All current Verizon 4G phones (LG, Pixel, Apple, etc.) are never locked, and current Verizon Device payment Plan can be paid off 100% easily without any penalty, and you don’t need to wait until the first bill is out. You just go to Verizon store and hand them money and they will happily mark your account paid in full. If you do that early enough (3 days or so) ang if you insist they can close your account and waive the $30 activation fee (or credit back if you paid it at Walmart/target/bestbuy), and the final bill is only for prorated service rates ($70/mo / 30 x 3 days = $8). Because you get the $300 Walmart gift card or $250 Target gift card when you buy the phone (whatever Black Friday deals this year), essentially you get a brand new unlocked phone at sale price minus the gift card plus $10ish prorated fees. Note this only works on Verizon Device Payment Plan, and you need to get in line early as most people want Verizon phones because of this, they sell out faster way before ATT and Sprint phones. Note that u can’t buy it from Verizon store because their $300 off are via 24-month bill credits, so if you pay off early and cancel, you will not see any bill credit and the payoff amount is pretty much the original amount.