I browsed a bit, but couldn't find the info, so here I am.

My question is basically; Can I walk into a Verizon Wireless store, purchase a Thunder the day it comes out, then turn around and immediately pay the ETF and be free to use the phone with another service? I'm new to all of this stuff, so I don't know if I'd have to get it unlocked, add/remove something from the phone, etc. I really don't want to have to use Verizon for it. If it can't be answered for the Thunder, then just apply my question to the Curve please.

Sorry if I missed a thread full of this info. I'm so out of place here, lol. Just trying to understand how I can get around paying the full price w/out plan, as it seems the discounted price + the ETF = lower that without a plan. Maybe there are other fee's I'm missing, but yeah, idk.

Thank you in advance.

No. Most CDMA carriers don't allow other carriers devices on their networks. That's changing but only slowly. You'll need to use it on Verizon. Same with the Verizon Curve. However, many of the CDMA carriers now have the Curve, or will have it soon.

Thank you very much for such a quick response.

Just to back up what has been said already, Sprint will not allow a non-Sprint branded phone on their network. Sometimes, if the ESN happens to be in their database they will, but in this case, they won't even carry that device.