up Verizon's butt.

Where Verizon goes, AT&T follows.
 
No matter what they offer, they still fall way short of what European carriers offer. Eventually, US carriers will get there, but they'll get there kicking & screaming.
 
MegamanX said:
Look closer at the deal. This is just Verizon more or less double dipping. It would be one thing if the plans were lower but instead they keep the plans the same rip off level and now making you pay full price for the phone.
Click to expand...

100% agree.

Verizon isn't giving people any "discounts" in their monthly plans.

People need to see the big picture. Verizon isn't about saving money. It's about increasing guaranteed monthly revenue from customers.

And it's post paid. Which means u will keep paying the higher prices regardless if you pay off your phone or not.

Do the math. Verizon will basically put u on a phone leasing program with no benefit of lower monthly cost on voice and data after the phone is paid off.

----------
dampfnudel said:
No matter what they offer, they still fall way short of what European carriers offer. Eventually, US carriers will get there, but they'll get there kicking & screaming.
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily agree. Most Americans are on family plans which offer huge savings.

Only those on 1-2, maybe 3 lines pay too much. Especially single line users on post paid carriers like att and verizon.

But my "average line" cost with my family plan is $35 a month. And this includes a phone subsidy upwards to $400 per 24 months on each line (that's upwards to a $2000 subsidies on phones). I can get phone and immediately resell it for profit and cancel data if I don't use a smartphone. That extra line only cost me $10 a month cause my mother only needs flip phone.
 
aneftp said:
100% agree.

Verizon isn't giving people any "discounts" in their monthly plans.

People need to see the big picture. Verizon isn't about saving money. It's about increasing guaranteed monthly revenue from customers.

And it's post paid. Which means u will keep paying the higher prices regardless if you pay off your phone or not.

Do the math. Verizon will basically put u on a phone leasing program with no benefit of lower monthly cost on voice and data after the phone is paid off.

----------



I don't necessarily agree. Most Americans are on family plans which offer huge savings.

Only those on 1-2, maybe 3 lines pay too much. Especially single line users on post paid carriers like att and verizon.

But my "average line" cost with my family plan is $35 a month. And this includes a phone subsidy upwards to $400 per 24 months on each line (that's upwards to a $2000 subsidies on phones). I can get phone and immediately resell it for profit and cancel data if I don't use a smartphone. That extra line only cost me $10 a month cause my mother only needs flip phone.
Click to expand...

Well, many of us don't have big families. I have a 2 line family plan with Verizon and I'm seriously considering a switch to T-Mobile. If they reduced my monthly plan by giving me more reasonable data rates, everything would be fine. Something like 1GB for $10, 2GB for $15, 3GB for $20, etc. Maybe a 2 line family plan with unlimited talk/text, 2GB of data at full speed (throttled after that amount) each for just under $100 a month.
 
Okay...

So people will be paying for a subsidized device (included in the jacked up monthly screw everything plans), pay a monthly fee for this new upgrade thing, and on top of it pay full price for their phone (or lease forever if they choose to upgrade).

Verizon is going to laugh all the way to the bank.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back