Develop Bugs

NO option to buy full price on a no commit plan for a new customer?

Is this a Sprint thing?
I just called two corporate stores and they said that a new customer can't buy the phone for full retail price without a 2 year contract.
In other words, you must sign a two years contract if you are a new customer.
Can anyone here confirm this?

Go here
wirefly.com
Then goto the Samsung Epic 4G Touch order page and you can get it at full price.
I can't post links yet until my post count gets above 8 so sorry for no direct link.
"Get the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch without a plan for only $539.99"

Wizard220 said:
Go here
wirefly.com
Then goto the Samsung Epic 4G Touch order page and you can get it at full price.
I can't post links yet until my post count gets above 8 so sorry for no direct link.
"Get the Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch without a plan for only $539.99"
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Click to collapse
But will sprint let me activate it without a 2 years contract?
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Nope! Even if you buy at full price, no matter where you buy it, there will be a contract. Sorry guy.
Sent from my PG06100 using xda premium

EDIT: Answered above.

Not sure if that is the correct answer, there is an Sprint employee in the Evo 3d forum that said yes.
His user is: DirtyShroomz

Thanks all for the replies. What is the ETF on this phone ? It might end up costing the same as full retail price.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

I AM a Sprint employee. I deal with it every single day. Even if someone buys a phone off Ebay, some guy off the street, or buys it in the store, there is going to be a two year agreement. The ETF is going to be 350 for the first six months and starts to decrease from there. If you are going to get one, you may as well get the discounted price.
Sent from my PG06100 using xda premium

Im not saying that you are wrong, but this a an example of what customers have to deal with. One rep state one way, then the other rep.....

ayedlin said:
I AM a Sprint employee. I deal with it every single day. Even if someone buys a phone off Ebay, some guy off the street, or buys it in the store, there is going to be a two year agreement. The ETF is going to be 350 for the first six months and starts to decrease from there. If you are going to get one, you may as well get the discounted price.
Sent from my PG06100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Funny thing is, when the OG EVO came out, i bought from craigslist and was able to activate it on a month to month plan as a new customer while i was not able to get the same if would buy it at the Sprint store. but i think i got lucky that time and that Sprint policy is really to have a 2 year agreement regardless of the amount you buy the phone at.
The questions is what is the ETF. it might come out the same if i buy it for $199 and pay an ETF when i want out. i never keep a phone more than a few months and i have zero carrier loyalty. Sprint is the only carrier that does not allow month to month contracts it seems.

hold on hold on ... lol
you are wanting to buy a phone at full price then activate as a new customer without a contract??? on month to month? dont know about that one... i totally misread your post and thought you were already a customer and thought this guy was really giving you bad advice to be a sprint employee but now that i reread your post his answer sounds about right... sorry dude

Actually...they are both right. There is a new thing called business freedom. Which is where if you open a new business account with a federal tax ID, you can get this new plan that is a no contract commitment deal. If you interested in more information PM me so we can further discuss this.
Just come tome from now on with all your Sprint needs

Yeah, but you have to have a business and it is more expensive every month since there is no contract. Unless you actually have a business with seasonal employees I really wouldn't recommend it. If you get a new Tax ID just for this, you are GOING to have a deposit. You could run a blended credit but that might only knock it down fifty bucks. Sprint may also want proof that it is a real business so they may need bank statements with the business name, so you have to have a few months worth of that. Would you really want to go through all that just to pay more every month anyway? The average consumer would do best just to sign the contract.
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clubtech said:
But will sprint let me activate it without a 2 years contract?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You might be able to find a friend who wants out of their contract and are near the end of it. Well, right now they can get out for free...
In all seriousness. I wouldn't mind helping someone out if I ever lost one of my members in my family plan. Charge them something like 30 dollars +10 dollar for smart phones and I wouldn't hold you to a 2 year contract if you brought your own phone to use.

That's actually a very good idea. If you pay full price you don't have to sign a contract if you put the phone on an existing line. Maybe you could find someone who wants to switch to your current provider from Sprint and you could just take over each other's lines.
Sent from my PG06100 using xda premium

In contract with photon, any way out?

