[Jedi_Blackberry]

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
Sent: Fri Nov 14 10:39:41 CST 2008
To: [email protected]
Cc:
Subject: Phone Upgrade Eligibility


Primary Subject: Phones and Accessories
Secondary Subject: Phone Upgrade Eligibility
Message Body: I am 9 months into a 2 yr contract. You have the Blackberry Storm set to release on Nov 21st, select customers some of which who have just signed a new contract in July or who have their NE2 eligible for 2010 are getting promotions to upgrade early.
Why can I not upgrade early? I have had my account since Feb 08. I assumed the responsibility of the account from my wife's account which was started a year before that.
How does Verizon decide who is getting the early upgrade? My house hold currently has 3 lines with Verizon....small time you may think, but that should count for something! You have to make your numbers on the phone understandable so why not approach all the customers with blackberries to see if they will upgrade to the Storm which of course would extend contracts for additional years?



From: VZW WFM MW IRT <[email protected]>

Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:55:54
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Phone Upgrade Eligibility (WFM36881824)


Dear Marlo Brown,

Good Morning! My name is Wayne, and I apologize for any confusion and inconvenience in regards to the options you have to upgrade your equipment at a discount. I welcome the opportunity to clear this up for you today.

Upon review of your inquiry, you currently are not eligible to upgrade your equipment at a discount until on or after February 9, 2009. Our Annual upgrade option offers you the option to upgrade your phone at a discount one year from the date of your last equipment discount upgrade.

You will continue to be qualified to participate for this program if you continue to meet the following requirements:

* You have been on a plan with a monthly access fee of $49.99 or above for three consecutive months prior to the upgrade request and a two-year agreement.
* You have completed 12 full months of service from the date of the last discounted equipment purchase (upgrade or new activation on a two-year service agreement) on a monthly access fee of $49.99 or above for three consecutive months prior to the upgrade request.
* Your account is current, with no past-due balance.

The following is important information regarding the Annual Upgrade Program:

* Requires a new two-year agreement that would reset the clock for New Every Two.
* The New Every Two credit cannot be used in conjunction with the Annual Upgrade Program.
* $20.00 Device Initiation Fee is required to change from the old equipment to the new equipment if the upgrade is done at a store or via Customer Service.

Please keep in mind that if you accept the discount and cancel service for any reason before fulfilling the terms of your Customer Agreement, you will be charged an Early Termination Fee of up to $175, per line of service canceled.

You may view available equipment by clicking on the following link, which will direct you to the "Products" page of our website:

https://forums.crackberry.com/e?link...token=QbryDj0K

Once you have decided on a wireless phone, you have several options to process your annual upgrade on or after February 9, 2009:

"Sign in to "My Verizon" by visiting the Cell Phones, Cell Phone Plans, Cell Phone Accessories - Verizon Wireless website and do the following:
1. Click on "Upgrade To A New Phone" in the "Quick Links" section on the right side of the page.
2. Choose the wireless telephone number(s) to upgrade.
3. Click "Show Upgrade Discounts."
4. Choose the new handset
5. Choose accessories (if applicable).
6. Preview the order.
7. Checkout (enter shipping and payment information).

* You may also complete the upgrade process by visiting a local Verizon Wireless store. We have noted your account stating your eligibility. To obtain a list of stores in your area, please click on the following link, which will direct you to the "Store Locator" page of our website:

https://forums.crackberry.com/e?link...token=I4Mx6dYH

* We also offer the option of processing the upgrade for you. If you would like us to process your order, please call Customer Service at 800-922-0204 or airtime free by dialing *611 (Send). Regular delivery time is five to seven business days.

Mr. Brown, if you have recently received a postcard offering you an Early Upgrade, you may bring the postcard to a local Verizon Wireless Corporate store location for assistance with your equipment upgrade at this time.

I ddi receive 2 postcards!!!!

[kazn3r]

call 611 and press 0. most likely an english speaking person will answer and could most likely fully assist you.

not to say that a non-english speaking person would not fulfill your needs, but Verizon doesn't outsource 611.

611, not 911.

[stormsearcher]

so whats the problem. they have to go through all of that for legality reasons with the whole upgrade process. but as you see at the end if you recieved a flyer go to your local store and you can upgrade now. so what is the problem again?

[cyberranger]

so whats the problem...

Well, one problem is that the VZW rep didn't answer the question. Why didn't Wayne get a flyer? The whole process seems very confused.

[mkostyu]

emailing or calling is not gonna help. Just go to a store and talk to them. If they won't do it for you, go to another.
I came across this ATT guy who was willing to sell me and my fiance new phones with discount. Even tho none of us is eligible, he was willing to extend the contracts.
Well, I didn't get the phone at a time cause I didn't like anything there and my dad gave me a curve anyways. My fiance is getting a phone from there.
Is your current phone working OK? If not, tell them you gotta get a new one because of that

[anubus84]

i have emailed verizon 3 times regarding the new every two and getting the storm early. i only have 2 weeks left, and no one has mentioned anything about an annual upgrade... i think i might just have to email them again asking why...

[pool_shark#CB]

A friend of mine told me about Verizon's VIP program, which allows you to upgrade every year at a discounted price. She says she's part of it.
I couldn't find any information though.

[anubus84]

just sent the email, will post up when they respond.

[stormsearcher]

Well, one problem is that the VZW rep didn't answer the question. Why didn't Wayne get a flyer? The whole process seems very confused.

he said he got 2 flyers in the last sentence.

[WarER4X]

Before I got my early upgrade flier, I had actually sent an e-mail to VZW through their website, asking them if I would be able to get discount pricing even though I just renewed my contract in July.

