[anskY]

From what I understand, I'll be a Premier Customer with Sprint March 28, as I'll have my 69.99 plan for 3 months (I've been with Sprint since 2006). As a Premier Customer, I can upgrade my phone every year at new customer pricing. I have the 20/24 discount on my plan, also.

When I upgrade my phone, is there a contract extension? If there is, does that mean that the 20/24 will end in the middle of my new contract?

Thanks,
Mike

[ceb]

Yes and yes.

Using the $150 discount to upgrade your phone automatically extends your contract for two years from the date of the upgrade.

Your $20/24 is good for two years from when you negotiated that and will drop off thereafter.

Since you won't have the credit any longer - but will still be in-contract - you'll have a more difficult time negotiating a new discount when your $20/24 expires.

Accordingly, you might be better off upgrading your phone (via eBay or a private sale) without the discount and renegotiating a credit in two years.

[windtrader]

Originally Posted by anskY

As a Premier Customer, I can upgrade my phone every year at new customer pricing.

I upgraded my primary Premier line and the $150 was applied toward the upgrade, not new customer phone price.

When I got Premier status the annual upgrade did not seem like any big deal until you calculate the benefit. If you get a new model with lots of desirable features that phone will still be worth a fair amount in 12 months. You can sell it and use that money to cover the cost of the new upgraded model. Timing aside, you are basically getting the newest model each year for free. That seems pretty good to me. I've not been through the cycle so reality may be different.

Also, about the discount going away. Just stay tuned here to keep up with the latest discounts from Sprint. As long as it is a current promotion my feeling is Sprint is having to bend more to keep any customer from fleeing. Quite sad but true. Shoot, in a year Sprint could be merged or sold off unless it does a better job of retaining and attracting new customers.

[big_ole_truck]

Windtrader said it well.

You could always call into Sprint before you do the upgrade to ask for the $20/24 credit tp be applied afterwards (not to exceed total of 24 months of credit).

[KB112]

The last rep I spoke with said you can get the new customer pricing or $150 off the phone when upgrading Premier? Is this not the case? It's only $150 off retail price?

[hoo.haaa]

Originally Posted by big_ole_truck

Windtrader said it well.

You could always call into Sprint before you do the upgrade to ask for the $20/24 credit tp be applied afterwards (not to exceed total of 24 months of credit).

Not sure how eager they would be to extend the $20 recurring in the middle of your contract.

Personally I am planning on upgrading outside of Sprint direct because I do not want to renew my contract for an additional year to save $150. To be quite honest $150 off retail is not that impressive and you can probably get close to that looking through third party sources. When I got my pre 6 months ago I bought it from a store I have done business with for years and paid less for the phone straight up without contract than Sprint wanted with contract. Plus when I activated I used my $150 credit to get a new lotus that I just traded it for a Nextel Blackberry for a family member.

[KB112]

Yeah I hear ya Bro. Thats how I got the better bargain on my Touch Pro when I got it at Best Buy.

[windtrader]

Originally Posted by KB112

The last rep I spoke with said you can get the new customer pricing or $150 off the phone when upgrading Premier? Is this not the case? It's only $150 off retail price?

The only thing Premier gives you is the opportunity to UPGRADE every year instead of every two years. AFAIK all other rules are the same (i.e. you agree to extend contract two years, two year ETF clock resets, etc.).

Not sure how eager they would be to extend the $20 recurring in the middle of your contract.

Personally I am planning on upgrading outside of Sprint direct because I do not want to renew my contract for an additional year to save $150. To be quite honest $150 off retail is not that impressive and you can probably get close to that looking through third party sources. When I got my pre 6 months ago I bought it from a store I have done business with for years and paid less for the phone straight up without contract than Sprint wanted with contract. Plus when I activated I used my $150 credit to get a new lotus that I just traded it for a Nextel Blackberry for a family member.

I was able to get AS to apply the $20/24 while under contract. I have four lines on ED1500, all under contract, only one is going to be up for one year ($75) discount. They did not just give it to me but agreed to give it to me if I bought a new phone so this would offset cost getting new phone to replace broken one and allow one line to get used again.

As to being under contract or not. I pondered this for a number of years, thinking that not being under contract was always better, primarily just to be free and not being under the ETF and tied to Sprint (or whoever). After a number of years doing this, it finally dawned on me that I was going to need cell service anyway and where I live (my home) Sprint by a long shot gets the best reception than all other carriers, so it dawned on me I am not leaving Sprint anyway and started making the most of being under contract.

I've been able to negotiate great corp discounts, free add-ons like Pick 3, $20/24, Premier status (full upgrade each year). If you put a pencil on it, it really adds up to a lot and in the end being under contract is far less a burden than the benefits of a super deal on phone service.

[randomsprintrep]

Originally Posted by anskY

From what I understand, I'll be a Premier Customer with Sprint March 28, as I'll have my 69.99 plan for 3 months (I've been with Sprint since 2006). As a Premier Customer, I can upgrade my phone every year at new customer pricing. I have the 20/24 discount on my plan, also.

When I upgrade my phone, is there a contract extension? If there is, does that mean that the 20/24 will end in the middle of my new contract?

Thanks,
Mike

No. the 20/24 will stay on but you will have to renew your agreement again for 2 years from the day that you upgrade your phone

But yes then your 20/24 will end in the middle of your agreement. Its systematically made to stay on for 2 years from the day its added. Reps have no way to extend it out unfortunately

[anskY]

Thanks for everyone's help. I guess my best bet to upgrade from the Tour to the Essex is to wait a few months and buy it off craigslist, at about the same price as new customers get. I'll need leverage for when my 20/24 expires.


Again, thanks for all your help!

[ceb]

Originally Posted by anskY

Thanks for everyone's help. I guess my best bet to upgrade from the Tour to the Essex is to wait a few months and buy it off craigslist, at about the same price as new customers get. I'll need leverage for when my 20/24 expires.


Again, thanks for all your help!

You won't find the newest phones on Craigslist for anywhere near new customer pricing.

Currently the Tour sells for $99 for new customers and they sell for $200-$230+ from reputable sellers on eBay.

[windtrader]

Originally Posted by ceb

You won't find the newest phones on Craigslist for anywhere near new customer pricing.

Currently the Tour sells for $99 for new customers and they sell for $200-$230+ from reputable sellers on eBay.

I agree. The only time this becomes even close is when a phone has been discontinued by one model. When a new (hot/desirable) model shows up, any off contract phone is going to cost ALOT compared to the retailer pricing for new customer. As stated above I think 100% is about right, a new phone for $99 will easily be $200 on the street, a $200 new customer phone will be $400. Comparing apples to apples, that is NIB item, not some used device, even for a few weeks or month. By the time the phone is going out, retailers will offer them up for FREE or BOGO at $50 bucks or something. At this point the curve actually tilts up as a new halfway decent phone had for $25 bucks for new customers is still going to cost at least $100 off contract NIB, actually curve goes from %100 to 400%.

[anskY]

Originally Posted by ceb

You won't find the newest phones on Craigslist for anywhere near new customer pricing.

Currently the Tour sells for $99 for new customers and they sell for $200-$230+ from reputable sellers on eBay.

I'm sorry. I meant to say when I sell my tour, and I put that money towards the new phone, the worst case will be that it will come out to the same price as New Customer Pricing

[RUFFSTUFF]

Don't forget, when upgrading there are usually other incentives that add to the $150 off... i.e. instant savings, rebates... that's how the 8530 gets to $50 or the Tour at $100 for an upgrade. You can't buy them that cheap outright.