Looking to upgrade your Verizon phone, but fear paying full price? There’s good news. First off, even if you signed a two-year contract to get your last phone, you’re eligible to upgrade after only a year. That means that instead of purchasing a full-price Droid, for example, you can get the subsidized price if you’re willing to sign another two-year contract. (Phones are even cheaper if you’re upgrading after the full two years.) Secondly, that one-year upgrade time? Turns out it’s negotiable. If you’re close to the one-year mark, at least some Verizon wireless retailers are willing to push up the upgrade date. Getting a new phone a month early may not sound like a big deal, but if an upgrade purchase figures into your holiday shopping plans, it may be just what you need to finish off your list. Just keep in mind, if you sign up for two more years with Verizon, you’d better be sure you want to stick around that long. Early termination fees have gone through the roof.
Full Disclosure: I work for Motorola (which makes the Droid), but not the mobile phone division.