Any tips on how to get out pf my current contact? Can I cancel and pay the $200 ETD and pay $200 for the 4g touch, then sell the photon?
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App

I'm also looking for a possible way to get this phone, I have the Evo 3D since launch day.

phyba said:
Any tips on how to get out pf my current contact? Can I cancel and pay the $200 ETD and pay $200 for the 4g touch, then sell the photon?
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
The cancellation fee is now $350. So the total price for you to cancel and get the new phone would be the same as buying the new phone out of contract.

He would pay the cancellation fee associated with his contract; the $350 just went into effect so I doubt that would be his ETF if he's had the photon for 30 days.
TurboFool said:
The cancellation fee is now $350. So the total price for you to cancel and get the new phone would be the same as buying the new phone out of contract.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

jake21 said:
He would pay the cancellation fee associated with his contract; the $350 just went into effect so I doubt that would be his ETF if he's had the photon for 30 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's true he should be under the $200 etf.
Sent from my Google S 4G using xda premium

Yea mine is $200. But I don't know if I wanna sign a new contract. Might try to sell the photon $350-400 and just buy the epic touch outright
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phyba said:
Yea mine is $200. But I don't know if I wanna sign a new contract. Might try to sell the photon $350-400 and just buy the epic touch outright
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best idea... just buy out the phone on the contract for $200 and then sell it and buy a epic touch for $499. Total cost after selling the phone might be $300-350 but still less than the $499.... You might gain $100-$150 back from selling the photon after paying the $200.

buy it retail, sell photon for $300 and only be out of pocket 200. thats what i would do

I called retentions and they let me use my upgrade available on my airave line. I too, had the 3d since launch day.

strongsteve said:
I called retentions and they let me use my upgrade available on my airave line. I too, had the 3d since launch day.
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Click to collapse
I didn't even know you get an upgrade from airave line
Sent from my MIUI Powered device

strongsteve said:
I called retentions and they let me use my upgrade available on my airave line. I too, had the 3d since launch day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's exactly what I'm doing to get mine

Lucky lucky you. There was an administrative fee increase, which voided your contract. You can call in and cancel without ETF. Make sure you tell them you want to transfer your number out.
Administrative Charge Increase &
Terms & Conditions Changes for
Consumers
Effective 9/9/11, the Administrative Charge
will increase to $1.50 per line for customers
that receive the charge. For details, visit
sprint.com/taxesandfees. In addition, the
Sprint consumer Terms (Ts&Cs) are changing.
Please review them carefully at your local
Sprint store or sprint.com/termsandconditions

jaewang said:
Lucky lucky you. There was an administrative fee increase, which voided your contract. You can call in and cancel without ETF. Make sure you tell them you want to transfer your number out.
Administrative Charge Increase &
Terms & Conditions Changes for
Consumers
Effective 9/9/11, the Administrative Charge
will increase to $1.50 per line for customers
that receive the charge. For details, visit
sprint.com/taxesandfees. In addition, the
Sprint consumer Terms (Ts&Cs) are changing.
Please review them carefully at your local
Sprint store or sprint.com/termsandconditions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That may get you out of your etf, but it does not reset your upgrade eligibility. You could cancel your whole line and get another with the upgrade price, but i believe you would have to wait 30 days to do that.
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kawaski47 said:
That may get you out of your etf, but it does not reset your upgrade eligibility. You could cancel your whole line and get another with the upgrade price, but i believe you would have to wait 30 days to do that.
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any one can confirm this?? Ill get out if the contract today...lol.
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App

phyba said:
Any one can confirm this?? Ill get out if the contract today...lol.
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did it like 3 weeks ago had 2 evos for 2 months and got out with no ETF. Use what the previous poster said about the admin fee and the arbitration clause changing. If they say no you can't call back and get someone new to talk to. I think you have to wait 45 days to go back though.
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phyba said:
Any one can confirm this?? Ill get out if the contract today...lol.
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did this around 2 or 3 weeks ago. Three lines, one of them being a Nexus S.

