[irishqt]

BIG BIG OMG NEWS..................




I heard on the 5am Good morning news that Vzw will be doubling there termentation fees for all smart phone as of Nov15 2009 due to the release of the Dural phone. ' not sure the spelling on that'

This new smart phone from VZW has gotten much better reviews then the Iphone..


The termination fee will Be 350.00 dollars.. THIS WILL BE STARTING NOV15,2009


OK tha't my Q to get out of my ETF for free.............. I will be calling them at 6am .

I will update to let you know how that went.


Maybe there is a GOD I wanted out of my ETF and VZW did not have that in my contract.


Thanks

[irishqt]

It's 6.28am and I am not able to get through to a rep at this time.. I will try again soon.

I like to say that I think it is crazy that VZW is doing this to Smart phone users.. On the news they never said why it would could cost more just because a new Smart phone is coming out? If that is the case why did they not do this with STORM2 ?

I am kind of still new to the BB world but that makes no sense to me. OK maybe if I was buying that phone that is coming out. Also If it was told to me and in the contract that i would be signing then I might be OK with it.
Well trust me I know nothing about this new phone that will be coming out but there is no way I would pay 350 ETF for any smart phone..

Thanks everyone

[bearkat38]

[B][COLOR="SeaGreen"]On the news they never said why it would could cost more just because a new Smart phone is coming out?

Maybe because smart phones are more expensive?

[ed29550]

Good Luck. Being a former Alltel customer who was forced to verizion I am so at them. I no longer have a signal at my home. I would estimate that 75% of my calls get dropped at least once. I used to have 4 to 5 bars of signal at my home. Now I have 1 to none. Called cust service. They said there are 3 towards within 5 miles of my home. Last Saturday I went to the store and find out that Alltel contracted to Sprint for some of their data services and verizion lost those contracts. Rep PROMISED I would have normal service by Monday. Well today is Thursday and I still have no signal. It will be worth it to pay the ETF and tell them where to put their phone. But they can charge me whatever they want. Can't make me pay it.

[jlsparks]

I believe that it's only for people who enter into new contracts after 11/15, but I could be wrong. Anyways, all contracts have "out" clauses that typically cost you something. Lease a house? Pay a security deposit you *might* get back. Own a business an lease office equipment? Want to turn in that copier early? There's a fee for that. Lease a car and turn it in early? That will cost you.

I don't have a problem with ETFs. Without them the number of lines that cancel before the end of their contract term would increase. VZW would therefore lose money which is, though unearned from an accounting standpoint, anticipated to be earned because... you're in a contract! Which means you comply with the terms. Which means you pay them for 24 months (or 12, depending on your term.) A bunch of people bailing mid-term would raise costs for the rest of us, as VZW wouldn't recapture the subsidies they kicked in when you bought your phone, and wouldn't earn what they expect to earn under the contract you signed.

It comes down to a matter of choice, IMO: if you take seriously your obligations, one of which is to comply with the terms of a cell phone contract you willingly signed, knowing the terms and the length of the contract, then why would you care if the ETF went to $500? If, however, you're a schemer who is just looking to take advantage of situations you're confronted with, I can see why this would bother you. Besides, if you didn't want a contract, and the ETF that goes with it, why didn't you go pre-paid?

[jlsparks]

It's 6.28am and I am not able to get through to a rep at this time.. I will try again soon.

I like to say that I think it is crazy that VZW is doing this to Smart phone users.. On the news they never said why it would could cost more just because a new Smart phone is coming out? If that is the case why did they not do this with STORM2 ?

I am kind of still new to the BB world but that makes no sense to me. OK maybe if I was buying that phone that is coming out. Also If it was told to me and in the contract that i would be signing then I might be OK with it.
Well trust me I know nothing about this new phone that will be coming out but there is no way I would pay 350 ETF for any smart phone..

Thanks everyone

It isn't November 15th yet! You signed before November 15th! You're not affected!

[lordcliff]

OMG!!!!! I responded to this exact thread yesterday. Wait, it was a diffent one. Oh well.

Don't sign a contract you don't like the terms of. Was that so difficult?

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[Schoondog]

My take on the raised fees. A lot of people that were getting a free phone by signing a new contract then selling that phone on eBay for a huge profit and only paying a 175 ETF (thus still making money on a 500 dollar ) will maybe now think twice before doing that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[irishqt]

Ok guess wht I just got off the phone with VZW and I was told by a rep that she just works there. This is her 10th call regarding this matter.. She then went on to say to me that it would be nice if the company she works for would fill in there works about wht is going on..

