For those impatient... Don't buy on Ebay!

[reign831]

You'd only pay the pro-rated amount of using the service for the first 15 days, presuming you cancel the 1st day after the 14-day grace period.

But yes, there are likely other charges to crop up over and above the $200 + ETF you'd think you'd be paying. Like the activation fee, taxes, and partial-month's service.

Ah, true. In California we have a 30 day grace period, which would mean paying for a full month.

 

[ChromeJob]

I'd doubt it. They don't make you do that with any other phone but those are locked to tmobile. The N4 will be unlocked and seeing as how there isn't anything in the fine print, I find it unlikely.

"There isn't anything in the fine print." Famous last words. Anyone trying, you'd better read your actual contract, not some web site, word for word before signing. #JUSTSAYING

... Also, most customers [are required to pay] a deposit to open an account....this is not refunded (to my knowledge) if you cancel your service after 14 days...

Usually (in my experience) the deposit is waived once you pass a credit check. Takes a minute or so.

... Verizon isn't very nice about unlocking phones unless you happen to own a Death Star and threaten to blow up Alderaan if they don't unlock it for you.

Here Andrew, I fixed that statement for you.

You'd only pay the pro-rated amount of using the service for the first 15 days, presuming you cancel the 1st day after the 14-day grace period.

I'd say read the contract. When I bought my Amaze last December, they charged me for a partial period, but hoo boy the math was flakey and seems I paid $20 or so I shouldn't have had to.

... But yes, there are likely other charges to crop up over and above the $200 + ETF you'd think you'd be paying. Like the activation fee, taxes, and partial-month's service.

Listen to Andrew ^ peope, there are all kinds of little tricks and hooks and gotchas they've baked into their contracts. The carriers have battalions of contract lawyers who use every trick in the book to protect their bottom line from us, the humble consumers. Tread carefully.

That said ... I'm wondering if I should buy one on a second line for my gf, give her my Amaze so she can do Google+ stuff with me for a few months, and walk out with the Nexus. Hrm....

 

[Andrew Martonik]

That said ... I'm wondering if I should buy one on a second line for my gf, give her my Amaze so she can do Google+ stuff with me for a few months, and walk out with the Nexus. Hrm....

You're still better off signing a Value Plan (or Prepaid plan) and buying the device a the Google Play Store next week.

 

[cnguyen0320]

Buy what phone? The Nexus 4 isn't coming to Verizon. And Verizon phones (in general) are CDMA/LTE only, and can't be used on any other network. They're essentially "locked" because they're incompatible hardware-wise with other networks (except Verizon MVNOs, and even then that's a hassle).

I meant like the iPhone 5 since it has a sim slot. Sorry, I should probably ask the apple forums but you seem to have knowledge so...

 

[Andrew Martonik]

I meant like the iPhone 5 since it has a sim slot. Sorry, I should probably ask the apple forums but you seem to have knowledge so...

The Verizon iPhone is quadband GSM with 850/900/1900/2100 (iirc), and the GSM part is unlocked. It has some good resale value as an unlocked GSM phone, but it doesn't have the proper LTE frequencies for AT&T, which cuts it down to either selling it as a Verizon phone or selling it overseas.

 

[rclifton]

haha, wow, what a great idea. The difference is actually less than 50 since no shipping fees and you are only paying tax for 200 and not 350.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

Not sure about anywhere else but in California you have to pay tax on the full price, regardless of what you pay for going on a contract so there is no savings there as far as tax goes...

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Not sure about anywhere else but in California you have to pay tax on the full price, regardless of what you pay for going on a contract so there is no savings there as far as tax goes...

Yeah the fine print on the ETF says you have to pay tax on the ETF amount in most states.

 

[cnguyen0320]

Not sure about anywhere else but in California you have to pay tax on the full price, regardless of what you pay for going on a contract so there is no savings there as far as tax goes...

Still better than forking over $500+ on Ebay. For me though, I'm gonna wait for consumer reactions and get it from Google if I do get it

 

[jimjamesjimmie]

Yeah well, with an unlocked phone vs a locked in contract with Tmobile. Spending that extra $150 might not be so bad to be honest, it does mean you got suckered if you are too eager and can't wait a month.

I did a quick survey in my office with a dozen people who had smartphones with contracts, I asked them to tell me how much "call voice" usage they used in a month in a 3 month average. It came to about less than 2 hours. So that means most people such as yourself is paying about $40 more for something they don't use, now multiply that by 12, and then by 2 if you plan to have this phone for 2 years, now that extra $150 on eBay doesn't seem so bad.

Tmobile on contract $200 for N4, $200 for ETF. You walk out of Tmobile with a 16gb N4 right now for only $50 more.

There is also a $35 activation fee but many tmobile assistants will waive that if you ask.

 

[cnguyen0320]

Yeah well, with an unlocked phone vs a locked in contract with Tmobile. Spending that extra $150 might not be so bad to be honest, it does mean you got suckered if you are too eager and can't wait a month.

I did a quick survey in my office with a dozen people who had smartphones with contracts, I asked them to tell me how much "call voice" usage they used in a month in a 3 month average. It came to about less than 2 hours. So that means most people such as yourself is paying about $40 more for something they don't use, now multiply that by 12, and then by 2 if you plan to have this phone for 2 years, now that extra $150 on eBay doesn't seem so bad.

I don't even think you get what I'm saying... It's basically the same but instead of paying the $500 average on ebay, if you do what I specified, you pay $400. You get the same phone, faster, and it's cheaper than ebay.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Yeah well, with an unlocked phone vs a locked in contract with Tmobile. Spending that extra $150 might not be so bad to be honest, it does mean you got suckered if you are too eager and can't wait a month.

He's saying you leave the contract right away, pay the ETF, and still come out under the $499 unsubsidized price.

