Amazon Wireless questions

[wynand32]

I'm thinking of buying a couple of Sprint Epic Touch 4G devices on new family lines via the Amazon penny pincher deal this weekend. However, a few of their policies are a bit confusing, and calling Amazon doesn't seem to clear anything up. I'm hoping that someone here might have some experience in working with them and might be able to shed some light.

1. They say in the FAQs that you can't buy a phone using an upgrade on one line and switch it to another line without an upgrade. Not sure why they care because they still get credit for the contract extension, but whatever. What's confusing is if this applies to NEW lines; in that section, it says nothing about this.

2. Then, there's this in their policies:

AmazonWireless Instant Discount Policy
When you purchase your device with service from AmazonWireless.com, we automatically pass along an instant discount from the carrier to you. This discount has been provided to you based on your agreement to (a) activate a new, or extend an existing, line of service for this device with the carrier, and (b) maintain this service in good standing for a minimum of 181 consecutive days. If you do not activate or extend a line of service in connection with this device, or if your service is canceled/disconnected before 181 consecutive days, AmazonWireless.com will charge you $250 per device, plus applicable taxes.

This policy does not apply to prepaid phones, phones sold without service and Sprint devices.

Strangely enough, it would seem that there is NO such policy for Sprint, period.

Anybody know anything? Has anyone ever bought a phone via Amazon Wireless on a new line and swapped it with a phone on another line?

 

[Yeahha]

From what I understand Amazon requires you to have # you purchased the phone for on the phone for the first 181 days. So if you purchase saying it is for one line and put it on another then you are in breech of your contract with amazon. Anytime you purchase a phone thru a 3rd party vendor that is more deeply discounted than what the carrier will give you then you have to sign a contract with the 3rd party as well.

Sprint also has an ETF if you do not keep you line active for the 2 year term of your contract.

 

[wynand32]

From what I understand Amazon requires you to have # you purchased the phone for on the phone for the first 181 days. So if you purchase saying it is for one line and put it on another then you are in breech of your contract with amazon. Anytime you purchase a phone thru a 3rd party vendor that is more deeply discounted than what the carrier will give you then you have to sign a contract with the 3rd party as well.

Sprint also has an ETF if you do not keep you line active for the 2 year term of your contract.

Thanks for the response! First, note that I'm not trying to get away with anything--I fully intend to honor my commitment to the new lines. Second, here's the thing: the Amazon policies aren't stated very clearly. They do say that _upgraded_ phones must stay on the upgraded line, but they say nothing about phones purchased on _new_ lines. And again, the instant discount policy itself (which would seem to govern here) says only that the new or extended line has to stay in effect for 181 days (it would, regardless of which phone is attached to it) and indeed even states that the policy doesn't apply to Sprint devices. This policy says nothing about the device.

So, I want to remain in keeping with Amazon's policies and I certainly don't want a $250 fee. But, it would seem that the policy isn't very well stated and I'd like to have whatever flexibility I can with the phones. If anyone's gone through this specifically (i.e., swapped a phone on Sprint on a new line) and can shed some light on what Amazon actually did, that would be much appreciated.