I have a fairly extensive family plan with Verizon and a slew of phones and iPads spread across the family. I would like to upgrade my iPhone5 to one of the Iphone5s models. I called Verizon today and was quoted $299 for 64GB and $399 for $128GB. Moving up to the iPhone6Plus models it would be $399 or $499. There is a $40 upgrade fee no matter which phone I choose. This would renew my plan to a new 2yr contract.

My other option is to pay for the phone outright which would be $750 or $850 for the iPhone6s. It would be $850 or $950 for the iPhone6sPlus. Whew! Verizon would not tell me over the phone how much my plan would go down in cost if I were to do this.

So I'm inclined to renew my contract for the lower cost but I want to make sure I'm not missing something such a third option where Santa brings me a free phone. Any advice?

---

Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]

According to my father I am paying $40/mo per phone to have access to the family plan IF the phone was purchased under contract. He says that fee drops to $15/mo if I buy the phone outright. Which means I would be money ahead after 14 months on the smallest phone I mentioned above. He says I continue to pay that $40/mo even after a phone has completed it's 2yr contract so I'd be better off paying outright. All these numbers are making my head swim.

---

Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]

You have a choice, stay on a two year contract plan, get some money for your old phone, and pay $40 to connect the new phone. Or transition to their new plan, still get money for your phone, pay new phone outright or finance through them (no interest) and do not pay the $40 connection. Everyone else on your plan will continue to pay $40 per line until their two year period is up. Then they will also transition to the new plan.

The benefits of the new plan are 1) not paying the $40 fee with a new phone and 2) after your phone is paid off you stop paying that extra amount and only pay for the services.

Umm... are you SURE you can get the old plan ? VZW has stopped selling the family share everything plan.

[www.wired.com]

cbelt3, I thought the same thing but I called my local Verizon store this morning and was told I could still do that.

It seems like an outright purchase would be cheaper. I'm leaning that way although the initial payout will be painful.

---

Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2015 01:15PM by davemchine.

I have a friend who is looking to upgrade his iP5 on Verizon.

I think there is an aggressive trade-in option if you want to give up your old iP5? Might take the edge off the sticker shock.

Quote
davemchine
cbelt3, I thought the same thing but I called my local Verizon store this morning and was told I could still do that.

It seems like an outright purchase would be cheaper. I'm leaning that way although the initial payout will be painful.

wouldn't it be less painful if you did Apple's installment plan and paid the price of the phone monthly?

---

If you want to fix our country, work with us in the states. statesproject.org

"Success isn't about how much money you make. It is about the difference you make in people's lives."--Michelle Obama



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2015 01:27PM by graylocks.

Quote
graylocks

Quote
davemchine
cbelt3, I thought the same thing but I called my local Verizon store this morning and was told I could still do that.

It seems like an outright purchase would be cheaper. I'm leaning that way although the initial payout will be painful.

wouldn't it be less painful if you did Apple's installment plan and paid the price of the phone monthly?

If you do Apple's installment plan you'll pay $40 to connect.

Since installment plans are interest free, why pay it all up front?

Not sure about your local store, but mine is full of nitwits.

I always call the 800 number to check these things.

5 to 5S doesnt seem like much of an upgrade. Do you it that much that the extra HP and extra few seconds it might save are worth it? 6S or bust.

I always call back a week or so later -- again to corporate, not the store -- and be polite/funny and ask for the $40 fee to be waived. Im a long time customer, lots of devices, the guy at the store said he would do it, but forgot and hes off today, can you do it, blah blah blah. Whatever works. Talk about the weather, kids, sore bones, anything besides an angry customer.

Ive had it taken off my bill *every* single time.

---

Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

Quote
cbelt3
Umm... are you SURE you can get the old plan ? VZW has stopped selling the family share everything plan.

[www.wired.com]

Absolutely sure. Current customers can renew their current two year contract

OK. As I see it: $850 for a new 6S.

$40 a month connection fee for subsidized phone. Forever.
$15 a month connection fee for outright bought phone. Savings of $25 a month.

$850 / $25 is 34 months before you break even, which means you need to keep the phone 2.83333333 years before you break even on the deal.

Do you keep your phones longer than that? If so, buying outright is the deal for you. If not, move along. For me? I usually keep my phones about 4 years. I'm still rocking a 4S - 4 years ago.

Quote
Spiff
OK. As I see it: $850 for a new 6S.

$40 a month connection fee for subsidized phone. Forever.
$15 a month connection fee for outright bought phone. Savings of $25 a month.

$850 / $25 is 34 months before you break even, which means you need to keep the phone 2.83333333 years before you break even on the deal.

Do you keep your phones longer than that? If so, buying outright is the deal for you. If not, move along. For me? I usually keep my phones about 4 years. I'm still rocking a 4S - 4 years ago.

