Current Verizon Customer...What Options Will I Have For The Droid?

[sunking]

Good morning! I am a current Verizon Wireless customer, have been for about 7 years. My contract includes 4 lines today for the entire family. I upgraded to a Blackberry Storm and my wife upgraded to Envy back in the April time frame.

I have to say that I have been a little bit disappointed in my Storm and have been pretty excited about the possibility of the Android OS coming to Verizon and now the Droid is about to be released. So, I would like to move the Droid when it is released and keep my current cell number if at all possible.

What options will I have to dump my Storm and pick up a Droid when it is released? Do I just add a new line with the Droid and just put my Storm aside? Do I pay retail for the Droid and use it to replace my Storm? Will they allow me to replace the Storm with the Droid and just extend my contract?

So...what will options will be offered to me?

Thanks in advance for any info that you might be able to provide me!

Sunking

 

[Headsong]

We could almost be related SK! 4 lines here, probably 10+ year customer, bought my Centro in Feb, and equally excited about this. Finally, a decent smartphone for VZW folk. My daughter's line is up for a new phone, so I'm wondering...maybe I can get this for hers, but don't know if they'll transfer the number to me...but then she has to wait another year since she won't want my Centro, and I will keep it for backup for when the wife's pukes.

Or if I sign a new 40 year contract, can I get it for free?

 

[randel77]

My girlfriend is on verizon and is ready for an upgrade. My question is when will A android phone be available. I talked to a rep in the store and they said at the end of the month but by the end of the conversation she was saying all the new phones will be coming out in December for christmas. The other question is will my girlfriend have to have the internet which I belive about $50.00. OUCH. I will bet the answer is yes, because that seems to be thier policy with smart phones. Two months ago she bought a winmo phone on ebay and verizon turn it on for her. they started charging her for the internet and didn't even tell her!!! Years ago verizon burned me to on my bill. My point is verizon sucks when it to customer service. I've been with tmobile for about seven years and have never had a single problem and the internet is $25.00.

 

[dmodert66]

We could almost be related SK! 4 lines here, probably 10+ year customer, bought my Centro in Feb, and equally excited about this. Finally, a decent smartphone for VZW folk. My daughter's line is up for a new phone, so I'm wondering...maybe I can get this for hers, but don't know if they'll transfer the number to me...but then she has to wait another year since she won't want my Centro, and I will keep it for backup for when the wife's pukes.

Or if I sign a new 40 year contract, can I get it for free?

I talked to a rep in a Verizon store, and he said people use each others upgrades all the time. I would do this as soon as Droid is available, but currently none of our 5 phones are on a data plan. I think in order to buy a Droid on another line, they would need to buy the data plan. Hmmm...Need to check into this more...Might go by the VZ store today and see what the process would be...

 

[DjDroid]

We could almost be related SK! 4 lines here, probably 10+ year customer, bought my Centro in Feb, and equally excited about this. Finally, a decent smartphone for VZW folk. My daughter's line is up for a new phone, so I'm wondering...maybe I can get this for hers, but don't know if they'll transfer the number to me...but then she has to wait another year since she won't want my Centro, and I will keep it for backup for when the wife's pukes.

Or if I sign a new 40 year contract, can I get it for free?

You could always get a new phone on your daughters line, and then online you can transfer your phone numbers. Its really easy to do. Me and my wife have done it with several phones. I got a blackberry too so I transferred to it. I lost my job , downgraded to the cheaper EnV..... Got picked up on orders, re activated my Blackberry. Wifes phone died, so gave her my old EnV which she is using now. Now were just waiting for this phone to be available as both our phones are on their last legs.

 

[CRPercodani]

If your lucky Wirefly.com will carry the Droid which would allow you to extend your contract 2 more years and get the Droid for the new customer price (199 hopefully). You can eBay/Craigslist the Storm for a good amount which should cover that $199. Wirefly is a great site because you can, at ANY time in your contract, extend it for 2 years to get the new customer pricing, sometimes they have even better deals. Just keep in mind that the way they can offer this is to gurantee you will keep the phone for 6 months, without downgrading the rate plan OR dropping data if it is needed for the phone, also if it says you have to choose a messaging plan then you would also need to keep it enabled for 6 months.

