Verizon Wireless Going Contract-Free?
45 comments
Filed in CDMA, Exclusives, Rumors, Verizon
According to an inside source, it looks like Verizon Wireless will be offering contract-free services as of September 21. Much like T-Mobile’s FlexPay, the option will be available to those who pay full, unsubsidized prices for phones or for folks who want to bring in their own devices. This will give the option of upgrading and switching devices without having to make contract modifications or extensions.
Here is a list of details about the upcoming offer:
- Available to Consumer, Corporate Liable, and Employee Liable customers (excludes Federal Government customers)
- Any current voice &/or data calling plan and equipment available
- Customer credit checks apply.
- Device Initiation Fee and/or Activation Fee must be charged (no exceptions)
- MTM customers are eligible to accept any applicable promotional offering but must agree with the contract term associated with the offer (i.e. they will no longer be a MTM customer)
- Customers are not eligible for equipment discounts if they do not agree to a one or two-year minimum term
- Corporate and employee liable customers are eligible to receive accessory discounts on month to month agreements
- MTM customers can terminate their service at any time (effective on their next bill cycle date) without incurring an early termination fee
- New Customers: Use Month to Month as the contract term
- Existing Customers: Use Upgrade Reason Code UN only
Anyone here gonna jump on this contract-free deal? Feel free to chime in!
Thanks, NotHTCKid
Tags: Verizon
No thanks. No exceptions on the activation & initialization fee is bogus. I’ll stick with AT&T and just keep taking the sim out of my old phone and put it in the new for free.
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It’s kind of funny that this is big news, since AT&T has had this policy for a long time. It seems verizon continues to play catch up.
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They haven’t offered this before? I thought everyone did. AT&T does. Sprint does. Heck - AT&T - you don’t even need to buy your phone FROM AT&T.
Wow.
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MadMike: I see what you’re saying but, considering that CDMA in the US doesn’t have SIM cards… yeah.
This will be a lot more interesting if the rest of the world ever gets around to offering a bunch of unlocked, high-feature CDMA phones in the U.S. As it is now, there aren’t even enough phones available to want to switch with any kind of regularity.
If, however, a bunch of quality CDMA phones start coming through the pipeline and the desire to switch phones every 4 months becomes more than I can stand, I would very much enjoy something like this.
The ball’s in your court, CDMA phone makers. If it happens, I’ll gladly go contract-free. Otherwise, I’ll keep on taking those subsidies.
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I think verizon is great at manipulation. This is a scam period. Please read the fine print “Device Initiation Fee and/or Activation Fee must be charged (no exceptions)” Also “Customers are not eligible for equipment discounts if they do not agree to a one or two-year minimum term”. Ill pass..
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As far as I know, T-Mobile doesn’t offer a no contract option. Just FlexPay which is pre-paid. Like Pom said, AT&T does and Sprint does.
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Dude, activation fee must be paid, because you are activating an account. And of course customers are not eligible for equipment discounts, they are not signing a contract. You only get a discount on a phone when you are signing a contract.
I am not defending Verizon in any way, but this is standard throughout the industry.
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Verizon’s early termination fee is $175, reduced by $5 for every month of the contract completed. Their current price for the Curve is $99 for a 2-year contract. If you get a Curve, then terminate the contract, it’ll still be less money than paying full price for a Curve - especially if you add a mandatory connection fee to it.
Naw. I’ll get my next phone on a 2-year contract, and not worry about whether I need to end it early.
The only exception - I pick up a phone from somewhere other than Verizon. Then I’ll go for their MTM.
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I think previously (previous to this change at least) when you came in with a used phone and signed up for a new account, vzw still required you to agree to a 1 yr contract. Even though you did not have a subsidy on the phone, you still had to sign a contract. 90% sure on this contract thing. This would change all that which is a good thing.
This may be part of the whole “Any Apps, Any Device” Open Network initiative they announced late last year..just a thought
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I may go this route depending on if ever the Storm/Thunder becomes avail to TMo and/or ATT (Wishing on a star) and the FC price of the handset…
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I wouldn’t compair it to Flexpay unless it works like Flexpay. Tmobile Flexpay accounts are not there for people who want them but for people who need them. There are 3 basic packages either prepaid, monthy and flexpay. Prepaid accounts require no credit check and customers payup front for their minutes. Now the down sides of prepaid are minutes are more expensive then a regular plan and sice you paid just for minutes there is no way to add anytype of monthy feature like blackberry for 19.99 or handset protection.
A standard monthy plan requires a credit check and 2yr contract. Now monthly accounts get rate plan where they get monthly minutes and can basicly add any other features to their accounts. Since you pay for minutes after you use them customer have the liklyhood of going over their minutes and must pay overchages.
Flexpay is a plan that allows customer who don’t qualify for standard monthly account to get a line without having to go prepaid. Flexpay account are only offered to those that couldn’t get a standard monthly account. With flexpay you can get a rate plan with minutes and can add other monthly features. Similar to prepaid you pay up front into a flexpay account and if your flexpay runs out you can’t make calls unless you have airtime remaining.