Funny..I called Retentions and they told me its a no go on the airrave route and when I asked about the cancellation of my acct. Without an etf due to billing change he said that was a 'nasty' rumor and that its in the contract everyone signed ..

firmbiz94 said:
Funny..I called Retentions and they told me its a no go on the airrave route and when I asked about the cancellation of my acct. Without an etf due to billing change he said that was a 'nasty' rumor and that its in the contract everyone signed ..
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Click to collapse
I hate it when Sprint reps do this. Be consistent. I was able to cancel my contracts.
I'm also disappointed because yesterday I talked to a chat representative who confirmed with me that I could use my airrave upgrade to get the Epic Touch. He told me to call telesales to place the order. I spoke to a telesales representative and he then confirmed that I could use the upgrade but that I would have to call back today since the Epic Touch came out today. I call and they tell me, sorry, that's not true. I've had this happen to me on multiple occasions. One rep tells me something, and then one rep tells me the complete opposite. It's pretty aggravating.

john21511 said:
I did it like 3 weeks ago had 2 evos for 2 months and got out with no ETF. Use what the previous poster said about the admin fee and the arbitration clause changing. If they say no you can't call back and get someone new to talk to. I think you have to wait 45 days to go back though.
So if they say no, I have to wait 45 days to call back or am I reading this wrong?
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Click to collapse
Sent from my MB855 using XDA App

Why don't you guys quit trying to screw the system and just buy the damn phones.
You can sell any of the current crop of smartphones for 3-400 bucks right now, and then buy whatever you want for full price.
If you don't have the money, upgrade your lemonade stand.

Sprint launches early upgrade promo

In an industry where customer churn can be likened to the fearsome troll under the bridge, Sprint has launched a program designed to keep its favored subscribers around for another two years. While not everyone is eligible -- those who've upgraded less than eight months ago, corporate outfits and those in collections need not inquire -- the program lets customers buy their way out of their current commitment and become eligible for a new, subsidized handset. The promotion begins February 12th and is set to run through the 14th of April, where the amount you pay correlates to the time since your last upgrade. So if you're currently pining for the Epic 4G Touch or the iPhone 4S, just give your local Sprint store a call this Sunday. They just may be able to hook you up.
Source:http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/09/sprint-launches-early-upgrade-promo/

Nice C/P skills -_-
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It's more like they want to get rid of Wimax phones and other inventory it seems like. It's a ripoff, hardly worth the price. Ebay is cheaper
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Cleaning house getting ready for LTE

My OG Epic (Now NS4G) line is due for an upgrade in 5 months...may be perfect timing for once
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using xda premium

IMO opinion this is more of a contract buyout to get new user pricing than it is an early upgrade promo like the Sprint Premier Gold program was.

It makes 0 sense to pay $55 to buy out for early upgrade if you're like 1-4 months out.

cds0699 said:
It makes 0 sense to pay $55 to buy out for early upgrade if you're like 1-4 months out.
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Click to collapse
Keep in mind though, that we live in a world where people will happily spend well in excess of $55 to "upgrade" from something like a IPhone 4 to a 4s. Sometimes, "sense" takes a back seat to a desire to be instantaneously satisfied... lol

CoppertoneSPF15 said:
Keep in mind though, that we live in a world where people will happily spend well in excess of $55 to "upgrade" from something like a IPhone 4 to a 4s. Sometimes, "sense" takes a back seat to a desire to be instantaneously satisfied... lol
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I have to agree, people at my store will pay a lot to get their upgrade now to get the phone they want now. I think a lot of it comes from people who buy cheap phones and just can't take having them anymore and will do anything to get out of that phone.
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newalker91 said:
This actually isn't a promotion. It's just a last resort offering by Retention as of right now. You pay on average $10/month remaining on your contract with an average maximum of 6 months to move your upgrade up. We've been doing it for months for customers in my stores, but it's never really been publicly advertised.
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Are you working for a corporate store or a preferred retailer? I'm a preferred retailer and would love to know how you go about doing it, and compare that to the way we do it at our store. Shoot me a PM, love to compare notes!
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JasonK75 said:
Are you working for a corporate store or a preferred retailer? I'm a preferred retailer and would love to know how you go about doing it, and compare that to the way we do it at our store. Shoot me a PM, love to compare notes!
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Click to collapse
can i be included in this? i only have a way for 2 weeks early... preferred retailer

My wife is only 2 months away from an upgrade; if she waits, she still pays 36 dollars "activation fee", or, if she does it tomorrow, its the same 36 dollars, so, if you are a month or 2 away, it doesn't cost you a dime more to do it now..
yes, i am sure its to clean out the existing inventory before the "new" network is in full swing..
WOOT, 3000 POSTS!!

