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If you’ve been keeping up with the rumor mill as of late, you would know that Verizon is preparing for a huge onslaught of premium 4G LTE equipped Android handsets later this year. Devices like the “Droid Prime, ” HTC Vigor and of course, the Droid Bionic. If you were feeling down and out having used your upgrade last year well, I have some good news for you. It seems some lucky customers are receiving emails from Big Red notifying them that they have an upgrade available a full 12 months ahead of schedule. That means if you weren’t expecting an upgrade for another year, well — you may want to check your email. Like NOW.
This news has popped up on just about every Android/tech/news blog and no one can seem to find a rhyme or reason for the lucky individuals chosen for the early upgrade program. I spoke with a close friend who works with Verizon and he was told that Verizon may be trying to reward some of their more “preferred customers” by getting them onto a 4G LTE device. 4G promotion? Sounds fair enough. I still feel like this could have something to do with the upcoming release of the iPhone 5 and Verizon trying to guarantee a successful launch but that’s pure speculation.
Anyway you slice it, this is an awesome move by Verizon and I don’t know of a better way to reward loyal customers (and lock them down) than by giving them an early upgrade. Bravo, Verizon. Hopefully the other 3 are taking notice. Any of our readers get their upgrade 12 months ahead of schedule?
I would love it if AT&T followed suit… my Aria is looking very dated and I’m not paying for an un-subsidized phone given their rather large price.
Got offered an early upgrade a few weeks back while on the line with Customer Service, but nothing in the inbox yet. Hope it’ll still be redeemable when the Vigor and/or the Prime comes out!
Good luck to ya! :D
I haven’t gotten my upgrade ahead of schedule (I still have till September 2012), but maybe that’s because I’m not the primary line on my account?
Still unsure on how the selection process works. Could be only for primary account holders, people with family plans, guys named “Steve,” who knows? =/
can i get a 2 month earlier for nexus 3?
Lol I’ve been sitting on an upgrade for over a year now. I don’t upgrade within 2 years, I upgrade when the phone finally dies on me. This crappy basic phone has lasted me about 2 and half years now, not too shabby, but I want a Bionic. I hope they do this again though…I could possibly want to upgrade again next year if I feel so inclined. I’m sure I’ll be happy with the Bionic though.
What are you doing on phandroid then? This website is for phone junkies not people who are content with an old beater :)
I think sprint is breathing on Verizon’s neck.
like the way Sprint is about to take away 12 month renewals like VZW did ~6 months ago? And how long till they follow Big Red with the removal of unlimited data plans?
How long INDEED..
They aren’t talking away 12 month renewals for gold premiere members, they just aren’t offering the $75 discount off full retail for non gold members after 12 months anymore which no one used anyways.
“I don’t know of a better way to reward loyal customers than by giving them an early upgrade.”
You mean like the early upgrades customers used to get all the time until Verizon took them away earlier this year?
Yeah. Those. o_O
I have 5 lines and am really hoping for at least 1 early upgrade.
I’ve had several offers from VZW to upgrade early. They don’t have a single phone right now that I want. Perhaps if they give people the option right now then those people won’t upgrade when VZW introduces more expensive phones. Giving customers a phone that cost VZW $400 for $200 is better for VZW then giving customers a $700 phone for $200. I just had an upgrade offer phone call last week. Something tells me that the offer won’t be there when the Prime comes out.
I think that is exactly right. Call up VZW and ask when the offer ends. I had this earlier this summer… Nothing in the email sent to me mentioned when the offer was good til, but when I called they told me it ended on a day which happened to be the day before the Droid 3 and tiered data dropped. They want to clear existing stock. That’s my guess.
But when you upgrade you’re gonna be agreeing to the new terms and conditions of their new polices that will take away unlimited data if you had signed your contract before July…so they are not really doing any good by their customers..I mean sure you’ll get a new phone but you’ll have to sacrifice your unlimited data to do so
Uhh unless it explicitly states in the email/new contract for special upgrading people only then your grandfathered in until verizon decides to take it away, which is not when you upgrade to a new phone right now..
no, it’s called unlimited for lifetime, meaning if you had a smart phone before the data plan ch ange, you have unlimited for life
You have to wonder how much big red is going to charge for a dual core lte phone when a single core cost as much as $300. I feel for Verizon customers, they are about to get effed without even a kiss. I hope they atleast offer a little lube.
No early upgrade for me. My wife still gets hers in 1 month, and I still get mine in 1 year & 1 month. Lame.
Hmmm? Nothing but misleading comments. Time to jump to a different story….hopefully better info.
I’ve been eligible for an upgrade since March. I received an email newsletter offering “Get a New Smartphone Plus a $100 Verizon Wireless Gift Card”. It’s good til end of September. Seen as I still have a basic phone gonna see what’s worth while to cash in on the free money. 4G won’t be in my area til at earliest end of the year, so that isn’t a huge factor for myself. Just gonna try and work the system the best I can.
Get a September 4G phone. I didn’t think it was live in my area and I’m pretty sure my city is not listed as live, but a friend came over and sure enough, 3 bars 4G on her TBolt!
AT&T did the same thing this past summer. They gave me an earlier upgrade so to allow me to get an iPhone4. Instead I got an Android and have never looked back. Thanks AT&T :P
VZW is probably doing this to prevent customers from jumping ship. It is no doubt that there is an onslaught of new phones coming. However, if it is an iPhone 5 thing, all carriers will have it. Which leads to which carrier has the best plan, coverage, and price.
As for the new Android devices, a lot has to do with which phone you want. I am in the wait and compare camp on the Bionic, Prime, and Vigor. I am swayed away from Bionic at the moment, but that could change based on how it compares.
My wife just got an email this morning giving her an upgrade 3 months ahead of time to upgrade from her feature phone to a smart phone. Then also they’re giving her the deal of mailing in her current phone for a $100 gift card. I’m up for an upgrade with my last New Every Two discount next month…so i’m trying to get her to upgrade her phone and then we can use the $100 verizon card towards my new phone in the middle of October.
BTW…her line is the secondary line on our account.
I pay for my family’s 5-line account, and one of the stipulations of footing the whole bill is that I get first use of anyone’s upgrade… so, I get 5 upgrades every two years… and try to space it out evenly to one upgrade every 5 months (if something good comes out). And then they usually get my gently-used phones once I do upgrade so they don’t complain about it…. win-win.