The $25 savings is on the plan. The $850 is divided by 24 months and added on to the plan cost. Phones are paid off in two years.

Verizon has an faq [www.verizonwireless.com]

This FAQ may be of use in wading through plans.

IF I get a 6s, I have to figure out a) will I be able to keep my att grandfathered unlimited data and 2) how do I want to pay for it.

A SIM question: when I give my 'Phones away, should I pull the SIM and let someone by their own, or can I just wipe the 'Phone and pass it on?

Is there an advantage to moving the SIM from my old 'Phone to the new?

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

The missing link:

[www.imore.com]

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

I think I've settled on the 6s 128GB model which would be $400 subsidized or $850 non-subsidized. If I buy it outright I would pay an additional $450 but I would save $25/mo as noted by Pam. So after 18 months it becomes a better deal to buy outright as I typically upgrade about every 2 years. I think that is what I'm going to do unless someone sees a flaw in my logic. Thanks for all of the advice.

---

Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2015 03:04PM by davemchine.

Quote
Spiff
OK. As I see it: $850 for a new 6S.

$40 a month connection fee for subsidized phone. Forever.
$15 a month connection fee for outright bought phone. Savings of $25 a month.

$850 / $25 is 34 months before you break even, which means you need to keep the phone 2.83333333 years before you break even on the deal.

Do you keep your phones longer than that? If so, buying outright is the deal for you. If not, move along. For me? I usually keep my phones about 4 years. I'm still rocking a 4S - 4 years ago.

You left out the down payment on the subsidized phone.
The following is using Verizon's pricing for the 6s.

Old Plan
Subsidized 6s: (24 x 40) + 199 = 1159
Purchase: (24 x 15) + 649 = 1009

New Plan
Purchase outright: (24x20) + 649 = 1129
Installment 6s: (24 x 20) + (27.08 x 24) = 1129.92

Then figure in data. I don't know how the old family plan compares to the new plans.

I believe you can have the best of both worlds. You should be able to do device payments, spread over 24 months at no interest, and still get the $25 per month credit.

I would call Verizon and ask a rep about it. Tell them you want to stay on your current plan, this is very important, but want to switch to the device payment program. If you switch off your current plan, your access fee will go up to $20 a month.

Don't go into a Verizon store as the reps are notoriously bad. I think the only way you would have to pay the full amount upfront, is if you did not want to have a 2-year agreement.


[www.verizonwireless.com]

---

Roswell, GA (Atlanta suburb)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2015 03:23PM by rgG.

Another bunny trail question: Last year (and previous ones?) a VWZ 'Phone, like Master Badge, was good everywhere, while other 'Phones lacked the radios to be used on other networks.

Tim talked about the new s series having a ton of radios. So is any 6s-series now good on any carrier's network?


I think I've settled on the 6s 128GB model which would be $400 subsidized or $850 non-subsidized. If I buy it outright I would pay an additional $450 but I would save $25/mo as noted by Pam.

I could be in a similar position, so I have to scrutinized these post to figure out what I'm going to do.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Quote
RAMd®d
So is any 6s-series now good on any carrier's network?

See here: [www.pcmag.com]
and here: [www.apple.com]

- AT&T models A1633/34 have the most radios including AT&T specific Band 30
- VZW, Tmo, Sprint models A1687/88 just look to lack LTE Band 30

All have CDMA & GSM radios. However, looks like Sprint will only allow Apple factory unlocked or Sprint iPhones.

===========

As an annual VZ upgrader [Why not, it is my most used gadget], I pre-ordered full price iPhones this year thinking I might save from the monthly reduced rate. I still need to do the math to see if I should keep the eligible lines on subsidized pricing.

We went and talked to them at a Corp. Verizon store last Thursday and I was told that I could go back under
a 2 year contract with my line, I'm not under contract with my iPhone5 now, the options were as follows,
$299 out of pocket for an iPhone6s 64Gb and lose my $25/month line discount, pay or $31.24/month for
their new subsidized plan and keep my $25/month line discount or buy the iPhone6s outright for $750.

They offered me $200 for my iPhone5 and said if I went with the subsidized phone they spread the $200
over the 2 year payment plan and bring my iPhone 6s down to $22.90/month.

Our current bill for 3 iPhones is $160/month plus tax. We have 10gb of data/month and I really hate for
the bill to go up but my iPhone5 needs a battery but is in good working condition otherwise. If my iPhone5
was in better working condition I'd sell on eBay and go to the Apple Store and do their plan.

---

Grateful11

Grateful1, as a side note I replaced the battery in my iPhone5 myself. It was very cheap and easy to do. Also, I had the 10GB family data plan and they upgraded me to 15GB for free several months ago so you might call and ask about that.

---

Ukulele music I couldn't find anywhere else.
[colquhoun.info]

Thanks for the links, b-have!

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.