Upgrading/Replacing Your Sprint or Verizon EVDO Modem

Buying an EVDO modem is simple and affordable if you're signing up for a new line of service - with a 2-year contract, you can get a brand new modem at a low cost or even free. But what if you already HAVE Verizon or Sprint EVDO service and simply need a new modem? This article will discuss your options for upgrading or replacing your existing Sprint or Verizon modem.

What do you do if:

• Your EVDO card dies and the one-year manufacturer warranty has expired
  
• You just purchased a new computer and it doesn't have a PCMCIA slot
• Your EVDO card was lost or stolen
• You want to upgrade to the latest and best EVDO card but you still have time remaining on your Verizon or Sprint contract.
  

If you're 13+ months into your 2-year contract:

Many people do not realize that they can upgrade their modem before their 2-year contract is completed. Both Verizon and Sprint offer one-year upgrades that allow you to take advantage of a discounted price on a new modem by re-newing your 2-year contract.

If you are 13+ months into your 24-month contract with Verizon, the price of the device is $50 more than the price offered to new customers. For example, the USB760 would be $49.99 after a $50 mail in rebate. Sprint allows one-year upgrade discounts as well, but they only give a $75 credit off the full retail price (the price you'd pay with no contract change) and rebates do not apply when doing a one-year Sprint upgrade. For example, the cost of the 598U would be $174.99.

If you're 20+ months into your 2-year Verizon contract or 22+ months into your 2-year Sprint contract:

If you're getting close to the completion of your 2-year contract, Verizon and Sprint allow you to take advantage of the same prices they offer NEW customers signing up for service if you re-new your 2-year contract.

Verizon calls this "New Every Two" or NE2 and you must be 20+ months into your 24-month contract. For Sprint, you must be 22+ months into your 24-month contract to be eligible for the 2-year upgrade price.

My account is currently UNLIMITED. Can I still upgrade?

In the early days of EVDO, both Sprint and Verizon offered unlimited EVDO. They later changed their terms of service to impose a 5GB limit and overage charges apply for usage beyond 5GB/mo, but customers who were signed up with the unlimited plan got to keep their status (they were "grandfathered" in). If you are one of the "grandfathered" customers whose account is currently unlimited, you must be VERY careful when doing an upgrade to avoid having your contract changed to the 5GB terms!

Verizon will allow you to upgrade your account and maintain your unlimited status (you must specify this request when you upgrade!), but Sprint will NOT. If you take advantage of any upgrade discounts from Sprint and re-new your contract, you will be subject to the new terms of service, including the 5GB limit and overage charges!!! If you are a Sprint customer and you have an unlimited account, DO NOT DO AN "UPGRADE". In order to keep your unlimited status, you can purchase a new or used device and simply do an ESN swap - this does not affect your contract (see next section on getting a new device without changing your contract).

I don�t want to sign a new contract, but I want to upgrade my card!

You can purchase a device with no contract and do an "ESN swap," which transfers the service from your existing device onto your new device. Keep in mind, this option is more expensive because when you purchase the card without a contract you pay full retail value of the card (often between $200 and $300). When you sign a new contract, Verizon/Sprint is actually selling you a card below cost and making up their costs on the monthly fee.

As an alternative to spending several hundred dollars on a brand new EVDO modem, 3Gstore also sells refurbished devices for Sprint. Refurbished, I know you're thinking - yuck! However, these are factory- certified and tested EVDO Rev A cards that were returned to Sprint within a customer's 30-day trial. We have tested each card and upgraded the firmware. No original Sprint packaging is included, however, and you'll need to download the latest connection manager at www.sprint.com/downloads. After receiving the device, you will need to contact Sprint and do an ESN swap from your old device to the new device's ESN.

Whether you purchase a new or refurbished device as a replacement, you'll need to do an ESN swap to transfer your service from your old card to the new one. This requires a quick call to Sprint or Verizon, OR you can do it online for Verizon !

• Do a 13+ or 20+ month VERIZON upgrade
• Do a 13+ or 22+ month SPRINT upgrade
• Order a new Verizon modem WITHOUT contract
• Order a new Sprint modem WITHOUT contract
• Order a REFURBISHED Sprint modem WITHOUT contract