Carrier Verizon-contract vs not contract vs prepaid-benefits??

[caligurl]

I'm looking up information regarding Verizon plans for a new iphone account for my mom (she's finally going to get one! WOOT!)

When looking at their site it appears they still offer the iphone on contract for $499 or you can buy it outright. However it appears there is no benefit to buying it outright (other than, I guess, buying a new phone in a year, which my mom would not do anyways.)

Also, what is the benefit of prepaid? It appears that you still pay monthly. You still have a data cap. You still get unlimited talk and text. But it does say no activation. (So I guess that's a benefit)

I assume that texts don't count against your data but imessages do?

Also, on the regular pricing, can you go up and down the plans with no penalty (so if she starts at 1GB but uses more data, ups to 3 while traveling, but then once back home she can lower it back to 1?)

Sorry for all the questions... I have at&t so can't give her real-life answers on Verizon!

 

[Leonard1818]

That's going to be a tough one and you're just going to have to dust of the 'ol Excel spreadsheet (or pen and paper) and do the math. Personally, I'm staying on-contract. VZW gives us $450 per phone (subsidy) for both of our phones. That's $900 over the course of 24 months. Going off-contract would save me, personally, $12/mo. which comes out to $288 over the course of 24 months. Sure, I'd get 2GB more of data (that I wouldn't use) but $900 phone subsidy > $288 bill savings and having to buy my phones outright. YMMV though, you just need to figure out what works best for your mom. Since she doesn't know how much data she'll use, be sure you get on a plan where you can change this on the fly. Even the contract plans a VZW should let you change (at least add MORE).

Good luck!