Need some upgrading advice

[dpham00]

Yes, after 24 months of payment of 29 per month, the device would be paid for in full and the device is yours to keep.

After paying off half of the device, you can surrender the phone and walk away from the Edge contract or Edge Up to a new device. Paying for half the phone would equate to $300 which is what you would pay initially to start a new 2 year contract.

Can you provide a link where it states that you can return phone after paying half? I looked on Verizon's website but I probably missed it

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[DayThyme]

http://forums.androidcentral.com/sa...zon-note-3-90-contract-store-pickup-ymmv.html

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

Is the VERIZON30 code still active?

 

[dpham00]

Is the VERIZON30 code still active?

I don't believe so

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[DayThyme]

I don't believe so

Some sites are saying it expires on 12/31/13, but I don't have an upgrade available to check. It could have been one of those deals where it was limited to a certain number of redemptions and would expire on 12/31/13 or earlier if the limit on the number of times the code was redeemed was reached sooner.

 

[DayThyme]

Can you provide a link where it states that you can return phone after paying half? I looked on Verizon's website but I probably missed it

Verizon Edge FAQs | Verizon Wireless

What is the Edge Up option under Verizon Edge?

The Edge Up option allows you to turn in your existing Edge phone and upgrade to a new one without an upgrade fee. You must meet the other Edge Up eligibility requirements in the Verizon Edge Agreement to use this option.

Back to top
What are the eligibility requirements to Edge Up with Verizon Edge?

To be eligible to Edge Up, you must:


Have had your Edge phone for at least six months
Have paid at least 50% of the Edge phone
Return the Edge phone in good working condition with no significant damage, as determined by Verizon Wireless
Back to top
What types of replacement phones will be accepted when I seek to Edge Up?

When you Edge Up to a new Edge device, you must provide to Verizon Wireless one of the following in good working condition and without significant damage, as determined by Verizon Wireless:


The original phone purchased under your Verizon Edge Agreement
An authorized replacement from a valid Verizon Wireless channel (e.g., Certified Like-New Replacement, AppleCare? or a Verizon Wireless authorized insurance replacement phone)

 

[dpham00]

Hmm, I guess I read it differently, my understanding is after 6 months and 50%, you can edge up ("Upgrade" ) to a new device on the edge program. It doesn't say, at least to my understanding, that you can turn in your phone after a year and terminate the edge program with just 50% payoff

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[DayThyme]

It doesn't say, at least to my understanding, that you can turn in your phone after a year and terminate the edge program with just 50% payoff.

I think you have to pay off the balance in full.

 

[tech_fan]

Hmm, I guess I read it differently, my understanding is after 6 months and 50%, you can edge up ("Upgrade" ) to a new device on the edge program. It doesn't say, at least to my understanding, that you can turn in your phone after a year and terminate the edge program with just 50% payoff

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

On 2 occasions, both when I was at the store and when I called 611, they both confirmed that as long as 50% of the phone is paid off and surrender the phone, you can either upgrade again or walk away from the Edge and go your separate ways.

 

[tech_fan]

Let's do the math.

Bought a GNote3 for $200 + tax = $212 + $30 upgrade fee = $242. Use it for a year, and at current market prices net $300 when resell it (that is what a GNote2 in excellent condition will net right now so my assumption is that a year from now that is what a GNote3 will net).

So $300 - $242 = $58 profit on the transaction.

Buy a new GNote4 the next year for $700 + tax = $742. Cost of the GNote4 is $742 - $58 profit on the sale of the GNote3 = $684.

Thus, to get a new GNote3 and a new GNote4 would cost you $684. However, you still have the GNote4 to sell and assuming current market prices, you should be able to net $300 on that sale (assuming you keep it in excellent shape; obviously it would be less if you don't). So $684 - $300 = $384.

Over 24 months, that works out to be $384/24 = $16/mo, which is about half what the Edge program charges when you figure in the tax. So in the current market environment, you would be better off by half to stick with subsidized phones and still get a new phone each year. Of course, I am assuming you keep your phone in excellent condition and that the resale value a year from now for a 1 year old Note is the same as it currently is.

So the Edge program is nice if you wouldn't sell your phone on your own, or don't want to try to keep your phone in excellent condition, but you pay for that convenience, which is how things always work. Only time will tell if these programs knock down the resale value of these phones.

BTW - what happens if you ding up your phone on the Edge program? Can you pay off 50% of the value and still upgrade if you are giving them back a damaged phone? What about one that works but is cosmetically damaged?

