What happens to the annual upgrade option I have with the Note 7 if I select an S7 Edge as a replacement?

Will I maintain the annual upgrade option I have with the Note 7 if I select an S7 Edge as a replacement? I chose the Note 7 for the phone itself and the annual upgrade option. If the annual upgrade option is not available with the S7 Edge what are my options to maintain the annual upgrade?

Accepted answers

jenniferh_vzw

I can appreciate wanting to be sure you have not only a safe phone in hand but the best options for upgrades going forward, ERIKOD32. Currently, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the only devices available for purchase with the Annual Upgrade Program: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/upgrade-program-legal/ . Please keep in mind that with any device payment upgrade https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/device-payment-faqs/ you have the option to pay the device off and then upgrade to a new device payment anytime after 30 days.

Thank you

JenniferH_VZW

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All comments

jenniferh_vzw

Thank you

JenniferH_VZW

Please follow us on Twitter @vzwsupport

If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

ERIKOD32

Thank you for the response JenniferH_VZW. If I had known I risked losing the annual upgrade option when I replaced my original Note 7 with the "safe" Note 7 that both Samsung and Verizon assured everyone would not have any issues I would have chosen the S7 Edge then because it was still an annual upgrade device. It seems short-sided on Verizon's part to take the annual upgrade option away from customers who choose to select another Samsung device that was annual upgrade eligible when they first chose the Note 7 or replaced their original one. This is an unfortunate situation for everyone - Samsung, VZW and customers. I think Verizion should reconsider the annual upgrade option if customers choose a replacement device that was annual upgrade eligible when they selected the Note 7. I believe Verizon would still make money on the S7 Edge if I paid off half the device and turned it back in to Verizon to sell again. Customers should not have to bear the brunt for this unfortunate incident.

LOLO2379

I agree. I chose a Samsung phone because all of our TV's and electronics are Samsung, and I wanted the annual upgrade. Now our only option is to go to an IPhone. Wow VZW, where is your customer loyalty? We aren't choosing to trade in the Note 7.... We debated not upgrading and going to Sprint. Maybe we'll have to...

dstack1776

My family surprised me and paid off my S7 Edge to get me a Note as a birthday gift. So I found myself faced with going back to the S7 Edge, both having lost that $$$ for nothing and losing the annual upgrade. Multiple calls to Customer Support yielded no path to getting the annual upgrade back on the S7 Edge. I'm using an older spare phone while I consider my options.

Sirmae

This is not the way to keep customers happy. Annual upgrade was the biggest reason I stayed with a note after the initial issues with it. And now you are nit going to stand behind that!?

robbscut

I agree and I am going to be leaving Verizon because of this failure to make us whole. Hello T-mobile!

sll1313

I agree with everyone's comments above. I called Verizon twice today and spoke to 2 different reps and got same answer about the annual upgrade. They both said things change everyday and that I should keep checking back that maybe the S7 edge, Pixel XL or LG V20 may have the annual upgrade added. However they kept saying that my note 7 has the annual upgrade, which I know and I really didn't understand why they kept reminding me of this. I explained that I want a phone with the S Pen and a sd card, and I wouldn't be surprised if Samsung comes out with Note 8 early to make up for things, which one rep agreed with me. I continued to say I believe that the latest would be a year out. I told them that I don't want to be locked in so that I am unable to obtain the phone that I want. They both said they understand and that I should keep checking in. I also voiced my disgust that neither Verizon nor Samsung is honoring what the terms of what we bought originally for something that was beyond our control. I said if they don't and people are made to give up their phones, eventually people will end up switching carriers in order to get out of their "replacement phones" and into a phone that they actually want. Being a customer of Verizon for about 15 to 20 years that would be unfortunate if I had to move to another carrier.

photomu

robbscut

I too am looking at dropping service and going elsewhere. If I have to go to a subpar phone, I'm just going to look at going to a cheaper carrier with unlimited data on phones that I'm gonna have to get anyway.... There are several second tier carriers who will work just as well with a downgrade the the S7

Sirmae

I agree with you! I am ready to find a new carrier as well. We have been Verizon customers for around 20 years as well and have 5 lines. Seems like this is going to be Verizon's loss as well as Samsung's.

LESSTA65571

I was told yesterday by the Verizon rep that I ordered my S7edge with, that the yearly upgrade option was still in effect for the edge and it would merely restart the clock on it as soon as I activated the edge. I specifically asked about the annual upgrade as it was/is a concern of mine. I love the Note 7 so much that I want to reacquire whatever Samsung comes up with to replace it.

madams144

Be cautious, is it in writing? When you go to your account and under "devices" then click the device payment plan link, does it show full retail payment value as your payoff balance? I'd bet it doesn't ... bet it shows $792 and 23 months remaining. (Hope I'm wrong)

This condition is a Samsung issue, not Verizon. And before all the haters go there .. No, I'm not a Verizon employee.

Samsung entered into a susbidy agreement with the participating carriers. (Not just Verizon) Samsung reimburses the carriers the at risk part of the payment agreements beyond the 50% exit part.

Samsung officially ended the Annual Eligable program for the S7 family of devices on Sept 9th and transferred that Annual Eligable program to their new flagship line the now famous Note 7.

This program is the same for the iOS devices. Similar program but backed by Apple. Their 6s and 6s + devices lost their "Annual Eligable" coverage then the iPhone 7 launched. Both of these Annual Eligable programs are short lived .. usually at the time the next flagship launch occures.

