New Every Two & Early Upgrade discontinued?

[SoccerRef]

Phone Arena . com reports that both the New Every Two and Early Upgrade programs will by discontinued after Jan 16th. As I read the article, current customers will receive a letter after their next upgrade (if after Jan 16th) stating that they just used their last Annual Upgrade or NE2.   What do you think?

[SuzyQ]

The discounted one year and two year pricing will remain, early upgrades will be available at 10 months (one year contracts) and 20 months (2 year contracts) All lines will have the same upgrade options now with no added perks (NE2, annual upgrade) for the primary line.

You will still be able to upgrade with discounted pricing, but there are fewer options.

[SoccerRef]

SuzyQ,

Are you saying that just the primary line is affected by this new policy? All lines will be able to upgrade at discounted pricing (NE2)?

[rcschnoor]

Yes, the primary line on a Family Plan was the only line eligible to get a NE2 credit.

A NE2 credit was different than the discounted pricing already available to all lines eligible to be upgraded. In addition to the discounted pricing, a NE2 discount was a $30 or $50 credit towards the price of a new phone with a 2yr contract.

[SuzyQ · Accepted solution]

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SoccerRef wrote:

SuzyQ,

Are you saying that just the primary line is affected by this new policy? Yes  All lines will be able to upgrade at discounted pricing (NE2)? These are not the same thing....see below

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This has been a common misunderstanding - the "NE2 discount" and "discounted pricing" are not the same - the NE2 was an ADDITIONAL credit (used to be $100, dropped to $30/$50, and now is being eliminated altogether) over and above the discounted price for a two year renewal.  It was ONLY available on the primary line - all lines can upgrade at discounted pricing, ONLY the primary got the additional NE2.  Somehow, NE2 got misconstrued to mean the 2-yr renewal discount price, hence the confusion that is probably going to ensue unnecessarily.

The annual upgrade was only available to the primary line as well, and not very widely publicized so a lot of people were not even aware it was an option.

The one and two year discounted pricing will remain, as I read it. 

[SoccerRef]

Well this is not as bag a deal as I was 1st led to believe. Primary lines just need to wait the full 20 months (or 10 months for 1 yr contracts) like all other mortals and no $ rebate for primary line either. I can live with that. Thanks  for the clarifiction.

[SuzyQ]

Glad you "got" it - and you're right - it's not as big a deal as some are going to make it out to be. It's not "good" news, but it's not going to make me turn my back on Verizon either.

Just watch, SoccerRef - the ones who will cry the loudest are probably going to be the ones that THINK they are losing something they never had to begin with . . . .

[Frank5575]

It's kind of disappointing for someone like myself who likes the latest phone.  I have forfeited my NE2 and upgraded at 12 months for a few years now to get the latest and greatest phone.  Now I am forced to wait 20 months.  I may have to look at the cost differences in 1 year pricing vs 2 year pricing when I upgrade next time.

[SuzyQ]

That's exactly right, Frank - as I said above, you just have fewer options now. The difference in pricing used to be about $70 - ($20 upgrade fee + forfeited $50 NE2 credit? - LOL, funny how the #'s work!).

So, the only option left to you to get a new phone every year is the one year contract.

[hwith11]

Ok I have the ne2 on my contract and I am due to renue in Feb around the 15th one month about, so do I still get the ne2 then. Or will it be just a discounted price and not the 50 less off the phone I have gotten before? If I am gona lose this before my contract renues then that wil suck big time

[SuzyQ]

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hwith11 wrote:

Ok I have the ne2 on my contract and I am due to renue in Feb around the 15th one month about, so do I still get the ne2 then. Yes.   Or will it be just a discounted price and not the 50 less off the phone I have gotten before? If I am gona lose this before my contract renues then that wil suck big time  You will get the NE2 you have with your current contract, but the new contract you sign will not have that option.  All that remains are the 10 month (one year contracta) and 20 month (2 year contracts) discounted pricing options.  No more additional NE2.

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