Verizon Upgrade Policy Change

[PJNC284]

Just thought you guys may be interested in the latest development in Verizon's move to make everyone angry. Apparently they plan on ditching annual upgrades and no longer giving the additional NE2 discount for those eligible on contracts started after Jan 16th.  They better ramp up their OS update testing otherwise a lot of people aren't going to be happy with keeping a phone for 2 years with slow updates.  

http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-changing-its-upgrade-policy-youll-have-wait-20-months-new-phon...

[Edited to comply with Terms of Service - removed proprietary image]

[Ann154]

YIKES! Say it ain't so! I love having NE2, although I should have guessed this was coming since my NE2 discount dropped from by half after my last phone upgrade a year ago.

[CR6]

This only affects NEW customers who sign up after January 16th.  Those of us that are already on the NE2 plan aren't affected. 

[brianm72]

It says "customers will no longer be enrolled in NE2 at time of activation/upgrage".  Upgrade means existing customer.

[PJNC284]

yeah, if you upgrade prior to Jan 16th, you'll still have the annual upgrade or NE2 when you go to upgrade again but after that you'll be subject to the Verizon's new terms.  

[ARossetter]

And they are getting rid of the annual thing also.

For those that didn't know, you could pay new activation price + $35 for a brand new phone between months 13-20 of your contract. This is also going away, and it is the very reason I am still with Verizon (read: LTE phones will be out when my month 13 hits, so I was planning on upgrading then).

Moderators, someone PLEASE comment on this to clarify if CUSTOMERS ON CONTRACT BEFORE JAN 16TH CAN STILL DO THEIR ANNUAL UPGRADE, or if that program is going away entirely. 

Also, for what it's worth, you do have great coverage, but with the ETF, Tiered data packages, and now this, you may have just gone too far.

[PJNC284]

More info from droidlife.com

5 things to know:

 1.  All customers who activate / upgrade on a qualifying plan prior to January 16th, 2011 are enrolled in NE2 (New Every 2) and eligible to use the NE2 discount for up to six months from the date they become eligible.

2.  Any customer who uses an NE2 credit or Annual Upgrade after  January 16, 2011 will no longer be eligible for either program.  On March 6, 2011, VZW systems will be updated to reflect this.

3.  All customers who exercise the NE2 or Annual Upgrade option on or after January 16th will receive a letter notifying them that it was their last NE2 or Annual Upgrade.

4.  Business customers continue to receive either the two-year corporate matrix tiered device pricing or two-year retail device pricing per contract.

5.  Customers will now be eligible for promotional pricing after 20 months on a 2-year contract and 10 months on a 1-year contract.

[zerocool418]

It seems that the pople effected on this change of policy are new costumer or adding a line after Jan 16, 2011.  I got my Samsung Fascinate on blackfriday from Best Buy, upgraded to NE2 as always and paid nothing, yeah Free. When it comes to discounts and sales its always best to look around for the best deals. Best Buy or other store sometime give you a better deal then VZW store does. To be real honest changing of policy just enable the costumer to look else where for a better deal then going stright to a  VZW store.

[shimamizu]

http://www.phonecan.com/index.php/the-basics-understanding-verizon-upgrade

Is this true? I last upgraded November 2010, so would I be eligible for a 1 year upgrade next month? The verizon wireless site shows I'm not eligible until July 2012 currently...but if this is true that I can still upgrade in a month using the old annual program one last time, I may do it, how do I get them to honor that? I'm still on a plan that costs enough to qualify for annual upgrade.

[lilwhitepaws]

PJNC284 wrote:

More info from droidlife.com

5 things to know:

1.  All customers who activate / upgrade on a qualifying plan prior to January 16th, 2011 are enrolled in NE2 (New Every 2) and eligible to use the NE2 discount for up to six months from the date they become eligible.

2.  Any customer who uses an NE2 credit or Annual Upgrade after  January 16, 2011 will no longer be eligible for either program.  On March 6, 2011, VZW systems will be updated to reflect this.

3.  All customers who exercise the NE2 or Annual Upgrade option on or after January 16th will receive a letter notifying them that it was their last NE2 or Annual Upgrade.

4.  Business customers continue to receive either the two-year corporate matrix tiered device pricing or two-year retail device pricing per contract.

5.  Customers will now be eligible for promotional pricing after 20 months on a 2-year contract and 10 months on a 1-year contract.

