get a one year plan so that you are not locked into a obsolete phone. Smartphones are being updated on a rapid scale. If you sign a two year contract you cannot buy another subsidized phone for 20 months. If you sign a one year you can get a new subsidized phone after 10 months. As long as you don't make any major changes to you plan you don't have to pay any more than what you have been paying. I have been on the same plan for at least 6 years with barely any changes. In fact it got cheaper! I was paying 49.99 a month for data now I only have to pay 29.99. I will be upgrading from my OG Droid on the 16th of this month so that I can get in on the the one year contracts at the current unlimited LTE pricing. I have had my Droid since it came out in November of 09 it is very outdated and does not work the way it should. I had been waiting on the Bionic but now I will have to settle for the T-Bolt and pray the Bionic will come out within the return period. Either way I wont be holding on to my new phone for more than a year.
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No more 1 yr contracts!!
- Thread starter redraider1
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- htc thunderbolt
get a one year plan so that you are not locked into a obsolete phone. Smartphones are being updated on a rapid scale. If you sign a two year contract you cannot buy another subsidized phone for 20 months. If you sign a one year you can get a new subsidized phone after 10 months. As long as you don't make any major changes to you plan you don't have to pay any more than what you have been paying. I have been on the same plan for at least 6 years with barely any changes. In fact it got cheaper! I was paying 49.99 a month for data now I only have to pay 29.99. I will be upgrading from my OG Droid on the 16th of this month so that I can get in on the the one year contracts at the current unlimited LTE pricing. I have had my Droid since it came out in November of 09 it is very outdated and does not work the way it should. I had been waiting on the Bionic but now I will have to settle for the T-Bolt and pray the Bionic will come out within the return period. Either way I wont be holding on to my new phone for more than a year.
Most likely grandfathered... I wouldn't put it past VZW to change this policy next.
Oooooh, so the argument is that you can't spend MORE money on a 2 year contract than you can on a 1 year contract - aka buy a new phone every year. I get it.
I plan on keeping the TB for the duration of my contract... and then some. The TB won't be obsolete in 2 years - what more could you add to these phones without making them tablets? Dual-core... seriously, who cares, it's a phone. I'll take dual core in my PC or tablet... not needed in a phone.
If battery is the issue: Do you own a laptop?... when was the last time you were able to use it without keeping it plugged in ALL the time? The more powerful the phones get, the more battery issues you'll be seeing.
Or I could just be talking out my ass
MustangChris04
Member
You have guys have only yourself to blame if you must have the newest phone as soon as it comes out every year. Who cares if its "obsolete"? If it makes calls, sends txts, and checks your email, isn't it doing what its supposed to do, along with all the other extras? This phone won't be obsolete until Verizon stops supporting it, years down the road. 1 Year contracts are a complete waste of money. When it comes down to it, you purchase a phone on 1 year pricing, renew your contract for another 1 year because you are never content and must have a new phone and get a new phone. You also have to change plans to whatever is currently being sold. I could have easily bought these phones online with no contract for around the same pricing as 1 year, and not have a contract, and have the option to change phones whenever I'd like. I Paid $350 for the Tbold, no contract brand new, which was $10 more than 1 year pricing.
If the phone worked now, why wouldn't it work for you in a year from now? If you take care of your car and its in good running condition and takes you from point A to point B, what's the point or getting a new one? Because you want to have something "better" maybe better social status, don't want to feel left behind, or you are never satisfied with what you have. Either way, it's your fault for being like that. Don't blame the carrier and their pricing. If you can't afford changing phones every year, maybe its something you shouldn't be doing. I still use my Blackberry 8830 WE from 2007, over 4 years old and I still love it like day 1. It does exactly the same thing all the new phones do today, talk, text, email.
If the phone worked now, why wouldn't it work for you in a year from now? If you take care of your car and its in good running condition and takes you from point A to point B, what's the point or getting a new one? Because you want to have something "better" maybe better social status, don't want to feel left behind, or you are never satisfied with what you have. Either way, it's your fault for being like that. Don't blame the carrier and their pricing. If you can't afford changing phones every year, maybe its something you shouldn't be doing. I still use my Blackberry 8830 WE from 2007, over 4 years old and I still love it like day 1. It does exactly the same thing all the new phones do today, talk, text, email.
kushineris
Member
What are you talking about. Did you even listen to what i said. First of all, i upgraded from my eris in about ten months. Had my x for about 7-8 months. Yesterday i just received an early upgrade to the thunderbolt for149.99 .
Maybe verizon just likes me, I'm not sure. But ive never had to wait 20 months for an upgrade.
quicksilver
Lurker
What competitors offer a 1 year contract? AT&T doesn't? I don't know about Sprint
droid747
Member
Where did you get your thunderbolt for $350 contract free.
no you didn't. I don't understand why anyone would even attempt to lie about something so idiotic
he didn't and that's a fact. if he did it was just some pricing error and he got lucky that the seller actually shipped it with the mistaken price
mattbirk
Well-Known Member
I agree above...I mean AT&T doesn't even have unlimited data. And there was a TON of speculation that LTE was going to cost more on the bill...and it doesn't. The hardest people for me to get a hold of are Sprint customers I call, I wouldn't want AT&T, their phone selection sucks (unless you like the iPhone), and their network sucks. VZW has a great network, and they just have to follow the footsteps...it's business. Yea, it sucks everything keeps going up, but you don't have much to go to...well except Cricket of course. hah.
