Keeping Unlimited Data Question

**Markster1** · 11-21-2012, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by TBolt2011

I'm sure everyone knows this already, but in case it was never clearly stated...

I went in for an upgrade (Launch day TBolt here) last weekend with a sliver of hope that because the account holder on our family plan still had unlimited data, I MIGHT be able to piggy back off of that and keep unlimited for my line also.

No can do. They told me if I wanted to upgrade my phone at contract price, I had to pay full retail. I told them I was switching that day (free GS3 from T-Mobile? Yes please!) if that was the case, and he didn't change his answer.

So the absolute only way to keep unlimited data AND use your upgrade at this point in time is through the loophole discussed in this thread. No piggy-backing, so to speak, off of other lines' contracts at all.

Never an option

The Nottinator

**primevyl** · 11-21-2012, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by TBolt2011

I'm sure everyone knows this already, but in case it was never clearly stated...

I went in for an upgrade (Launch day TBolt here) last weekend with a sliver of hope that because the account holder on our family plan still had unlimited data, I MIGHT be able to piggy back off of that and keep unlimited for my line also.

No can do. They told me if I wanted to upgrade my phone at contract price, I had to pay full retail. I told them I was switching that day (free GS3 from T-Mobile? Yes please!) if that was the case, and he didn't change his answer.

So the absolute only way to keep unlimited data AND use your upgrade at this point in time is through the loophole discussed in this thread. No piggy-backing, so to speak, off of other lines' contracts at all.

Not even for a second, did this ever work

**chuckawd** · 11-21-2012, 09:05 AM

I think we need to make a step by step guide to upgrading and keeping unlimited data and then either sticky it or make it stand out in this thread.

I will write it out tonight and next week when I verify that it works, I will revise the instructions.

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**primevyl** · 11-21-2012, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

I think we need to make a step by step guide to upgrading and keeping unlimited data and then either sticky it or make it stand out in this thread.

I will write it out tonight and next week when I verify that it works, I will revise the instructions.

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Smart thinking

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**pblakk** · 11-21-2012, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by TBolt2011

They told me if I wanted to upgrade my phone at contract price, I had to pay full retail.

Maybe you just typed that fast....but the above statement makes no sense. When you pay "full retail" you are not extending your contract. You simply would have purchased a new phone. Nothing on your account would be affected.

It's just that the term upgrading is used loosely but really means buying a discounted phone and of course extending your contract.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

**Jude526** · 11-21-2012, 06:02 PM

You will lose the unlimited unless you pay full retail. And honestly...I gave up the unlimited for the share everything. I am actually saving money. I had 6gig plan but I never go over 3 for the most part so i lowered it to 4 gig. You can use the 6gig and if you get a corporate discount like I do....even better. If you replaced the dumb with a smart plan you'll still lose the unlimited. Like I previously said...paying retail is only way you will keep unlimited

sent from either my HTC Rezound or my Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet

**chuckawd** · 11-21-2012, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Jude526

You will lose the unlimited unless you pay full retail. And honestly...I gave up the unlimited for the share everything. I am actually saving money. I had 6gig plan but I never go over 3 for the most part so i lowered it to 4 gig. You can use the 6gig and if you get a corporate discount like I do....even better. If you replaced the dumb with a smart plan you'll still lose the unlimited. Like I previously said...paying retail is only way you will keep unlimited

sent from either my HTC Rezound or my Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet

So if I upgrade a basic line that I have to a smartphone and then reactivate the basic line back onto its line, I will lose unlimited data on my other line that currently has unlimited once I activate the newly deactivated note 2 onto that line?

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**Markster1** · 11-21-2012, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

So if I upgrade a basic line that I have to a smartphone and then reactivate the basic line back onto its line, I will lose unlimited data on my other line that currently has unlimited once I activate the newly deactivated note 2 onto that line?

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No

The Nottinator

**chuckawd** · 11-21-2012, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by Markster1

No

The Nottinator

Isn't that what Jude526 is saying in her second to last sentence. I may also just be confused.

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**Markster1** · 11-21-2012, 08:25 PM

She is saying you have to pay full retail to keep unlimited. You don't!

You either upgrade a dumb phone line or add a new line to get your new smartphone then after you have left the store, you switch that phone to your unlimited line and reactivate the dumb phone on the dumb phone line again.

This will ensure you keep your unlimited plan.

The Nottinator

**pblakk** · 11-21-2012, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Markster1

She is saying you have to pay full retail to keep unlimited. You don't!

You either upgrade a dumb phone line or add a new line to get your new smartphone then after you have left the store, you switch that phone to your unlimited line and reactivate the dumb phone on the dumb phone line again.

