New to WP and WC... Looking for some reassurance.

[GoodEyeSniper83]

You could use a Vzw mvno (airtime reseller) like Page Plus or Straight Talk to get a frequency compliant match for your device...

However, unlocking a device from Vzw (or any carrier) and taking it to an alternate service does not affect the fact that Vzw will forever control if and when your device gets updates.

Are Straight Talk et al like the monthly no-contract plans?

If Verizon stops carrying MS, would I be able to use the phone at all, much less get updates?

 

[RumoredNow]

Are Straight Talk et al like the monthly no-contract plans?

If Verizon stops carrying MS, would I be able to use the phone at all, much less get updates?

Yep... BYOD is Bring Your Own Device. Many Pay-As-You-Go services (or prepaid, or monthly) let you BYOD and you save money each month. Downsides can included caps on data speed like LTE being capped at 8mbps, no Visual Voice Mail and no carrier Apps if you depend on one of those.

If Verizon stops carrying Windows Phone (just a rumor) they won't send out a magic signal to turn your phone into a brick. That would be illegal. It will still work on Verizon or another service if you take it there.

L735 is the last WP Vzw added - and they went out of their way to get it. 735 was out for quite some time on GSM before they got the CDMA version in. As the last phone in, it has the best chance of Verizon allowing it to get to 10.