I have to say that I called about me and my phone and problem but by the time I was done hearing how her day was going and that she only worked there and had no idea about the change in the ETF. I told her she might want to put on the news.

She then said thanks thats a great idea.. I then said what about the issue I am calling about. She then said that she would have a manger call me back.

Now does anyone here think think that I am going to ge that call?

WAIT my phone is ringing... LOL

[ekyle125]

I didn't think so many people ditched their contracts early.

[Wireless Vet]

Ok guess wht I just got off the phone with VZW and I was told by a rep that she just works there. This is her 10th call regarding this matter.. She then went on to say to me that it would be nice if the company she works for would fill in there works about wht is going on..

I have to say that I called about me and my phone and problem but by the time I was done hearing how her day was going and that she only worked there and had no idea about the change in the ETF. I told her she might want to put on the news.

She then said thanks thats a great idea.. I then said what about the issue I am calling about. She then said that she would have a manger call me back.

Now does anyone here think think that I am going to ge that call?

WAIT my phone is ringing... LOL

The problem is with websites like this is that information gets leaked many times before VZW or any other carrier officially announces it. Don't act on anything unless you see an official announcement from the company.

[digital_cataclysm]

There's a few key points mentioned above, I'd have to say would be influences on this decision by Verizon... From BGR:

"According to a document found by the Boy Genius Report, Verizon Wireless has raised its $175 early termination fee to a whopping $350 specifically for "advanced devices," which probably includes all smartphones. The termination fee won't stay at $350 however: the sum will decrease by $10 for every month of service.

This isn't exactly painting Verizon Wireless in a positive light here, though we suspect it's just a way for the carrier to prevent customers from dropping a phone and selling it for a premium on eBay or Craigslist. The new $350 ETF will go into effect on November 15."

Not painting Verizon in a Positive light? They're making a mad investment to bring a ton of brilliant smart phones to consumers, who've been whining about not having enough cool phones in their inventory... expensive, hawt, we need'em smart phones, and now people are going to cry because Verizon doesn't want you to simply change your mind and skip on over to T-Mobile when the Next "gotta-have-it" smart phone releases, and you dump your device onto eBay?
Consumers.
And yes - if you don't like the contract, don't sign it.

...Personally, I wish the U.S. carriers would run their operations like Europe does, by not having such heavily subsidized phones, and a much cheaper monthly rate for voice and data services.
But what U.S. customer would happily pay an upfront cost of $600 for a Phone?? That's CRAZY....


**Agree that I've read nothing "official" from Big Red.
maybe this is a leaked ruse from AT&T.

[jlb21]

......I no longer have a signal at my home. I would estimate that 75% of my calls get dropped at least once. I used to have 4 to 5 bars of signal at my home. Now I have 1 to none. Called cust service. They said there are 3 towards within 5 miles of my home. Last Saturday I went to the store and find out that Alltel contracted to Sprint for some of their data services and verizion lost those contracts. Rep PROMISED I would have normal service by Monday. Well today is Thursday and I still have no signal. It will be worth it to pay the ETF and tell them where to put their phone. But they can charge me whatever they want. Can't make me pay it.

Perhaps you could get VZW to give you a repeater for your house.

[MobileMadness002]

If it is anything like ATT, the new contract ETF fees would not become affective unless you add a new service or make a change that affected your current service, like upgrading your equipment. And NO, this not a get out of contract card.

[Wireless Vet]

If it is anything like ATT, the new contract ETF fees would not become affective unless you add a new service or make a change that affected your current service, like upgrading your equipment. And NO, this not a get out of contract card.

That's what it appears. There are way to many people opening new lines of service just to get a good price on the phone, only to be canceled, and then there is the Ebay thing as mentioned.

[firefighter71]

That's what it appears. There are way to many people opening new lines of service just to get a good price on the phone, only to be canceled, and then there is the Ebay thing as mentioned.

the solution to that would be adding a clause into the contract that if you ET your contract, withint X amount of time, you would have to pay back the difference to verizon.. that would eliminate profiters on ebay all together..

[fabuloso]

oh cry me a river. If you buy a phone, it's for a pretty damn good reason. Why try to resell it if you aren't going to use it.

[GenuineHelp]

Ha good thing I'm not in a contract. I bet alot of people will be deciding on no contract options or not extending contracts in the future.

[stuaw11]

Justification for this ETF is ridiculous.

Tell me, how is getting $150 off a phone when you sign up fair relating to a $350 ETF? The whole justification for an ETF was to recoup the phone discount, this is just excessive. The carrier is already recouping the phone price in your monthly costs too.

All this will do is promote people to buy phones full price and go no contract.

