Stratosphere/Early Termination Fee?e

[jmkilb1]

I have had my Samsung Stratosphere since Dec. 3, 2011. I've always had many issues with it and my second one just broke. I'm sick of putting so much money into this phone for them to just keep breaking so easily.

How does the early termination fee work and how much would it be for me to cancel? I'm on a family member's plan and it's just the two of us.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[tikibar1]

You could buy a phone from ebay or somewhere until you are eligible for an upgrade, buy a new phone at full retail price, add a line and get a subsidized phone and put a basic phone on your line (but then you are paying for two phone lines).  If you chose to pay the ETF and go elsewhere, the ETF is $350 minus $10 for each full month of your contract term that you complete.  Good luck!

[Garou12]

I'm in the same boat. Actually the phone other then apps being slow it has been a good phone. unfortunately Its been dropped a few times, the glass is cracked but the phone still functions (for the last two months anyway) just as well as before. However now the USB port is shorting out and the phone has to sit in a certain position to charge or connect to a computer. Went to the VZW store today and was told because of the cracked glass I have to go through the insurance program to get it replaced. If it had just been the USB port they would have swapped it out right there.

With the insurance I'll have to pay $99 for a phone that the contract is up in 7 months. I can walk into Walmart right now and get the same phone new for $30 with a new contract and the updated version of the phone is available on VZW's website for $129. Early termination on the phone is also going to cost me (depending on how they handle it) around $100-$200. I would settle for just adding the current 7months of this contract onto a new 2yr contract but the guy at the VZW store told me that is not a possibility.

I'm already ticked about losing my unlimited data plan with this phone and that now it costs more money and its capped at 4GB. Add that to the fact that I have to pay extra to be able to tether my other devices to the phone (without rooting it) even though it has the capability to be a hotspot. Add the replacement issues and right now I'm angry enough to pay the termination fees and switch carriers after 10 years.

[#4]

Garou12 wrote:

I'm in the same boat. Actually the phone other then apps being slow it has been a good phone. unfortunately Its been dropped a few times, the glass is cracked but the phone still functions (for the last two months anyway) just as well as before. However now the USB port is shorting out and the phone has to sit in a certain position to charge or connect to a computer. Went to the VZW store today and was told because of the cracked glass I have to go through the insurance program to get it replaced. If it had just been the USB port they would have swapped it out right there.

With the insurance I'll have to pay $99 for a phone that the contract is up in 7 months. I can walk into Walmart right now and get the same phone new for $30 with a new contract and the updated version of the phone is available on VZW's website for $129. Early termination on the phone is also going to cost me (depending on how they handle it) around $100-$200. I would settle for just adding the current 7months of this contract onto a new 2yr contract but the guy at the VZW store told me that is not a possibility.

I'm already ticked about losing my unlimited data plan with this phone and that now it costs more money and its capped at 4GB. Add that to the fact that I have to pay extra to be able to tether my other devices to the phone (without rooting it) even though it has the capability to be a hotspot. Add the replacement issues and right now I'm angry enough to pay the termination fees and switch carriers after 10 years.

How did you lose unlimited data? That policy didn't kick in until June. You've had the phone for 17 months? Also I'm not were you get that data is capped at 4GB. Also you can't just pay the ETF and start a new contract. There something like a 60 days waiting period. You get to upgrade 4 months before you contract is over so you get an upgrade in 3 months.

[Garou12]

When I got the phone they told me that I was required to get a different data plan that the old unlimited data plan did not work with this phone. Even though they have a 2 gig plan, for my phone I was required to get at minimum the 4 gig plan, and no technically its not capped but you have to pay extra if you go over the 4 gigs.

According to the website I'm not eligible to upgrade till OCT which is exactly 2 years since I got the phone. If I pay the ETF I'm switching carriers and I am done with Verizon. Their competitors have drastically upgraded their coverage in this area the last couple years so there are fewer spots with roaming or no connection what so ever. Since they are much cheaper it almost makes more sense to go to one of them.

[wiccangrlmj]

i've been with verizon for 7 1/2 years before that i had alltel which verizon bought out and over those seven years ive had nothing but a hasell , i upgraded my phone in march 2011 and bought my first smartphone they told me that i had a data plan of 4 gig and today ( 4/29/2013) i went in to see about early upgrading because i hate my samsung stratosphere. i asked about the galaxy 3s and the rep in there said you dont want that phone it has issues and then she told me that if i do upgrade ill loose the 4 gig data plan and it will only be 2 gig. i asked why and she said it was only a promo that i got it in the first place but the clerk that sold it to me never said it was a promo! everytime you turn around they are squeezing you for more money. well i was gonna renew my contract with them but i guess im not now i think ill just go to walmart and get their unlimited talk and text and data for 50 bucks a month instead. you would think a big company like verizon would offer better plans for loyal customers!!

>> Edited to remove profanity; other minor editing <<

Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

[#7]

Why would you stay with a company for 7 1/2 years that gave you nothing but a hassle?  Your 4GB was a special promotion.  Normal data would have been 2GB for $30 and that's the current price.