How to get out of VZW contract w/o ETF so you can get your S2

I have not tried this, only heard about it from others who did get it to work.

Anytime a fee changes in your service, you may not know it, but when you pay your bill you are agreeing to the new prices. Verizon is legally obligated to allow you to back out of the contract with no early termination fees if you do not agree with the new fees because they have a "material adverse effect on you". All of this is stated in the VZW customer agreement under the heading "Our Rights to Make Changes"

Our Rights to Make Changes
Your service is subject to our business policies, practices and procedures, which we can change without notice. UNLESS OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW, WE CAN ALSO CHANGE PRICES AND ANY OTHER CONDITIONS IN THIS AGREEMENT AT ANY TIME BY SENDING YOU WRITTEN NOTICE PRIOR TO THE BILLING PERIOD IN WHICH THE CHANGES WOULD GO INTO EFFECT. IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE YOUR SERVICE AFTER THAT POINT, YOU'RE ACCEPTING THE CHANGES. IF THE CHANGES HAVE A MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOU, HOWEVER, YOU CAN END THE AFFECTED SERVICE, WITHOUT ANY EARLY TERMINATION FEE, JUST BY CALLING US WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER WE SEND NOTICE OF THE CHANGE.

Changes in prices happen fairly often, but you must make sure the situation is right before you try to call. If the text message rate changes, they will just cancel your text messaging plan. Therefore, you must wait for something called the Federal Universal Service Fee to change. If this is raised, it will be noted on your bill. At this point, call Verizon and tell them that the new Federal Universal Service Fee has a material adverse effect on you (basically you can't afford it) and say that you would like to be let out of your contract with no ETF as stated in the customer agreement. It won't be easy as that, Verizon will certainly do everything possible to try to keep you in your contract, and one of the things they might say is that they don't set the Federal Universal Service Fee, so this voids the option to be let out of your contract. If they say this, point them to the part of the Customer Agreement titled "Charges and Fees we Set" where it clearly states that they set the Federal Universal Service Fee. They may also try to compromise with you, offering to pay your fee, or give you a VZW credit. If this happens, decline their offer and say you want to stick to the customer agreement, and they HAVE to stick with it. It is a legal contract and the terms are clearly laid out, with no mention of VZW credits or anything of the sort. After some arguing, you should be out of your contract and free to go buy your S2!

How often does a fee change? I don't recall the last time verizon changed a fee without it being me changing plans.

Quit trying to beat the system. Be an adult and pay your dues.

I'm sure they'll welcome you back to Verizon Wireless with open arms after you pull a stunt like that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Originally Posted by 10SE

I'm sure they'll welcome you back to Verizon Wireless with open arms after you pull a stunt like that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Why would they turn down a customer wanting a new probably $200 phone with a $30 a month data plan? Thats $720 in data for the 2 years plus the initial price for the phone they would be turning down almost $1000. Not going to happen.

To be honest, I feel like they'd notice you backing out due to disliking the change for whatever reason and then resigning with the exact terms you just denied, albeit with a different phone.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Nice info i didnt even know about this.

Not to mention, when you do that you lose your number. And didn't someone say once that you have to wait 6 months before they'll give you new customer satisfaction again?

Seems like a lot of work to save $400 on a phone. :rolleyes:

That is probably the stupidest idea I've ever heard. If you really need to work the system that much to get the phone a little bit cheaper, you probably shoudn't own a Blackberry. Man up, pay what you owe for what you want.

This is why this country is going down hill. Do the morally right thing. Don't try to game the system to your benefit. You accepted the original contract and received an incentive discount for your phone, whatever that is. Now you want to game the system to get a phone.

Who do you think is going to pay for your scam? Honorable customers through lower incentive, higher phone cost, and higher fees.

Originally Posted by leskchan

This is why this country is going down hill. Do the morally right thing. Don't try to game the system to your benefit. You accepted the original contract and received an incentive discount for your phone, whatever that is. Now you want to game the system to get a phone.

Who do you think is going to pay for your scam? Honorable customers through lower incentive, higher phone cost, and higher fees.

Yes, exactly, i accepted the contract which states that I can do this. It doesn't say you can't do this and then get another phone. If you don't like it don't try it, simple as that. I'm just putting this info out for people who might want to try it.

Scammer!

What you are doing is advocating to get out of a contract by looking for typo or loophole.

Originally Posted by hypnotix

Yes, exactly, i accepted the contract which states that I can do this. It doesn't say you can't do this and then get another phone. If you don't like it don't try it, simple as that. I'm just putting this info out for people who might want to try it.

I don't consider your suggestion "gaming the system" at all. Actually, you are playing by the rules that Verizon set up. The whiners here simply don't understand that what's good for the goose is equally good for the gander, or in this case, what's good for Verizon can be good for the consumer--namely, abiding by the terms and conditions of a contract. I've heard of using this technique to terminate a contract early--why in the heck shouldn't we be able to opt out when they come up with game-changing rules, mid contract??

Seriously? Another one of these threads? This is getting ridiculous.

1. "Change in fees" counts as calling plan prices and things controlled by VZW. Rates that you physically sign for on your contract.....price plan, data plans.......Gov't rates and taxes don't count. Even if a rate is changed by VZW, they don't make anyone switch onto the new whatever it is. The customer get grandfathered in with whatever plan/package they have.

2. IF....big if.....you do get out of it, when you try to set up service (again...for no reason) you'll get hit with an automatic $400 deposit. Add that to the $200 or so for the phone and you're over full retail.