And there's nothing in the law that says you cant breach a contract. I definitely see someone starting a class action suit over this as its a totally non-proportional penalty to what youre getting from the carrier.

[JustinD2473#IM]

Justification for this ETF is ridiculous.

Tell me, how is getting $150 off a phone when you sign up fair relating to a $350 ETF? The whole justification for an ETF was to recoup the phone discount, this is just excessive. The carrier is already recouping the phone price in your monthly costs too.

All this will do is promote people to buy phones full price and go no contract.

And there's nothing in the law that says you cant breach a contract. I definitely see someone starting a class action suit over this as its a totally non-proportional penalty to what youre getting from the carrier.

$150 off ?

Most smartphones retail value is set at or above $500. Then VZW sells most or all of their smartphones for $199 or less with a 2 year contract, Storm2 is $179 !

People were buying phones for the $149-199...selling them on ebay for $500-600 and then paying the $175 ETF and pocketing the other $200-300 as profit.

This new ETF will prevent people from doing this to just make money on phones.

The BOGO offer made this senario worse as people were getting 2 phones for under $200

[jhamilton3#CB]

I find it quite reasonable in a way. They are trying to stop losing money on people who cancel after getting a phone just to sell it and make a profit.

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[stuaw11]

$150 off ?

Most smartphones retail value is set at or above $500. Then VZW sells most or all of their smartphones for $199 or less with a 2 year contract, Storm2 is $179 !

People were buying phones for the $149-199...selling them on ebay for $500-600 and then paying the $175 ETF and pocketing the other $200-300 as profit.

This new ETF will prevent people from doing this to just make money on phones.

The BOGO offer made this senario worse as people were getting 2 phones for under $200

thats VZW's own fault for doing BOGO then. They were doing it to keep BB sales up to compete with the iphone sales since VZW gets the most BB business.

And who sets that ARBITRARY $5-600, thats right, that same carrier. Its no "bargain," you just buy into the retail price should be that high and theyre doing you a favor at $199. Everyone knows the phones only cost $150-175 to build a smartphone seeing the iphone and Storm build costs as a guage.

The MOST they should "retail" full price for is $400

You also dont think theyre recouping those "discounts" in your monthly bill too? say you get a $600 phone for $199 and complete your 2 years, how are they making that money back in discounts then? Theyre recouping in your monthly fee too!! So theyre double dipping the system on the phone excuse.

[Timelessblur]

People are ******** about this but you know cell phone companies play follow the leader. It is only a matter of time before at&t follows along and raise ther ETF to 350 as well

Just look at the manditory data plans on smart phone att kick it off with the iPhone then verizon force data on smart phone and in less that. Year all smart phone no matter the carier had manditory data plan

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[TheScionicMan]

And there's nothing in the law that says you cant breach a contract. I definitely see someone starting a class action suit over this as its a totally non-proportional penalty to what youre getting from the carrier.

Of course you can breach a contract, and that's what the ETF, that you agreed to, is all about. It's part of the legally binding agreement or "contract" that you willingly enter into with the company. It's not a penalty, it doesn't have to be proportional. You AGREED to be bound by the terms when you signed it. They could make it a Million $ ETF, if someone was willing to agree to that.

They can't legally change the ETF on your current agreement. I would imagine this is for new phones and new contracts. Make sure to ask details before you agree to a contract. Think about how it would be if the situation was reversed. They agree to pay you $100 per month for a year, but then decide to stop paying you after 6-7 months because they found someone else they wanted to pay that money to. Weren't you expecting that money for those other months? Maybe planned your spending around it...

[rainbowbrite812]

Bummer...I just called 611 and yep, if you dont upgrade/sign contract by 11/14 the etf will be $350, if before that then you'll be grandfathered in with your contract's $175 etf

Darn! I was having lots of data issues and dropped calls since the merger (former Alltel customer) when i called last Fri to see if getting into an actual Vzw phone would pick up signals better they said since i was having issues they'd end my contract early (i wasn't due to end till 2/11) that way i could upgrade to a new phone at the 2yr price, which was perfectly fine with me, esp if it happened to make my signal better, if not then yay, i get to get a Tour or Storm2...well, i wasn't planning on upgrading till the end of the month due to $ and now i have no choice but to do it in the next week or so since i don't want the increased ETF. i asked if they could grandfather in my current etf since i didn't end contract, nor did i ask to end the contract, i just wanted to see if there was anything they could do in terms of my spotty service. or put me back on my contract and get me a phone at the 2yr price...the cs said no. then again, she also didn't know anything about the increase in ETF till i called in and she put me on hold to speak with a mgr.

i'm so bummed, now i have to get a phone asap