This will ensure you keep your unlimited plan.

The Nottinator

It doesn't matter, the store can activate your upgraded phone onto any line on the spot. This is not some loophole or secret thing...you're simply upgrading any given line but activating the phone on the line which happens to have your unlimited data.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

**chuckawd** · 11-21-2012, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by blakke39

It doesn't matter, the store can activate your upgraded phone onto any line on the spot. This is not some loophole or secret thing...you're simply upgrading any given line but activating the phone on the line which happens to have your unlimited data.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

So you can activate directly to any other line without consequence? I will be getting the Note 2(preordered so I will have to activate myself) next week and I used my other basic line to get the upgraded price so with that said, I can just immediately activate it on my unlimited line without first activating onto the basic line?

I only ask because several sources including Verizon have told me that I had to first activate the new phone on the line I used for the upgrade which completes the upgrade process. If that is the case, I will have to get another sim card for the Note 2 because it will have the upgraded lines information tied to it.

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**TBolt2011** · 11-21-2012, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by blakke39

Maybe you just typed that fast....but the above statement makes no sense. When you pay "full retail" you are not extending your contract. You simply would have purchased a new phone. Nothing on your account would be affected.

It's just that the term upgrading is used loosely but really means buying a discounted phone and of course extending your contract.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

It actually does make sense, but I definitely could have worded it better. I meant subsidized.

**BigMace23** · 11-22-2012, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

So you can activate directly to any other line without consequence? I will be getting the Note 2(preordered so I will have to activate myself) next week and I used my other basic line to get the upgraded price so with that said, I can just immediately activate it on my unlimited line without first activating onto the basic line?

I only ask because several sources including Verizon have told me that I had to first activate the new phone on the line I used for the upgrade which completes the upgrade process. If that is the case, I will have to get another sim card for the Note 2 because it will have the upgraded lines information tied to it.

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I'd like to know this also... I've heard mixed answers

Sent from my ThunderBolt using Tapatalk 2

**bjboucher** · 11-22-2012, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by blakke39

It doesn't matter, the store can activate your upgraded phone onto any line on the spot. This is not some loophole or secret thing...you're simply upgrading any given line but activating the phone on the line which happens to have your unlimited data.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD

I don't think this is accurate. I have gone through this and the store had to activate my GS3 first on the line I was using to upgrade, then they moved it to my unlimited data line. If they activated it on my line first, I would've lost my unlimited data. So, for a normal upgrade when you you're not worried about changing the line (i.e. losing your unlimited data) they can just activate it onto whatever line they want but if you want to keep your line the same, they have activate on another line then move it over.

**Markster1** · 11-22-2012, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

So you can activate directly to any other line without consequence? I will be getting the Note 2(preordered so I will have to activate myself) next week and I used my other basic line to get the upgraded price so with that said, I can just immediately activate it on my unlimited line without first activating onto the basic line?

I only ask because several sources including Verizon have told me that I had to first activate the new phone on the line I used for the upgrade which completes the upgrade process. If that is the case, I will have to get another sim card for the Note 2 because it will have the upgraded lines information tied to it.

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Dial 877-807-4646 to activate and then transfer. You don't need another Sim card as i understand it.

The Nottinator

**hermes4** · 11-26-2012, 09:23 PM

I'm in the same situation...I tried switching my 2 smart phones around (online) and it seemed that they would both lose their unlimited data. I went to 2 stores and they both claimed that "the phone was attached to the number" and that they couldn't change them w/o changing the plan. Granted, neither seemed too interested in actually helping me. I plan on following this plan: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ver...zon-print.html but right now I'm not so sure it'll work....

**Markster1** · 11-27-2012, 06:26 AM

Unless you are upgrading an unlimited line, you won't lose unlimited by switching a smartphone on it.

Another thing to consider, if you ever put a dumb phone on an unlimited plan you will lose unlimited.

The Nottinator

**chuckawd** · 11-27-2012, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by hermes4

I'm in the same situation...I tried switching my 2 smart phones around (online) and it seemed that they would both lose their unlimited data. I went to 2 stores and they both claimed that "the phone was attached to the number" and that they couldn't change them w/o changing the plan. Granted, neither seemed too interested in actually helping me. I plan on following this plan: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ver...zon-print.html but right now I'm not so sure it'll work....

Do you have unlimited data currently on both of your lines?

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**bjboucher** · 11-28-2012, 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by hermes4

I'm in the same situation...I tried switching my 2 smart phones around (online) and it seemed that they would both lose their unlimited data. I went to 2 stores and they both claimed that "the phone was attached to the number" and that they couldn't change them w/o changing the plan. Granted, neither seemed too interested in actually helping me. I plan on following this plan: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ver...zon-print.html but right now I'm not so sure it'll work....

