Cell phone early termination fee question.

[Rick Lee]

I really, really want a Motorola Razr phone. I've been with Verizon Wireless for a good eight years and have been a loyal customer. But these damn phones are only available through them for $99 IF you are a new customer and sign a two-year agreement. Otherwise, they're $300 and change. My contract doesn't come up for renewal for over a year. I don't know what my early termination fee is, but I'd guess it's enough that it plus the $99 to sign up as a new customer is probably close to the $300+ price. Cingular will give this phone to new customers for $40 and change AND I could keep my Verizon phone number. Ok, bottom line: has anyone ever gotten Verizon to cave by threatening to leave? Obviously, paying a one-time early termin. fee is a small fraction of the money they'd lose if I left them forever. Does this logic work on them? I know it works with credit card cos. that want to charge an annual fee.

[RickM]

Rick, it may be at the discretion of the rep you work with. If you have a local Verizon store I'd try to pursuade the manager to work with you. Does you workplace have a relationship with them...or how about a friend who has a commercial account? That may be some grease on the wheel.

[VINMAN]

Verizon wireless sucks with their contracts. I tried the same thing, they wouldnt budge, and I work for Verizon. The only reason I stay with them, is that almost everyone that I talk on the phone to, has the same service and I have almost unlimited in network calls. Not that I even use it much. I went to 3 different VZ stores and they all said I'd have to buy the phone outright. I could get a better deal by going to Cingular or T Mobile than I get with my joke-of-a employee discount.

[Rick Lee]

Thanks Vinny. That's not encouraging news. I used to work at Verizon and we got something like $200 a month toward cell and home phone bills. I know some of those sales reps must have some discretion to get make an executive decision.

Let's see - sell a Razr phone for $99 to and keep a longtime customer who's paid many thousands of dollars to us over the years and probably will continue to do so OR refuse to sell him the phone, get $200 or so in early termination fee and never see him again. Does this sound like a tough decision?

[VINMAN]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
Thanks Vinny. That's not encouraging news. I used to work at Verizon and we got something like $200 a month toward cell and home phone bills. I know some of those sales reps must have some discretion to get make an executive decision.

$220 a month toward your bill?? Wow!! What VZ did you work for? We dont get crap. Honestly, I dont think those sales reps get that huge of an incentive. Plus they get enough business that a few customers threating to leave wont put a scare in them. I've been in there jumping up and down screaming about my "employee rights" and no respect for your fellow worker. didnt help a bit!
Those stupid Wireless stores always seem to be the most crowded store in the malls. I'ts amazing how obssesed people have become with their cell phones.

[widebody911]

The contract BS is one of the many reasons I won't get a cell phone.

[Rick Lee]

Thom, you are a braver man than I.

Vinny, I was in Yellow Pages sales and I think we did get $200 a month for phone stuff. Just got off the phone with V. Wireless and they said there's no way I can get a Razr phone for less than full retail unless I add another line to my account, which, of course, would cost far more than a full retail Razr and far more than paying my early termin. fee and going somewhere else. I asked her if any of that made sense to her - losing a longtime customer for something like this, suggesting an alternative that costs far more than my just paying full retail, etc. Seems like Verizon hasn't changed at all since I worked there. No one gets paid to think or make common-sense financial and sales decisions. I just don't understand folks who would choose 100% of nothing over 60% of something.

[VINMAN]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
Seems like Verizon hasn't changed at all since I worked there. No one gets paid to think or make common-sense financial and sales decisions. I just don't understand folks who would choose 100% of nothing over 60% of something.

Thats for sure!!

I agree Thom. They have the worst contract terms of anyone out there. Along with their DSL Service. You shouldnt be locked into a contract with such high penalties, or even locked into a contract at all.

[Neilk]

I know that Sprint has an upgrade promotion. If you extend your contract for 1 or 2 years, Sprint will give $75 to $150 respectively towards a new phone. Verizon doesn't have anything like that?

Look for a cell phone forum and see if they have any advice.

[craigster59]

I just went thru this BS this week after I ran my cellphone thru the washer AND dryer. I'm with Cingular and went to the store and was offered a POS phone for $120 that a new customer would get for free. I said I would extend my contract for 2 more years now what will you sell it to me for? Still $120. It was $175 to buy out the 10 months left on the contract. I finally got them to sell me a Razr for the $120 that new customers are getting for $49. I've been with them for 7 years. I rank them right up there with insurance companies.

[vash]

i just read in money magazine that people that want to bail on cell phone contracts just need to sign up with a service that transfers your remaining contract to someone else. i seem to remember a website of a service, but sorry, i dont have the magazine here with me at the office.

i am verizon, and i like it. i dont think i have ever chosen a cell provider, by the equipment. hell, i was sprint for a long time, and in my opinion, they have the lamest phones.

[jkarolyi]

I hate the way US cel service is set up. 2-year contracts...give me a break! Overseas, you buy the phone yourself (with no discounts) and pay a monthly fee depending on how many minutes you use, just like it is with land lines here. I had one when I worked overseas, and it cost around $20 a month total using around 500 minutes worth of local calls.

I have to switch companies each year or two so I can get a new phone. US cel service is a scam to the highest degree.

[Rick Lee]

Just switched to Cingular. The $175 early termin. fee with Verizon will sting, but I'll make it bakc in savings AND my Razr is a GSM, which will make me very happy when I travel overseas. Last year in China I had a rented cell phone and never could figure out to reply to text messages, so I'd have to call them. Now I can use my new phone wherever I go. It even came with a Chinese plug outlet adapter.

[Rikao4]

And that is why these clerks will remain clerks..unable to to see the big picture.Lose a 7 year customer over a 50 dollar phone.
Rika