Drawback to the Edge Program? Am I not seeing it?

[ultravisitor]

At the end of the day, the plans come out about the same.

Not for me. I end up paying at least $400 more by going with the device payment plans.

contract pricing keeping the same plan I have now
cost up front for the phone (assuming it is priced the same as the 128 GB 6 Plus): $499.00
$60 loyalty plan (2GB data, unlimited talk and text) X 24 = $1440
two year cost = $1949.99

keeping the same plan but having to pay full retail for the phone
phone: $39.58 X 24 = $949.92
loyalty plan: $60 X 24 = $1440
two year cost = $2389.92

if I were to switch to the medium size data bucket, which is what I would need, and pay full retail for the phone
phone: $39.58 X 24 = $949.92
medium data bucket plan ($45) + access fee ($20): $65 X 24 = $1560
two year cost = $2509.92

My two-year cost will go up a minimum of $439.93. And I don't keep phones past two years, so how much the plans cost after two years is a moot point.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Not for me. I end up paying at least $400 more by going with the device payment plans.

contract pricing keeping the same plan I have now
cost up front for the phone (assuming it is priced the same as the 128 GB 6 Plus): $499.00
$60 loyalty plan (2GB data, unlimited talk and text) X 24 = $1440
two year cost = $1949.99

keeping the same plan but having to pay full retail for the phone
phone: $39.58 X 24 = $949.92
loyalty plan: $60 X 24 = $1440
two year cost = $2389.92

if I were to switch to the medium size data bucket, which is what I would need, and pay full retail for the phone
phone: $39.58 X 24 = $949.92
medium data bucket plan ($45) + access fee ($20): $65 X 24 = $1560
two year cost = $2509.92

My two-year cost will go up a minimum of $439.93. And I don't keep phones past two years, so how much the plans cost after two years is a moot point.

That can't possibly be right. You're missing something.

 

[Spencerdl]

Since Verizon has changed their EDGE program yet again, there are only three advantages. 1. $25 discount for line access fee per device, 2. You pay for the device without interest (based on 24 month payment plan). 3. As long as you pay 100% of the cost of the device you can upgrade anytime you like.
Example: The 128gb 6Plus cost $949 (before taxes), @$25 off of line access fee over two years you save $600, so you actually end up paying $349 for the 128gb 6 Plus.
No contract breakage fee.

 

[ultravisitor]

That can't possibly be right. You're missing something.

It is absolutely correct. Sure, I left out the activation fee that I will pay with a contract, but that's what? $40? Big whoop. Going off-contract still costs me ten times more than that than sticking with my contract.

Still don't believe me? I can take a screenshot of my account, I suppose. It's the Verizon Loyalty plan, and obviously, it's not a plan that they advertise or that is available to just anyone. It's $60 for 2GB of data and unlimited talk & text. There's no line access fee. It also allows for a discounted/subsidized phone when you renew with it. It's what I get for having stuck with Verizon for 10+ years rather than hopping back and forth between carriers like lots of other people do.

 

[ultravisitor]

The 128gb 6Plus cost $949 (before taxes), @$25 off of line access fee over two years you save $600, so you actually end up paying $349 for the 128gb 6 Plus.

There's actually no discounting of the line access fee on the plans that debut tomorrow. Line access will now just be $20 for everyone, whether or not they're on a device payment plan, so it actually turns out that many people will be paying more for line access than they were previously.

 

[Spencerdl]

There's actually no discounting of the line access fee on the plans that debut tomorrow. Line access will now just be $20 for everyone, whether or not they're on a device payment plan, so it actually turns out that many people will be paying more for line access than they were previously.

Unless you're "grandfathered" in a plan already. Line access fee is/was $40 and currently (today is the last day) on the Edge program it would be -$25 making line access fee $15.

 

[Ledsteplin]

It is absolutely correct. Sure, I left out the activation fee that I will pay with a contract, but that's what? $40? Big whoop. Going off-contract still costs me ten times more than that than sticking with my contract.