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Kelly you are right, they required at least a 1 yr contract even with Customer Provided Equipment, however that customer was still able to upgrade their phone at any time. Yes again this is a step towards Open Access for Verizon.
Why you would think this is a scam is beyond me…..there is NO CONTRACT, you just pay full retail for the phone. No discount because you are not bound to a contract so VZW can recover equipment costs. Will they make more money off that option…definately, but there is a much larger degree of risk.
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jdslim
The Storm is a VZW exclusive.
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With regards to the whole “unless there are some unlocked, high-feature CDMA phones,” let’s not forget that Verizon has committed to LTE, as in the GSM evolution path. So this really shouldn’t come as a surprise, especially since they’re going to be open to unlocked devices on their CDMA network.
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@Mark
Thanks for confirming that a contract was required even if you have your own phone. This may be the industry standard for other carriers but is “new” news and “good” news for VZW customers!
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How is this any different than if your contract runs out now? This is a lame story.
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Everyone missed what Kelly said…
with the “any apps, any device” stuff coming down the pipe, you will see why this becomes more and more prevalent…and who knows, maybe BGR will be the one to break the approved device list
and how can you guys honestly be sitting here bitching just over a month ago that you always have to have a contract, and now that verizon offers it, you get all uppity about how you have to pay full price for a phone with no contract.
you walk in with you own verizon device
pay 35 bucks
walk out with an active phone, and no contract
people have been clamoring for this for years, but now that it comes tot he reality of having to actually pay retail for that no contract freedom…oh wait slow down…I want it all, for free, and no contract. I know this is America, and personal responsibility isn’t big here, but lets try some out, and think things though a bit shall we?
*checks Email again*
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I will stick with my Verizon contract. Same bill each month with no suprises. On a MTM they can change the rules as you go without asking. As for changing phones, I change mine quite often. Just go on the Verizon web and enter your new ESN and Verizon’s computers switch you over at no cost, no hassle.
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Good old Verizon. I’d be curious to know how many this would attract given that many people are lured by the free / discounted phones. Speaking of which, I recently went to get my “new every two” free phone from a local Verizon store and was told that I could only get the free phone is I ordered via phone or online. I think this is a bad policy and the cell phone provider who will win is the ones who takes care of their customers needs the best.
Not to mention the threat of the new and cost effective satellite phones - I am waiting for mine!
~ Anthony
What are you doing today to make a difference in your tomorrow?
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Oh god. Why do people not understand anything they read. Of course you’re gonna have to pay full price for a phone. Your dumbass isn’t getting a contract so you DO NOT qualify for a discount on the handset you are purchasing. Its only in this country that people want everything free. If you want something free get the damn contract, it doesn’t hurt. No one likes to be in a commitment but eventually you do at some point in life. The only reason why no one goes cdma as much is because you cannot switch phones as often like gsm. But you people forget that cdma phones and technology is far more superior than gsm in general. Why do you think Verizon is always number 1 in call quality and coverage and ATT and T-NoNo aren’t? You’ll see real soon that once more cdma phones are being made you will be able to switch as you please like a gsm phone. But anyways, this is a great marketing stratagy for Big Red. People can join contract free and BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) as soon as the any app any device “program” begins. It’ll be great. I’m joining when the Storm launches. I might work for Att but its just a job, and their coverage is getting worse by the day! Dropped calls. Excuses about the network failing due to Hurricane Gustav when that took place in the south and people were getting dropped calls up here in nyc and the rest of the Northeast makes no sense at all. And supposedly if your “number 1″ , your service is supposed to work but i know its hard work trying to withstand that power from the hurricane and all, but T-Mobile didn’t let that stop them and they’re number 4 in the country, NUMBER 4! Come on something must be right on their side if they didn’t get affected. But thats just me, you might have a diff opinion.
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thanks NOTHTCkid…and yea I think it is a part of the “Any Apps, Any Device” initiative. I hope they also extend it more devices than available now.
Verizon already announced that it will move to GSM in the coming years but I just hope it can retain its quality and service.
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Re: flexpay
That is mostly accurate, however all customers have a choice to go with Flexpay regardless of how good their credit is. The reason some do is that there is no way to incur overages. It is true that most people are on Flexpay because that is what they qualified for, but there are many more who chose it for its benefits. So Flexpay is much more than standard prepaid. It doesn’t charge any activation fee and many have the choice between contract or no-contract.
BG, T-Mobile does offer stardard postpaid contract-free. It is very recent though that they began this.
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the scam is actually how VZW puts this stuff out there and manages to get people to think that they are doing something new, great, and groundbreaking when companies like AT&T (who, for the most part, is hated by the posters around here) has been doing this forever…
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Yes, do the math.
Even if you pay the full termination fee, that’s only $175. Of course that goes down over time, and you may or may not decide to cancel and have to pay it. A lot of these devices are going to have at least a $200 subsidy for the contract price. So if you decide to pay full retail just to avoid the “shackles” of a contract, you are simply deciding to pay your cancellation fee (probably even more) up-front whether or not you even cancel. I think peoples’ issues with contracts are more mental than anything.
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You realize you can change your phones for FREE online right? Or did you not know that because you have ATT and don’t know what you’re talking about…?
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