CyberPitz
Android Enthusiast
I'm not so sure why this is as big of an issue to where you have to switch..? Is it because you have phone ADD? I had my OG droid for a year and a half, and the only reason I upgraded was because the OG droid was showing it's age (A camera that takes 5 seconds or more to snap a picture than my TB? Insanity!) I have a feeling the TB is going to be adequate for a long time.
I can see people going "Aw man, that sucks!" but the "SCREW THAT I'M SWITCHING" seems extreme...
I can see people going "Aw man, that sucks!" but the "SCREW THAT I'M SWITCHING" seems extreme...
having the newest and coolest gadget is just something many people like to do. I guess it would fall under being a hobby kinda
Verizon has updated their early upgrade policy to no upgrades for 10 months on a one year and 20 on a two year. If you got a early upgrade to the Thunderbolt by signing a new two year good for you. I was just stating Verizon's new policy.
Everyone likes to think that there phone is good enough to be awesome for two or more years, but the reality is manufacturers do not design the hardware to last for two years. Hardware is designed to last for one year. They want to sell devices and creating hardware that will last longer than their warranty period is not profitable.
The thunderbolt will be obsolete just like the OG Droid is. The Droid was the next big thing when it came out and nothing else beat it. Everyone said the same things, "Wow, what else could they put in these things!" The truth is the Thunderbolt has everything that you need to run this current version of Android and the current software, but in a year it wont be able to keep up with the new software and apps that everyone will be using. Your phone will begin to crash and lock up on a daily basis, and you will be right back here trying to learn about a new phone.
Software engineers and developers are constantly being held back by the current generation in hardware. The more power and options your phone has the better the developers can provide state of the are software and graphics. This makes for a better user experience. Don't you want to be able to get the latest game with advanced graphics or be productive without being restricted by your device?
My Macbook Pro has a 7hr battery. Battery tech is advancing on a rapid scale, but most devices are at least a generation behind the latest tech due to price and availability. Technology is also advancing at rapid pace. Many processors and displays use half as much juice as they did just a year ago.
P.S.
Verizon quit supporting the OG Droid one month before they released the Droid 2 that was just 8-9 months after the Droids release date. Many customers were given sub-par phones like the Eris as warranty replacements. Some people got lucky and got the DInc. If Verizon expects us to sign a two year agreement, they are doing so for one reason, to make money!
Everyone likes to think that there phone is good enough to be awesome for two or more years, but the reality is manufacturers do not design the hardware to last for two years. Hardware is designed to last for one year. They want to sell devices and creating hardware that will last longer than their warranty period is not profitable.
The thunderbolt will be obsolete just like the OG Droid is. The Droid was the next big thing when it came out and nothing else beat it. Everyone said the same things, "Wow, what else could they put in these things!" The truth is the Thunderbolt has everything that you need to run this current version of Android and the current software, but in a year it wont be able to keep up with the new software and apps that everyone will be using. Your phone will begin to crash and lock up on a daily basis, and you will be right back here trying to learn about a new phone.
Software engineers and developers are constantly being held back by the current generation in hardware. The more power and options your phone has the better the developers can provide state of the are software and graphics. This makes for a better user experience. Don't you want to be able to get the latest game with advanced graphics or be productive without being restricted by your device?
My Macbook Pro has a 7hr battery. Battery tech is advancing on a rapid scale, but most devices are at least a generation behind the latest tech due to price and availability. Technology is also advancing at rapid pace. Many processors and displays use half as much juice as they did just a year ago.
P.S.
Verizon quit supporting the OG Droid one month before they released the Droid 2 that was just 8-9 months after the Droids release date. Many customers were given sub-par phones like the Eris as warranty replacements. Some people got lucky and got the DInc. If Verizon expects us to sign a two year agreement, they are doing so for one reason, to make money!
mattbirk
Well-Known Member
bluenik is right, but if you want to stay current all the time than you would have to buy a new computer a week. it's just not possible or logical. yea, in a year it will be "outdated" but it will work, unless it's treated like a POS...and if that's the case than don't buy a $200+ phone...
Windows XP is how outdated? But look how many CORPORATE networks still run all computers on XP...it's not cost effective to upgrade whenever the newer comes out.
So outdated in 1 year? Yes. Broken? No. If it ain't broke, don't fix it?
I mean, I love new phones just as much as the next guy...it's like christmas all over again...but c'mon
Windows XP is how outdated? But look how many CORPORATE networks still run all computers on XP...it's not cost effective to upgrade whenever the newer comes out.
So outdated in 1 year? Yes. Broken? No. If it ain't broke, don't fix it?
