Hi all, I'm fairly new here, and I have some questions I'd like to get clarified before the release of the HTC Incredible and Nexus One. Currently, I am on contract with my BB Storm1, which has to go one way or another. My 2 year contract start date is in late June of '09, so from what I understand I will be eligible for an upgrade this June at 2 year pricing + $20, which will reset my 2 year contract and NE2. My problem is that I am impatient and don't want to wait that long, I'd rather get the Inc or N1 as soon as they come out. I understand that I can pay full retail for either, and I assume they will be similarly priced at the $500-600 price range. I am ok with this, but I would also like to save a buck, which is where my questions come in.
If I could eat the ETF for the Storm, and then start a new contract for the Inc, it would be around ~$325[ETF(~$125)+Subsidized Inc(~$200)=~$325], which would save me quite a bit of money, but renew my contract as well as set my ETF to the new standard for smartphones. However, I've been hearing that this isn't possible due to the early termination actually terminating your telephone number. Also, if you were to restart Verizon would just put you back on your old contract. Obviously I'd like to keep my current number, and I want a new contract for the subsidized pricing. Is there anything keeping me from porting my number to Sprint and trying out the Hero for a month, and then trying to port back later? It seems like this would at least preserve my phone number, but would it allow me to start a new contract?
Also, I don't really understand why VZW doesn't just let you pay the ETF to terminate your contract then continue off contract, not that anybody would actually want to since monthly pricing is the same.
(Just a note, Sprint and AT&T are viable alternatives for me, and it seems like Sprint is even willing to pay you to port over, partially covering the ETF. I would prefer to stay with VZW because of their coverage, but in the interest of saving a buck its entirely possible I could pick Sprint ultimately with the Evo even though WiMax isn't currently available where I am. AT&T currently has the N1, which I am tired of waiting for now, but again VZW has the better network)
If I could eat the ETF for the Storm, and then start a new contract for the Inc, it would be around ~$325[ETF(~$125)+Subsidized Inc(~$200)=~$325], which would save me quite a bit of money, but renew my contract as well as set my ETF to the new standard for smartphones. However, I've been hearing that this isn't possible due to the early termination actually terminating your telephone number. Also, if you were to restart Verizon would just put you back on your old contract. Obviously I'd like to keep my current number, and I want a new contract for the subsidized pricing. Is there anything keeping me from porting my number to Sprint and trying out the Hero for a month, and then trying to port back later? It seems like this would at least preserve my phone number, but would it allow me to start a new contract?
Also, I don't really understand why VZW doesn't just let you pay the ETF to terminate your contract then continue off contract, not that anybody would actually want to since monthly pricing is the same.
(Just a note, Sprint and AT&T are viable alternatives for me, and it seems like Sprint is even willing to pay you to port over, partially covering the ETF. I would prefer to stay with VZW because of their coverage, but in the interest of saving a buck its entirely possible I could pick Sprint ultimately with the Evo even though WiMax isn't currently available where I am. AT&T currently has the N1, which I am tired of waiting for now, but again VZW has the better network)
