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:
Here are the T-Mobile phone numbers:
Here is a description of the Verizon trade in deal: a.
Here is a description of the T-Mobile trade in deal: a.
There are three key concerns:
- TRADEIN COSTS:
- UNLOCK STATUS:
- PHONE STATUS (vs SERVICE STATUS):
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.