I work at a preferred dealer as well, just tell your customers to call customer care and see if they can do an early upgrade. If that doesn't work have them be transferred to retentions and say someone they know was able to buy out their remaining contract and get an early upgrade. That easy. I have my upgrade still, saving it for the GSIII because I'm not stupid like some people.
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ccline84 said:
I work at a preferred dealer as well, just tell your customers to call customer care and see if they can do an early upgrade. If that doesn't work have them be transferred to retentions and say someone they know was able to buy out their remaining contract and get an early upgrade. That easy. I have my upgrade still, saving it for the GSIII because I'm not stupid like some people.
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i have an airave for that

Ok I called Sprint customer care today inquiring about the upgrade. My girl's line is due for upgrade in October and I am tired of her complaining about her Evo3d restarting all the time. So I called to see if I can get that upgrade for an Iphone for her. I was told that the new promo is only for people who's upgrade is in April or earlier and are also having phone issues. I think I'm going to call a corporate store tomorrow. Any advice or am I wasting my time? The Engadget article said if you upgraded within the last 8 months your or not eligible. I didn't upgrade this line within the last 8 months.

To upgrade or not to upgrade....
I saw this on Friday and wandered into a Sprint store on Sunday. The fella at the desk told me this was all legit and that I would need to call customer service because he could not do anything from the store (he said to ask for the "retentions" department).
I've been suffering with a Hero for the last 18 months. Loved the phone when I first got it, but it didn't take long to realize that it was not powerful enough to keep me happy. My wife is on her third Moment because everything about that phone just doesn't seem to work. I was hoping to hold out for an LTE phone but it appears those won't be dropping until late summer, and I'm not sure if we can hold out that long.
On the Sprint website, I get a message that I am eligible for $150 off a new phone on April 1 (remnants of the Premiere Program). From what I read, I'll have to pay $36 to upgrade in April or I can pay $55 now.
So my question(s) to all you Sprint people out there, am I reading all this correctly? Will I still qualify for the $150 off the new phone? Am I absolutely crazy for not waiting for LTE? Should I take the SGS2E4GT (Galaxy S 2) or hold out for the Nexus?
Thanks for the input.

dabigoh said:
I saw this on Friday and wandered into a Sprint store on Sunday. The fella at the desk told me this was all legit and that I would need to call customer service because he could not do anything from the store (he said to ask for the "retentions" department).
I've been suffering with a Hero for the last 18 months. Loved the phone when I first got it, but it didn't take long to realize that it was not powerful enough to keep me happy. My wife is on her third Moment because everything about that phone just doesn't seem to work. I was hoping to hold out for an LTE phone but it appears those won't be dropping until late summer, and I'm not sure if we can hold out that long.
On the Sprint website, I get a message that I am eligible for $150 off a new phone on April 1 (remnants of the Premiere Program). From what I read, I'll have to pay $36 to upgrade in April or I can pay $55 now.
So my question(s) to all you Sprint people out there, am I reading all this correctly? Will I still qualify for the $150 off the new phone? Am I absolutely crazy for not waiting for LTE? Should I take the SGS2E4GT (Galaxy S 2) or hold out for the Nexus?
Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would buy a used phone off Craig's list or something now and hold onto you upgrade for an LTE device. You can get an E4GT for around $300 and EVO 3D for much less or an Nexus 4G for even less then that.
That is what I would do because once the GN drops you know you will want it or whatever cool LTE phone comes out soon after that...

