928: Buy at full price or wait for upgrade?

[Candide yams]

Hi forum,
I'm really excited to hear about the Lumia 928 and must admit, I'm anxious to buy upon official release. However, I currently have an iPhone 4S and my contract isn't up until November 2013. I've been itching to move to Windows Phone since it was first announced on Verizon (I wasn't a fan of the Trophy though and chose to wait). I am ready to ditch my iPhone but for those who are possibly in a similar predicament, what would you recommend? Sure we don't know the MSRP but provided it's in the $600 range, would you buy it off contract? Or should I just give a sigh and wait until November? I'm just so dreadfully bored of iOS and everyone having the exact same thing...

Thanks everyone!

 

[venom5150]

sell you iPhone in EBAY if you are willing to part with iOS and subsidize the cost with the proceeds from the iPhone4s. I usually upgrade all the time but I sell my devices (they always look new when I sell them) after I purchase phones outright when upgrade is not available.

 

[themkaufman]

Are you still on an unlimited data contract? If so, you can purchase the 928 outright and keep your data package otherwise Verizon will switch you to the new data plan.

 

[Candide yams]

I am grandfathered into unlimited data yeah. How does that work with having to get LTE though?

 

[Beast of Haeven]

I am grandfathered into unlimited data yeah. How does that work with having to get LTE though?

If you purchase a phone off contract you continue to use your grandfathered plan regardless of the new phone being 4g or not. If you upgrade you loose your grandfathered plan and get put on their new setup. If you dont use much data the new plans may be ok for you.

 

[hopmedic]

If you purchase a phone off contract you continue to use your grandfathered plan regardless of the new phone being 4g or not. If you upgrade you loose your grandfathered plan and get put on their new setup. If you dont use much data the new plans may be ok for you.

Something to consider: Honestabebread and/or MacPhisto (don't remember which) said a while back that Verizon was probably going to completely get rid of unlimited data plans, and I'm thinking he said this year sometime. How would you like to pay full price for your phone so you can keep the unlimited data, only to have the unlimited data jerked out from under you? Not saying it will happen, and not trying to tell you to go subsidized, just giving you something to think about.

 

[independentvolume]

Something to consider: Honestabebread and/or MacPhisto (don't remember which) said a while back that Verizon was probably going to completely get rid of unlimited data plans, and I'm thinking he said this year sometime. How would you like to pay full price for your phone so you can keep the unlimited data, only to have the unlimited data jerked out from under you? Not saying it will happen, and not trying to tell you to go subsidized, just giving you something to think about.

I highly doubt they would pull the rug out from under someone. I could see them not allowing to switch a phone, even if paid full retail at some point. Although, technically all of these people with unlimited data are without a contract so they could pull the rug at any time.

 

[Vallos]

I too am under the grandfathered unlimited plan, and my contract is expired. While it's not without the realm of possibility they can pull the plug, I think its plausible they keep me grandfathered and allowing me to switch phones so as to keep me, a customer without contract, from leaving. If they "threaten" me, I'll just threaten them. As they say, two can play this game.

 

[Candide yams]

If you purchase a phone off contract you continue to use your grandfathered plan regardless of the new phone being 4g or not. If you upgrade you loose your grandfathered plan and get put on their new setup. If you dont use much data the new plans may be ok for you.

I know at some point I'd have to lose the unlimited plan if I upgrade so it's not a terrible idea for me since I accepted the inevitable. With that said, does that mean I can't use the 4g function on my phone (since a modification on my contract could mean getting rid of my unlimited plan?). I guess I could talk to a Verizon rep about it but last time I did they said flat out that it would be like signing a new contract (with the loss of unlimited) even though I'm not getting the phone subsidized. It seemed extremely odd (and mostly wrong).

 

[Beast of Haeven]

I know at some...blah blah blah...(and mostly wrong).

From what I understand you can still use 4g after upgrading and switching plans. You will just be limited to the new plans data limits. Honestabeb works for Verizon, maybe you could find a thread with him in it and send him a message and get a concrete no bs answer.

 

[Candide yams]

Good idea thanks!

 

[Wacft]

From what I understand, regardless if you are on 3G/4G unlimited data if you upgrade to a new subsidized phone you will loose the unlimited status. If you buy your phone at retail value you can then put that phone on your unlimited plan. Could be wrong.