Still don't believe me? I can take a screenshot of my account, I suppose. It's the Verizon Loyalty plan, and obviously, it's not a plan that they advertise or that is available to just anyone. It's $60 for 2GB of data and unlimited talk & text. There's no line access fee. It also allows for a discounted/subsidized phone when you renew with it. It's what I get for having stuck with Verizon for 10+ years rather than hopping back and forth between carriers like lots of other people do.

Activation fee, upgrade fee, equipment fee, etc. Plus you don't get but 2 gb data with the $60 plan. I've seen up to a $50 difference, but not $400. That's ridiculous. Your figures are wrong. When I checked my service of 4 lines, the EDGE plan was $8 more than the 2 year contract plan. YMMV

 

[ultravisitor]

Activation fee, upgrade fee, equipment fee, etc. Plus you don't get but 2 gb data with the $60 plan. I've seen up to a $50 difference, but not $400. That's ridiculous. Your figures are wrong.

No. Not really.

If you'd like to see a copy of my bill, I'd be happy to provide it to you. And guess what? If all I use every month is 1.7-1.9GB of data, then I don't need more than 2GB data. (Okay, I've actually gone over 2GB once in 24 months, but still, the overage fee is only $10 per 1GB on my plan, so big deal.)

I mean, it's just:

Loyalty $60/2GB Unlim T&T $60.00
Total Equipment Coverage--Asurion $8.00

Fed Universal Service Charge $1.58
Regulatory Charge $0.18
Administrative Charge $0.95

Chicago City 911 Fee $3.90
IL State Telecom Excise Tax $2.98
Chicago MTT $2.98

Total Current Charges $80.57

Sure, at the start of the contract, I'd be paying a $40.00 activation fee and I forgot that I'd be paying a $40.00 upgrade fee (no equipment fee other than the cost of the phone), but that's what my bill looks like every month otherwise. I'll be paying the taxes and surcharges regardless of what plan I have. So maybe the difference is more like $360 than $440. Sorry. My mistake. I still feel that's a pretty significant increase.

If you still don't want to believe it, I can take a screenshot.

 

[Ledsteplin]

No. Not really.

If you'd like to see a copy of my bill, I'd be happy to provide it to you. And guess what? If all I use every month is 1.7-1.9GB of data, then I don't need more than 2GB data. (Okay, I've actually gone over 2GB once in 24 months, but still, the overage fee is only $10 per 1GB on my plan, so big deal.)

I mean, it's just:

Loyalty $60/2GB Unlim T&T $60.00
Total Equipment Coverage--Asurion $8.00

Fed Universal Service Charge $1.58
Regulatory Charge $0.18
Administrative Charge $0.95

Chicago City 911 Fee $3.90
IL State Telecom Excise Tax $2.98
Chicago MTT $2.98

Total Current Charges $80.57

Sure, at the start of the contract, I'd be paying a $40.00 activation fee and I forgot that I'd be paying a $40.00 upgrade fee (no equipment fee other than the cost of the phone), but that's what my bill looks like every month otherwise. I'll be paying the taxes and surcharges regardless of what plan I have. So maybe the difference is more like $360 than $440. Sorry. My mistake. I still feel that's a pretty significant increase.

If you still don't want to believe it, I can take a screenshot.

I've seen many people figure this up. No one has shown a $400 difference. Don't you think if it were that much that no one would opt for the EDGE plan?

 

[Ledsteplin]

No. Not really.

If you'd like to see a copy of my bill, I'd be happy to provide it to you. And guess what? If all I use every month is 1.7-1.9GB of data, then I don't need more than 2GB data. (Okay, I've actually gone over 2GB once in 24 months, but still, the overage fee is only $10 per 1GB on my plan, so big deal.)

I mean, it's just:

Loyalty $60/2GB Unlim T&T $60.00
Total Equipment Coverage--Asurion $8.00

Fed Universal Service Charge $1.58
Regulatory Charge $0.18
Administrative Charge $0.95

Chicago City 911 Fee $3.90
IL State Telecom Excise Tax $2.98
Chicago MTT $2.98

Total Current Charges $80.57

Sure, at the start of the contract, I'd be paying a $40.00 activation fee and I forgot that I'd be paying a $40.00 upgrade fee (no equipment fee other than the cost of the phone), but that's what my bill looks like every month otherwise. I'll be paying the taxes and surcharges regardless of what plan I have. So maybe the difference is more like $360 than $440. Sorry. My mistake. I still feel that's a pretty significant increase.

