NE2: Dead. Annual Upgrade: Dead. What's left for the faithful?

[TBD1]

I will probably just check out Best Buy and get the phone for free, the price sounds better than my NE2 anyway.

[ivan a rom]

It's not that big of a deal, but I hope a perk is added elsewhere. I for one just do one year contracts and would suggest that to anyone.

[JP Whoregan]

For all of you Johnny "Apple"seeds out there, from a retailers perspective, this is probably the most compelling evidence that VZW is leaning towards a pending iPhone release. Apple doesn't like it's products price-whored for less than their MSRP, so it stands to reason they don't want people walking into stores thinking they're going to pimp a $30, $50, or $100 discount on their brand new iPhone. And as we know, with damn near every feature phone priced at "FREE", and "Buy One Get One" Droids, Incredibles, D2's, Ally's and Blackberrys, Apple already knows that if they get in bed with VZW, they are getting in bed with probably the biggest price-whoring, "give away the phones" carrier in the nation, and Apple has a long history of a culture that runs contrary to that.

[Vatothe0]

The fact that there are pages of people confused about what is changing or has been available to them seems to make a strong case for the change to be made.

This is the same story as when the connect and premium plans went away. Everyone complaining and saying it will be the end of Verizon and yet they're still around and stronger than ever.



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[andross77]

Meet my wife. She runs the family budget like a business. What I save out of my pockets I get to do as I wish with. And yes, the skirt is drafty.

Very well played. 100% legitimate. I will take my ball and go home now.

[sneakattack]

my mifi line is up for an annual upgrade, I guess there's no chance of a 4g mifi appearing in the lineup before the 16th :-(

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[ushneb]

I have the same question as CharlesH. To some extent I understand what ushneb posted. But I'm still unclear about something. For those of us with already available NE2 discounts that have sat unused for greater than six months, after Jan 16th will our family still be able to use it ?

That 6 month period I believe has always been there but it's hardly ever enforced. The way the current slide we're seeing is worded, Verizon might begin enforcing that rule after Jan 16th.

But like that other post said, this is just one slide of Verizon's internal training. There could very well be another type of upgrade program/system after this goes away. Perhaps we'll know better tomorrow and if not I'm sure we'll know soon enough. Jan 16th isn't too far away.

[ant1pathy]

For all of you Johnny "Apple"seeds out there, from a retailers perspective, this is probably the most compelling evidence that VZW is leaning towards a pending iPhone release. Apple doesn't like it's products price-whored for less than their MSRP, so it stands to reason they don't want people walking into stores thinking they're going to pimp a $30, $50, or $100 discount on their brand new iPhone. And as we know, with damn near every feature phone priced at "FREE", and "Buy One Get One" Droids, Incredibles, D2's, Ally's and Blackberrys, Apple already knows that if they get in bed with VZW, they are getting in bed with probably the biggest price-whoring, "give away the phones" carrier in the nation, and Apple has a long history of a culture that runs contrary to that.

AT&T has the same upgrade policy, and just excludes iPhones and netbooks from the extra discount. Not discounting that it's not a sign for a Verizon iPhone launch, just that it's not something that's already being handled well enough by another carrier.

[JP Whoregan]

Didn't know that, Thanks for the info...so I guess that leaves me stumped lol...

[pumbaa071]

Here's an interesting comment that someone posted who's being trained about this policy change:

If you read this it says that if you qualify now, and use the annual upgrade or your current NE2 after Jan 16 you will be informed you have used your last. So as it stands by that article if you qualify now you will still have it.

[iowacingular]

There will be something in it's place. Take my word...

[nwm4ever]

My RSS feed brought some very disturbing news a few minutes ago. New Every Two and Annual Upgrades are dead as of January 16, 2011.

As a smartphone user, NE2 helped make the upgrade process a little less costly. I enjoyed the $100 (on top of whatever rebates or discounts) that made it more affordable. That is now gone, with no explanation or alternative incentive.

Let's pile on top of that the death of annual upgrades. This past year, I almost lost my mind with a chain of replacement BB 9630s that seemed to be each one worse than the one before. I made use of the annual upgrade policy for the first time to get away from what was an increasing point of frustration. I knew LTE was around the corner and started another coin jar to upgrade again this August when an annual upgrade was next available and LTE had more market penetration. The new policy now means that I can either pay full retail for a handset (which is not going to work with my budget or savings with baby #2 and grad school on the way) or wait until April 2012 with a phone Motorola is already in the process of abandoning (X).

Other than the coverage, what is really left for the faithful? With NE2 and annual upgrades gone, incentives to stick around are waning. Does VZW have something up its sleeve to make up for this decision or should we just face the fact that we're entering a new era of consumer disservice?

I dunno, maybe using a phone till it dies...like in olden tymes?

[mobileguy1970]

I dunno, maybe using a phone till it dies...like in olden tymes?

But these new phones do not seam to last like the old ones

VatoTheO you seem to be a big VZW fanboy more than likely an employee and if so you have taken the upgrade training on VZlearn, please tell me something good is coming

[iFLAUNT 3G(S)]

AT&T has the same upgrade policy, and just excludes iPhones and netbooks from the extra discount. Not discounting that it's not a sign for a Verizon iPhone launch, just that it's not something that's already being handled well enough by another carrier.

At&t has a NE2-esque program?

[Vatothe0]

Wont know until the 16th. Anything before that is speculation.

I dunno, maybe using a phone till it dies...like in olden tymes?

But these new phones do not seam to last like the old ones

VatoTheO you seem to be a big VZW fanboy more than likely an employee and if so you have taken the upgrade training on VZlearn, please tell me something good is coming

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