The way I read this is that they are just pro-rating your ETF (the way they all should do anyway).
In theory, it works like this:
A high end handset costs ~$600 but in exchange for signing a 2-year contract, the cell phone carrier will subsidize $400 of the cost and roll the cost of that "loan" into the cost of your monthly service. You get a new phone without as large an initial outlay of cash and they gain a steady source of income for at least the next 2 years.
In theory you should be able to bring your own phone and get service at a lower cost off-contract because you aren't paying off a subsidy but since the top 3 providers don't offer this, there is not really any benefit to not taking the subsidy. You are already paying the same monthly rate so other than not being locked into a service contract, you gain nothing financially from not taking the $400 subsidy.
Along with this, in theory, your ETF should drop by 1/24th every month as you are basically paying off the subsidy one month at a time over two years. Once again, it doesn't quite work that way. At least this is an attempt to let people pay off the remaining subsidy before signing a new contract and taking a new one.
I would prefer to just pay $600 for my phone and then pay $17 less per month (approx 1/24 of $400) with no contract but since the US market seems accustomed to cheaper subsidized handsets on contract I don't know it would ever take off much. The contracts, handset exclusives, and lack of porting options have made it so the carriers have little incentive to compete on price or plan options..but that's another topic for another day.

Well I got mine it was 40 bucks but.my Gf needs a new phone had so, iPhone 4s and she can have my day 2week old epic touch 4g
Update: I got my upgrade and the fee was added to my bill and my upgrade is now waiting. Pretty cool. I have another upgrade in August so I will se what they have then.
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I have a upgrade in October, but I'm debating to hold off for the s3 which could be a long way off or get the epic touch. I have a 3d right now but the white epic touch looks sexy.
Sent from my PG86100 using xda premium

A big +1 to AT&T Retentions!

A few weeks back I called a rep to ask about my ETF to cancel and go to Verizon for the Note II. The lady I spoke with offered me the Note II for $249. I didn't t buy the phone at the time. The rep noted it on my account. I called back last night and spoke with another rep.
He honored the offer, even though I wasn't told all the details correctly the first time I called, and long story short, I renewed my contract and have a Note II on the way.
I ended up paying $312 {289.99 +tax) and got bill credits totalling $97, free overnight shipping and he waived the upgrade fee.
Thanks Phillip!

Att does this for all their products. If you have uverse they theyll give good discounts on it too.
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I love ATT Retention dept as well. They gave me $100 in credit just because I said I was thinking of switching to T-Mobile. Didn't have to upgrade or anything. They just gave it to me.

Same
ATT has been nothing but fantastic this time around. I am actually coming from Verizon and I wanted the Note 2 on a couple of our 5 lines. However, Verizon was being very...unfriendly towards my interest with this phone. We had 3 lines that were ready for upgrade immediately. However, in trying to sign our new 2 year contract to Big Red, they wanted a $30 upgrade fee per line. Additionally, two of our lines were going to lose their unlimited data. The third was going to drop from 4GB down to 2GB per month. They were in no way willing or interested in working with me to keep me as a customer. So, I immediately requested to cancel all lines of service. They threw a fit at that but that's a different story. In any event, I wound up doing a bit of shopping around for an alternative carrier. After deciding on ATT, I visited my local Best Buy due to the ATT corporate store being crazy busy during my lunch break. Best Buy got me set up with the Note 2 and also price matched Amazon Wireless. So, I walked out that day with 3 Notes for $175 a pop. However, the guy at Best Buy somehow set our share plan on different data plans per line. This next bit is where ATT customer service shines. I called in to have the matter addressed. It was a super friendly call from start to finish. I wasn't upset to begin with but had I been, the rep was super friendly and I'm sure it would have been de-escalated. At the end, to compensate me for the "inconvenience" of having to call in, she waived my first months bill entirely. That's what I call customer satisfaction. ATT might not have the same coverage, call quality, or speeds when compared to Verizon in my local area. However, the customer service more than made up for it in my book.

+1
Just got them to match the amazon $179 price minus Best Buy phone freedom ($50)....out the door $136 after taxes. No complaints here....

mykwalkr said:
Just got them to match the amazon $179 price minus Best Buy phone freedom ($50)....out the door $136 after taxes. No complaints here....
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Wow, I'm jealous. But I don't think BBuy would've done that for me - I wasn't eligible to upgrade till June of next year.

