Verizon may debut more frequent device upgrades with supposed 'VZ Edge' no-contract plan

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
A purportedly leaked training document from Verizon reveals America's No. 1 cellular carrier may debut an enhanced subscriber plan dubbed "VZ Edge," which will shorten the period customers have to wait between device upgrades.

VZ Edge
Source: Droid Life


The document, entitled "VZ Edge Strategy," outlines a no-contract payment plan that breaks up a smartphone's initial cost into monthly installments, but still allows customers to upgrade to a newer model after 50 percent of the device is paid off, reports Droid Life. If the training guide is legitimate, Verizon is planning to launch VZ Edge by August 25.

As seen above, the plan could lower upfront costs for users wanting the latest technology, which is usually the most expensive, while negating upgrade fees and keeping the agreement pre-paid.

VZ Edge looks to be very similar to T-Mobile's recently announced "Jump" program, which affords customers two upgrades each year for $10 per month. Basically, users are able to pay the same subsidized device price as a new customer, but skip the usual upgrade eligibility cycle by paying a monthly fee.

Telecoms are looking for new ways to generate churn for costly smartphones and attached data plans, with many moving away from the traditional subscription model. It was T-Mobile that unveiled a no-contract iPhone plan alongside the "Uncarrier" initiative in March. Under that deal, customers pay an upfront fee of $99 for a 16GB iPhone 5, with the remaining cost of the handset spread out over 20 additional monthly payments of $20.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    OH LOOK. MORE FREQUENT DEVICE UPDATES. JUST LIKE SPRINT. HOW ABOUT THAT.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I don't trust any marketing offers from Verizon as far as I could throw a Verizon engineer. Check any offers they have in the small print with a magnifying glass.
  • Reply 3 of 14
    starbird73starbird73 Posts: 538member
    So first take away the 20 month upgrade cycle and now charge you for it?
  • Reply 4 of 14
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    OH LOOK. MORE FREQUENT DEVICE UPDATES. JUST LIKE SPRINT. HOW ABOUT THAT.

    Except that it's just like T-Mobile and not Sprint. Try reading the article it said so right in it.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    applezillaapplezilla Posts: 941member


    New iPhones every year now?


     


    Or will this just be for crappy GoogleAndroid phones that you get with a free suit?

  • Reply 6 of 14
    themacmanthemacman Posts: 151member
    applezilla wrote: »
    New iPhones every year now?

    Or will this just be for crappy GoogleAndroid phones that you get with a free suit?

    Leisure suit, Larry ;)
  • Reply 7 of 14

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post


    New iPhones every year now?


     


    Or will this just be for crappy GoogleAndroid phones that you get with a free suit?



     


    If this is the real deal, you'll be able to get your new iPhone as soon as you pay off half of your old one.

  • Reply 8 of 14
    brutus009brutus009 Posts: 356member


    What if they don't release the next iPhone in exactly one year?

  • Reply 9 of 14
    macm37macm37 Posts: 41member


    Although all of the details for the Verizon VZ Edge plan has not been revealed yet, is there any information about how many times a Verizon subscriber can upgrade their device?  Is it only limited to phones?  AT&T's "'Next' plan" allows their subscribers to upgrade their devices every 12 months; T-Mobile allows 2 upgrades/year - their customers can start upgrading after being enrolled in the program for 6 months; and Sprint, as of now, has only reduced the price of their plans and guarantees their subscribers unlimited data for life.   If Verizon does not put a cap on how many times their subscriber can upgrade their device, then this by far is the best plan because some customers are able to pay 50% or more of their device within 6 months.

  • Reply 10 of 14
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    Except that it's just like T-Mobile and not Sprint. Try reading the article it said so right in it.

    Why would he bother? It is more important to be first and to be obnoxious than to be insightful.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    icoco3icoco3 Posts: 1,474member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post



    OH LOOK. MORE FREQUENT DEVICE UPDATES. JUST LIKE SPRINT. HOW ABOUT THAT.


     


    Like who????

  • Reply 12 of 14

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by brutus009 View Post


    What if they don't release the next iPhone in exactly one year?



     


    You'll be less screwed than two years but more screwed than one?

  • Reply 13 of 14
    ahmlcoahmlco Posts: 432member


    So before, you had a subsidized plan with a $200 up front and a $250 early termination fee. ($450)


     


    Now you still have a subsidized plan, but pay $99 up front, and $20 a month. ($339) And you're still paying a subsidy on your data plan. And you turn in your old phone.


     


    Of course, before you could "flip" your phone for, say, $250, which wiped the termination fee. Then, of course, you'd have to spend $500 to buy the unsubsidized phone, but on the next cycle there would have been no termination fee, you could again sell your own phone, and you'd qualify once again for the subsidy. 


     


    So at the end of 4 years on then subsidy/buy outright/subsidy/buy outright cycle, you'd be out of pocket $1,110.


     


    On the buy outright/sell/buy outright/sell cycle, you'd have paid $1,250 by the end of the same period.


     


    Under the new plan, you'd have paid $340 a year, every year, or $1,360.


     


    Yep. It'a a bargin for the consumer all right.

  • Reply 14 of 14
    semankasemanka Posts: 40member
    No no no Verizon, it came way too late! I had tried to upgrade a basic phone to iPhone with data plan that would increased the revenue for them but was rejected. That basic phone had just valued at around $20 in the market. I told the Verizon associate that I would go to another carrier if it was not approved, they seemed to be ok with that, so I changed to another carrier. I don't care if I had to pay ETF, the attitude of the associate was really pissed me off and I would never even bother to think about coming back to Verizon forever. Super poor service! Bye... Forever.
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