[Rumor] Verizon to Offer $100 Dollar Gift Card Trade-in to Upgrade to a Smartphone

[dgstorm]

There is an unconfirmed report that Verizon may have a pretty appealing new promotion. Supposedly, they will offer a $100 dollar gift card to existing customers that sign up for a new contract and trade-in their old basic phone for a new smartphone. The promotion will go on between August 18th and September 30th. Here's a quote with a few more details that are also included in the pics.

1) Current customers with a basic phone that are eligible for a 2-year upgrade will have to purchase a new smartphone at the discounted upgrade price, re-sign a 2-year contract and add a smartphone data plan.

2) Current customers with a basic phone, but are still under a contract may be eligible for an early upgrade. If so, they purchase the new smartphone, re-sign a 2-year contract, and add a smartphone data plan.

This was leaked by a western region Verizon employee, so it isn't clear yet if it will be nationwide, but we will inform you as we find out more info.

Source: PhoneArena

[northendtrooper]

On the flip side they acquire more tier data plan users.

[SwiftLegend]

How bout 3G Smartphone to 4G Smartphone?

[debdroid1a]

On the flip side they acquire more tier data plan users.

My thoughts exactly. They'll make more money from the tier data plan then the phone itself.
And those who haven't had a smart phone before may go for the higher data package because they're not sure what they'll use and want to be safe.

[UNC]

Redundant school of redundancy for the chronically redundant?

I wonder if you can buy a crap feature phone off of CL, activate it to a new account and use it for the trade-in?

[REMilk]

I hope this goes nationwide. My wife and I are both ready for an upgrade. We are looking at the BOGO for the Droid 3 which my local Verizon store will have in-stock the end of next week. She is on a 'dumb' phone while I have a Droid. We will use her 'dumb' phone upgrade for the purchase so she can get $100 gift card. I will get the 'free' phone.

[Vulcan1600]

It's most likely going to be a nationwide promotion and a big gain for VZW to get these people on smartphones, as they'll be charging data along with their basic service. Money in the bank.

Lastly, as a former VZW employee-it's sad that employees ignore the NDA they sign every year.

[ScottyDsntKnow]

Another way for them to get more teired customers. I would say she should go Sprint for true unlimited data for cheaper but I'm sure you are grandfathered in soooo...

Sent from my SPH-D700 using DroidForums

[debdroid1a]

I wonder if you can buy a crap feature phone off of CL, activate it to a new account and use it for the trade-in?

I suppose you could even find a free or cheap on at Verizon (or a koisk), that's how I use to get my phones as I hardly use them as "phones". So I needed the most basic, cheap phone in existance for when I did use them. Read the fine print to see if you have to have an activated phone for so long, like 6 months or something.

[steveninspokane]

So my wife can trade in her iPhone and finally get a smartphone and a cool $100 big ones (gift card).