So the folks threatening to leave any carrier over "this" snag is just foolishness.. we need to be pressuring Samsung to reinstate \ transfer their Annual Eligable program coverage back to the S7 Family of devices until the launch of their next flagship device 1st quarter 2017

As for my position, i am holding onto mine until for the formal CPSC recall is issued and a Verizon formally notifies me I must replace. By that time, hopefully Samsung gets its act together and realizes this gap and extends their carrier subsidy program for those users who choose the S7 Edge downgrade.

Be safe! Use only approved Samsung chargers! Keep away from your kids! And if you can avoid it and have to charge your note while unattended, take precautions like not charging your note 7 while under your pillow or on your nightstand

Its sad day for us Note 7 owners. Here's to hoping we all get made whole at the end of this ordeal.

JohnB_VZW

I completely understand how you feel LOLO2379. Being able to upgrade every year is definitely an important option. We don't want to lose you.

At this time the only devices with the annual upgrade option is the iPhone 7, 7S, 7 Plus, & 7s Plus. If you purchase any other device you can always upgrade once you have paid off the device payment plan in full. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

We are always offering new promotions so perhaps when it comes time for you to upgrade again there may be a promotion that will allow you to upgrade sooner than expected.

JohnB_VZW

If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

adriennep_vzw

We want you to have a device you love. I'm here to help. As far as our annual upgrade program is concerned you can find the latest information here Annual Upgrade Program for Samsung Devices FAQs | Verizon Wireless . Please let us know if you have any more questions.

LOLO2379

This information isn't even current. It refers to the expired annual upgrade option with the edge 7, and still has info for the Note 7.

ZillyB

"We want you to have a device you love."

Right, I had it. It was the Note 7. There are no comparable devices on the market... for many of us who chose the Note, we did so for a REASON. The sPen stylus is one of those reasons. And suggesting we downgrade to a Note 5? Really??? Many of us who held on the the Note4 did so because we didn't want the 5... the 5 sucks. And after having the 7 for 2 months, the 5 sucks that much more.

The device we love is the device we are being forced to part with.

dstack1776

LESSTA65571 wrote:
I was told yesterday by the Verizon rep that I ordered my S7edge with, that the yearly upgrade option was still in effect for the edge and it would merely restart the clock on it as soon as I activated the edge. I specifically asked about the annual upgrade as it was/is a concern of mine. I love the Note 7 so much that I want to reacquire whatever Samsung comes up with to replace it.

I'd exercise extreme caution with this. I've been told a number of things that turned out not to be true. For example I was told that a corporate store could reinstate the annual upgrade for me while the store itself indicated they understood my desire and the reason behind it, they had no mechanism to do so.

madams144

Adrien .. as a representative of VZW please read the user question and understand what you are replying to and how your reference supports your comment.

Directly from the info link you posted, under "how do I participate" .. the printed document CLEARLY cites .. purchase before 9/10/2016. We are clearly beyond that date therefore not applicable. Any device payment plan implimented after that date for the S7 family of devices carry a full retail 24 mos agreement. Yes, you can exit the agreement after 30 days buy you'll owe Verizon $750 out of pocket.

Note 7 owners seeking the next logical, (albeit downgraded) replacement device should excercise caution if a store rep claims the S7 is "Annual Eligable" ... do your homework!

Me? ... I am waiting for the printed return procedure from Samsung and Big Red with clear language regarding what I retain/loose as it relates to my Annual Upgrade status. No need to be on that bleeding edge of the return program. Remember CPSC has yet to issue a formal recall for the replaced devices (#2)?yet, nor has Verizon mandated the return/surrender of our devices. As of 30seconds before this post, My IMEI status from the Samsung site returns "your galaxy note is not an effected device"

Yes, we need to pressure Samsung, or better .. have our Carrier Verizon step up and represent its loyal Samsung Note followers, to have Samsung reinstate the Annual Eligable program for the S7 device line

jmcolter

This is just absolutely ridiculous. After dealing with this mess, the time involved in the first recall, the lost money on now worthless accessories, VZW expects us to lose our upgrade status and be stuck paying for a device that we don’t want two years. They like to use the word “upgrade” in regards to a replacement device, however, no phone you have available now or in the new future is a true upgrade to the device we are being forced to part with. Every option is a DOWNGRADE. This isn’t something the majority of us wanted to through. We’re not just trying to take advantage of the situation and switch to another device. Most of us were very happy with the Note 7 and had no plans to move away from it anytime soon.

Some of the remedies offered by VZW are downright laughable and somewhat insulting. I have seen people being offered to “upgrade” to the Note 5 for $696. Yeah, I want to be stuck paying that for two years on an already over one-year-old phone. Then there is the “borrow a phone from a friend” that I was offered. Seriously? This is how a multi-billion dollar company handles an issue with a customer they’ve had for 14 years?

I get it. VZW is a business and wants to make money, but this isn’t the way to do it. It’s time to make an exception to policy for those of us affected by this mess and attempt to make things right. It’s called customer service and it really isn’t that hard.

MAXSMOM382

Verizon is responsible for the lose of the annual contract not Samsung. It is no coincidence that Verizon removed all Samsung devices from the annual upgrade the day of the original recall. They knew all loyal Samsung customers would not want an IPHONE and we would be forced into 2 yr upgrade and then shell out big bucks again when the new device is released. Shame on you Verizon!!! What we need to look into is a class action law suit against VERIZON.

VNJSS16

I don't think Verizon or Samsung care about customer loyalty. I'm angry I have to give up my Note 7.

stevenm_vzw

We don’t want to see you leave robbscut. Please know we are not the only ones affected by the Note 7 recall. Let’s find the right phone for you so you can stay in the Verizon family. Are there any phones you’re interested in getting?

ZUKZEKIM

If any current phone had the annual upgrade (other than iPhone), I think most of us would have already swapped out the note 7. Sadly, none of us want to get stuck with a downgrade at full price for 2 year