How does the New every Two work for thunderbolt - Thunderbolt Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

So my 2yr is reached on june. I got a pre-order for with bestbuy at the moment.
I still have my new every two gimmick from verizon. Will the discount be huge? I don't often wait til the end of the two mark before i get a new phone because i am allowed to upgrade prior to that.
Assuming the tbolt is still $250 instead of $300, I got the $50 giftcard that I paid for when I pre-ordered, I wonder how it compares with verizon pricing.
Obviously i should be asking myself if 3 months is worth the money saved. but I don't know all the variables.
1. will the availability of the tbolt be plentiful by june? i was told that the evo was hard to come by after the pre-orders came out.
2. how much would or might i be saving if i chose to wait 3 months. there was something about no rebates no more with verizon so that is nice.
3. i got an eris with gb on it, so will i be missing that much besides the fire power in tech.
4. and whatever i may have missed
so if you guys can help me out with some actual intelligent answers, that would be awesome. thanks.

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The new every two occurs every 20 months (basically 4 months before your contract end date). Once you're in this window, you pay the contract price of the phone. Which in the case of the TB, you'll pay $249. If you have a preorder giftcard for $50, you can put that towards the $249.
However, if you're a primary line owner, either a single line or primary line of a family plan, you'll get another $50 off the $249. This last $50 discount has been terminated by Verizon, but existing contracts are grandfathered in for one last time.
So, if you fit all of these then this is what you'll have:
+ $249.00 TB
- 50.00 giftcard preorder
- 50.00 single or primary line discount at 20 months upgrade
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$149.00 plus tax
As a side note, the primary line of a family plan gets a new every two every year, but not the extra $50. Basically, the primary line gets the contract price every 12 months ($249)

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I wonder if I will be able to upgrade early.
I don't get my new every 2 upgrade for another 6 months according to the VZW website, however they offered me the immediate iPhone upgrade. I hope I (primary line) would be able to get a TB as well.

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FP5241 said:
I wonder if I will be able to upgrade early.
I don't get my new every 2 upgrade for another 6 months according to the VZW website, however they offered me the immediate iPhone upgrade. I hope I (primary line) would be able to get a TB as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The website, I'm pretty sure, doesn't show you your primary line 12 month annual upgrade. Its there tho... every 12 months the primary line, on a multi-line plan, can upgrade at contract price.

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kenyu73 said:
The new every two occurs every 20 months (basically 4 months before your contract end date). Once you're in this window, you pay the contract price of the phone. Which in the case of the TB, you'll pay $249. If you have a preorder giftcard for $50, you can put that towards the $249.
However, if you're a primary line owner, either a single line or primary line of a family plan, you'll get another $50 off the $249. This last $50 discount has been terminated by Verizon, but existing contracts are grandfathered in for one last time.
So, if you fit all of these then this is what you'll have:
+ $249.00 TB
- 50.00 giftcard preorder
- 50.00 single or primary line discount at 20 months upgrade
------------
$149.00 plus tax
As a side note, the primary line of a family plan gets a new every two every year, but not the extra $50. Basically, the primary line gets the contract price every 12 months ($249)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I read somewhere that they're (Verizon) doing away with the 12 month upgrade option for the primary line now too.
From what I understand, even primary line holders will have to wait 20 months to upgrade at the contract price. That is of course people who signed up for a new contract after (I think) February 10th.
I could be wrong (and I hope I am), but that's what I read.

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Whetzel said:
I thought I read somewhere that they're (Verizon) doing away with the 12 month upgrade option for the primary line now too.
From what I understand, even primary line holders will have to wait 20 months to upgrade at the contract price. That is of course people who signed up for a new contract after (I think) February 10th.
I could be wrong (and I hope I am), but that's what I read.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the old policies are in effect for contracts done before this new change (Feb, January, whenever) so I think this person is good to go.
I know the extra $50 for the primary line was canned. It could be that the 1 year renew was too, but most people should be able it hit that benefit up one last time if it is true.

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kenyu73 said:
As a side note, the primary line of a family plan gets a new every two every year, but not the extra $50. Basically, the primary line gets the contract price every 12 months ($249)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this still the case? I would like to know if the primary line of a multi-line family plan is eligible to upgrade at contract price every 12 months. I was planning to get a 1 year contract on my primary line but will scrap this idea if the primary line is already eligible for upgrade every 12 months.
Thank You!
(what is the benefit of 1yr vs 2yr contract for the primary line of a family plan?)

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kenyu73 said:
The new every two occurs every 20 months (basically 4 months before your contract end date). Once you're in this window, you pay the contract price of the phone. Which in the case of the TB, you'll pay $249. If you have a preorder giftcard for $50, you can put that towards the $249.
However, if you're a primary line owner, either a single line or primary line of a family plan, you'll get another $50 off the $249. This last $50 discount has been terminated by Verizon, but existing contracts are grandfathered in for one last time.
So, if you fit all of these then this is what you'll have:
+ $249.00 TB
- 50.00 giftcard preorder
- 50.00 single or primary line discount at 20 months upgrade
------------
$149.00 plus tax
As a side note, the primary line of a family plan gets a new every two every year, but not the extra $50. Basically, the primary line gets the contract price every 12 months ($249)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bestbuy does not discount the extra $50 for new every 2 since thats a vzw promotion... if you want the extra 50 off you will need to purchase from verizon... but if I can get the extra 50 off from vzw without waiting I'm going to use the 50 gift card to buy a case and screen protector and stuff... also if the bestbuy free buyback is still in effect when the phone is released I'll go to bestbuy so I get some return in investment when I go to get a new phone

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I just chatted with Verizon Customer Support and inquired about the 12 month upgrade timeframe for the primary line of a multi-line contract.
This is still in effect and holds true. So much for needing to sign a 1 yr contract on that line

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UPDATE: the info regarding 12 month updates for the primary line is false. I spoke with another CSR and this was dropped along with the NE2.