If you still don't want to believe it, I can take a screenshot.

Just got off the phone with Verizon. We talked for 2 hours. You pay about $65 a month, roughly. Tax and all. With EDGE, you would pay about $105 tax and all. But, you're getting 3 gb data with EDGE. (Based on new plans coming). On your plan, you get 2 gb data.

 

[ultravisitor]

I've seen many people figure this up. No one has shown a $400 difference. Don't you think if it were that much that no one would opt for the EDGE plan?

Why don't you tell me what fees I'm missing since you seem to think that you know more about my bill than I do?

Just got off the phone with Verizon. We talked for 2 hours. You pay about $65 a month, roughly. Tax and all. With EDGE, you would pay about $105 tax and all. But, you're getting 3 gb data with EDGE. (Based on new plans coming). On your plan, you get 2 gb data.

Now, if we go by your numbers, there is a $40 difference between what I pay on my plan and what I would be paying with EDGE. Now, being mindful that I keep my phones for two years, let's do some math:

EDGE plan: $105 x 24 = $2520
phone payment: (figured into EDGE pricing)
two year cost: $2520

Loyalty plan: $65 x 24 = $1560
subsidized phone: $500
two year cost: $2060

So...using the numbers that you yourself got from Verizon, the EDGE plan costs $460 more than my Loyalty plan. If the activation and upgrade fees are included into what I pay with the Loyalty plan, then EDGE still costs $380 more.

These are the numbers Verizon gave you. Do you believe what I said now?

The fact that the EDGE plan gives me 3GB of data when I routinely use 1.7-1.9GB of data is not enough for me to justify paying basically $400 more. Again, my overage fee is only $10 per 1GB of data. I'd rather pay the extra $10 on the one out of 24 months that I go over than pay $380 more for data that I'm not using.

Whatever. Believe the numbers I gave you or believe the numbers Verizon gave you. I come out ahead either way.

(This is, of course, operating under the assumption that the $105 value that Verizon gave you was for the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus. If the $105 was actually for a lower capacity model, then the difference is even more in my favor.)

 

[Ledsteplin]

Why don't you tell me what fees I'm missing since you seem to think that you know more about my bill than I do?



Now, if we go by your numbers, there is a $40 difference between what I pay on my plan and what I would be paying with EDGE. Now, being mindful that I keep my phones for two years, let's do some math:

EDGE plan: $105 x 24 = $2520
phone payment: (figured into EDGE pricing)
two year cost: $2520

Loyalty plan: $65 x 24 = $1560
subsidized phone: $500
two year cost: $2060

So...using the numbers that you yourself got from Verizon, the EDGE plan costs $460 more than my Loyalty plan. If the activation and upgrade fees are included into what I pay with the Loyalty plan, then EDGE still costs $380 more.

These are the numbers Verizon gave you. Do you believe what I said now?

The fact that the EDGE plan gives me 3GB of data when I routinely use 1.7-1.9GB of data is not enough for me to justify paying basically $400 more. Again, my overage fee is only $10 per 1GB of data. I'd rather pay the extra $10 on the one out of 24 months that I go over than pay $380 more for data that I'm not using.

Whatever. Believe the numbers I gave you or believe the numbers Verizon gave you. I come out ahead either way.

(This is, of course, operating under the assumption that the $105 value that Verizon gave you was for the 128GB iPhone 6 Plus. If the $105 was actually for a lower capacity model, then the difference is even more in my favor.)

Over 2 years. Yes, it comes to that. I thought you meant per month. No wonder I couldn't figure that out. But some would rather pay that extra to be able to upgrade every year and have more data. My situation is different. I would pay less for EDGE with my 4 lines and 12 gb data. But I'm like you. I'd rather do the 2 year contract plan if the costs are close. I won't upgrade each year. I don't need the latest greatest that bad. The Rep I spoke with said we all will eventually be moved to EDGE. I get a mixed message from different reps. I don't think they know what's going on. LOL