Swapping phones, removing the old phone and replacing it with a new one....no matter how you word it, it does NOT change your contract nor will it garner an ETF. As mentioned, an ETF is solely when you choose to close your account before you complete the contract. You are not required to keep the same phone on your account until the end of your contract. You may not be able to get another phone using the same method that you got the original (such as payment plan or if you got it at a subsidized price) but you can get a new phone if you choose to pay full retail. Hope that makes sense.