Adding a line and then terminating it?

[robg2008]

so i preordered the phone at BB and since i do not have an upgrade due to buying a hero in december i think what i am going to do is open a second line on june 4th to get the phone for 199.99 and then close it and pay the 200 ETF. i wouldnt have to pay any deposit to get a new line. i already talked to sprint they said i could do this even though they dont recommend it. total it will cost me 400 bucks, cheaper than the full price and i get a phone june 4th which is all that matters to me after researching this phone for months.

i know its a crazy idea but it works for me.
anybody else adding a line just to get the EVO??

 

[MsRandall]

Im doing this but I am not terminating it. My co worker wants my tour so I am going to do TOL to her account.

 

[robg2008]

Im doing this but I am not terminating it. My co worker wants my tour so I am going to do TOL to her account.

yea if i had a reason to have a second line or anything i would keep it.
but i figure i should be able to get like 150 for my hero on ebay. so basically the phone will only cost me like 250

 

[looneylu]

so i preordered the phone at BB and since i do not have an upgrade due to buying a hero in december i think what i am going to do is open a second line on june 4th to get the phone for 199.99 and then close it and pay the 200 ETF. i wouldnt have to pay any deposit to get a new line. i already talked to sprint they said i could do this even though they dont recommend it. total it will cost me 400 bucks, cheaper than the full price and i get a phone june 4th which is all that matters to me after researching this phone for months.

i know its a crazy idea but it works for me.
anybody else adding a line just to get the EVO??

clever... hadn't thought of that... but sounds like what I am going to do... i was going to pay full price.. but this will save me like $50

 

[ashtx07]

If you terminate the line don't you have to return the device too?

 

[robg2008]

If you terminate the line don't you have to return the device too?

only if you are trying to use the 30 day return.
if you pay the termination fee the phone is yours

 

[80s_kid]

If you terminate the line don't you have to return the device too?

nope, i got my dads phone that way from radio shack. no ETF. thats how im getting my EVO. but i have the gift of gab, i can talk my way outta it lol.

 

[robg2008]

nope, i got my dads phone that way from radio shack. no ETF. thats how im getting my EVO. but i have the gift of gab, i can talk my way outta it lol.

do tell?

 

[80s_kid]

do tell?

well, sometimes it takes going through a few loopholes for me but it works. i just basically tell them how long ive been a customer(7+years), i would a shame for me and my other lines(4 in total) to leave, yada yada yada. but this doesnt work for everyone. but its all about being convincing. ive never paid an ETF, never. but like i said, thats me.

*results may vary lol*

 

[ashtx07]

Hmmm .... thanks guys for the idea

 

[chrisoverly]

this is why Verizon changed their ETF's so you guys shouldn't do this.

 

[80s_kid]

this is why Verizon changed their ETF's so you guys shouldn't do this.

killjoy lol. but the way i see it is, im really not hurting anyone and im staying with sprint anyways.. so why not be happy lol.

 

[gener]

Wow.. that's a great idea. Thanks OP. I'm only 3 months into my contract so I have to buy the phone outright at full price. I'm going to attempt to get BB to price match sprint ($450). If they don't I'll do the add a line/cancel so that the price comes out the same. Silly to pay $699 at best buy.

 

[22engine]

it will work. however i do agree this is why verizon changed there fees to 350 because of people doing that. The reason u get the phone for 199 is because they put you in a two year contract and will make there money back. what ever the retail on the phone is, is about what sprint pays for the phone. they give it cheaper and in turn they get u in a contract. they lose money on the phone itself and then make it back on service. it will work though just letting everyone know. when a ton of people do this they change there cancellation policy like verizon did

 

[IOWA]

I'm pretty sure there is a cooldown period for the phone in question regarding activation.

 

[Deleted User]

I'm pretty sure there is a cooldown period for the phone in question regarding activation.

I can see a way around this if that is the case knowing how things work, but I'm not going to divulge as something like this could be abused and cause cancellation fees to go up. Myself, don't need to worry about doing all this anyway, have 3 lines due for upgrades

 

[IOWA]

I can see a way around this if that is the case knowing how things work, but I'm not going to divulge as something like this could be abused and cause cancellation fees to go up. Myself, don't need to worry about doing all this anyway, have 3 lines due for upgrades

I won't be upgrading on release date anyway. lol. It's gonna be a couple months for me.

 

[kevinrs]

Careful with this, the retailers actually are hurt by this, as they give you a device that costs them most of the unactivated price, for a major discount, dependent on the commission paid by sprint. If you deactivate within 3-4 months sprint pays the retailer nothing, even if you pay the ETF.

This is why some retailers have you sign an electronic form, that mentions the activation fees, return policy, ETF, AND a ~$200 charge charged by the RETAILER for cancellation within the 3 or 4 month period. Not sure how the retailers collect, but on a phone the price of the EVO, they might go ahead and send that bill for an additional $200 to collections.

 

[dirkbonn]

this is why Verizon changed their ETF's so you guys shouldn't do this.

You are correct, but the main reason Verizon upped their ETF to $350 was because people were buying smartphones when Verizon had the special "Buy One Get One Free" promotions. After the 30 day trial period, they would cancel the 2nd line and pay the ETF of $150, then sell the 2nd phone on eBay or Craigslist for $450 or whatever they could get and pocket the difference. They would do this numerous times and VZW finally said enough! Of course now with the ETF at $350, it's a killer fee when a ligitimate reason comes along and someone needs an early out.

It may be a legal loophole but it's not ethical. You may wonder why Sprint has trouble making a profit. Then when Sprint ups their ETF to $350, who do you think will be the first people in these forums squeelin' like stuck pigs?

 

[StDevious]

You are correct, but the main reason Verizon upped their ETF to $350 was because people were buying smartphones when Verizon had the special "Buy One Get One Free" promotions. After the 30 day trial period, they would cancel the 2nd line and pay the ETF of $150, then sell the 2nd phone on eBay or Craigslist for $450 or whatever they could get and pocket the difference. They would do this numerous times and VZW finally said enough! Of course now with the ETF at $350, it's a killer fee when a ligitimate reason comes along and someone needs an early out.

It may be a legal loophole but it's not ethical. You may wonder why Sprint has trouble making a profit. Then when Sprint ups their ETF to $350, who do you think will be the first people in these forums squeelin' like stuck pigs?

well said.