Primary Line Early Upgrade

[JohnKuczek]

I have a 2 year contract on a BB8830 that was started in March of 2009.

The BB8830 is the primary line on the account.

I have been told by VZW corporate store people that after 1 year, with some additional requirements, I am eligable for a new phone.

Where can I get the new phone? The people at the VZW store say only they or the VZW store can do this. Amazon's website seems to be able to, but there is no help or chat that I can find to verify with them. Same with Best Buy's webpage, but there have been several posts here that they can do almost anything that VZW can.

My reason is $$$. I want a Droid (or Inc, if it releases soon), and Best Buy does not have the MIB, and is cheaper...

 

[TheSultan]

In my experience...BestBuy, Amazon..anyone other than Verizon can give you an upgrade once your date is correct in the computer (to receive an upgrade--usually 1 1/2 years). If Verizon offers you an early-early upgrade (1 year) they are the only ones who can do that for you. Note however, that you will be foregoing your $50/100 credit for your upgrade, they won't give that do you at 1 year---AND, I'm pretty sure, you will have to pay a "new account" activation fee, something like $25 or $35 dollars. You do however get the phone at the 2 year upgrade price.

 

[CheezWiz]

The verizon website will do it. I just looked at my account and it will let me do a 1 year upgrade on my 2 year plan..

 

[JohnKuczek]

I know that any retailer can do a NE2, and I know that VZW stores and website can do NE2 and early upgrade. I am trying to see if any retailers can do the early upgrade.

 

[CheezWiz]

From VZW web site:
"You can get a new phone every year with Annual Upgrade. Sign up for a 2-year agreement on a calling plan of at least $49.99 and you can purchase a new phone at its promotional price through My Verizon every year with a 2-year renewal (upgrade fee may apply)."

This tells me that the Annual Upgrade is only available through the VZW web site..

 

[vzwuser76]

I spent the last month talking with Verizon and retailers like Wirefly about this as my NE2 is nearing. The Verizon CSR I talked to said the only way to cash in on NE2 was thru verizon telesales, verizon online, or in the corporate store. But with verizon telesales and corporate stores the discount you get (separate from NE2 and shown under the 2 year contract pricing on Verizon online) is a mail-in rebate instead of the instant one on verizon online.

As far as annual upgrades, either of the three verizon outlets mentioned above can do them, but you don't get to use any of the NE2.

Three of the online retailers I talked to said the only upgrade they can do is the 2 year, but they don't honor NE2. The reason I looked at them was there pricing was cheaper than mine would be through Verizon WITH the NE2. But, you also must keep your phone on that account for 6 months or you will face an ETF (around full retail price for the phone). They get the money to offer subsidized pricing from verizon but only if the person does not change their plan/phone in any way during that 6 month period. The online retailer would be the one issuing the ETF because they are the one subsidizing the phone. When you go through Verizon they do not have these guidelines.

As far as what TheSultan said about account activation fees, the Verizon rep I talked to said they changed their policies on this. They used to do that to cover the cost of people bringing their phones back during the first 30 days. Now what they do is lose the activation fee and charge a $35 restocking fee if there is no defect with the returned phone during that period. They said they changed it so people who weren't returning their phone for trivial reasons (color being the worst offender) were not paying for the people who did.

Hope this helps.