go on craigslists in your area and snag a cheap replacement.

I dont know what kind of phone you have either, but I have a blackberry 8703e that I could sell ya if your interested in a cheap short term solution

I guess that gets me back to the question of early cancellation cost. If the cost to cancel early is cheaper than the cost of a cheap substitute phone then I will just cancel early.

why are you canceling?

Recently moved and VZW coverage in and around home is awful.

What is fixed vs. variable?

I've been with VZW since about 2001 and the plan has been the same since but it kept getting renewed with the new every two deal.

Is the termination penalty not prorated?

Your contract is going to be the full $175.00, unforntunately you are not enrolled in the variable ETF if your contract is up in a month. The variable ETF came into play after 11/16/06 (I could have the date wrong but I know for sure it was in November 2006). That means any customer (new or existing) that renewed or signed a contract after that date would have the Variable ETF. If your contract end date is 08/13/08 then that would mean that you signed the contract 08/13/06 therefore not making you eligible for the Variable ETF (sorry).

As far as a replacement phone, maybe you can see if any friends or family members, or even you (since you've been with them for awhile) have any old phones laying around that you can activate in the mean t...
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Thanks a bunch for the info. Looks like I'll have to dig through the junk drawer to see if I can find an old phone to get me through the next 3 or 4 weeks.

Thanks again!