In December (2 months ago) I was looking for a good cellphone to use in our new Ford Fusion. The Fusion has a nifty “SYNC” system that allows you to play music, use your cellphone, acquire travel assistance and driving instructions, etc. ….. all handsfree. The SYNC System is a great feature included on all new Ford vehicles. (I hope Ford sends me a spiff for promoting their cars……lol). Verizon did not offer the iPhone in December, however they were offering a number of “Android” type phones that are highly touted by the Anti-Apple folks. The Android operating system is represented to be as good (or better) than Apple iOS by many reviewers that have no appreciation for Apple products.
I figured that they all can’t be wrong. The Android System seemed very impressive in their reviews. My first mistake was buying into that premise. I purchased an LG Vortex phone from Verizon for $80. I thought I made a pretty good deal for a feature loaded cellphone. WRONG!!!!! Compared to my iPad, iPods, MacBook and even my PC’s ….. The Vortex phone functions were complex and unreliable. The phone was pre-loaded with useless apps that cannot be removed. Many of the features on the Vortex required purchasing more apps that often didn’t work. The bottom line …… I was very unhappy with my purchase.
February : Verizon announced the Verizon iPhone! Perhaps this would be the answer to my dilemma. I figured that I would get rid of the Vortex Phone (an $80 loss) which I was willing to do. Maybe I could replace it with an iPhone under my new plan. WRONG!!!
Verizon was offering trades, such as the deal I was seeking, to all users that recently purchased new cell phones. VOILA! an answer to my problem ….. WRONG!!! The trade-in offer was only for purchases that were made in January 2011. Those of us that bought a phone in December (or earlier) were SOL.
I pleaded my case to several Verizon Representatives. All I received was disappointing news. I was stuck with the Vortex phone (or another similar phone) for the next two years …. Plain and simple …They had me by the shorthairs. The only way that I could add an iPhone to my Plan was to purchase an iPhone at full price (around $800). They would still hold me to the 2-year contract even though I would be supplying my own iPhone! My choices left me with no alternative. I canceled my contract and am now using the Vortex as a paperweight.
This is the deal that Verizon made with me:
1. Pay a $330 penalty to terminate the contract.
2. Pay for another month of service under my contract because I had entered another billing cycle.
3. Donate my Vortex to the Goodwill or use it as a paperweight, or:
4. Continue paying under my contract (for a phone that I will not use) until December 2002. (approximately $1,400)
Bottom line: I terminated the contract. I will have lost around 500 bucks! I learned an important lesson ……… Beware of Verizon Cellphone agreements! They will hold you to the terms, even if you hate the phone that you have purchased.
I made a dumb mistake assuming the Verizon would treat me fairly. I’ll go with AT&T for my iPhone purchase.
