http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/ Engadget Comments for Verizon looking to bump early termination fee to $350 on 'advanced' devices http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
And when you figure out that it's no where near as sexy or as cool as the iPhone and you want to sell that shit on eBay enjoy your $350 ETF...

Verizon = FAIL

The only positive about Verizon is the network. And I get excellent service where I live with AT&T and the iPhone (although I do feel for those in NY)...

Sprint please get the HD2!]]>Nov 4th 2009 9:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
Well, to be fair, everybody charges an additional $15 for exchange access, and they do it on all smartphones capable of using Exchange. AT&T does it, Verizon does it, pretty sure Sprint does, but I'm not sure on that one.]]>Nov 4th 2009 9:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
Sprint: Lowest Prices, Lowest Termination Fee, Lowest Coverage Area, Lowest Customer Service, Lowest Customer Satisfaction; Guaranteed!]]>Nov 4th 2009 9:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Too bad AT&T would never go with this, "Want to look like a douche bag company? There's a change in terms for that."]]>Nov 4th 2009 9:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 9:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
actually, laptop magazine just founf AT&T to have the worst customer service. Sprint was tied with verizon.]]>Nov 4th 2009 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
Based on what I've read over on crackberry (concerning the BB bogo deals Verizon has) you can't buy a phone on contract from Verizon and then a few days later pay the ETF and keep the phone. If you try to keep the phone they will charge you the full price of the phone. I believe the only way to get around this is you have to fulfill 30 days of your contract.]]>Nov 4th 2009 10:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 11:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
I can understand maybe raising the ETF and then lowering it at a quicker rate like other people were saying. They obviously make their money back on the required data plan for the term of the contract, so why don't customers get a break off the monthly plan once they're off contract, or if they buy the phone out-right?

I don't think they're hurting that much when people pay $175 + subsidized cost of the phone, and flip it. They make more than the difference back on people who purchase that same flipped phone, and activate it, off contract, on a plan that's just as much as the "on-contract" plan. Actually, if the phone gets activated on Verizon's network anyways, they make MORE money. The customers pay for it either way.

Now if they followed T-Mobiles new off-contract and on-contract Everything pricing, then it'd be a different story.]]>Nov 4th 2009 11:27AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 11:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
"There's a fee for that."]]>Nov 4th 2009 12:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 1:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
Luckily I don't live in NY, and over here in the DC Metro area, AT&T is 5 bars & 3G 100% of the time for me.]]>Nov 4th 2009 2:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 3:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
If your not worried about coverage.. then why not use Metro Pcs instead of ATT?

Metro is like the Tata (Chinese car company) - you can get a NEW product that is semi reliable and very cheap.

OR

You can get the "lexus, bmw, mercedes" version and pay more.

The problem is.. that ATT service (especially here on the Mainline near Philadelphia) is VERY shotty!

Also.. I hate to defend any company that increases fees BUT:

I signed up for the BOGO free blackberry. I activated the 2nd one only to change back to the original phone and sell it on ebay to a guy that wanted it unlocked for GSM. I sold the storm for $375.

I paid $225 with tax for 2 of them. Sold one for $375. So I MADE $150 on it. (minus ebay fees etc) but still. For a few minutes of work I made 150$.

Verizon lets say they paid $300 for EACH blackberry. Thats $400 loss up front. My 24$ a month data plan is going to net them $576

So at the end of the contract I will have made them appox $7.33 per month in data revenue. Clearly not that much considering they have A LOT of data coverage.

They need to figure something out if they are going to be subsidizing phones so much. This works out great for 99% of the people that research and buy the phone (you do have 30 days to decide if you want it). The only people this DOESN'T work out for is the ones that SIGN A CONTRACT THEN CHANGE THEIR MIND! Military get out of the contract, if you move to a zip code that doesn't have coverage, no termination fee etc.

DON'T SIGN THE CONTRACT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO! NO ONE IS FORCING YOU TO! YOU CAN ALSO HAVE THE PHONE AND PAY FULL PRICE.

If apple gave free ipods and said you HAVE to buy 15 songs per month for 24months there would STILL be people complaining! I don't understand it. ]]>Nov 4th 2009 4:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 6:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
so Verizon is trying to claim that they pay $350 worth of upfront on these phones.

why am I smelling lawsuits. ]]>Nov 4th 2009 9:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 6th 2009 5:28PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 5th 2009 2:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:52AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
They just lost a potential customer in me. $200 is painful for T Mobile. $350? You can go to hell.]]>Nov 4th 2009 8:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 8:56AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
C'monnnn! (Say it like the guy in the PS3 ad)]]>Nov 4th 2009 9:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
I buy a subsidized phone and then stick with it for 2 years and then change.. Am I not normal for following the contract that you sign when you sign up?]]>Nov 4th 2009 11:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 12:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/I get a new phone pretty much every year. But I'm not charged an ETF for doing so. I don't believe that Verizon is going to charge a ETF for upgrading a phone either. They will just charge you full price for the next phone. The ETF should only come into play when you tell them to cancel service. ]]>Nov 4th 2009 2:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 3:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
Bad! That's a bad Verizon! No! ]]>Nov 4th 2009 8:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
I don't like early termination clauses, but you pretty much have to have them to avoid someone doing just that.]]>Nov 4th 2009 1:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 3:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 5:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 10:08AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
Enjoy a shiny new DROID and experience Verizon's excellent 3G coverage and the ability to make and receive calls.

If your state was gonna raise the fine for speeding... would you stop driving altogether? Or would you just NOT SPEED?]]>Nov 4th 2009 3:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
I would still like the ability to cancel my contract, within a reasonable price range. To cancel a contract has multiple reasons:

a) Moving back to my home country for an extended period of time and thus, not worth paying the $99/month fee.
b) Switching service providers for interest in a better plan/phone
c) Missing the simultaneous access of voice AND data on my current GSM provider, but (as mentioned) not possible on CDMA.
etc etc...

It's simple to say "Dont cancel a contract" and then give an asinine analogy of speeding tickets. But some of us just tend to think more about how being bound in a contract can be stifling.]]>Nov 4th 2009 3:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
I was not aware that there were multiple companies that impose speed limits.]]>Nov 4th 2009 5:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/Nov 4th 2009 5:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/04/verizon-looking-to-bump-early-termination-fee-to-350-on-advanc/
When did $175 become the "acceptable" rate? What happens when all mobile carriers switch to a $350 ETF? Remember when text messages were 10 cents... then 15 cents... now 20 cents? Yikes!

Yeah... Verizon's new ETF sucks... you better get out and head towards greener pastures soon. I've been on Verizon for years... and I'm happy with Verizon. I guess that colors my opinion on the matter. Sorry.

]]>Nov 4th 2009 6:09PM