So, I got a chance to do some analysis on my own because now I am worried that I am getting screwed and the example, I list below confirms what the guy was telling me at the Verizon store.

Assume you go with the Edge plan..

To upgrade after paying half of the Note 3 off, you would pay a total of 407.11. This is approximately half the cost of the phone (699.99) and 8.25% tax. After those 12 months are up, I then upgrade and pay off half of the new phone. That would be another 407.11. This would run me 814.22 for the 2 years.

Now, assume that you do not go with the Edge plan and you buy the product through a Verizon store:

Out the door, it will cost you 299.99 plus tax and activation which would run you 392.66. The next year, I want to upgrade which to be honest with myself is what I normally do, I then add another line to my family share account. That would run me $10 per month for 24 months. Now I have an additional line under contract. That would be $240. At that time, I choose another phone and pay the 299.99 plus tax and activation which would run me another 392.66. Now the total for that option for the course of 2 years would run me 1025.32.

While renewing my contract would cost me more after 2 years, it does not factor in selling the phone on Craigslist, Ebay or other which is normally what I do every year. So, if I assume the phones will be worth around $150 each through Gazelle or other, then the actual cost on renewing my line after 2 years would be 725.32. That is approximately a $90 savings over the course of 2 years. For me, this is not worth the hassle and the risk of opening up another 2 year contract with a carrier in case, there service slides downhill or I move to another area where the service gets horrible.

To answer your question about phone condition when you turn it in. The phone has to be in resellable condition. I always gets insurance. I did not for a period of time and got massively screwed. I was thrown into a pool once with my phone in my pocket and did not have insurance so, i had to pay full retail. Then I got insurance right after that and was thrown in the pool again. I also was cleaning my pool once and it was real windy and it blew me into the pool after I lost my balance. Another time, my power button broke on my iPhone. Because I had insurance I saved myself one large repair bill.

Now in overall cost savings. If you do not upgrade and stay with the same phone for the full 2 years, you will save money in the long term. Heck, I struggle to keep a car for more than 3 years. I get tired of a phone after a year. Also, if you have unlimited data you are on the old plan so, the upgrade to the new price plans might not make sense. But for me, the Edge program works.

 

[tech_fan]

Hmm, I guess I read it differently, my understanding is after 6 months and 50%, you can edge up ("Upgrade" ) to a new device on the edge program. It doesn't say, at least to my understanding, that you can turn in your phone after a year and terminate the edge program with just 50% payoff

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

This is all great information by the way and makes me check and recheck my information to make sure that all is correct. The last thing i want to do, is to decide at the end of paying half of the phone that I was not told the correct information. Some of it still makes me question what it really states. As it was explained to me both in store and by calling 611, they told me that as long as I pay off half the phone and surrender it. I can walk away from the Edge program and do a 2 year contract. The point is though, that I have to return the old phone. If I want to keep it, then I pay it off in full. I hope that this is correct. I will not be a happy Verizon customer if I was not informed correctly. So, here is the language taken directly from my contract.



Subject to the terms in Section 2 above, if you pay us 50% of the total amount due under this Agreement, and provided you have a good payment history and no outstanding balances on your accounts, following the initial six months after your acceptance of this Agreement you can exercise an option to trade in your Device (or an Authorized Replacement, as defined below) for a new device (your Edge Up option). To qualify, you must both: (1) purchase a new device under a new installment agreement or in conjunction with a new two-year Customer Agreement with us; and (2) return your Device to us in good working condition and without significant damage as determined by us (for example, no cracked screen, no water damage, and the device must be fully operational). If you do not return your Device within 14 days of the receipt of your new device, or if you return a Device with significant damage or deemed not to be in good working condition, you will be responsible for paying in full the entire remaining balance owed for your Device on the date stated on your bill. If you elect to ship your Device to us while exercising this Verizon Edge Up option, you must follow the directions we provide so we can confirm that your returned Device is in good working condition. Authorized Replacement means a Certified Like-New Replacement device provided by Verizon Wireless, a replacement device covered under an insurance program, or an Apple Care replacement device.

 

[DayThyme]

Now, assume that you do not go with the Edge plan and you buy the product through a Verizon store:

Out the door, it will cost you 299.99 plus tax and activation which would run you 392.66.

Depends on what specials Verizon is offering at the time. In the fall there was the VERIZON30 code and then over black friday weekend, they dropped the price to $200. I get it that you have to be vigilant to get these deals and that is the true appeal of the Edge program - you don't have to pay attention to deals and don't have to hassle with selling a used phone.

