Looking to switch carriers with early termination...

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Our family needs new phones (currently have 2 5c's, a 5s, a 4s, and a 7 plus). We don't have to upgrade the 7 plus, so 4 new iphones are needed (we'd like to stick with apple). With a deal from TMobile, apparently they will pay for your phone from Verizon in order to get you to switch to them. We would like to get 4 new phones from Verizon and then switch after 60 days (this is a limit set by TMobile) in order for them to "pay" for the phones so that we can switch. Does anyone have any experience that this will/won't work? Please let me know, thanks!
 

bamf-hacker

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Why not just get the 4 phones from T-Mobile? I am not familiar with the deal T-Mobile is having now, but if you get the phones from VzW you will have an ETF if you terminate the contract before the end of the 24 months. If T-Mobile is going to pay those fees then so be it, but after 60 days the fees will be significant especially on 4 phones.
 

SwitchBeach

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Typically, there are no real ETFs anymore since phones are likely either purchased outright or purchased on a 24 month finance plan.

If you leave Verizon after purchasing new phones on financing, you will owe the remaining balance of the cost of the phone(s). Be sure that whatever TMobile is offering will cover the cost of what you will owe Verizon for each phone. Obviously, if you purchase the phones outright from Verizon, then you will not owe anything to them.
 

bakron1

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Typically, there are no real ETFs anymore since phones are likely either purchased outright or purchased on a 24 month finance plan.

If you leave Verizon after purchasing new phones on financing, you will owe the remaining balance of the cost of the phone(s). Be sure that whatever TMobile is offering will cover the cost of what you will owe Verizon for each phone. Obviously, if you purchase the phones outright from Verizon, then you will not owe anything to them.

That’s pretty accurate and I always suggest asking questions about the early termination fees before you commit to any carrier agreement. Just being a smart and informed consumer pays dividends in the long run.
 

Lee_Bo

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Also, the new carrier isn't going to send a check to your old carrier for any ETF's. You will have to pay all ETF's from your old carrier and submit that to the new carrier. The new carrier will then probably send you a prepaid Visa-type card with the amount on it, but that can take up to 8 weeks to process and collect. I just wanted to make sure you knew that you will have to pay out of pocket up front.
 

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