jlbryer
Newbie

In regards to ETFs.  My contract is up in November 2012.  I originally had a Droid 2, but broke it in January (yes - I dropped it in water and no I didn't have insurance).  I was lucky enough to still have my old "dumb" phone, so I down graded my service plan and was using it fine until yesterday when it started turning off & on every 30-45 seconds - making it impossible to send-receive texts, make calls - anything except check the time.

Here are my questions - I believe it will be cheaper to cancel my current contract and restart it - buying a new phone.  I don't want to buy a new phone out-right as I would have to pay retail (outrageous).

1) Is my ETF based on my smartphone or my dumb phone?

2) If I can do this (which I'm not even sure that I can), would I keep my number?

Any suggestions on this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

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Re: ETF?
rcschnoor
Legend

1)Your ETF is based on the phone you purchased when you signed your last 2yr contract, so if it was your Droid 2, then it will be $350 less $10 for each month of your 2yr contract you have completed.

2)Can do what? Leave Verizon? If you go to another carrier and have them port your number, it will effectively cancel your Verizon contract and you will be charged an ETF. You will, however, have your current number on the new carrier. If this is not what you mean, then you will have to elaborate.

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Re: ETF?
jlbryer
Newbie

For #2 - Ive got no beef with Verizon - their coverage is actually better where I am than most other providers, so I would like to stay with them.  My real question is, can I cancel & restart my contract with them (on order to take advantage of the new phone prices) and keep my number.

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Re: ETF?
rcschnoor
Legend

In this case, no. If you cancel your contract with Verizon, you just cancel with Verizon. If you sign back up within, I believe, 60 days they just reinstate your old contract and refund your ETF.

You have a couple of ways to get a new phone with Verizon if you are not eligible for an upgrade:

1) Pay full retail.

2) Add a line to an existing Family Plan(or add a line to your line and create a new Family Plan if you are currently on an Individual Plan) and then move the new phone to your current line. Activate your old "dumb" phone on your new line and pay $9.99 + taxes & fees for the length of your 2yr contract and then cancel "this" line.

3) Purchase a smartphone from eBay, Craigslist, etc...

For #2, though, if you are currently on an Individual Plan, your actual increase in monthly cost will be MORE than $9.99 + taxes & fees since base prices on Family Plans are greater than the base prices on Individual Plans.

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Re: ETF?
Equizotical
Enthusiast - Level 2

You say your contract runs out in November... have you done an Upgrade Check to see if you have an upgrade available?

Your upgrade is available 18 months after you sign the contract, 6 months earlier than your contract runs out.

If you don't have an upgrade available and are on an individual plan, your best bet it going to be to go on sites like cowboom, ebay, amazon, and find a used or refurbished phone for cheap.

If you want to cancel and go to another carrier, your ETF should be about $90, you can call Verizon and get an exact number.

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Re: ETF?
rcschnoor
Legend

Equizotical wrote:

Your upgrade is available 18 months after you sign the contract, 6 months earlier than your contract runs out.

If you want to cancel and go to another carrier, your ETF should be about $90, you can call Verizon and get an exact number.

Actually, it is 20 months into a 2yr contract for upgrades.

As to the ETF, for smartphones it is $350 less $10 for each month you have completed on your contract, so if your contract is up in Nov 2012, your ETF would be $350 - ($10 * 15 months completed) = $200. Being, March 2 right now, I assumed that your contract is up AFTER November 2, otherwise you would have completed 16 months and your ETF would be $190.

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Re: ETF?
Equizotical
Enthusiast - Level 2

It is 18 months for the primary line on the account.

I was mistaken about the ETF though, my numbers got mixed up.

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Re: ETF?
rcschnoor
Legend

On MY account, at least, ALL lines are eligible for a discounted upgrade after having completing 20 months of a 2yr contract. There is no 18 month upgrade date for the Primary line on my account.

Verizon used to offer a discounted upgrade after 12 months of a 2yr contract for Primary lines on a Family Plan or Individual line above a certain price point, but this has not been available on contracts signed after Jan 15, 2011. So technically, IF the OP IS on an eligible price plan, he would fall into "this" 12 month upgrade 1 last time since he would have signed his last contract in Nov, 2010.

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Re: ETF?
Equizotical
Enthusiast - Level 2

That's your account.

I've worked in cell phone sales for 2 years and have seen upgrades as soon as 18 months.

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Re: ETF?
bigtitan
Contributor - Level 2

The primary on my account was indeed eligible at 18 months.

My suggestion would be to buy a used phone (after verifying the ESN) and ride out your contract.  Decent Droid's can be found online as well as an abundance of "dumb" phones for a good price if you look hard enough.  If you do go that route, deal locally as much as possible.

Good Luck....

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