 

[tech_fan]

Yeah but at the same time I want to be educated and make sure that my facts I got from them were correct and what I understood wss correct too. On a couple occasions they were suposed to put me on a global data plan they didnt and then when I got the bill it wasn't correct one time it was real bad when I went to india for 3 weeks and when I got the data bill back it was well over 7000. That was a nightmare to fix

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

 

[dpham00]

On 2 occasions, both when I was at the store and when I called 611, they both confirmed that as long as 50% of the phone is paid off and surrender the phone, you can either upgrade again or walk away from the Edge and go your separate ways.

I have been told inaccurate information by multiple csr. I even had a csr insist that the activation fee is not refundable even within 3 days. I had to argue that point even though it is explicitly stated in their terms AND on the receipt. And even after stating as such the csr tried to argue in clear violation of Verizon's written policy.

I also had a csr insist that I could not upgrade even though I was out of contract (my original contract was messed up to begin with and my upgrade date was not correctly set at one year, when Verizon had them). Even looking through my account, he agreed with me that I should be able to upgrade but that there was nothing he could do.

Another time I bought basic phones online and the paperwork stated no data plan. When I got the phone and activated, it insisted on a data plan. The csr was very adamant that I had no choice but to get a data plan, that it was impossible to do so. I had to ask to speak to his supervisor and magically, the impossible hsppened.

What they did to me in all cases are wrong and luckily with some persistence, I was able to get them to rectify the issue. I asked not one but two csr separately to verify that what I bought was a one year contract. When I tried to activate the phone once I got the phone , it indicated a two year contract.


Of course I have been told numerous other inaccurate information as well. My advice to you is to document fully who gave you the information, because my reading of the text is pretty clear and doesn't support what the csr is saying.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[moosc]

Only way to go to keep unlimited. Device payment plan. https://insidersguide.vzw.com/network-and-plans/device-payment-plan/

Sent from Bad Azz VZW LG G2 Cyan Tapatalk

 

[DayThyme]

Only way to go to keep unlimited. Device payment plan. https://insidersguide.vzw.com/network-and-plans/device-payment-plan/

If you are on a family share plan and have at least one line without unlimited data on it, you can transfer your unlimited data line's upgrade to that line, upgrade on the non-unlimited data line, activate the new phone on the non-unlimited data line and then switch the new phone to your unlimited data line and keep your unlimited data. There is a thread about this on the Verizon forum of this web site.

I added a line to my family share plan to be able to do this and then I get an iPhone with that line's upgrade and sell it to recoup the cost of the added line.

 

[tech_fan]

I have been told inaccurate information by multiple csr. I even had a csr insist that the activation fee is not refundable even within 3 days. I had to argue that point even though it is explicitly stated in their terms AND on the receipt. And even after stating as such the csr tried to argue in clear violation of Verizon's written policy.

I also had a csr insist that I could not upgrade even though I was out of contract (my original contract was messed up to begin with and my upgrade date was not correctly set at one year, when Verizon had them). Even looking through my account, he agreed with me that I should be able to upgrade but that there was nothing he could do.

Another time I bought basic phones online and the paperwork stated no data plan. When I got the phone and activated, it insisted on a data plan. The csr was very adamant that I had no choice but to get a data plan, that it was impossible to do so. I had to ask to speak to his supervisor and magically, the impossible hsppened.

What they did to me in all cases are wrong and luckily with some persistence, I was able to get them to rectify the issue. I asked not one but two csr separately to verify that what I bought was a one year contract. When I tried to activate the phone once I got the phone , it indicated a two year contract.


Of course I have been told numerous other inaccurate information as well. My advice to you is to document fully who gave you the information, because my reading of the text is pretty clear and doesn't support what the csr is saying.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

At first I did not understand the Edge so, when I called I must have gotten multiple conflicting statements. I finally get it now but its left me to wonder about what happens when you pay half the phone off.

 

[dpham00]

At first I did not understand the Edge so, when I called I must have gotten multiple conflicting statements. I finally get it now but its left me to wonder about what happens when you pay half the phone off.

I certainly wish you luck. From my experience, I personally wouldn't try it, but if you document it properly then they should honor it. Question is how much hassle it would be.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

 

[Simon_y7]

Anybody has been successful in getting the upgrade and activation feels waved by extra begging and pleading?

 

[DayThyme]

Anybody has been successful in getting the upgrade and activation feels waved by extra begging and pleading?

Those are no longer waivable by reps. I don't think even retention can do it. They used to be but not any more.

 

[Simon_y7]

Am I mistaken to think that Best Buy's or Comcast's (or both) deals mentioned something about waving an activation fee?