 

[JackT]

For the Wirefly.com reference, when I checked out their site for information on renewing my contract, it states it follows the same rules as Verizon typically does.
From Wirefly.com: You must be at least 11 months into your 1 year contract, or 20 months into your 2 year contract - Welcome to our Wireless World

If your lucky Wirefly.com will carry the Droid which would allow you to extend your contract 2 more years and get the Droid for the new customer price (199 hopefully). You can eBay/Craigslist the Storm for a good amount which should cover that $199. Wirefly is a great site because you can, at ANY time in your contract, extend it for 2 years to get the new customer pricing, sometimes they have even better deals. Just keep in mind that the way they can offer this is to gurantee you will keep the phone for 6 months, without downgrading the rate plan OR dropping data if it is needed for the phone, also if it says you have to choose a messaging plan then you would also need to keep it enabled for 6 months.

 

[sunking]

For the Wirefly.com reference, when I checked out their site for information on renewing my contract, it states it follows the same rules as Verizon typically does.
From Wirefly.com: You must be at least 11 months into your 1 year contract, or 20 months into your 2 year contract - Welcome to our Wireless World

And that is my problem...I have a 2 year contract that I am only 6 months into. Using either a Verizon Wireless store or Wirefly, will I be able to extend my contract further to receive the Droid or will I just need to purchase it retail and switch it with my Storm? Would I just be better off adding a new line and putting the Storm aside?

 

[JackT]

I am stuck in the same situation. Only 6 months into a 2 year contract and stuck with a Curve. I am getting the Droid and am figuring that I will just have to pay retail. I am on a family plan with two lines so I might ask the CS rep if it is cheaper for me to add an extra line and pick up the phone and then have my number switched to that line. The extra line route seems like a lot of extra work that could get messed up.

 

[CRPercodani]

Must be different with AT&T because I was only 7 months into my 2yr contract and it let me upgrade.

 

[randydandy]

will I be able to extend my contract further to receive the Droid or will I just need to purchase it retail and switch it with my Storm? Would I just be better off adding a new line and putting the Storm aside?

Hey Sunking - I will handle this just like I would if you called me, as a VZW CMO Rep. Your primary line, if above $50 per month, would be eligible for an early upgrade every 12 months. If you pay over $60 on that line, you would get an additional $50 VIP discount. That would mean you would have about 5 months until the next upgrade point for that line or another line may become eligible during that time, in which you could use it's eligibility.

You could add a line. Most likely your plan allows for a $9.99 add a line for voice. The tricky part here is that if you have smartphones ACTIVATED on these lines, you would be paying the $29.99 on each. To get around this, you can activate an old "dumb-phone" or purchase the cheapest VZW branded phone on Ebay that you can find. Probably $20-30.

Hope that helps. If you have any other questions, I would be happy to help.

 

[justinlindh]

Hey Sunking - I will handle this just like I would if you called me, as a VZW CMO Rep. Your primary line, if above $50 per month, would be eligible for an early upgrade every 12 months. If you pay over $60 on that line, you would get an additional $50 VIP discount. That would mean you would have about 5 months until the next upgrade point for that line or another line may become eligible during that time, in which you could use it's eligibility.

You could add a line. Most likely your plan allows for a $9.99 add a line for voice. The tricky part here is that if you have smartphones ACTIVATED on these lines, you would be paying the $29.99 on each. To get around this, you can activate an old "dumb-phone" or purchase the cheapest VZW branded phone on Ebay that you can find. Probably $20-30.

Hope that helps. If you have any other questions, I would be happy to help.

I have a question, if you don't mind helping!

My plan is 2 years at $39.99/mo (with an added $15/mo data plan), and the 20 month mark is February. I plan on doing whatever I need to do to get the Droid on release.

I hadn't considered adding a new line... are you saying I could create a new line for $9.99/month on a new plan (I'll need a smart phone plan), transfer my primary number to the new line, and let someone else use the old number for few months and then cancel it in February? Or how long do you need to maintain the new line?

Alternately, what if I cancel my 2 year contract? Reading the fine print, the cancellation is $175 - ($5 * months been in contract), which for me would be around $80. Since I'm OK with renewing my 2 year contract, would that be my only option aside from buying the retail price or waiting? Obviously canceling and creating a new contract would be much cheaper than buying full retail.

What do you think? Any help appreciated!

 

[knickerbocker]

What do you think? Any help appreciated!

Well, you would be upgrading to a smartphone and a smartphone plan, so they might let you upgrade early with a new contract. I had this happen to me when I was with Alltel. I was about a year into my contract and I upgraded to a Blackberry with two new years.

 

[sleemie]

I've seen some pretty good deals at wirefly, such as the TP2 for 199.00 at one point. Do you think there's any chance like within the first month of release that wirefly will be able to offer it for LESS than the standard new contract price of $199.00 if you're coming to Verizon as a brand new customer with no contract?

 

[sunking]

I just visited my local Verizon Wireless store and spoke to the clerk. At least he and his co-worker knew what I was talking about...

