[General Topics] mikeyxda:
OK, so I was all geared up to get the disappointing news because I checked at Best Buy and also on my online Sprint account and both said I'd only get $75 off because I got the Evo 4G last year and I'm only "early upgrade" eligible. I'm posting here because I found Sprint running some incredible deals and I knew nothing about them: perhaps this info will save some people money. I had to go to my local Sprint store to find these deals!

DEAL #1 YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT:

I called my local Sprint store and the customer service was astounding! They said that because I'm a Premier Silver member (most people are so you may be too: I was and didn't even know it), I could get the FULL upgrade: Evo 3D for $199. Why? Because Premiere Silver members got 1 yr full upgrades until just recently so they are "grandfathering" that for at least a while. It's 2 year full upgrade now but if you are a Premier Silver member, they're giving us FULL upgrade price. Don't know for how long though and this must be done in a Sprint store AFAIK as it is an "override" they must do.

DEAL #2 YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT:

They also told me that they have buy backs on a LOT of phones so you don't even have to turn in your old Evo 4G! Turn in a crappy old iPhone instead for almost the same money if you have one! We had an old iPhone 3GS and I turned that in and they give you $134.95 for one of those (with 16GB): so I did that and KEPT my Evo 4G. I love my old Evo and it's only a $15 difference to get rid of an iPhone I'll never touch and keep my Evo. My 10 yo daughter is ecstatic: she was using the old (unactivated) iPhone as an iPod and now she gave me $15 difference and she's loving her "new" Evo. I suspect I'm not the only one with an old smartphone laying around: they take lots of them not just Evo 4G's.

DEAL #3 YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT:

My wife's contract was just up with AT&T. She too had an (activated) iPhone 3GS: this was her (only) cell that she used for over a year. She dumped AT&T and got an Evo 3D the same day I did. Why? Because Sprint PAID HER to own one! She got the same $134.95 credit for the iPhone she turned in and here's deal #3: Sprint gives $125 credit just for porting your cell phone number over from another carrier! I don't know how long this deal lasts either but if you keep your number with Sprint for 60 days, you'll automatically get $125 credit on your bill at that time. So for my wife: it was a new Sprint contract for her so the Evo 3D was $199. Subtract the $134.95 that they give you IMMEDIATELY for her old iPhone 3GS and the cost of her Evo 3D is down to $64. Now after 60 days, she gets the $125 credit for porting her number over to Sprint and all tolled, Sprint will have PAID HER 61 bucks to walk out of the Sprint store with a brand new Evo 3D. Even if your contract isn't up with another carrier, that 61 bucks would help pay most/all of the early termination fee if you're maybe 6 months or less from the end of the contract.

DEAL #4 YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT:

Are you a AAA member? Are you a credit union member? Ask at your Sprint store. BOTH of those (and some others I can't remember) get you a 10% discount on your monthly bill!

Hope this helps some people. I had no idea about these deals and if I had bought from BB, Target, or any of the other places, I would have gotten just about squat and I would have probably paid the full $499 minus the $75 "early upgrade" benefit... and my wife would still be using her pathetic iPhone. She's never used an Android phone and just since yesterday... she's happier than a pig in poo with her new Evo 3D. She'll still reveling in the "My God... I could NEVER think of doing this with my iPhone". :D

I'm BEYOND impressed with the customer care I got at my Sprint store! This is how a customer should be treated! Oh, and the subject of this thread says that my wife and I both got free Evo 3D's because even though I paid $64 for mine after turning in one of the iPhones, her $61 credit that they paid her for walking out with one pretty much makes us even. ;) I think in the end I probably paid a dozen or so dollars more than that actually because you have to pay tax on the full amount... but let's not split hairs. :D

Happy Evoing.

Mike