Wife wants phone now...I want to wait until Spring. Help with strategy?

[andiron1]

My wife and I are currently on Sprint and want to change to Verizon. We are out of contract. She is tired of me dragging as I have been stalling for a year. So my time with her has run out. I made a promise and have to keep it....but I'm not pleased with my choices. I have narrowed down to the Droid Turbo and Note 4. They are both nicely spec'd but the Droid camera, with no OIS and shutter lag isn't up to snuff. The Note 4 is...well...a bit large. The Droid feels great in hand and I am drawn to it's Moto Assist features. The Note 4 is...well....again....a bit large... but I like it's performance...video recording etc. And unlike reports about the Turbo....the Note 4 has a loud enough earpiece volume.

So my wife want's the Note 4. This makes me a bit sad. How can I get her this phone, on a shared plan with Verizon, and still be able to wait for the HTC M9 or S6...both of which I believe will finally have all the size and spec requirements that will keep me happy for a few years? Is there a way to get her a new phone without me losing the ability to get a subsidized phone later? Fwiw...I was planning on avoiding the Edge plan....I'm more of a keep it for a few years kind of guy.

Oh...and I offered to get her a better phone on Sprint...buying used off of Ebay...to buy time until we could go to Verizon in the Spring. She's not amused....and I can't blame her...her phone is glitchy and she's been waiting...with promises broken in the process. Am I sunk? Do I have to buy now? Maybe some of you have a clever tactic I might employ....or not. Opinions wanted....thanks!

 

[STARGATE]

Hello and welcome to the forums at Android Central!

When the wife is involved, you better take care of it!

I would recommend that you get a used (Verizon ready) phone from eBay, Amazon, a relative or any other place.

That way, she gets her phone, you keep the promise and since you'll have a used Verizon ready phone, you can get a new phone next year.
Win-win!

Good luck!

 

[dpham00]

^this.

Alternatively you can remain on Sprint for now and port your line later. She could go on an individual plan. But keep in mind that the promotions might change.


Also depending on your situation, you might want to consider edge of you are on the 10gb tier or higher as it gets a $25 per line discount.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

 

[GregMargie]

Stargate gave a great solution.... and Happy Wife, Happy Life! LOL! Wish you the best in your decision.

 

[andiron1]

Thank you for the suggestions!

I think I need to find out if I can port my wife over and keep myself on Sprint...without a new contract... as that would be the most appealing solution. Buying a used Verizon phone would work...just not sure if I'm going to do something on Black Friday....which would not give me time to get a phone and have my number ported. On the up side...it seems I can put her on a More Everything Plan....and join her later without issue. As simple as adding me as an additional line and getting a subsidized phone. On the other hand...I'm still toiling with just getting a new phone now. I may not be completely satisfied but would make life a bit more tidy in the short run.

Oh...and fwiw...I visited a Verizon store today...it was very busy...and I waited about 45 minutes to ask if I could indeed bring my wife first and add on later....but I was a bit destracted by the chaos and didn't address my options as asked here in this thread. I wanted to ask multiple questions but there was a sudden flush of concentration. I never recovered. The store manager spoke to me and said that if I got the 10 gig special that it made much more sense to go onto the Edge plan. He said it didn't used to be cheaper...but that now it is cheaper than the standard 2 yr. contract. He said that the $25 discount would offset the cost of the phone and that any Black Friday discounts would apply with either plan. BUT....I don't see any way to use up 10 gigs of data...given our needs....so I'm probably still inadvertently paying just as much for the phone. It's so confusing! I have an appointment in the morning...on Black Friday....so hopefully I will not have to wait to get service and can be well timed for a deal.

Whatever makes the wife happy will indeed be the highest priority! Thanks again!

 

[STARGATE]

So, how did it go?
Did you get something for both or just for her?

 

[andiron1]

Okay...here are the gory details. I was so locked up and undecided but my wife was truly at the end of her rope after being put off for close to 2 years. I went to the Verizon store and had a list of questions. I knew I would either come out of there on a no contract plan or join my wife....thinking I would decide at the spur of the moment. So....I got her phone for $100 off...plus a $150 credit for switching from Verizon. But here's where it get's ugly....I decided to buy a Moto G and go on a no contract plan. I thought....clean break from Sprint and eventually join my wife on her plan with a new phone once I see what happens in March. The customer service rep was patient and really helpful....but I wish he would have activated my wife's phone first....because he told me..."Are you sure...this is it....once I port your number it's done". I was so indecisive that I stood there...apologized a few times....and figured....if I'm so locked up I must go with the choice that gives options. So....he activated the Moto G...porting my number over. Next, he pulled my wife's Note 4 out of the box and began to activate. He walked away....I picked the phone up...set it down...picked it up...set it down...picked it up....and thought why the hell am I waiting. Well, I looked at him embarrassed and said....so tell me....what would happen if I want the Note 4 at this stage of the game? He told me he could not give me the $150 credit because I had already brought my number to Verizon. So, I owned a Moto G, prepaid minutes and had already lost the $150 porting credit. I stayed the course, walked out with my wife's new phone and the Moto G. Lesson learned: While I retain the right to get whatever phone I choose...the best deal was on that day to get a total of $250 off of what I would say is an excellent phone. By the time I see other phones I will be close to 6 months into my wife's contract. Fwiw...I almost went Edge...but the cost over 2 years was slightly better with the 2 yr. contract...and that's before taking into account the $100 off on the phone on that one day (Black Friday). Had I to do it again I would have just gone clean...and into the Note 4. Another lesson learned is that I probably should have stayed with Sprint...that way...if they offer a credit for coming over from another carrier I would still have that option. One very positive thing happened though...the guy was nice...took my old phone and gave me a Bose Soundlink Mini blue tooth speaker.

What I'm wondering about now is if I can take my wife's old Sprint phone and go back to them on their prepaid plan...so as to be ready in case this same promotion returns. At Verizon the phones for prepaid are different and on a slightly different network. If this is true of Sprint....my wife's old phone probably wouldn't be usable.

My wife LOVES her new phone...that screen is fantastic, battery life great....and she is super happy to have a phone that works and works well. And I can say that her phone in hand is much better than holding it in the store on a tether.

So... I have little to gain from switching now. I may wait a month and port back to Sprint...not sure....and will wait to see what happens with the M9, S6 and choose between one of those and the Note 4. In total I can say I did okay....just blew it by not taking advantage of the savings on that day and secondly by moving to Verizon prematurely. Been hearing good rumors about the M9 and S6..which might make this effort more worth it....time will tell.

 

[Rukbat]

Call Verizon's retention department and see if they'll let you switch phones and still keep the $150 deal. They have the authority but, since it's not a matter of retaining you at this point, the chances are slim. But they're better than if you don't make the call.