Anyway, said that release date would be November 6th and that they were not going to be doing any pre-sales. They also suggested that the Droid might be released on November 6th but be on backorder. I think the backorder thing might be because the store is not a "corporate" store.

I asked about my situation (read the first post in this thread) and was told that my only options would be:
1) Purchase a new line and and select the Droid. Move my currently phone number from my Storm to the Droid and put the Storm aside.
2) Purchase the Droid at full retail which they indicated would be about $699 (there goes my Fantasy Baseball winnings).

C'mon November 6th.....

 

[JMarvel03]

So that is probably similar to my situation, I am on a Family I am the third line on the plan and my upgrade isn't till the summer. So I will probably have to start my own account and switch my number over to the Droid. I hope in doing that I am not breaking contract with that line and then Verizon charge me for breaking contract with the family plan, because Verizon charge for anything, anything to get your money.

 

[estobaughn]

I stopped by my local verizon store today after work to get some info. I am on what they called an early renewal. So I get $50 on a phone upgrade, I'd get $100 if I waited until march which would've been a full 2 years on the contract. I have a Dare and have the premium voice plan (900 minutes, unlimited text, and unlimited internet). I was told by the service rep I can use the renewal discount for the droid on the 6th. but that I would have to switch over to a blackberry plan. Which would cost me $10 more a month for a similar plan. No VZW Navigator or VCAST tho but the droid comes with it's of navigation software.

 

[SSinisterSS]

i put my account on hold(connect 900 with lg voyager) sold the voyager, and went to t mobile since they activated 3g in my area a month ago. i get edge only inside my house which sucks. verizon had rev a inside, so im going to return the G1 and get the droid.

im only 10 months into my contract, so the rep told me to do this:
add another line for the droid, use my number on that line, then either ask a family member to use the established line, or pay the ETF of it. even paying the ETF on it and buying the droid at 199 is cheaper than buying it at full price (500-600). so i have to see what i can do with that first line.

i asked if i can add a new line, and put the droid on the established line and cancel the new line within 30 days and he said no because the phone has to go back.

 

[DanSan]

Im in a similar situation so i wonder how it will work out.

Im the primary on a 3 line family plan of $700 minutes. its $90/month and then $9.99/month each for my mom and brothers phone.

Since i have a blackberry i have the $30 data plan and also have the unlimited text plan on my phone.

According to the website i can do a 2 yr upgrade on 8/2010. I originally upgraded from my env to my blackberry last december so its been almost a month.

 

[JackT]

Just an FYI for those of us that are looking at having to pay full retail. Over on Twitter at @DroidDoes, they stated the retail price would be $559.99.

 

[justinlindh]

Just an FYI for those of us that are looking at having to pay full retail. Over on Twitter at @DroidDoes, they stated the retail price would be $559.99.

Any idea whether the rebate is included in that price? Or is the rebate only good for 2 year contract?

Also, is terminating early and recreating a contract not an option for this? As far as I can figure, my early termination would be $80... taking the $199 price (rebate included), tacking on $80 would be $280 which is about $300 cheaper than buying full retail. Or is is not possible to terminate contract and keep your number, or are there extra fees that I'm missing, or... ? Is that a bad approach? Anybody know?

 

[JackT]

The rebate is only on the 2-year contract. If you aren't up for a new contract, you can't get the rebate.

Also, I have heard that you can't close your account and re-open right away. There is something like a 2 month waiting period on closing your account and re-opening one. You also wouldn't be able to port your phone number, you would lose it.

 

[justinlindh]

The rebate is only on the 2-year contract. If you aren't up for a new contract, you can't get the rebate.

Also, I have heard that you can't close your account and re-open right away. There is something like a 2 month waiting period on closing your account and re-opening one. You also wouldn't be able to port your phone number, you would lose it.

Dang, if that's true then my only option is to wait until the 20 month mark (February) or beg, plead, and cry my way into letting them upgrade my contract to smart phone and extending my contract. I badly want this phone, but it's tough to justify a $350 difference to pay full retail when I don't mind being locked into another 2 year contract

Thanks for the info!

 

[bluenik25]

You don't have to renew your contract to add a data plan.

 

[justinlindh]

You don't have to renew your contract to add a data plan.

Was this response to me? If so, I realize that, but I do need to renew my contract to get the discounted $199 price on the phone, since my upgrade availability isn't until February. I'm hoping that they'll decide that since I'm actually wanting to upgrade my plan to include the more expensive data that they'll be lenient with me on allowing me to have the discounted phone price and extending my contract.