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bmcclure937 said:
UPDATE: the info regarding 12 month updates for the primary line is false. I spoke with another CSR and this was dropped along with the NE2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bummer! Coolest thing I didn't know that doesn't matter anymore?

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I am the primary line of a family plan. I didn't realize the "new every two" was affected by being a primary or secondary on a family plan.
This is what it says on my verizon account.
"You Are Eligible For An Upgrade on: 6/26/11 Your contract end date is 10/26/11"
So it seems like the most I can get from the Verizon "New every Two" in June when I am eligible. I assume that the discount is in affect at that time, but as of now Verizon says I can upgrade but without the benefits of "New every Two".
At first I thought I may get $100 off verizon phones if I wait til June. Now it seems it is $50.
For BestBuy, the only benefit is getting the phone early because I had to Pay for the $50 giftcard, so the phone will still cost me $250 + california tax. I never heard of Bestbuy giving me a discount because of whatever is going on with me and verizon.
Is what I just said accurate? If so I might as well get the tbolt from verizon if it is only $50 saved if I wait til june. If it is $100 saved, I might just wait.
Also nobody mentioned if the availability of this phone will be like the evo aka small production count so I may not even get the phone in june because they have to go into production for it once again.
Adding more info:
I was going through the motions of upgrading my plan and verizon shows me that I have an online discount of $50 for old phones such as droid x and blackberry bold. The fascinate has no discount except the re-certified one. So the "new every two" means nothing if i am aiming to get the tbolt?

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two_cents said:
bestbuy does not discount the extra $50 for new every 2 since thats a vzw promotion... if you want the extra 50 off you will need to purchase from verizon...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Two Verizon reps told me that Best Buy can give me the $50 New Every Two discount. Of course, they could be wrong, as sales and customer service reps frequently are, but when they told me this, I documented who told me this and when. If they were wrong, Verizon will typically credit my account. They have always been very good about this kind of thing for me as I am a long term customer.

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Philosophre said:
I am the primary line of a family plan. I didn't realize the "new every two" was affected by being a primary or secondary on a family plan.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NE2 has always only been available for the primary line on a Family plan or the only line on a single line. Never for additional lines on the same Family plan.
You're right, basically. What you have to realize is, first, VZW has discontinued the NE2 program and the early upgrade (a.k.a. annual upgrade) starting with new plans. But if you have already earned the NE2 and the early upgrade based on your old plan, you are still entitled to use them for one last time. In your case, not until after your NE2 date shown on the website, in June of 2011, can you use the NE2. The "early upgrade" at "2yr new contract" subsidized prices can be used if you want to upgrade prior to your NE2 date.
After you enter into your next contract, both the early upgrade and the NE2, you will not have next time. They are the ones that have been discontinued on new plans.
As for Best Buy... the only thing your gift cert does for you is, well, it's a gift cert. Not really TBolt specific anyhow. Just a come-on to get you into the store and get a $50 sale out of you. You can use it for the TBolt, or something else. Doesn't matter.
The potentially really good thing about Best Buy is their "Buy-Back" program. It usually costs $60 for mobile phones to get this buy-back protection. But, until the 26th of Feb it is free. So... if the TBolt comes out by the 26th you can enroll in this buy-back program for free (i.e. sell them the phone back at 50 percent of full retail in 6 months (approx $375 - depending on BB's full retail price), 40 percent in 12 months, and keeps going down the longer you keep it. This buy-back is based on full retail, even if you pay substantially less due to contract incentives (i.e. $249 with a 2yr contract).
This Best Buy buy-back program is much like Verizon's "old" early upgrade program, which will be defunct with your new plan.
'Course, it's now looking like the release won't make it by the 26th, so maybe this is a moot point. If it does make it by the 26th, Best Buy is definitely where I'm gonna get mine.
-Frank

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Ugh. I just called and if I wait til june which would be my 2yr mark I would only be receiving a $30 discount.
Looks like I'll be grabbing the phone from Bestbuy asap unless the delay is reasonably near june.

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Philosophre said:
This is what it says on my verizon account.
"You Are Eligible For An Upgrade on: 6/26/11 Your contract end date is 10/26/11"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Philosophre said:
Ugh. I just called and if I wait til june which would be my 2yr mark I would only be receiving a $30 discount.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, ever since they reduced the NE2 benefit from $100 to the lower amounts ($50 and/or $30 - depending on plan cost) the NE2 is hardly worth waiting more than a couple of weeks for.
Also, according to the above, 6/26/11 is your New Every 2 date - not your "2 yr point". NE2 comes after 20 months rather than 24 months.
-Frank

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yea, i misspoke. the october would be my 2yr mark.
i better enjoy my eris now before the time to change comes.

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frank s said:
If it does make it by the 26th, Best Buy is definitely where I'm gonna get mine.
-Frank
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Click to collapse
even if its released after the 26th I'm sure I can make them throw it in cause I preordered the phone a month ago... or I can just walk across the street and get the extra 50 from my new every 2 at verizon

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two_cents said:
even if its released after the 26th I'm sure I can make them throw it in cause I preordered the phone a month ago... or I can just walk across the street and get the extra 50 from my new every 2 at verizon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disused this free buy-back and pre-order thing specifically with my local Best Buy. They told me, for sure, that pre-orders do not count for this free buy-back promotion. They told me that you had to actually purchase the device before it would count. Otherwise, I too would have pre-ordered just to get the free buy-back deal.
-Frank