The Contract Game
I read that you could buy your phone outright and get no commitment in Consumer Reports, the Jan or Dec issue. At least, that's what I read.
Further studies conducted by me calling customer support for each carrier gave me THIS information:
Sprint: will make you sign a two year commit if you bring in your own sprint phone. (Jerks.) So if you plan on signing up, at least get a free phone with your two year contract, then switch out the phone and sell it on ebay.
Alltel: will let you on a current price plan with no commitment. (This company has some things going well for them.)
T-Mobile: They will make you sign a one year agreement if you bring in your own phone. OR you can do "Flexpay", where you just pay the first month outright....
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Further studies conducted by me calling customer support for each carrier gave me THIS information:
Sprint: will make you sign a two year commit if you bring in your own sprint phone. (Jerks.) So if you plan on signing up, at least get a free phone with your two year contract, then switch out the phone and sell it on ebay.
Alltel: will let you on a current price plan with no commitment. (This company has some things going well for them.)
T-Mobile: They will make you sign a one year agreement if you bring in your own phone. OR you can do "Flexpay", where you just pay the first month outright....
(continues)
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Just remember Verizon prorates their early term so If you do sign a two year(and get a couple hundred bucks off a phone for doing so) and decide to leave after a year or whatnot you will have discounted cancellation fees based on time served with us,, so the cancellation fee will not be nearly as much as the discount they gave you for signing up. If you decide to use your own equipment you will not be getting that equipment discount at sign, but they will still prorate your cancellation fee and I have also seen them let people out with no fee since they didn't get equipment(not policy but have scene ithappen)
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That's not unique to VZW. I know Sprint does that. I don't know who else does.
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I have not yet read that CR review but here is what I've got for you. Bring your own equipment and sign a 1 year with VZW with a NEW line. ESN change on your existing line with new equipment purchased on a secondary market requires no contract. Change your plan, features, phone no new contracts.
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