I didn't see the VX4500 listed for my "upgrade" phone options.... NJ
ZIP code.

Listed is  the VX4400, which is not a speakerphone.  Also the Audiovox
CDM8600, which does have a speakphone, but no dual display.

I'm also interested in getting a speakerphone to replace my Nokia
3589i.   I need the speakerphone and dual display, so I think my phone
choices are down to the VX4500 and CDM8900 and V60s.

I'm leaning towards the V60s  (Via ebay about $200)
because 1. Best Speakerphone, Dual Display, decent phone.

John@NoSpam_SensorySIMS.com
(please remove "NoSpam_" from return address to respond directly)

We have had the same experience with Verizon, and our attempts to order the
V60s. We are also customers of Verizon, for almost 2 years.  I called
"telesales," customer service, and also spoke to the internet sales people.
In every case I was told that they were out of the V60s-- not one of them
admitted that they were only for new customers, although this is what I
suspect. A couple of reps said they were out of them on the West coast, but
were still selling them on the East coast. Depends who you talk to, I guess.

We were also offered the LGVX4500 by the telephone sales rep, but we travel
frequently, and like to have a tri-mode phone. And, like you, we were only
offered five phones on the internet for "upgrade." The LGVX4500 was not one
of the five, and neither was the V60s, of course.

It's a lousy way to treat current customers.

Sandy

Why not just walk into a VZW store like I did and buy them?
Larry

Supposedly, it will be available next week to all customers.
Personally I think their policies suck in this matter... if you have the
phone sell it first come first serve.
Hell, they only had the phone for less than a month in my area before it was
discontinued.

BTW, it was supposed to be removed from the web site... but that has not
happened either...
Don't hold your breath waiting for the phone to be available next week.

AL

Wierd...I'm a longtime Verizon customer - ordered a V60s online from Verizon
last Friday to replace a n old Nokia - was delivered on Monday - never spoke
to a human - but knew that the Nokia was old enough to qualify for
upgrade/replacement. So at least in Utah existing customers can get the V60s
for $49.95, no questions asked.

<snip>

Something strange is going on here. I received a V60s last week, and did so
after upgrading on-line. Then I wanted to upgrade my wife's 270C to a V60s,
too (before Verizon discontinues the V60s), but I could not do so. It shows
up, but only at full, no-contract price.

I called and e-mailed Verizon, and got the answer that the V60s is for new
customers only, but clearly this is not true since I was able to upgrade,
and since my wife could get it, but only at full price.

I recommended Verizon and the V60s to a friend, and she signed into the
Verizon site via a b2b affiliate, and the V60s was not an option, but
signing in on their regular site it was available (the b2b affiliate site
offers lower monthly rates). So the choice was between a $7/month discount,
or a V60s.

I suppose what's going on is that Verizon knows that the V60s is the only
decent tri-mode flip phones that they offer, suitable for customers that don
't care about Get It Now, so they want to use the limited supply to attract
new, full rate, customers. The V60s is on the way to becoming a cult phone,
just as the 270C is.

No point upgrading from a 120c to anything other than a V60s, if you want a
speakerphone.

Of course you could sign up for new service if you're not under contract. I
wonder if number portability applies when you're moving from Verizon to
Verizon. Or you could switch to AT&T or another carrier, with number
portability, for a few days, then go back to Verizon with number portability
in order to get the V60s. Alas, you'll lose any grandfathered plan if you do
this. I won't give up 8pm off-peak just to get a V60s; we use a LOT of
minutes from 8:00-9:00 pm..

<TonyKarp@tlc-systems.com <mailto:TonyKarp@tlc-systems.com>> wrote in
message

Yes. Bitch. Send e-mails--REPEATEDLY. Call customer service REPEATEDLY. In
your e-mail, ask it to be elevated to a supervisor. Don't give up! Be nice,
but be persistent and outraged. Do it fast!

Does this work? It worked for me today (2/27/2004), after many days of
trying. After I had given up all hope, and was crying in desperation, a
miracle occurred (okay, I'm being over-dramatic)..

e-mail received:

"Dear xxxxx xxxx,

Thank you for contacting Verizon Wireless through our website.  We apologize
for the delay in responding to your inquiry.  This delay was a result of
technical difficulties, which have since been resolved.

I received your email and apologize for the inconvenience you have been
caused.  Recently, the Motorola V60s was discontinued.  As a result, we have
a very limited supply of this phone and we are only able to sell it online.
However, I will be more than happy to assist.  As of today, this phone is in
stock.  If you would like to order this phone, please feel free to call me
at 1-800-xxx-xxxx extension xxxx.  I will be here until 7:00 pm (Friday) and
will be in the office on Monday.  Please call at your earliest convenience
as I cannot guarantee this phone will be available in the future."

Also they called my wife to tell her she could get this phone, and left a
message on our home answering machine. I called the guy back (a special
toll-free number with a direct extension) and he told me that she could have
the v60s for $20 on a two year extension, $70 with a one year extension. He
also let slip that these phones are in very short supply; less than 1000 are
left (I don't know if this refers to the western region, or nationwide);
this explains why they're not listed for sale in many places, i.e. I checked
ten or so of the b2b Verizon sites--none have them listed (these b2b sites
offer up to 25% off the monthly rates).

Anyway, the bottom line is that you'll have to hurry if you want a V60s.
They are almost gone, and it looks like there will not be any more. As the
Rivendell web site used to say: "If you find something you really, really
like, buy a lifetime supply; because it'll either be changed for the worse
or go out of production."

With Verizon, and perhaps with any carrier, the answers you get from
customer service are based on lunar tides. Be persistent. The first time I
called, they told me I could  upgrade her to a new phone, even though it was
before the end of the contract, by paying the contract price and extending
the contract-but not to the V60s. Later, the story changed,
and she could not upgrade the phone except at full price, no exceptions, no
matter what she wanted to upgrade to.
Then the story changed again!

I can only guess why Verizon doesn't want to offer the V60s; it doesn't
offer them the opportunity to raise ARPU via web browsing, sending photos,
etc., all the crap of Get It Now, that people go orgasmic over. I think it's
Verizon policy to only offer a good handset once every two years, and then
for a very limited time. I.e., the 270C was never sold in Verizon's stores
in Northern California, and was only briefly sold on-line out here.

Buy the V60s on eBay.