I mean, I love new phones just as much as the next guy...it's like christmas all over again...but c'mon
I think comparing Smartphones to Computer Operating Systems is like comparing apples to oranges. On one hand you have a device with software that upgrades trough an app store, sometimes automatically. On the other hand IT professionals control the version of the software used on their corporate networks They still have to upgrade the hardware to keep up. Microsoft has started to cancel support for there legacy softwares to force corporate networks to upgrade. I suppose if Android stayed in version 2.0 as long as Microsoft kept XP around we would only need to upgrade due to hardware issues. Microsoft sticking with XP and the Snafu they had with Vista is one of the main reasons Mac is on the rise.
I do admit I like to be on the cutting edge of tech
Isn't that why they're a business in the first place? They'll make the same $$$ whether you're on a 2 year or 1 year plan... the only part of their business affected is their balance sheet.
You won't switch providers, nor will you cancel your current plan for a large fee. You'll take the 2 year plan and be on your way. 2 years from now, no one will be complaining that a 1 year plan is no longer an option.
Buying a new phone every year costs YOU more money and at a higher price... it's doesn't cost Verizon more... or make them more money. The only thing that happens on a 1 year contract, is YOU, the consumer, spend MORE money.
common you don't honestly think that a company would do something just to do it, do you? locking everyone into 2 years instead of 1 year is obviously benefiting them, otherwise they would not do it.
As I said, they're doing it to benefit their balance sheet. They're also cutting costs. This makes them look good on the Street... which raises their stock... which makes them more money.
They may not directly be making more $$$ (they may be nickel and diming, but I don't see it), but they are "winning" on the back end since they're securing 2 year $$$ rather than 1 year $$$ when you sign up. They're also cutting their costs by doing away with the 1 year option... no need to support it.
Its why every company is in business, but every company doesn't try to screw their customers at every turn. They are seeing how far they can push us before we start pushing back. After we push back they will back off a little. The problem is, with a company the size of VZW it takes large numbers of customers jumping ship to push back. Due to the nature of my work, this is something I can't do. There is just no other provider that has a good reception all over the US.
Can you please explain to me how signing a two year contract saves me money? Sure the phones are subsidized by another $70 but you are also locked into a contract well past the warranty and support period for your phone. Like I said earlier I will be upgrading my phone every 10 to 14 months because I can't stand an obsolete phone that doesn't operate properly. So for me signing a one year contract enables me to get another subsidized phone after 10 months not 20. Who knows where i'll be in my life at the end of that 10 months. Maybe i'll sign a two year agreement, but I will probably just start purchasing phones for there full cost and stay on a month to month with unlimited data. It looks to me like spending $100 a month for 10 months is cheaper than spending $100 a month for 20 months.
This is the best argument for a 1 year plan I've heard all day
CyberPitz
Android Enthusiast
You gotta pay to play!
Exactly my point.
Looks the same to me - no matter how you view it, it's still $100 per month. Period. My argument is that getting a new phone every year, whether it's subsidized or not, costs you more money in the end. But Moondrius brings up the point that reselling a 1 year old phone is much easier than a 2 year old phone... and for that, I thank him.
lamoglinsgal
Android Expert
Wow. First no more annual upgrades and now no one-year contracts? Crazy!
I've always done two-year, and since jumping on the smartphone wagon, oh, six years ago or so, I usually sell my device around a year or a little more in and use it towards retail on a new phone. It usually equals about the same as the upgrade price. I know some people like to keep their old devices, but I'm not worried about it.
I have gotten my annuals for the past two years, though, which was nice because the sale of the old device paid fully for the new one.
I've always done two-year, and since jumping on the smartphone wagon, oh, six years ago or so, I usually sell my device around a year or a little more in and use it towards retail on a new phone. It usually equals about the same as the upgrade price. I know some people like to keep their old devices, but I'm not worried about it.
I have gotten my annuals for the past two years, though, which was nice because the sale of the old device paid fully for the new one.
slinky
Well-Known Member
1. The "Grandfathered" guarantee is a fiction. From my understanding, it's a month to month relationship. It's certainly possible that you might get an extra month at the current price and even more possible that they will find a way to get rid of that "policy" if they have to.
2. The big four (three?) have a monopoly. It's remarkable how text message prices went through the roof as the cost of sending 160 characters exploded due to insufficient amounts of text message spaces being harvested in Taiwan. If they go to 2 year contracts, expect the FTC to step in at some point. The result will probably still be mediocre. What is sad is the T-Mo's business model may be gone. And all of these things make me want to have a GSM phone more and more... portable, usable across other carriers...
2. The big four (three?) have a monopoly. It's remarkable how text message prices went through the roof as the cost of sending 160 characters exploded due to insufficient amounts of text message spaces being harvested in Taiwan. If they go to 2 year contracts, expect the FTC to step in at some point. The result will probably still be mediocre. What is sad is the T-Mo's business model may be gone. And all of these things make me want to have a GSM phone more and more... portable, usable across other carriers...
So if you admit it is making them more money, what exactly are you arguing about