Verizon Plans to Discontinue 1-year Contracts Effective April 17

[Larry_ThaGr81]

Sprint needs to seize this opportunity and start coming out consistently with top notch phones because verizon is making them look better and better.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

I definitely think they they are doing this because many people who go the TB probably choose one year contracts. With one year contracts comes the potential after one year of leaving verizon, but also comes the lost of money because of the discounted prices of the phones.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

They stopped $15 dollar data packages right before the iPhone came out and now they are stopping one year contracts right before the bionic is going to release.

 

[B-RAN]

Simply put Verizon is a joke.

Then drop them and enjoy all of your dropped calls on your new network.
Sorry for the outburst but I'd be willing to bet that a VERY few people on this thread that are talking so much trash about Verizon will actually make a change. Do these changes suck...yes, but they are not doing anything different than the other carriers are doing.
I'm not happy about the changes but I'd rather be going through this with Verizon on a top notch network than dealing with it from ATT or T-Mobile.
People constantly complain about Wal-Mart but, have you ever seen their parking lot empty?
Just my two cents!
BTW, I dont work for Verizon or anything, just have been a loyal customer for 7 years now (wireless and fios). I have been on ATT and on Sprint in the past and in my area (DFW) there is no better coverage and NO better customer service than Verizon!
Hey Verizon, I'm available for commercials if you need me! ;o)

Have a good one DROID Family!!

 

[B-RAN]

Sprint needs to seize this opportunity and start coming out consistently with top notch phones because verizon is making them look better and better.

They should focus on their network before their phones!

 

[dafischman]

So I have a hypothetical situation.

Because of this, I am seriously considering going and getting the TBolt. Lets say I held off and bought it on the 16th on a 1 year contract. Lets say on the 21st or 28th (both within 14days), I take it back and trade for a Bionic, would I be forced into a 2 year since the Bionic wouldn't be offered on the 1 year? How does it work when you take a phone back for a new one, do they cancel the original contract and start a new one the day of the new phone? Hmmm, time to get serious on a decision.

Josh

 

[Stelv]

Choice is rapidly being decreased in our society, that is why verizon has us where they want us and why walmart always has shoppers. There is less and less competition. Sadly a company with enough money can control market trends and competition. We need more regulation and consumers advocates.

Sent from my fascinate

 

[shdowman]

Simply put Verizon is a joke.

Then drop them and enjoy all of your dropped calls on your new network.
Sorry for the outburst but I'd be willing to bet that a VERY few people on this thread that are talking so much trash about Verizon will actually make a change. Do these changes suck...yes, but they are not doing anything different than the other carriers are doing.
I'm not happy about the changes but I'd rather be going through this with Verizon on a top notch network than dealing with it from ATT or T-Mobile.
People constantly complain about Wal-Mart but, have you ever seen their parking lot empty?
Just my two cents!
BTW, I dont work for Verizon or anything, just have been a loyal customer for 7 years now (wireless and fios). I have been on ATT and on Sprint in the past and in my area (DFW) there is no better coverage and NO better customer service than Verizon!
Hey Verizon, I'm available for commercials if you need me! ;o)

Have a good one DROID Family!!

It is exactly thoughts like that, that VZW is hoping most people will have. Pure blind allegiance does not equal informed decision making.

I used to work for them when they were Airtouch Cellular here in California and have been a customer since. My main sticking points have been the NE2, the early upgrade option, 1 yr contracts (if I wanted to), consistent service.

The thing is, most blind fanboys make the whole "Then drop them and enjoy all of your dropped calls on your new network" argument without realizing that the reality is, people are making less and less phone calls. We are a wired society, where texting, facebook, email are the new waves of communication. Aside from the occasional call to my wife or kids, I rarely spend any time talking to people unless it is in person. I'm sure a lot of you, if you gave it some hard thought, would come to the same conclusion. So, in that sense, I'll would take the "dropped calls" I am not making and pay less per month than to watch as everything I enjoyed about my telcom is slowly stripped away thanks, in large part, to a fruit phone. And I will make that decision when the time comes and it will be a very informed one.

 

[vzdroid13]

So I have a hypothetical situation.

Because of this, I am seriously considering going and getting the TBolt. Lets say I held off and bought it on the 16th on a 1 year contract. Lets say on the 21st or 28th (both within 14days), I take it back and trade for a Bionic, would I be forced into a 2 year since the Bionic wouldn't be offered on the 1 year? How does it work when you take a phone back for a new one, do they cancel the original contract and start a new one the day of the new phone? Hmmm, time to get serious on a decision.

Josh

I was thinking the same thing, but the problem is that we really don't know when the Bionic is coming, and if it doesn't, you will either have to keep the TB or pay $35 to return it. And if we don't see some 'DROID' advertising by about the 14th, then I doubt the it will be coming in time.

 

[vzdroid13]

Well this certainly isnt good news but I think Verizon knows what their doing. They WANT to sell us their phones and don't have anything to gain by preventing us from getting them. Manufacturers probably wont be too happy about this either. Best Buy's buy back program is looking really good now, just buy a phone for 600(plus 60 for the program) and 6 months later when I new one comes out they'll give you 300 back so you will end up being out about 360. Or you can sell it on Gazelle without having to pay the extra 60, and you might even get a little more cash than Best Buy would give. Hopefully they will come out with something soon to make it easier for people to get phones from 'them' without having to go through all of this though. Also remember that there will always be something great out when your contract actually is over, and if there is a real reason that you need a new phone I'm sure Verizon will work something out.

 

[dafischman]

So I have a hypothetical situation.

Because of this, I am seriously considering going and getting the TBolt. Lets say I held off and bought it on the 16th on a 1 year contract. Lets say on the 21st or 28th (both within 14days), I take it back and trade for a Bionic, would I be forced into a 2 year since the Bionic wouldn't be offered on the 1 year? How does it work when you take a phone back for a new one, do they cancel the original contract and start a new one the day of the new phone? Hmmm, time to get serious on a decision.

Josh

I was thinking the same thing, but the problem is that we really don't know when the Bionic is coming, and if it doesn't, you will either have to keep the TB or pay $35 to return it. And if we don't see some 'DROID' advertising by about the 14th, then I doubt the it will be coming in time.

I'd be fine with the TB if the Bionic wasn't available sine I'd still have an upgrade in 10 months on the 1 year.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[nerdslogic]

So I hear that the reason that they are implementing this now and not at the end of the year is due to the expected large number of sales for the DX2 and the D3....

 

[TheOldFart]

So I hear that the reason that they are implementing this now and not at the end of the year is due to the expected large number of sales for the DX2 and the D3....

Good point, but perhaps it is because of the large number of new phones that will be sold when the 20 months is up for those who bought the Eris and the Droid. I'm not sure when the Eris was released, but the Droid owners will be eligible for their NE2 in July.

 

[nerdslogic]

oh no doubt that plays a part as well.

 

[rage151]

That is rather upsetting. Are there any carriers that do one years anymore?

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

This is why VZW "claims" no one wants an annual contract - people don't even care to ask when they buy a phone. Of course other providers offer annual contracts. The iphone is the only exception.

It's also hard to fully blame the consumer. I have signed 8, 1yr contracts with VZW and the salesperson "mistskenly" rang me up on a 2yr, 6 times. Had to call customer service to get it right. Once, when the salesperson finally understood that I wanted a 1yr contract, he walked off to help someone else and finally a manager finished it.

There is no doubt in my mind that commissions are higher for two year activations. People may say they offer it, and that's at best questionable. They may offer it, but they sell a 2yr. If one year contracts paid more commission, you can bet that a lot more would be sold.