If you’re one of the Verizon customers who is considering an upgrade to iPhone 4 then you should read the fine prints first. You might know by now about Verizon’s $200 upgrade deal where you can get a 16GB iPhone or $300 for the 32GB version. The retail price for these is $650 and $750, respectively.
What Verizon failed to mention is that this upgrade plan doesn’t apply to everyone. Short-term subscribers are disqualified for it. You’ll have to pay the full retail price of $650 for the 16GB iPhone 4. Plus short-termed subscribers aren’t eligible for the $100 phasing out discount every 20 months.
If you’re a short-term Verizon subscriber, don’t fret. There’s a cheap way of acquiring a Verizon iPhone 4. You could terminate your existing Verizon contract. You’ll have to pay the termination fee of $175. Then you could sign up again and get the 16GB iPhone 4 for just $200. That’s cheaper than the full retail price. You just need to pay the $35 for one-time new contract activation fee.
If you want to retain your old Verizon number, you can port it to Google Voice for just $20. It is possible to port from Google Voice to Verizon again. Or you can just forward calls from the Google Voice to your new Verizon number.
The bad news is that you can’t get a new Verizon account until February 9. That’s a price to pay if you want to get an iPhone 4 for less than the retail price.
If you terminate your service with Verizon, you must wait 60 days before you can sign up again.
Could you please elaborate on what a short term subscriber is? One year, two years, something else? Also, is there a hurry to do this before the 9th or can we do it later? We have a family of 4 now, I think 3 are on one-year and are eligible for upgrades later in February. The 4th is on a 2 year and isn’t due until December. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
GC
But if you’ve already signed up with verizon and have a smart phone you’ll have to pay $325 termination fee. So it’ll be cheaper still but only by $100. Suggestions? Sell your phone to help go easy on your pockets. If you just have to have the iPhone 4. I’m AT&T by the way. But just wanted to help out. Correct me if I’m wrong though
Sounds like verizon is trying to cheat users knowing a lot of people will be upgrading to the iPhone 4. They are standing to cash on the unfortunately bad service of AT&T.
Etf is 350 with a smartphone 175 with a regular phone
So much drama for an iphone? It’s android from this point people! And vetizon, you’re a price gouger, really! Lower your rates….your service truly is not the best, which also sends another negative since they are the elders in the telecommunication industry. You should be the best. Now go farm another department out to Thailand so we cant understand when we need to call because they are scripted and have no knowledge of what they are saying. And dont forget to rape with a price increase in a hidden way
you cancel your contract, then have your signifigant other sign up for a new one.
Yes, I also don’t know what a short-term subscriber is, please elaborate.
On another note, If you cancel a current contract, you will have to pay back any (possibly pro-rated) discount you received on your current phone. This is not a wise decision.
You could also drop Verizon, and get a refurb Iphone from AT&T for $20-$100 depending on the storage. However, people that buy Apple aren’t wise with their money in the first place, so they’ll spend whatever Verizon is charging for something that came out several years ago.
…Or you could wait until June, when the newest iPhone is going to come out and make all the effort and money spent in Feb completely worthless (since June is only 3 months away – you’re probably also going to get closer to that nice new every 2 (18 months to be honest) offer VZ has…)
It’s “nice” that VZ is offering the iPhone 4 now and it’s really ONLY worth while if your phone is up for renewal or if you’re a new customer – but even IF your phone was going to be up soon I would hold off 90 days ain’t that long to wait folks, Apple releases this stuff like clockwork so it’s easy to figure them out, even if you DO cancel and are required to wait 60 days that’s fine too, because you then can sign up, and wait 30 days to return it for a new phone (iPhone 5).
Honestly the reason AT&T made the contract expire the way they did was to ensure that this would happen: Switching has the massive disadvantage of the iPhone 4 becoming completely obsolete in a mere 90days after it can go to another network.
Seriously, don’t bother, wait until the iPhone 5 comes out in June, and you’ll be fine.
I have had Verizon for a long time now, 8 years or so. Verizon has great service but their prices are climbing, the good deals are slipping away, and the early upgrade program is gone. Verizon Wireless is becoming a nasty, predatory company. Looks like if you want bars you gotta pay these days!!
P.S. For all of you cashing in the change jar to get the iPhone 4 I suggest you wait as a 4G version is not very far away. With Apple’s release rates and Verizon’s huge campaign for it’s 4G LTE, I would say that day is worth the wait for. This is only my common sense influenced opinion.
You can’t do this. If you cancel your account, and then within the next 30 days come back to sign up…they do what is called a reconnect (essentially just reactivating your old cancelled account…same number and all). Get your facts straight before trying to tell people how to “cheat” the system.