Online Sales Open for Verizon iPhone Now - @ Verizon & Apple 2/18 Ship Date

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If you don't want to wait in line tomorrow at Apple and Verizon retail stores, you can order a Verizon iPhone online now.

The Verizon website notes that, if you order an iPhone 4 from Verizon today, it will be shipped to your door.  Once you start the ordering process, you'll see a box with an order summary showing the expected ship date.  We started the ordering process, and the Order Summary box showed "Expected Ship Date: 02/18/2011."  The Verizon website also notes that, starting at 7 am tomorrow, you can buy a Verizon iPhone in-store on a first-come, first-served basis.

Verizon's spokeswoman, Brenda Raney, wrote WMN in an email, "The date is going to vary.  The person who ordered a phone at 3 a.m. is likely going to have a different date from the person ordering at 5 p.m."

In other words, the sooner you order the better.

Apple's website shows Verizon iPhones "ships by February 18th".  The Apple website shows options of "free shipping" or "in-store pickup."   Some bloggers have reported that you will not be able to pickup a Verizon iPhone in Apple stores tomorrow.

Okay, so is the iPhone 4 worth waiting for?  We suggest you read reviews of the Verizon iPhone 4 first.  Online ordering may seem like it will take longer, but we suspect that the iPhone 4 may sell out in stores quickly.  Therefore, it is a good idea to call your local Verizon Store to check for availability.

In
the past, with other Verizon sold-out Droid smartphones, the only way
to get the smartphone was by ordering online, and when a Droid
didn't ship in time, Verizon offered customers credits.

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Verizon
Wireless recently changed its return policy giving you 14 days to return
your phone.  If you are not sure that you want a Verzion iPhone 4, you can
return it, but there will be a $35 restocking fee.  "You may return or
exchange wireless devices and accessories purchased
from Verizon Wireless within 14 days of purchase.  A restocking fee of
$35 ($70 for netbooks and tablets) applies to any return or exchange of a
wireless device (excluding Hawaii)."

The Verizon iPhone 4 is almost the same as the iPhone for
AT&T except that it has a CDMA optimized antenna and Wi-Fi personal
hotspot capability (for up to 5 connections).  Side buttons are in
slightly different places than the iPhone 4 for AT&T.  Voice and data cannot be used at the same time.

The iPhone 4 for Verizon
is priced at $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB with a contract.  You must
agree to a two-year contract voice plan and unlimited data plan ($29.99
a month).  Tethering as a modem and Wi-Fi hotspots will cost an
additional $20 for 2GB.  Voice plans start at $39.99 a month.

iPhone 4
features a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, HD video recording,
Apple's A4 chip, a 3-axis gyro, and a beautiful glass and stainless-steel design like no other mobile phone.  iPhone 4 also comes
with iOS 4, which includes multitasking, folders, Game Center, AirPlay
and AirPrint wireless printing.  The iPhone 4 also features a high resolution 940x640-pixel (326 pixels per square inch) retina display.