AT&T Retentions
raduque said:
Wow, I'm jealous. But I don't think BBuy would've done that for me - I wasn't eligible to upgrade till June of next year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was from AT&T retention department....I just asked them if they could match this price before I bought it from BB.

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread.
I purchased two SGN2's last week at an ATT store, as they were the only ones carrying them in my area. We got the $100 off the second phone deal. After seeing this I called them last night and got the response to call a different number that wasn't currently open. She did credit my activation fees though ($86).
This morning, i called the number she referred me to and they said they did not handle that type of thing, Then forwarded me to another dept. After being disconnected and calling back the rep kindly credited me $120 to my account, I did not want to push the Amazon Wireless price and I am extremely happy with this.
Thank you All!
I believe my price came to $189.99 per phone. Plus free activation.

Is there a direct number to the retentions department? I qill be getting the note 2 today if i get paid.
Thanks in advance
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Just scored my note 2 for 100 bucks since amazonwireless has the note 2 for sprint for 99$. They also waved activation and shipping. Needless to say im stoked

\/icious said:
Just scored my note 2 for 100 bucks since amazonwireless has the note 2 for sprint for 99$. They also waved activation and shipping. Needless to say im stoked
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The att version?
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jyazzie110 said:
The att version?
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes

A couple weeks back I was having problems with my Galaxy S 2 that I already had replaced under warranty for factory defects, This time around was a charging issue. (Always says its charging) So I asked them if they would be able to allow me to upgrade because I was extremely unsatisified with the phone and they went ahead and upgraded me. I told them about XDA people reporting getting the phone for 199 from other reps and that Amazon Wireless was running a special for 199. They had me pay 330 which was about the price for the phone and the tax for it, waived the upgrade fee and credited my account a whole 150 bucks. Needless to say I was very satisfied, On top of that she even through in 2nd day delivery. So I had my replacement device within days, and my phone bill this month was a mere 30 bucks.

\/icious said:
yes
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Thats awesome!!!!! Maybe u could pm me the number u called and what u said to get it for that price?? I would appreciate it alot!
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jyazzie110 said:
Thats awesome!!!!! Maybe u could pm me the number u called and what u said to get it for that price?? I would appreciate it alot!
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i just dialed 611 went to the upgrades/service change option and chose other. I talked to the girl and asked her if they would price match that offer and she said yes. I had not already ordered he phone though so i did it through her. It all depends on who you egt to deal with in the long run.

Meh, not that big of a deal. The phone is 174 at Amazon.

:good: for AT&T Retentions over here.
I just got off the phone with them for a completely different issue. The price of the device wasn't an issue for me. I got my Note II for only $63 and some change. But, anyway, I saw a thread on another website, where a lot of people were complaining about our devices not coming with the much vaunted multi-view capability. There were many people reporting that when they complained to AT&T about it and threatened to cancel service, as a way of trying to give them an incentive, AT&T offered either a large one-time credit or a temporary monthly reoccurring credit. The typical result was getting $10 knocked off your bill for 12 months. Sure enough, just before I got off the phone with the retentions rep I spoke to, she offered me $10 off my bill for the next 12 months as a way for AT&T to apologize to me. I'm quite happy about that.

Vandam500 said:
Meh, not that big of a deal. The phone is 174 at Amazon.
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Heard amazon is on backorder with the note 2?? I may be wrong.
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I spent an hour and a half on the phone with them today. The best I could talk my way into was a discount to $274.99 and a $100 credit on my bill. I guess considering my upgrade isn't available until may 13 its not all bad. I kept throwing the amazon deal out but they wouldn't price match it outright on the device.

\/icious said:
i just dialed 611 went to the upgrades/service change option and chose other. I talked to the girl and asked her if they would price match that offer and she said yes. I had not already ordered he phone though so i did it through her. It all depends on who you egt to deal with in the long run.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BTW are u a new customer or did u upgrade?
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Purchasing the One on a new contract, then cancel at day 15 and pay ETF?

