Comparison of the Verizon & T-Mobile "free" iPhone 7 with iPhone 6 tradein deal

[Horace Algier]

Here is a summary of what I know about the T-Mobile and Verizon plans to
give you a "free" iPhone 7 32GB when you do two things:
a. You trade in *any* iPhone 6
b. You keep your service for the next two years

Here are the Verizon phone numbers:
http://www.tomsguide.com/faq/id-2346970/talk-real-person-verizon-wireless-customer-service.html
https://www.800-numbers.net/verizon/
a. 800-922-0204
b. 800-256-4646
c. 800-526-3178

Here are the T-Mobile phone numbers:
http://www.tomsguide.com/faq/id-2346088/talk-real-person-mobile-customer-service.html
http://www.t-mobile.com/contact-us.html
a. 877-453-1304
b. 877-778-2106
c. 844-270-0187

Here is a description of the Verizon trade in deal:
a. https://www.verizonwireless.com/
b.
http://www.verizon.com/about/news/get-next-gen-iphones-next-gen-network-available-verizon-lte-advanced-beginning-friday-september

Here is a description of the T-Mobile trade in deal:
a. https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-32234
b.
http://www.t-mobile.com/offer/apple-iphone-deals.html?icid=WMD_TM_Q316NPI_4BWFR9S6IA85960

There are three key concerns:
1. TRADEIN COSTS:
2. UNLOCK STATUS:
3. PHONE STATUS (vs SERVICE STATUS):

1. TRADEIN COSTS:
Verizon and T-Mobile both have the same iPhone 6 requirements
a. The iPhone 6 must turn on
b. It must not be visibly damaged (e.g., no cracked screen)
c. The water-damage sticker must be white (not red)
d. The iPhone 6 can be *any* number of gigabytes of storage

At both Verizon and T-Mobile, you can visit a brick-and-mortar store to
have them assess the iPhone 6 and annotate your service record that the
iPhone 6 passes the requirements above.

2. UNLOCK STATUS:
a. All Verizon phones are unlocked (even the iPhone 7 under tradein!)
b. T-Mobile iPhone 7s, if under the trade-in, are locked but can be
permanently unlocked after 40 days (if you tell them you're going to
Europe).

The catch with T-Mobile is that the iPhone 7 must be put on the service
line for those 40 days, whereas for Verizon, since the phone is unlocked,
it *never* has to be placed in service.

3. PHONE STATUS (vs SERVICE STATUS):
Verizon and T-Mobile both have similar requirements, with Verizon having a
slightly worse plan that T-Mobile on length of service.

In both Verizon and T-Mobile cases, they don't care *what* you do with the
iPhone 7 once you receive it.
a. You can put it on your service line
b. Or you can give it to a friend
c. Or you can put it in your desk drawer

They don't care *what* you do with the phone.

However, in the Verizon case, they charge you $27/month *extra* on the
first two bills for the phone, and then they reimburse you that $54 on the
third bill, and the credits start to take hold for two years. (So, I think
that means the Verizon 2-year deal is actually 2 years and 2 months.)

In the case of T-Mobile, the credits start on day one, so the 2-year deal
is a 2-year deal.

Both Verizon & T-Mobile must charge you the sales tax on the full price of
the iPhone 7.

Technically, the Verizon iPhone 7 is slightly better than the T-Mobile
iPhone 7 for two reasons:
a. The Verizon iPhone 7 is alredy permanently unlocked, and,
b. The Verizon iPhone 7 is CDMA & GSM (while T-Mobile is only GSM)

NOTE: The Verizon iPhone 7 has a Qualcomm modem which is both CDMA and GSM
while the T-Mobile iPhone 7 has an Intel modem which is only GSM.

Let me know if any of those details need honing.

[pf...@aol.com]

Go away.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Horace Algiers]

On Sat, 17 Sep 2016 05:24:27 +0000 (UTC), Horace Algier wrote:

> Here is a summary of what I know about the T-Mobile and Verizon plans to
> give you a "free" iPhone 7 32GB when you do two things:
> a. You trade in *any* iPhone 6
> b. You keep your service for the next two years

BTW, this is roughly the price of just the *sales tax* on the iPhone 7:
http://www.devicespecifications.com/en/model/09533937

So, the real question is whether the iPhone 7 is worth the sales tax on it
since, admittedly, the tax on the iPhone 7 is close to the cost of a new
$75 dual-SIM 16GB 4G Doogee HomTom HT7 Pro, which comes with a 1 GHz quad
core 64-bit CPU with 2GB of RAM and a 5.5 inch 1280x720 HD IPS Screen and
expandable storage to 128GB, removable battery, 13 & 5 megapixel cameras
*and* a headphone jack!

[ElfinArc]

Why are you asking here? Worth is determined by the buyer, if you think it
is worth it. Otherwise don't. Pretty simple from where I sit. I don't
come to a usenet group to ask whether something is worth whatever the price
is because the only thing anyone can give is an opinion about whether it is
worth it to them. Not exactly rocket science you know.

Of course, in the interest of good trollmanship you'll drag this out
forever.

--
Elfin