What does the $1000 trade in REALLY cost

[Linda McDonald]

I ordered the S22 Ultra today. Trading in my Note 10+. Thinking about canceling order... I had to upgrade my service to qualify for $1000 trade. So I also agreed to keep that plan for 2 years? Can I pay phone off early. Can I downgrade service later? If so, when? Thanks for ANY ideas

 

[Emig5m]

I dunno, I just buy my phones outright and get unlocked phones so I'm free from tyranny lol. I just pop out my sim and put it into the new phone and done.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

None of your questions can get answered without more information. Whether you are locked into the new plan, if the old plan is still available, can you pay the phone off early, etc are all under carrier stipulations that will vary between carriers.

 

[J Dubbs]

I ordered the S22 Ultra today. Trading in my Note 10+. Thinking about canceling order... I had to upgrade my service to qualify for $1000 trade. So I also agreed to keep that plan for 2 years? Can I pay phone off early. Can I downgrade service later? If so, when? Thanks for ANY ideas

There's a YouTube channel called Payette forward, they do very good breakdowns on your exact question. The simple answer is it always costs you more in the end for any of these "carrier deals", that's the whole reason they do them.

 

[swebb]

Just about all of the time, you will end up paying more over the length of the agreement than if you straight out purchased the device. The only way you make out is if: 1) You don't have to add a line or you are switching carriers; 2) You are ok with the required qualifying plan, meaning you don't have to pay significantly more than currently or you will benefit from everything in the qualifying plan; and 3) You are ok with all this for the entire term, at least 24 months but going to 36 (hello Verizon) in some cases.

These promos benefit the carriers because they have you on a premium monthly plan for 24 to 36 months. They rarely will let you prepay to get out early because of that. If you are ok with all the caveats, especially being locked in for 2-3 years on a premium plan, then it may work for you.

 

[swebb]

Also, you can roughly figure out the cost by multiplying the extra money (if any) that you have to pay monthly (include device payments if any) over the length of the term. Then compare that to the net cost of your new phone, the value of the new phone minus what you could sell your own phone for.

You're getting a new phone out of this, so that's an intangible, but knowing the numbers will help your decision.

 

[Linda McDonald]

Thanks everyone. I canceled my order. Not going to be paying $148/mo. for one line of service! Verizon makes me very nervous with their 'deals'.

 

[J Dubbs]

Also, you can roughly figure out the cost by multiplying the extra money (if any) that you have to pay monthly (include device payments if any) over the length of the term. Then compare that to the net cost of your new phone, the value of the new phone minus what you could sell your own phone for.

You're getting a new phone out of this, so that's an intangible, but knowing the numbers will help your decision.

Very nice breakdowns swebb I didn't even need to mention Payette Forward.. we already had Swebbitt Forward

 

[swebb]

Thanks everyone. I canceled my order. Not going to be paying $148/mo. for one line of service! ?????? Verizon makes me very nervous with their 'deals'.

Yikes! That number is obscene. I was thinking it would be somewhere around $100, ~$70 for the plan and $30 for device payments. IMO, Verizon is the worst carrier for "free" phone offers.

 

[Dws51]

Does anyone know of away to sell a phone that I bought on a T-Mobile “get it free” promotion early? I would be glad to stay the 24 months, but I just don’t care for the phone. Would like to sell it on a 3rd party site, like Swappa, and buy a used phone from them. Swappa has a way to see that I still owe money on the phone, so they won’t allow it to be sold on their site. If I pay it off early I lose the promo dollars that T-Mobile pays each month.
Any work arounds that I am not aware of.
Thanks

 

[bkeaver]

Does anyone know of away to sell a phone that I bought on a T-Mobile “get it free” promotion early? I would be glad to stay the 24 months, but I just don’t care for the phone. Would like to sell it on a 3rd party site, like Swappa, and buy a used phone from them. Swappa has a way to see that I still owe money on the phone, so they won’t allow it to be sold on their site. If I pay it off early I lose the promo dollars that T-Mobile pays each month.
Any work arounds that I am not aware of.
Thanks

There technically isn't anything that ties your account to that specific phone. However in most cases they won't unlock it and the person you are selling it to would have to be with the same carrier.

For example, I got a OnePlus 8t from TMobile. Basically free. I got rid of it, although I did manage to get it unlocked by someone on XDA, and next month is the 24th month that TMobile has credited my account because of the 24 month promotion.

Now obviously if you left TMobile early you would owe them the remainder of the balance on the phone .

 

[swebb]

There technically isn't anything that ties your account to that specific phone. However in most cases they won't unlock it and the person you are selling it to would have to be with the same carrier.

For example, I got a OnePlus 8t from TMobile. Basically free. I got rid of it, although I did manage to get it unlocked by someone on XDA, and next month is the 24th month that TMobile has credited my account because of the 24 month promotion.

Now obviously if you left TMobile early you would owe them the remainder of the balance on the phone .

If I'm mistaken, please correct. I'm certain the phone's IMEI number is on your account, thus linked to it. And if there is an outstanding balance on that phone, it won't be unlocked to use on another carrier nor will it be transferred to another customer of that carrier. Like said above, you'd have to get it unlocked by a third party, but would still be liable for any remaining payments or for the length of the promo, even if they're offset by credits. The phone would likely be blacklisted if you defaulted on any money owed.

That's the devil with carrier promos/deals.

 

[bkeaver]

If I'm mistaken, please correct. I'm certain the phone's IMEI number is on your account, thus linked to it. And if there is an outstanding balance on that phone, it won't be unlocked to use on another carrier nor will it be transferred to another customer of that carrier. Like said above, you'd have to get it unlocked by a third party, but would still be liable for any remaining payments or for the length of the promo, even if they're offset by credits. The phone would likely be blacklisted if you defaulted on any money owed.

That's the devil with carrier promos/deals.

This is not true with TMobile in particular. They simply do not care as long as you hold up to the payment terms. Again I have done it. Hell I have even used phones that I had on promotion as a trade in before.

What you are saying may be true if it is Verizon or even At&t.

 

[swebb]

Thanks for the info. Yes, Verizon is usually the worst for this. Have no experience with AT&T. I've heard that TMo's promotions are pretty straightforward. Worst you have to do is payoff the outstanding principal value of the phone.

 

[Ihazterbo]

So this goes along the lines of my question of is it worth it to do the trade in with my carrier. I've attempted twice to get a new to use but refurbished phone and each time it's been a nightmare due to trying to get service. One booted up Verizon and neither AT&T could get it fixed and Verizon said it wasn't locked or blacklisted. Returned it and then bought one that booted up AT&T and even though it recognized the SIM, no service would come up, again AT&T after and hour couldn't do anymore. So 2 different purchases and 2 new SIMs.
In short (too late), what experience does anyone have with a reputable seller?

Sent from my SM-S918U1 using Tapatalk

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

This is not true with TMobile in particular. They simply do not care as long as you hold up to the payment terms. Again I have done it. Hell I have even used phones that I had on promotion as a trade in before.

What you are saying may be true if it is Verizon or even At&t.

I've traded in Verizon phones under promotions with no issue. I pay my bills so I don't know what happens if I don't pay it. I've been told on the forums with Verizon if the phone is on another person's account and I didn't pay for the bill the phone won't be effected.

 

[mustang7757]

There's a YouTube channel called Payette forward, they do very good breakdowns on your exact question. The simple answer is it always costs you more in the end for any of these "carrier deals", that's the whole reason they do them.

Very true