Even though my question was different from the OP's in the sense that I wasn't asking about fliers or any such thing, the responder to my e-mail gave me almost the exact same response. Basically, a canned answer that says "you don't get 2-year pricing until you are eligible" followed by a spiel about how great the Storm is and all of its wonderful feature. Of course, that same day, I actually received the flier (and verified it's validity by calling *611 VZW Customer Support).

As has been demonstrated by the variety of responses people have gotten about this whole flier thing, there is obviously a disconnect between different groups within Verizon. It's a real shame that they can't get all of their people on the same page with this one. I suspect the discrepencies come from the fact that some groups (like telesales and online customer support through e-mail) are geared towards remote interaction with the customer. The flier offer is an in-person offer, only. In other words, remote customer interaction types would have no need to know about this. *611 Customer Service, on the other hand, deals with both kinds of customers (people who purchase remotely and people who purchase in stores), plus, I think they are the same folks who field questions from in-store reps who need tech support.

As for figuring out the puzzles of who gets a flier and who doesn't, I highly doubt that anyone here is going to be able to get a real answer to that question. Different folks that you talk to in VZW may try to give you an answer, but there is no reason for them to officially know what the rules are, so they probably don't. Someone else in some other department decided who to send those fliers to and we'll almost certainly never get to talk to that person.

If you got a flier, fantastic! If you didn't, probably the best thing you can do is either (a) be patient, maybe one is still on it's way (mine just came on Friday, after all); or (b) maybe threaten to change carriers and tell Verizon specifically why you are doing it (because they aren't treating you like they treat others, perhaps). Then, maybe they'll listen... or maybe not. Who knows.

-SR-

PS: BTW, has anyone noticed where everyone is from that is getting a flier? Perhaps it is a regional thing? That might explain why it is an in-store-only offer.

[WarER4X]

emailing or calling is not gonna help. Just go to a store and talk to them. If they won't do it for you, go to another.
I came across this ATT guy who was willing to sell me and my fiance new phones with discount. Even tho none of us is eligible, he was willing to extend the contracts.
Well, I didn't get the phone at a time cause I didn't like anything there and my dad gave me a curve anyways. My fiance is getting a phone from there.
Is your current phone working OK? If not, tell them you gotta get a new one because of that

+1

That's pretty good advice.

-SR-

[MMaggio]

I read it fast thought your name was Marlon Brando i got excited.

[paulmike3]

PS: BTW, has anyone noticed where everyone is from that is getting a flier? Perhaps it is a regional thing? That might explain why it is an in-store-only offer.

Got the flyer on Friday - NE Ohio.

Same situation as you - talked to a rep in the morning on Friday - said I wasn't eligible for any early upgrade until April 27 and I'd have to pay full retail now. Get home on Friday and I have the flyer saying as a gift, both my lines are now eligible for early 2-year upgrade pricing.

Strange.

[cyberranger]

he said he got 2 flyers in the last sentence.

Right, but the rep didn't email about that. The events seem unrelated ... or were they?

Thanks all for the advice. Sounds like this is a situation where talking to a real person is required!

[orlandosk2]

stop crying add a line... why would you think verizon would let you upgrade a few months after you just upgraded when they have yet to even make the money they spent on the previous handset?

[JRSCCivic98]

I read it fast thought your name was Marlon Brando i got excited.

Yes, he apparently rose from the dead because he wants a Storm so bad.

[cyberranger]

stop crying add a line

LOL ... I've been considering that route. Heck, I may cancel my landline and use the new line as my "house" phone.

... why would you think verizon would let you upgrade a few months after you just upgraded when they have yet to even make the money they spent on the previous handset?

hehe ... because I was already stupid once (well once in this situation!). I paid $300 for a Treo 755p in April. Now, if VZW finds one in the warehouse, they are $50. So ... I think they came out alright on that deal!

[Grovesfan]

stop crying add a line... why would you think verizon would let you upgrade a few months after you just upgraded when they have yet to even make the money they spent on the previous handset?

While I have the option of adding a line, why should some be getting early upgrades when they are only a very few months into their current and others who are in the same situation are NOT being giving the early upgrades? I was even told my the marketing person in OH (mid-west region HQ) that the flier did not even exist and was a fraud. I find that extremely hard to believe when so many of them are being talked about from so many different people.

I only hope I'm getting one before Friday or I'm going to be VERY upset to say the least. I have 4 lines with them and a bill of just under $200/mo. I've never been late with a bill either. I'm not trying to get anything more than others are getting. I'd just like to be given the same offer as others in my situation.

[paulmike3]

I was even told my the marketing person in OH (mid-west region HQ) that the flier did not even exist and was a fraud.

lol... It had the last 4 #'s of both of my lines printed on the flyer, so it's a pretty good fake.

[sarfrazfamily]

I haven't gotten an email, flyer nothng from Telus yet.

[cyberranger]

Mr. Brown, if you have recently received a postcard offering you an Early Upgrade, you may bring the postcard to a local Verizon Wireless Corporate store location for assistance with your equipment upgrade at this time.

I ddi receive 2 postcards!!!!

So today I did get a "Private Sale" flyer in the mail. I see where it gives me the opportunity to get the Voyager, Glyde, or enV2 with a private sale price, $50 mail-in rebate, and $50 VIP discount. However, I don't see where it says this applies to the Storm (once the Storm is available on Friday.)

Looks to me the "Private Sale" flyer only means something if I want one of those 3 other phones.

[joshjefferson]

Yes those phones are the special deals they are giving. But it is mostly for your early upgrade this way you can upgrade and get the storm like everyone wants!

[anubus84]

verizon finally got back to me a few minutes ago. they moved my NE2 date to 11/18! WOOHOO!