We are on a Verizon contract and I upgraded to a Droid phone in November

[hektor]

I dislike the Droid intensely and I wish to buy another Windows phone that I can connect to Verizon. Do I have to look for an un locked phone?

[Snn5]

You'll need to find a clean Verizon Windows phone.  You can activate one of those in place of the Droid. 

[bsites1968]

You'll want to go to Microsoft's website and get the Nokia Lumia Icon.  Verizon might have one in their store, but they don't have them online.

[Snn5]

They are out of stock on windowsphone.com Most likely the Icon won't return.

[Snn5]

http://swappa.com/buy/nokia-lumia-icon-verizon/us

[Loquat]

The Icon is going for right about $280 on eBay...just another option to consider...

[hektor]

I think I found a phone to buy : HTC 8X 6990L 16gb Verizon CDMA/GSM Unlocked. As far as I can tell this would work like I want to do. I bought a used - refurbished Lumia 822 but it had a defective charge port so I sent it back. Before I realized that, the Verizon store established this as my phone to use. I switched back to the Droid until I located something else.

[narntek]

Great choice! The 8x is an awesome phone

[hektor]

This has been a learning lesson for me. At least I learned what CDMA and GSM refer to. What is confusing is the wide price range for these phones on line. The local Verizon store does not promote or carry in stock any Windows phones.

The HTC phone I referenced to should work alright. What I have learned that as long as we pay the current bill to Verizon, they could care less what I do with the Droid phone.

[narntek]

Yeah, pretty much you could light it on fire and they wouldn't care but you're still in a two year commitment

[Loquat]

As long as you hold up your end of the deal VZW will never both you...

[MrGecko]

The Icon is a great phone but could be so much better once Verizon releases the Denim update. It was advertised as Windows 8.1 ready with the update coming out "shortly" last July. Still waiting. Since you are already locked into a contract, get an Icon from swappa.com & see why Windows Phone is a better phone. You won't be disappointed with the phone, but you already know about the carrier.

From all that I am reading is that the Icon is also Windows 10 ready but we are at the mercy of Verizon.

[hektor]

So.. with Swappa, I list my Droid Turbo for sale and then select the Icon to purchase? That sounds too easy. The Icon would have to be unlocked? I think I would prefer the Icon over the HTC. I have read that there is a problem with HTC phones where the sim cards work loose.

[Snn5]

Well, you can do precisely that.  Wasn't the Icon a Verizon Exclusive?  It is that easy.  I sold a phone or 2 on Swappa.  The phone is checked to make sure it is clean before it can be sold.  All Verizon phones are now unlocked per FCC ruling.  Unlocked only means it can be used on another carrier.  You shouldn't need to worry with that given it was an exclusive and it is Verizon and you'd be staying with VZW.

[hektor]

There is one problem though : This phone is on our Verizon contract and is not paid off to Verizon yet.

[hektor]

Let me clarify then. I bought the Droid Turbo using the Edge program in November 2014. I could see the Lumia 822 was losing it's charge connectivity and so I wanted something new. The local Verizon dealers don't have Windows phones anymore and it is my fault I didn't search elsewhere.

According to Swappa, this Droid has to pass their esn test before it can be listed.

[Snn5 · Accepted solution]

Your Droid may not pass the ESN test if Verizon has it listed as Carrier Financed or some similar description.  Being on Edge, you could sell it, but buyer might not could activate it unless it was paid off.  Unless someone else can say differently, your safest bet is to pay off that Droid after 6 months or whenever you can pay it off in full. Then sell it if you can and take that money to buy a new phone or go back to contract for a subsidized-priced phone.  Being on contract is easier for me because I can buy a good phone at a good price then sell it later to buy something else to use on the line.  With Edge, things are a bit different in that the phone really isn't yours until it's paid off. 

Messages you might see are like this: 

This device is being financed and has an outstanding balance that must be paid or it may not be able to be used

other sites might not list it as the same and list it as clear.  There is definitely a risk in trying to sell this phone based upon conflicting IMEI/ESN checking sites.

[hektor]

Yeah, I am new to this. The best thing then would be for me to find a reasonably priced phone I like and buy it and take the Droid off the list with Verizon and pay it off.

Thank to everyone to helping.

[Snn5]

Yes sir!

[Snn5]

Well, if it is under contract then as long as you finish the contract then you're fine.  From what I know, the phone, on contract, is yours after you pass the 14 day mark.  The contract ETFs are supposed to cover the cost of the phone should you break contract. The only time you'd run into issue is if you were trying to Edge early, where you have to return the phone you have to be eligible for early edge.  With that, the Droid would have to be the phone turned in.