 

[Candide yams]

Someone who works for Verizon on this forum confirmed that if I buy unsubsidized/retail value I would not lose my unlimited plan.

 

[DavidinCT]

I had a HTC Trophy (off contract) and I picked up a 8X..from ebay so I can keep my unlimited data plan. My 8X gets LTE at home and work, so Yes, you can buy off contract and use 4G/LTE. I even went into a Verizon store with the 8X to get a LTE Sim card for it (micro SIM), no changes to my account and I still have my unlimited data. LTE is FAST and I tend to use 4-6gb a month now, glad I still am unlimited (I do a lot more streaming of podcasts and youtube because with LTE there is no lag at all, it's unreal how fast it is and that is bad because I use a LOT more data than I did with mega laggy 3g).

My HTC 8X is for sale now, I am pretty sure I will be buying a 928 off contract at full retail because I will keep my unlimited data as long as I can...

If Verizon totally black lists Unlimited plans, then I will be changing carriers, TMOUS or ugh...hate to say it...Sprint might be an option...

I'm not going to pay $30 a month for just 2gb, that is just nuts and I refuse...

 

[deadwrong03]

I had a HTC Trophy (off contract) and I picked up a 8X..from ebay so I can keep my unlimited data plan. My 8X gets LTE at home and work, so Yes, you can buy off contract and use 4G/LTE. I even went into a Verizon store with the 8X to get a LTE Sim card for it (micro SIM), no changes to my account and I still have my unlimited data. LTE is FAST and I tend to use 4-6gb a month now, glad I still am unlimited (I do a lot more streaming of podcasts and youtube because with LTE there is no lag at all, it's unreal how fast it is and that is bad because I use a LOT more data than I did with mega laggy 3g).

My HTC 8X is for sale now, I am pretty sure I will be buying a 928 off contract at full retail because I will keep my unlimited data as long as I can...

If Verizon totally black lists Unlimited plans, then I will be changing carriers, TMOUS or ugh...hate to say it...Sprint might be an option...

I'm not going to pay $30 a month for just 2gb, that is just nuts and I refuse...

are u still able to get insurance on the 8x u got off ebay? I was thinkin about getting a 822 off ebay to hold me over to see what the 928 looks like
are

 

[DavidinCT]

are u still able to get insurance on the 8x u got off ebay? I was thinkin about getting a 822 off ebay to hold me over to see what the 928 looks like
are

Yes because my 8X was paid for from a Verizon store, Still under Verizon and HTC warranty. With Verizon it all depends on the History of the phone.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

For those that have grandfathered unlimited data plans on Verizon. You do not necessarily have to lose your unlimited data plan when trying to upgrade your phone with a subsidized price on the phone. The only catch is you have to have more than one phone on your account and one of those other phones must be a basic phone. I did this when I upgraded my HTC Trophy to the HTC 8x. I upgraded my wife's phone, which is a basic phone, to the HTC 8x at a subsidized price. When the phone arrived, though, I activated the phone on my line, replacing my HTC Trophy. This did not switch me to the shared data plan, as technically, I did not change the terms of the contract on my line.

 

[daknarr]

With my Storm2, I never went above a gig data usage per month, and with the Trophy, not much more than that (well, maybe a little more). My son with his limping Thunderbolt (LTE), uses 12-14 gigs per month!!! I will be buying my 928 off contract from Verizon.

 

[Twice Born]

With my Storm2, I never went above a gig data usage per month, and with the Trophy, not much more than that (well, maybe a little more). My son with his limping Thunderbolt (LTE), uses 12-14 gigs per month!!! I will be buying my 928 off contract from Verizon.

12-14gb???? That doesn't concern you at all?

 

[DavidinCT]

12-14gb???? That doesn't concern you at all?

With 3g, I never even got close to 1gb a month but, with LTE and it being fast, I tend to use 4-6gb a month myself. This is at night and other times (weekends, etc), If your using your phone all the time for streaming and cloud music all the time, 12-14gb does not sound unreasonable with the speed of LTE...

The yearly costs for overage for $10 for every gb over (on a 2gb metered *new* plan), even buying the phone off contract (based on $199 retail for the phone or $549.99 full price, the balance of $349.99) it would be cheaper to buy it off contract and just continue using 4-6gb a month than buying it on contract and paying overage fees.

So, yea if you use the data a lot more, buying off contract is a better value in the long run...a MUCH better value and you can get a new phone every year not every 2.....