If you only have 2 lines and they both have unlimited data you are going to lose that unlimited data on one of the lines if you upgrade at the subsidized price. No way around that.

**dpham00** · 11-28-2012, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by hermes4

I'm in the same situation...I tried switching my 2 smart phones around (online) and it seemed that they would both lose their unlimited data. I went to 2 stores and they both claimed that "the phone was attached to the number" and that they couldn't change them w/o changing the plan. Granted, neither seemed too interested in actually helping me. I plan on following this plan: http://forums.androidcentral.com/ver...zon-print.html but right now I'm not so sure it'll work....

Absolutely false... You can move phones around at any time without changing plans. I have done so many times. If you switch a smartphone with a dumb phone or vice versa then the data plan would change, but your voice plan would remain. The upgrade, however, is tied to the line.

Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S3

**angels728** · 11-28-2012, 02:48 PM

Ok so let me see if I got this straight. Me and my cousin have a plan together. I have had the tbolt since day one so I have unlimited everything. He came on the plan a year ago and we share only minutes and he has 2 GB of data. My upgrade eligibility is 12/7/12 and his is sometime in April 2013. If I transfer my upgrade to his line, I can buy the SG3 on his line and then transfer it to my phone? Then in April 2013 I can then again transfer the upgrade to his line again and he can buy a new phone?

**paulmike3** · 11-28-2012, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by angels728

Ok so let me see if I got this straight. Me and my cousin have a plan together. I have had the tbolt since day one so I have unlimited everything. He came on the plan a year ago and we share only minutes and he has 2 GB of data. My upgrade eligibility is 12/7/12 and his is sometime in April 2013. If I transfer my upgrade to his line, I can buy the SG3 on his line and then transfer it to my phone? Then in April 2013 I can then again transfer the upgrade to his line again and he can buy a new phone?

Yes.

To clear it up for everyone, you need to activate the new device on the line that it was upgraded on (the second line that no longer will have unlimited data). You then need to re-activate the old device on the second line, and wait 24 hours for the SIM to become inactive. You can then activate the new device on any line (yours or anyone's) with the SIM it came with and keep the data plan you have (unlimited).

The key here is that the new device must be activated first on the upgraded (second) line. If you try to go straight to activating it on the (primary) unlimited data line, you'll get a message (online) that you need to change your plan to use the device (since the SIM is programmed and expecting to be activated on the second line). Once it's been activated and deactivated on the second line, that message clears and you're set to activate it on your unlimited line without changing the data package or losing unlimited data.

Source: My upgrade over the weekend - unlimited data for the next 2 years on my new, $199 DROID DNA.

**primevyl** · 11-29-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by paulmike3

Yes.

To clear it up for everyone, you need to activate the new device on the line that it was upgraded on (the second line that no longer will have unlimited data). You then need to re-activate the old device on the second line, and wait 24 hours for the SIM to become inactive. You can then activate the new device on any line (yours or anyone's) with the SIM it came with and keep the data plan you have (unlimited).

The key here is that the new device must be activated first on the upgraded (second) line. If you try to go straight to activating it on the (primary) unlimited data line, you'll get a message (online) that you need to change your plan to use the device (since the SIM is programmed and expecting to be activated on the second line). Once it's been activated and deactivated on the second line, that message clears and you're set to activate it on your unlimited line without changing the data package or losing unlimited data.

Source: My upgrade over the weekend - unlimited data for the next 2 years on my new, $199 DROID DNA.

Make this a sticky

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**chuckawd** · 11-29-2012, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by paulmike3

Yes.

To clear it up for everyone, you need to activate the new device on the line that it was upgraded on (the second line that no longer will have unlimited data). You then need to re-activate the old device on the second line, and wait 24 hours for the SIM to become inactive. You can then activate the new device on any line (yours or anyone's) with the SIM it came with and keep the data plan you have (unlimited).

The key here is that the new device must be activated first on the upgraded (second) line. If you try to go straight to activating it on the (primary) unlimited data line, you'll get a message (online) that you need to change your plan to use the device (since the SIM is programmed and expecting to be activated on the second line). Once it's been activated and deactivated on the second line, that message clears and you're set to activate it on your unlimited line without changing the data package or losing unlimited data.

Source: My upgrade over the weekend - unlimited data for the next 2 years on my new, $199 DROID DNA.

Verizon, over the phone, just said that I cannot make this happen. What a freakin major issue here.

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