3. You're not "smart" or "beating the system". You're trying to weasel out of a contract that you agreed to fulfill. You can't return a car and not owe anything just because your state raised taxes or get out of your mortgage because the gas bill went up.....same thing here.

4. I agree with lesk....it's people like this that run things into the ground.

Originally Posted by dave1812

I don't consider your suggestion "gaming the system" at all. Actually, you are playing by the rules that Verizon set up. The whiners here simply don't understand that what's good for the goose is equally good for the gander, or in this case, what's good for Verizon can be good for the consumer--namely, abiding by the terms and conditions of a contract. I've heard of using this technique to terminate a contract early--why in the heck shouldn't we be able to opt out when they come up with game-changing rules, mid contract??

Again this is why this country is going down hill.

Insurance companies are gaming insurees by denying claims etc.

Cell phone customers are gaming them for new phones etc.

Keep up the gamings.

There is nothing immoral or scamming about what the OP is saying. Verizon is not allowed to materially change any of the terms as specified in the original contract. If they choose to do so, the undersigned has the right to terminate the new contract in lieu of agreeing to the new terms.

Why don't you try calling Verizon and changing the amount you're going to pay from X to Y and get their response? Neither the contract issuer, nor the undersigned are allowed to change the contract terms without the expressed consent of both parties.

Whether on not you want to wait for something like this to happen or just pay up the extra cash is competely up to you, but let's not go overboard on the OP. Contracts are business; Verizon understands business.

Originally Posted by hypnotix

Yes, exactly, i accepted the contract which states that I can do this. It doesn't say you can't do this and then get another phone. If you don't like it don't try it, simple as that. I'm just putting this info out for people who might want to try it.

How about you learn the facts on what the "changes" are that would let you out of your contract.

The Federal Fee that you based your whole first post around, is not one of them.

Test messaging is not one of them either. The contract is based on the voice plan. Addons, like test, insurance, roadside assitance, etc is not under contract, for either side.

The only price changes relevant are verizon controlled, fees and taxes are not and thus are not grounds for avoiding the ETF. Good Luck. I can't wait for your "verizon screwed me and made me pay etf and a deposit when I restarted service".

How about just know that most people are able to persuade verizon to give them an early upgrade with being polite, while agreeing to another 2 year contract. If you are over 1 year into a 2 year agreement you can do this. At 20 months you can even get your new every two.

Dumbass

Posts like the original come out every time there is some huge release for Blackberry on VZW. Someone thinks they have a way around the contract. Plain and simple, you don't. Give up.

Originally Posted by gettinthere

Seriously? Another one of these threads? This is getting ridiculous.

Gov't rates and taxes don't count.

You're trying to weasel out of a contract that you agreed to fulfill.

The Federal Universal Service Fee is not a government rate or tax. As I said, it is clearly stated in their Customer Agreement that they set this.

Yes I agreed to fulfill this contract with conditions, one of them being if they change a fee and it has a material adverse effect on me, i can get out of the contract with no ETF's. I'm not breaking any rules or trying to weasel out of anything. These are rules which both me and Verizon have agreed to, and they have no right to tell me what is materially adverse. I don't see what is wrong with following rules which have been agreed upon by both parties. As for your $400 deposit, I'm not sure what you are talking about, I have been unable to find any mention of this in any of the VZW contracts.

Wow the lengths some people will go to...

Good post. I think this is very informative and I would have no problem doing this to a cell phone company. I don't think its "maning up" if you don't want to pay there new fees.... lol...

Originally Posted by McCracken

The only price changes relevant are verizon controlled, fees and taxes are not and thus are not grounds for avoiding the ETF. Good Luck. I can't wait for your "verizon screwed me and made me pay etf and a deposit when I restarted service".

How about just know that most people are able to persuade verizon to give them an early upgrade with being polite, while agreeing to another 2 year contract. If you are over 1 year into a 2 year agreement you can do this. At 20 months you can even get your new every two.

Dumbass

I agree with that. I am on Sprint for 10+ years. You wouldn't believe the perks I get for being a loyal customer. I don't even have to call them. They call me.

Originally Posted by hypnotix

The Federal Universal Service Fee is not a government rate or tax. As I said, it is clearly stated in their Customer Agreement that they set this.

Yes I agreed to fulfill this contract with conditions, one of them being if they change a fee and it has a material adverse effect on me, i can get out of the contract with no ETF's. I'm not breaking any rules or trying to weasel out of anything. These are rules which both me and Verizon have agreed to, and they have no right to tell me what is materially adverse. I don't see what is wrong with following rules which have been agreed upon by both parties. As for your $400 deposit, I'm not sure what you are talking about, I have been unable to find any mention of this in any of the VZW contracts.

Well I am sure of what I'm talking about. VZW pays me to be sure. The excerpt from the term and conditions is correct. Every example used though, is wrong and will not get you out of a contract with no ETF. The deposit thing isn't going to be written anywhere, so you won't find it. I've watched it happen.

Originally Posted by leskchan

I agree with that. I am on Sprint for 10+ years. You wouldn't believe the perks I get for being a loyal customer. I don't even have to call them. They call me.

I've been with Verizon for about 7 years and they haven't offered me ONE PENNY in discounts or perks....EVER.

I was all set to save over $45 a month for 2 cell phone's plans and home phone with T-Mobile, until I found out Android phones don't currently support BT voice dialing! ARRRGH!!