[mldiroff]

Ok, still a little new to posting around here, but this is the place to get advice, so here it goes:

With Verizon, have an upgrade available. Wife is using a recently upgraded iPhone 4s (yeah, yeah, I know) and I have a recently upgraded GNext. Neither of us is going to need an upgrade for a LONG time (maybe ;-). So, before the shared data plans go into effect, I was thinking about pre-ordering a SGS3, not activating it (or swapping it after they needed to activate it @ Verizon), just to have the phone to either hold onto, in case either of us had a problem with our phones (we don't have insurance on either) or selling it to make some money off of it.

A) is this possible to do with a new, subsidized phone? activate it, then swap it so it's not being used?
would you hold onto it (maybe use it?) or sell it?

Sorry if a noob question, just haven't thought about this before.

Thanks!

[epidenimus]

Most carriers require that you activate any device they sell to you at a subsidized rate.

[Rukbat]

Most carriers require that you activate any device they sell to you at a subsidized rate.

But then you can switch to any other phone you have. Verizon doesn't give you any hassle to switch ESNs (which is how you switch phones). You just call customer service and tell them that you'd like to switch your phone.

[epidenimus]

But then you can switch to any other phone you have. Verizon doesn't give you any hassle to switch ESNs (which is how you switch phones). You just call customer service and tell them that you'd like to switch your phone.

Interesting. May be a selling point for VZW? Sprint wanted $30 to activate a new device on the line.

[adamMST]

Interesting. May be a selling point for VZW? Sprint wanted $30 to activate a new device on the line.

Wow and i thought AT&T was bad...lol

[Mercury81]

What's so interesting VZW charges an activation fee also when you up grade a new phone. They did to me for six years...

from Evo4GLTE on Android Central

[mldiroff]

But then you can switch to any other phone you have. Verizon doesn't give you any hassle to switch ESNs (which is how you switch phones). You just call customer service and tell them that you'd like to switch your phone.

See, this is what I was thinking. If I can convince my wife to give up her iPhone (i.e., sell it), this could prove profitable, without prolonging the contract too much.

[srkmagnus]

Interesting. May be a selling point for VZW? Sprint wanted $30 to activate a new device on the line.

Is this a new policy? I believe we have transferred phones to other lines on our account without a charge. We've only been charged to activate new phones.

Also, be cautious about purchasing a subsidized phone from a third party vendor and selling it right away. I have heard that there are restrictions that require you to keep the phone for a specified time since the vendors (Amazon, Wirefly, etc.) gernally offer devices at an even lower price than the carriers. You don't want to purchase a phone at a good price on Amazon then sell it and later see a charge on your account for the device.