Ok, I'm trying to weigh my options here. I have unlimited data and have no plan on ending that until they force me to. I have looked around and have found that a new HTC One still tends to go for around $500-550.
However, Verizon's ETF is $350, and now that the One can be had on contract for $50, it seems to me I could have the phone and only be out $400.
I actually ran this plan by a Best Buy employee as well to see if they could warn me of any pitfalls, and the guy said there would be no problem. But, I seem to find you guys know more than the guys at Best Buy or Verizon! So, here's what I had in mind...:
- Start a NEW LINE of service, not at all linked to my existing account, get whatever cheapest plan they have, and get the One for $50
- Wait out the 14 days "worry free" period, so that I am past the point where they would just want me to return the phone
- Cancel the service, pay the $350 ETF (plus a possible pro-rate for the half-month of service?)
- Profit!
Are there any catches? Any pitfalls? ANY way that I can screw myself over by doing this? Also, at what point can I switch the SIM card from my current phone over to the new phone? Right away or do I have to wait til I cancel the service? Do I need to do anything on the Verizon website as well? I have bought a phone outright for my wife and just switched the SIM and it worked fine.

bast525 said:
Ok, I'm trying to weigh my options here. I have unlimited data and have no plan on ending that until they force me to. I have looked around and have found that a new HTC One still tends to go for around $500-550.
However, Verizon's ETF is $350, and now that the One can be had on contract for $50, it seems to me I could have the phone and only be out $400.
I actually ran this plan by a Best Buy employee as well to see if they could warn me of any pitfalls, and the guy said there would be no problem. But, I seem to find you guys know more than the guys at Best Buy or Verizon! So, here's what I had in mind...:
- Start a NEW LINE of service, not at all linked to my existing account, get whatever cheapest plan they have, and get the One for $50
- Wait out the 14 days "worry free" period, so that I am past the point where they would just want me to return the phone
- Cancel the service, pay the $350 ETF (plus a possible pro-rate for the half-month of service?)
- Profit!
Are there any catches? Any pitfalls? ANY way that I can screw myself over by doing this? Also, at what point can I switch the SIM card from my current phone over to the new phone? Right away or do I have to wait til I cancel the service? Do I need to do anything on the Verizon website as well? I have bought a phone outright for my wife and just switched the SIM and it worked fine.
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Other than losing tons of money I don't see an issue. Why not just pay the monthly payments and keep unlimited though?
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using xda app-developers app

bast525 said:
Ok, I'm trying to weigh my options here. I have unlimited data and have no plan on ending that until they force me to. I have looked around and have found that a new HTC One still tends to go for around $500-550.
However, Verizon's ETF is $350, and now that the One can be had on contract for $50, it seems to me I could have the phone and only be out $400.
I actually ran this plan by a Best Buy employee as well to see if they could warn me of any pitfalls, and the guy said there would be no problem. But, I seem to find you guys know more than the guys at Best Buy or Verizon! So, here's what I had in mind...:
- Start a NEW LINE of service, not at all linked to my existing account, get whatever cheapest plan they have, and get the One for $50
- Wait out the 14 days "worry free" period, so that I am past the point where they would just want me to return the phone
- Cancel the service, pay the $350 ETF (plus a possible pro-rate for the half-month of service?)
- Profit!
Are there any catches? Any pitfalls? ANY way that I can screw myself over by doing this? Also, at what point can I switch the SIM card from my current phone over to the new phone? Right away or do I have to wait til I cancel the service? Do I need to do anything on the Verizon website as well? I have bought a phone outright for my wife and just switched the SIM and it worked fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will charge full price if phone if you don't return the phone. I use to work for Verizon in Columbia TN. This was the norm for that issue.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app

cstrife999 said:
Other than losing tons of money I don't see an issue. Why not just pay the monthly payments and keep unlimited though?
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using xda app-developers app
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Not sure I understand? Where am I losing tons of money?
wcr84 said:
They will charge full price if phone if you don't return the phone. I use to work for Verizon in Columbia TN. This was the norm for that issue.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
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Ok so as far as you know, what is the cut off where they can no longer ask me to return the phone, but will not charge me the full retail price of the phone either? After conversing with the Best Buy guy, he said this cut off is 14 days, after which they will not allow me to return the phone, and would only charge me the ETF, not the full price of the phone. Is he full of it?