The T-Mobile device is unlocked, too.

 

[jimjamesjimmie]

$250 + taxes = $270 + $200 + $30 activation + early termination fee = $500 vs $550 for Ebay. So you save $50 for a phone that you have to unlock yourself (good luck!) and you have to fight tooth and nail with cell phone to try to weasel yourself out of a contract (might take an hour or two worrying) The Tmobile phone is not unlocked. I bought the original NEXUS ONE phone from Tmobile subsidized, it was locked. There were unlocked versions available at $550 at the time. That wouldn't make sense of Tmobile selling a Nexus 4 phone subsidized with contract, locked. You know what, this is all in speculation. Instead of telling us that it's cheaper, why don't you go to Tmobile right now and buy this phone. DO IT, and then come back. No need to respond further until you do.

I don't even think you get what I'm saying... It's basically the same but instead of paying the $500 average on ebay, if you do what I specified, you pay $400. You get the same phone, faster, and it's cheaper than ebay.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

$250 + taxes = $270 + $200 + $30 activation + early termination fee = $500 vs $550 for Ebay. So you save $50 for a phone that you have to unlock yourself (good luck!) and you have to fight tooth and nail with cell phone to try to weasel yourself out of a contract (might take an hour or two worrying) The Tmobile phone is not unlocked. I bought the original NEXUS ONE phone from Tmobile subsidized, it was locked. There were unlocked versions available at $550 at the time. That wouldn't make sense of Tmobile selling a Nexus 4 phone subsidized with contract, locked.

1) It is unlocked. More than one person has already purchased directly from T-Mobile and put SIMs from AT&T (and other MVNOs) in it w/o issue. Here's a picture from Peter Alfonso, well-known Android enthusiast (and T-Mobile employee): Photo by peteralfonso • Instagram that good enough for you? Not to mention the countless posts even on this very forum proving this.
2) You dont have to weasel out of anything. Call and explain you want to cancel and pay the ETF. They'll cancel and send you a bill. Done.

The ebay way takes 1 minute to get you your phone. The tmobile way, which you save maybe $50 on average gives you headaches and worries over what is being charged or when are you getting money back.

1 minute? How about the fact that the eBay seller doesn't even have the device yet. They still have to wait to get it from Google, then package it up again and send to you. More like a week. And, as you note, its more expensive.

Or just wait a month for the unlocked.

Yes, you can wait, but if you don't want to wait, you can do this. Some people have more money than patience. That's their choice.

There's a reason why this phone is extra special because of the low unlocked price. This is part of Google's long term strategy to move people off the cellular grid and on to the data one. You're the one not getting what I'm saying, focused on teeny tiny dollars. By all means, keep driving an extra 20 miles so you can save $5.

Who cares what Google wants you to do?

But remember, he's not staying with the contract. He's taking the phone unlocked and using it with a carrier of his choice. Exactly what Google is trying to have people do...

 

[corance]

Andrew, if you don't mind me asking, why do you think it will only be 4 days before they have more? I read someone else said that but I was thinking more like 4 weeks.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Andrew, if you don't mind me asking, why do you think it will only be 4 days before they have more? I read someone else said that but I was thinking more like 4 weeks.

Hm? where did I say 4 days? I think I've said "next week" a few times.

I'm just making a guess that some time next week we'll see sales go back up again. Not really based on anything, but just an assumption that once they have the site figured out and the initial batch sold, they'll have more available. We very easily could be waiting longer.

I'm not sure where someone is pulling "4 weeks" from though. That seems like an extremely long time for a second production run, even if it started yesterday.

 

[corance]

My bad. I thought you said 4 days somewhere. I know someone else did though. Even a few days sounds better than a few weeks.

 

[ChromeJob]

You're still better off signing a Value Plan (or Prepaid plan) and buying the device a the Google Play Store next week.

Yep.

Store rep told me they're phasing out subsidized phone, just offering cheaper plans and selling phones at full price. Good luck with that, T-Mobile.

The N4 is indeed what Phil said it was - classy, primo feeling, with clear, sharp display. A fellow was installing Speedtest.net, hoping to see how fast it was, but the store had some bogus "micro-site" that gave me a whopping 29 asu, and stone age speed. WTF, T-Mobile?

 

[6tr6tr]

Tmobile on contract $200 for N4, $200 for ETF. You walk out of Tmobile with a 16gb N4 right now for only $50 more.

There is also a $35 activation fee but many tmobile assistants will waive that if you ask.

And then you're stuck with a crappy contract for 2 years. The big selling point of the N4 is that you get a powerful phone that can switch carriers for about the price of a locked phone. Why would you go to a locked phone? You might save $100 up front, but over the life of the contract you'll pay $600 or so more.

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Store rep told me they're phasing out subsidized phone, just offering cheaper plans and selling phones at full price. Good luck with that, T-Mobile.

Its better for them, and better for the customer. They offer 0% financing with monthly installments for the phone, and for those who choose to use their phone longer than 18 months or bring their own, their monthly bill is cheaper once the phone is paid off. For T-Mobile, they don't need to subsidize phone anymore.

And then you're stuck with a crappy contract for 2 years. The big selling point of the N4 is that you get a powerful phone that can switch carriers for about the price of a locked phone. Why would you go to a locked phone? You might save $100 up front, but over the life of the contract you'll pay $600 or so more.

Don't think you're understanding the premise of this here... The idea is you cancel the contract and pay the ETF, but you're still coming out ahead of the $499 full price. You can then take the phone and do what you want with it without the contract.

And no, the phone isn't locked. It's 100% unlocked for use on any carrier, even when you buy it from T-Mobile.

 

[fredwardnelson]

My advice is to wait. Color options are a possibility. Just wait it out folks.