TB Acquisition Strategy

[DolfanCole]

$9.99 (which is actually $15 w/fees/taxes) x 24 mos = $360 plus $249 plus sales tax is $623. So I may as well just buy at retail.

I guess someone at VZW knows their math.

Not really since you're not really looking at 24 months. What you're really trying to avoid by adding the new line is the ETF. So, it's really the number of months until your existing line is no longer on contract, at which time you can cancel without penalty. If you signed last May, you're already 10 months into the contract. That means you'd really only be paying $15 x 14 months = $210 plus $249. In essence $150 cheaper than what you stated, if you cancel the existing line as soon as you can.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[PJnc284]

Do not forget that whether you buy the TBolt outright, 1 year, or 2 year deal, you pay tax on the full retail MSRP price of $599; not the discounted price VZW gives you.

I'm getting a TBolt on a 1 year deal for the $319 (+tax) that was announced on Twitter by @VerizonWireless

Depends on what state you're in. CA is one of the few that tax on full retail iirc

 

[French]

I'm adding a new line to my family plan, getting the Tbolt for $319 (+ tax) with a 1-year contract. I'll play with it for a few days to make certain the battery life is at least bearable and when I'm convinced I'll keep it I'll call VZW and have it moved to my primary line and then activate a dumb phone on the new line.

 

[blackberryconvert2011]

Ok, so since you guys are figuring out this kind of stuff, maybe you can help me:
I'm not eligible for an upgrade until September - 2012...so that's out. I was told that I would have to add a line, making my individual plan a family plan for approximately $168 per month (I have and need unlimited everything)....so by my calculation
$168 *24 = $4032 plus phone and taxes (265) = $4297
or $148*24 = $3312 plus phone and taxes (615) = $3927..so the cheapest way to get the phone (if I have no upgrades available) is to buy it retail - right?

 

[Whosurdaddy]

Not really since you're not really looking at 24 months. What you're really trying to avoid by adding the new line is the ETF. So, it's really the number of months until your existing line is no longer on contract, at which time you can cancel without penalty. If you signed last May, you're already 10 months into the contract. That means you'd really only be paying $15 x 14 months = $210 plus $249. In essence $150 cheaper than what you stated, if you cancel the existing line as soon as you can.

Hope that makes sense.

I think I've got your point but I won't want to cancel the current number, just the new one. So I think your point is only relevant if I'm willing to kill off the oldest phone line. Right?

 

[DolfanCole]

I think I've got your point but I won't want to cancel the current number, just the new one. So I think your point is only relevant if I'm willing to kill off the oldest phone line. Right?

Yes. I did something similar, but I ended up keeping my old line and the new line. I put a dumb phone on it and I use it for when my kids need a phone.

Something else you can do is to use Google Voice. If you're unfamiliar, with Google Voice you'll get a Google Voice phone number that you can then use to forward to any number you want. Many people have started to do that so they will always have the same number (their Google Voice number) even if their actual cell number changes, like if they add a new line and then use the new line.

The potential issue with going that route is that any call to/from Google Voice is a non-network call. For instance, Verizon has free mobile-to-mobile calling within network, i.e., to/from others that also have Verizon. But using Google Voice, it's always out of network and would go against whatever calling plan you have. If you have unlimited calling in and out of network, it's not an issue.

 

[Whosurdaddy]

I went with a 1-year contract and paid a discounted $229.99 (corporate discount I guess) and have a 2nd line with a dumb phone that my daughter can use periodically.

 

[DolfanCole]

I went with a 1-year contract and paid a discounted $229.99 (corporate discount I guess) and have a 2nd line with a dumb phone that my daughter can use periodically.

If you haven't done so already, you should be able to switch your phone back to your old account to get your old number back. That's what I did. You'll have to call Verizon or go into the store to do it. And make sure that you have both phones when you do.