wcr84 said:
They will charge full price if phone if you don't return the phone. I use to work for Verizon in Columbia TN. This was the norm for that issue.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
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That's only if he does not pay the etf , if he pays the $350 they can't then charge for the phone .
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 2

NOT TRUE. I just opened up a new account to get the phone for $149. It was my only choice since I have a concession account and Verizon would not sell me the phone unless they could attach it to a consumer account and I wasn't about to pay $699 at Best Buy. I cancelled the next day over the phone. The rep told me I was within my window to return the phone. I told him that I wanted to keep it and he said that was absolutely fine. Got my final bill about 2 weeks later and was charged $350 ETF, 1 day service $3.50, and $11.48 in taxes. They tried to charge me tax on the Activation fee which they eventually reversed since the account was cancelled within the first 3 days. In the end I paid a total of $565. The cheapest retail is at a VZW corporate store at $599. I was satisified.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app[/QUOTE]

skorpyo31 said:
NOT TRUE. I just opened up a new account to get the phone for $149. It was my only choice since I have a concession account and Verizon would not sell me the phone unless they could attach it to a consumer account and I wasn't about to pay $699 at Best Buy. I cancelled the next day over the phone. The rep told me I was within my window to return the phone. I told him that I wanted to keep it and he said that was absolutely fine. Got my final bill about 2 weeks later and was charged $350 ETF, 1 day service $3.50, and $11.48 in taxes. They tried to charge me tax on the Activation fee which they eventually reversed since the account was cancelled within the first 3 days. In the end I paid a total of $565. The cheapest retail is at a VZW corporate store at $599. I was satisified.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
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great info here, thank you. This is right in line with what I was expecting. Based on your experience, and the fact that the phone is now $50 on contract, I would say $465 is probably a good ballpark figure for what I should expect my total out of pocket cost to be for the phone.

wcr84 said:
They will charge full price if phone if you don't return the phone. I use to work for Verizon in Columbia TN. This was the norm for that issue.
Sent from my HTCONE using xda app-developers app
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If that is what they told you, that is complete bull****. That's a bs line that INDIRECT stores tell their customers. I know this because I was a store manager for one. The indirect retailers get paid when you buy a phone. When that phone/line is canceled a DAY before 6 months in term, they get their money taken back from them. Any new line or upgrade needs to be active for a complete 6 months before they are free and clear of returns and chargebacks. You tell them to shove it and call their bluff...Corporate Verizon should have NO problem doing this, I've seen it done. Hell....I've done it, but do it at your own risk because I don't work for corporate and never have, so idk what kind of guidelines they have about these types of things...
EDIT*** I thought you said the store TOLD you that, I misread. You WORKED for Verizon? Was it corporate or indirect? I've done this before, and have helped friends do it as well and there were no issues....

bast525 said:
great info here, thank you. This is right in line with what I was expecting. Based on your experience, and the fact that the phone is now $50 on contract, I would say $465 is probably a good ballpark figure for what I should expect my total out of pocket cost to be for the phone.
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Sounds right. I picked mine up from the same store that refused to sell the phone to me. I placed the order online and chose in store pickup. Phone was ready within an hour..

skorpyo31 said:
Sounds right. I picked mine up from the same store that refused to sell the phone to me. I placed the order online and chose in store pickup. Phone was ready within an hour..
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Pay full retail or do the 12 monthly payments split on your bill.

zetsumeikuro said:
Pay full retail or do the 12 monthly payments split on your bill.
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Orrr.... Pay less. By doing it his way?
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk 2

Ok, to play devil's advocate here.
1. Don't do it at an indirect. Best buy may be ok because they're large, and probably wouldn't notice/care enough to come after you with a chargeback. At my indirect you sign a separate contract saying if you cancel within 6 months, we will bill you full retail on the phone or you must return it to us.
2. If you cancel within the first 14 days, YES, corporate can bill your account full retail on the phone. Most carriers have a "gaming" department that handles cases like these.
(Source: I used to work in a gaming dept. Charged a guy full retail on 10 blackberry bolds )
3. You'll have the cost at the POS, a $35 activation fee, half a month of service, and the ETF. Just be aware of all of these.
4. When you call in to cancel DO NOT say it was lost/stolen. Don't want your ESN getting flagged