First of all, how the tone of MY post has anything to do with proving your point is a mystery to me. I am just another Verizon customer reading yet another request for an early discounted upgrade LESS THAN A YEAR after receiving a discount on a phone in exchange for signing a contract. Quite possibly there are quite a few people getting fed up with others wanting special treatment and not wanting to pay for what they want. Hey, I wouldn't mind getting a discount on a phone every 9 months, either.
Second, when you say "if every five months i am asking for an early upgrade i can see your point, but a one time thing doesn't hurt a multi-billion dollar corporation like Verizon and builds customer satisfaction and loyalty" WHAT is to make Verizon think this is going to be a "one time thing"? Are you going to sign a contract agreeing to that? If so, it appears you are trying to get around the contract you signed in December of 2012, why not this one?
People are ALWAYS looking for a better deal and to get out of their obligations. How is allowing that to go on "a sound business move"?
More and more, it appears companies are moving away from offering discounts on phones because more and more customers are unwilling to fulfill their obligations before asking for another "one time" exception to the rule. For example, if you decide to go with T-Mobile, you will be paying a minimum of $528 for that iPhone 5c, NOT the $99 you want to get it for from Verizon.
As to "customer satisfaction and loyalty", how is what you are asking going to build up "customer satisfaction and loyalty" to the customers who actually fulfill their contracts before getting another discounted upgrade when they see Verizon giving this special treatment to others when they don't receive the same? Think THEY may get "fed up", too???
It is one thing to ask a question and receive an answer you don't like and quite another to ask a question and feel you are entitled when you receive the answer you don't like. And then to accuse another customer of being "smug" and "pompous" because they don't agree with your assessment? Pot, meet kettle. Kettle, meet pot.
Good luck with your new provider.
It wasn't smug and pompous ... it's just not what you want to hear.
By the way, Verizon offers payment plans now for customers who purchase phones off contract. With Edge, you can split the cost among 24 payments. Then just sell the basic phone and put that toward the cost of the 5C. It might be worth it to have a happy wife.