The pool of eligible customers is quite broad. You need not be a new customer — current subscribers who activate a new line or who upgrade an existing one can visit Verizon’s website or one of its brick-and-mortar locations to receive credit for their aging smartphone, same as new customers who migrate from a rival carrier. Assuming your device bears no sign of inordinate abuse — that is to say, it switches on, accepts input, and sports no major cosmetic defects — you will get $300 in the form of a down payment toward a new smartphone (or, if you prefer, Verizon credit or a store gift card). But not to worry if your smartphone has a few scuffs or scratches — customers with aesthetically imperfect devices are eligible to receive a DROID Turbo 2 or DROID MAXX 2 for their trouble.
There is some benefit to switching from another carrier, however. If you happen to be on another data provider’s device payment plan, Big Red will offer up to $650 to pay off your old phone and/or contract assuming, of course, you keep your line active for at least six months. Credit is in the form of a Visa prepaid card that you will receive in the mail within “8 weeks” after you take advantage of the offer.
Not every smartphone is eligible for the trade-in promotion, Verizon notes. Here are the ones that are:
- Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, and S6 Edge+
- Galaxy Note 5
- HTC M9
- iPhone 6
- LG G4
- LG V10
And you do not quite get your choice in smartphone. Verizon is offering from the following crop of (relatively) new handsets:
- iPhone 6S, 6S Plus,
- HTC 10
- LG G5
- Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge,
- Note 5
- Droid Turbo
- Maxx 2
The trade-in deal is a decent one, if not quite as generous as Verizon’s April event, which also included a 3-month trial of HBO Now, HBO’s standalone streaming service.
And it is not the announcement some were anticipating. Earlier this week, a leaked promotional image revealed Carryover Data, a program similar to AT&T’s Rollover and T-Mobile’s Data Dash that allows you to use any unused data from the previous billing cycle, and Safety Mode, which will reduce the speed of service when you near your monthly allotment. Verizon is also expected to introduce free voice calls from the U.S. to Canada or Mexico.
