Heads up, Verizon's ETFs just got worse

[Bateluer]

http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/1...83-more-sucky-starting-today-because-verizon/

Now, under the new rules, if you cancel your contract before 8 months of service, you'll be charged $350. Like you would have if you cancelled the day you got the phone. After the 8th month, the reductions begin, and your ETF then goes down by $10 a month for 11 months. At the nineteenth month - mind you, this is 5 months before your contract ends - it will then drop by $20 a month. That means that one month before your contract is over, your ETF will be $140, $20 more than it was under the old policy.

5 months before your 2-year contract expired, Verizon would have you on the hook for $240. That's insanity.

Anyway, the new policy goes into effect as of today. Contracts signed before November 14th are not affected, but anything from November 14th forward will enjoy the now even-tighter embrace of Verizon's contractual stipulations.

I am glad I don't have to worry about this kind of crap any more, at least.

 

[isekii]

good thing sprint and t-mobile are still paying etfs

 

[lopri]

A Verizon rep told me if I switch to them I get $150 credit per line. Assuming that I have no current contract obligation with other carriers, is this a good deal or not?

 

[cpacini]

good thing sprint and t-mobile are still paying etfs

I suspect that is the culprit. I wonder what percentage of Verizon's etfs are being paid by sprint or tmo. I bet for a lot of customers this will have little effect other than allow vzw to squeeze more money out of tmo.

 

[cronos]

A Verizon rep told me if I switch to them I get $150 credit per line. Assuming that I have no current contract obligation with other carriers, is this a good deal or not?

I think it depends if you're going to be needing a subsidy (and therefore sign a contract) and/or will have a big family plan. AFAIK the only 'good' plans on postpaid carriers are currently the ones that are discounted because you BYOD (or bought your phone/s full price). The deal then gets better the more lines you have on a family plan.

 

[notposting]

"In order to serve you better"
"For your convenience"
"Please bend over, lube optional"
"Continuing our customer friendly moves..."

 

[notposting]

Though, as I sit here watching Uverse and the shitty gateway bufferbufferbufferbuffer on Amazon video, I feel tempted to fire up tethering again and exploit my unlimited data.

 

[Dulanic]

Just another reason not to pay their outrageous pricing. If someone has good coverage with another carrier there is 0 reason to go with Verizon.

 

[rcpratt]

Yeah, this is a move primarily against TMo/Sprint, not customers.

 

[corkyg]

In my world, ETF = Exchange Traded Fund. But, by context I second rcpratt above.

 

[npaladin-2000]

What better way to reduce churn than to penalize people for it? It should really ensure customer loyalty at the end of their contract too....oh, wait, never mind.

 

[bearxor]

This isn't designed to penalize customers, though it does have that side effect.

This is designed to hurt those "We'll pay your termination fee" carriers.

 

[you2]

Right now I'm not too unhappy with my verizon plan - 1GB $50 unlimited talk/text. I thought abuot switching to t-mobile $50 2GB unlimited talk/text + hotspot (verizon can't block hotspot but they can be an arse about it) - actually I was very tempted to switch but $50 plan is working ok for me so why not deal with it until they give me a reason to switch...

 

[boomhower]

Things like this make me so glad I left Verizon. It's always one thing after another with them.

 

[isekii]

Right now I'm not too unhappy with my verizon plan - 1GB $50 unlimited talk/text. I thought abuot switching to t-mobile $50 2GB unlimited talk/text + hotspot (verizon can't block hotspot but they can be an arse about it) - actually I was very tempted to switch but $50 plan is working ok for me so why not deal with it until they give me a reason to switch...

let me know if you need a referral you get $25 credit + unlimited data for the 1st year if you get a referral from a simple choice member. I also get the same.