How does upgrading your plan through a different vendor work?

[Oxn]

So i have a family plan under verizon from VZW.

Im planning to upgrade one of my phones, not the main phone.

I hear amazon.com have cheaper phones for sale as opposed to upgrading directly from VZW.com

So if i upgrade my phone through Amazon, how does it work? Will i need to start paying my monthly fees to amazon? How does this effect my vzw account?

Also, if i have any problems do i contact amazon?

Outside of buying my upgraded device from amazon, i dont want another vendor to deal with.

 

[srkmagnus]

I've purchased phones through best buy and radio Shack for sprint. It works the same way in that you only deal with the vendor to purchase the phone and upgrade the line. You'll Still be making payments and all future technical problems are dealt through Verizon unless it's something Amazon goofed. Then you may have to work with Amazon to fix the transaction.

 

[rabeunser]

Another good website is Wirefly.com. When you purchase a phone thru a vendor, you provide your mobile phone number, and that company contacts your carrier to make sure that you're eligible for the plan/phone upgrade/etc... Then they ship it to you and usually the instructions for activating the new phone are right in the box. Meanwhile, your carrier has already been notified well in advance of the shipment, so they'll know exactly when to update your phone for billing purposes.

 

[srkmagnus]

Wirefly is another online company with excellent deals on phones. Doing business with the two internet sites is just like doing business with best buy, radio shack, etc.

 

[takeshi]

So if i upgrade my phone through Amazon, how does it work? Will i need to start paying my monthly fees to amazon? How does this effect my vzw account?

Service is still through the carrier. You're just processing the upgrade through the reseller. Always make sure you read and fully understand the reseller's terms and fine print. It's not unusual for them to specify that you can't make any changes or cancel for a specified period without being subject to the reseller's ETF/fees in addition to those imposed by the carrier.

Also, if i have any problems do i contact amazon?

With the sale/upgrade, yes. Service/account issues are still handled by your carrier as service is still handled by your carrier.