[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.