$20 fee to buy a phone from Verizon

[pherson]

WWith the exception of a mountain valley my T-Mobile device has been flawless.

[Snn5]

No doubt, there are some differences here and there, but mainly price, not coverage, for me anyway.  Having run both T-Mobile and Verizon...in my coverage area, T-Mobile hands-down.  That said, others in other areas, different story.  I have the coverage and price that I need.  FI was an option for me, but I wanted a carrier with a proven record at that point, and Fi was a bit too knew.  I reached out to other users, even some on this forum for their opinion and experiences.  They told me, much like above, that the service was good, price was good, features were beneficial.  In the end though, I stayed with a major carrier as a sole carrier, not a hybrid.  Plus, I wasn't sold on a Nexus at the time.

[Averix1]

Actually, this is more than just a  $20 fee if you're off contract.  If you have one line that is off contract with an available upgrade, you will be forced to use that upgrade for the privilege of paying full price for your phone.  I get a month to month discount on my lines because they are off contract.  If I try and buy a new phone for any of those lines at full price, I am forced to use and upgrade and lose my month to month discount.  I spoke online with a representative to make sure I wasn't missing something, and they verified it.  So, this is more than just a $20 fee for buying a new phone at full price.  It will potentially mess up your contract status and any month to month discount you may be getting currently.

I would love for Verizon to spell out how this works specifically.  In the past, I have upgraded phones at full price with no impact to my off contract status.  Now it seems that buying a new phone from them will kill that benefit.

[rcschnoor]

Averix1 wrote:

I get a month to month discount on my lines because they are off contract.  If I try and buy a new phone for any of those lines at full price, I am forced to use and upgrade and lose my month to month discount.  I spoke online with a representative to make sure I wasn't missing something, and they verified it.  So, this is more than just a $20 fee for buying a new phone at full price.  It will potentially mess up your contract status and any month to month discount you may be getting currently.

This is not true. You DO NOT lose your month to month status by purchasing a new phone at full price. You lose your month to month status by purchasing a new phone at full price BY MAKING PAYMENTS OVER A 24 MONTH PERIOD. If you pay full price UP FRONT and IN FULL, you retain your month to month status.

[Averix1]

I beg to differ.  The rep and web both show losing the month to month discount if you click the upgrade box (which you cannot proceed unless you do).  Their solution, as ridiculous as it sounds, was to get a new line and then cancel service on it.  Since I would have bought the phone at full price, there wouldn't be a penalty for doing so.

Have you done the upgrade you speak of since the new $20 fee went in place?  I had done it multiple times before that, but now there is a giant speed bump in the way.

[Averix1]

As you can see, choosing full retail price due today, results in monthly line access jumping from $55 to $80.  Clearly indicating that the $25 month to month discount for that line is toast.  If there is a way around that without getting a new line and dancing around credit checks and cancellations, please let me know.

[Ann154]

Are you on the More Everything Plan or the Verizon Plan? The Month2Month discount on the More Everything Plan has expired and can't be added to accounts anymore. You have to switch to the Verizon Plan to continue to get the discount for being out of contract.

[Averix1]

Yes, I'm on the More Everything plan.  And regardless of if the discount can be added (a friend got it on his line 2 weeks ago, so it may still be available) it is already on 3 of my lines with no expiration noted.  There is no discount for being out of contract on the Verizon Plan, so not sure what you mean.  Regardless, the point was that I wasn't going to get a contract change for ordering a full price phone. 

I am happy to say, that after dealing with a different online chat agent, they were able to order up the phone without any impact to my account status.  No change in the summary page and the phone is on it's way.

[rcschnoor]

Have you tried this and had your line access fee increased? If not, I would not be so sure this will be the case.

When I purchased a phone at full retail LAST YEAR, the payment summary screen ALSO said my new line access fee would be $40. At the time, I figured no problem, I would simply add the month to month discount again since it was still available. Point is that since you ARE NOT entering into a 2 yr service contract your month to month status NEVER changes and I didn't lose the month to month discount even though the billing summary said I would do so.

POSSIBLY this has changed, but unless there is someone out there which has actual experience of this actually happening and is willing to share their experience, I would take this message with a grain of salt. I will certainly be doing so in the near future when I am about to have my last of 4 lines come off contract.

I have a 15 GB data allowance @ $100/month ONLY because it was at a reduced price when I got it. I could certainly do with less as I have NEVER gone over 10 GB. Switching to the Verizon Plan for 12 GB @ $80/month PLUS an additional 2 GB for entering into a DPP agreement would end up being less costly for me anyway.

Current plan:

15 GB = $78 ($100 with 22% employer discount)

3 lines @ $15/month line access fee = $45

1 line @ $40/month line access fee = $40

Total = $163 + taxes/fees.

If I enter into a DPP on More Everything and the last line access fee drops to $15/month, the total will be $138 + taxes/fees.

Verizon Plan:

12 GB(14 GB if I enter into DPP agreement) = $62.40 ($80 with 22% employer discount)

4 lines @ $20/month line access fee = $80

Total = $142.40

While the Verizon Plan MAY be a bit more expensive if I resign myself to ALWAYS having my 4th line in a DPP agreement, it is only by $4.40/month. Seeing as the person with that 4th line normally holds onto their phone for 2.5 to 3 years, it is a requirement which I am unsure I am willing to fulfill. On the other hand, I can make ALL of my phone purchases on that line with DPP and simply switch the phone to one of the line ALREADY with the month to month discount.

[rcschnoor]

Averix1 wrote:

There is no discount for being out of contract on the Verizon Plan, so not sure what you mean.

Yes there is. If you are on the More Everything Plan with a line under contract AND you move to the Verizon Plan, the line access fee for your IN CONTRACT line will remain at $40/month UNTIL you complete your contract. Once you switch to a month to month status on that line, your line access fee would drop to $20/month automatically.

After that point, though, you would no longer be able to enter into any further 2 yr service contracts in exchange for purchasing a reduced price phone.