advice on upgrading iPhone

[davemchine]

I have a fairly extensive family plan with Verizon and a slew of phones and iPads spread across the family. I would like to upgrade my iPhone5 to one of the Iphone5s models. I called Verizon today and was quoted $299 for 64GB and $399 for $128GB. Moving up to the iPhone6Plus models it would be $399 or $499. There is a $40 upgrade fee no matter which phone I choose. This would renew my plan to a new 2yr contract.

My other option is to pay for the phone outright which would be $750 or $850 for the iPhone6s. It would be $850 or $950 for the iPhone6sPlus. Whew! Verizon would not tell me over the phone how much my plan would go down in cost if I were to do this.

So I'm inclined to renew my contract for the lower cost but I want to make sure I'm not missing something such a third option where Santa brings me a free phone. Any advice?

[davemchine]

According to my father I am paying $40/mo per phone to have access to the family plan IF the phone was purchased under contract. He says that fee drops to $15/mo if I buy the phone outright. Which means I would be money ahead after 14 months on the smallest phone I mentioned above. He says I continue to pay that $40/mo even after a phone has completed it's 2yr contract so I'd be better off paying outright. All these numbers are making my head swim.

[Pam]

You have a choice, stay on a two year contract plan, get some money for your old phone, and pay $40 to connect the new phone. Or transition to their new plan, still get money for your phone, pay new phone outright or finance through them (no interest) and do not pay the $40 connection. Everyone else on your plan will continue to pay $40 per line until their two year period is up. Then they will also transition to the new plan.

The benefits of the new plan are 1) not paying the $40 fee with a new phone and 2) after your phone is paid off you stop paying that extra amount and only pay for the services.

[cbelt3]

Umm... are you SURE you can get the old plan ? VZW has stopped selling the family share everything plan.

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/verizon-sim...hone-plan/

[davemchine]

cbelt3, I thought the same thing but I called my local Verizon store this morning and was told I could still do that.

It seems like an outright purchase would be cheaper. I'm leaning that way although the initial payout will be painful.

[sekker]

I have a friend who is looking to upgrade his iP5 on Verizon.

I think there is an aggressive trade-in option if you want to give up your old iP5? Might take the edge off the sticker shock.

[graylocks]

davemchine wrote:
cbelt3, I thought the same thing but I called my local Verizon store this morning and was told I could still do that.

It seems like an outright purchase would be cheaper. I'm leaning that way although the initial payout will be painful.

wouldn't it be less painful if you did Apple's installment plan and paid the price of the phone monthly?

[Pam]

graylocks wrote:
[quote=davemchine]
cbelt3, I thought the same thing but I called my local Verizon store this morning and was told I could still do that.

It seems like an outright purchase would be cheaper. I'm leaning that way although the initial payout will be painful.

wouldn't it be less painful if you did Apple's installment plan and paid the price of the phone monthly?
If you do Apple's installment plan you'll pay $40 to connect.

Since installment plans are interest free, why pay it all up front?

[jdc]

Not sure about your local store, but mine is full of nitwits.

I always call the 800 number to check these things.

5 to 5S doesnt seem like much of an upgrade. Do you it that much that the extra HP and extra few seconds it might save are worth it? 6S or bust.

I always call back a week or so later -- again to corporate, not the store -- and be polite/funny and ask for the $40 fee to be waived. Im a long time customer, lots of devices, the guy at the store said he would do it, but forgot and hes off today, can you do it, blah blah blah. Whatever works. Talk about the weather, kids, sore bones, anything besides an angry customer.

Ive had it taken off my bill *every* single time.

[Pam]

cbelt3 wrote:
Umm... are you SURE you can get the old plan ? VZW has stopped selling the family share everything plan.

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/verizon-sim...hone-plan/

Absolutely sure. Current customers can renew their current two year contract