They told me that "Verizon" feels as though the promotional pricing after 20 months on a 2-year contract and 10 months on a 1-year contract will be better for customers than the NE2 program.  When I asked how someone can get better than free, his response was and I quote "VZ feels It will all come out in the wash in the end" 

[lilwhitepaws]

ARossetter wrote:

Moderators, someone PLEASE comment on this to clarify if CUSTOMERS ON CONTRACT BEFORE JAN 16TH CAN STILL DO THEIR ANNUAL UPGRADE, or if that program is going away entirely. 

Right.... it such a simple thing isn't it?

[lilwhitepaws]

CR6 wrote:

This only affects NEW customers who sign up after January 16th.  Those of us that are already on the NE2 plan aren't affected.

No, this does affects everyone who signed up for the NE2  program.  This was confirmed by a VZ manager, but as a courtesy (how big of them) they will allow everyone one more upgrade as long as your eligible before January!

[brianm72]

Seeing as buying a Verizon phone through Verizon is a terrible idea in the first place (I bought two Fascinates for $49.99 each at Best Buy when Verizon wanted $149.99 (with my $50 credit) for the 1st and $199.99 for the 2nd), this shouldn't really affect anything.  Since I just renewed my contract in December I'm assuming that means I'll still have the upgrade option once more.

Couple that with Sprint's drastic improvements over the last few years and I may think twice before renewing again next time.

[ARossetter]

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PJNC284 wrote:

Just thought you guys may be interested in the latest development in Verizon's move to make everyone angry. Apparently they plan on ditching annual upgrades and no longer giving the additional NE2 discount for those eligible on contracts started after Jan 16th.  They better ramp up their OS update testing otherwise a lot of people aren't going to be happy with keeping a phone for 2 years with slow updates.  

http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-changing-its-upgrade-policy-youll-have-wait-20-months-new-phon...

[Edited to comply with Terms of Service - removed proprietary image]

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[Edited to comply with Terms of Service]

Let me go ahead and post the text from that image, which is not a ToS violation:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2011 Upgrade Policy:

Overview

Verizon Wireless is simplifying the equipment upgrade policy for customers. Beginning January 16th, 2011, customers will be eligible for promotional pricing as well as special offers that we make available. Changes include retirement of the following programs:

- Annual Upgrade: Customers on 2-yr contracts will no longer be able to upgrade in months 13-20 of their 24 month contract as a standard policy.

- New Every Two (NE2): Customers will no longer be enrolled in NE2 at the time of activation/upgrade after January 16th.

Remember, both of these programs are for customers on 2-year contracts only. So customers on 1-year contracts are not impacted by these changes.

This training will help you understand the changes and provide you helpful information when explaining them to our customers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please feel free to edit your original post if you want to copy/paste the above, PJ.

[bigfrank69]

I always have the new every two and get a phone after one year and get discount, it might not be free but still discount. Just paid $150 for the fascinate after one year. I been doing this for past 6 years and getting partial discount, I can never wait the 20-22 month for full discount have to have new product when they come out.

[Brettreds2k]

So just to make sure I am clear, and if someone who is in the know can answer, not someone just taking a guess or assuming... So Last April when I hit the 12 month mark on my 2 year contract, I upgraded to the Motorola Droid at the Upgrade price (Paid $29.99 for it at Best Buy) So the program that allowed us to upgrade at the 1 year mark at the discount price, Are they doing away with that for exsisting customers who are eligible this year but after the Jan 16th date they are giving? I upgraded to the Droid in April of 2010 so I was planning on upgrading again this April, so now will I have to wait until the total end of my contract or are they allowing is one more upgrade if we are exisiting customers?

I would think with the Iphone just weeks away, they would do what AT&T did when the Iphone 4 launced which allowed all thier customers who were allowed a upgrade in 2010 were able to upgrade at any time in that year. Why would Verizon want to keep the new Iphone 4 out of the hands of existing customers and now make it where we have to wait a whole extra year??

I guess my main question is can we still do the annual upgrade if we are eligible in April like I am or since its after the Jan 16h date, do I loose that choice now?

[PJNC284]

It looks like you'll be able to use your annual upgrade this year but that'll be the last one you get. 

[Brettreds2k · Accepted solution]

I could live with that, I would just need to make sure I buy either the Iphone or the Facinate this go around lol 

[PJNC284]

hold it til this summer and you probably won't want the fascinate or iphone. 

coming soon to a verizon near you 

http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/DROID-BIONIC-US-...

[ARossetter]

I have my eye on the Bionic as well. Looks promising.

[PJNC284]

yeah, I'm looking at that and whatever version of the LG 2x ends up on verizon.