Question about upgrades and unlimited data....

**DreamSTi** · 09-14-2012, 11:01 AM

So my wife and I are on a shared plan with unlimited data on both lines, with a company discount. My wife's number is the main line, and she has an iPhone 4 and I have a Galaxy Nexus. My line is not eligible for an upgrade for another year, but her line is eligible in 2 weeks. I'm trying to get another phone at a discounted price, but not lose unlimited data ON MY LINE ONLY. She doesn't use much data at all, but I use a ton

Is there a way to get a new phone at an upgraded price, and still keep unlimited data on just one line, my line? Could I get a phone at discount on her line, then switch it over to mine and re-activate her iPhone on her line while keeping unlimited on my line? Hope I'm not being to confusing here...lol

Anybody?

**jcarmody8** · 09-14-2012, 12:43 PM

I lost my unlimited plan when I upgraded my phone and my wife kept hers. The only way I know around it is to by a phone outright and put on existing plan. Sorry, other forums suggest getting phones from different resourses such as ebay, best buy, friends...ect.

**carracerz14** · 09-14-2012, 12:46 PM

If she is the main line then I think if you upgrade her line it is going to force everybody on the plan to go to the shared data

Sent from my RAZR MAXXIMUS

**DreamSTi** · 09-14-2012, 01:24 PM

I just spoke with Verizon. They said if my wife's line is the one that is going to use the "upgrade" credit, then her line will be the only one to lose the unlimited data. I didnt ask if we can switch the new phone to my line after the activation but I dont see why I wouldnt be able to.

**mesocyclonic** · 09-14-2012, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by DreamSTi

I just spoke with Verizon. They said if my wife's line is the one that is going to use the "upgrade" credit, then her line will be the only one to lose the unlimited data. I didnt ask if we can switch the new phone to my line after the activation but I dont see why I wouldnt be able to.

Yeah, you can switch the phone to your line and keep unlimited. The only way your line loses unlimited is if you use an upgrade on your line. Your wife will have to switch to the 2GB/$30 tiered plan, as Verizon told you. Of course, when her phone wears out, she will have to upgrade at full retail/eBay/Craigslist if she isn't up for another upgrade by then if you want to keep your unlimited data.

**DreamSTi** · 09-14-2012, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by mesocyclonic

Yeah, you can switch the phone to your line and keep unlimited. The only way your line loses unlimited is if you use an upgrade on your line. Your wife will have to switch to the 2GB/$30 tiered plan, as Verizon told you. Of course, when her phone wears out, she will have to upgrade at full retail/eBay/Craigslist if she isn't up for another upgrade by then if you want to keep your unlimited data.

Yep totally. I just went though our monthly data usages with a fine tooth comb and she never goes over 1.7GB per month, but I'm not 100% sold on switching her to a 2GB plan yet. Once I do that, she will go over or when she upgrades to a 4G phone (its gonna happen at some point) we will be watching data usage. FAIL!

**Notrega** · 09-15-2012, 10:50 PM

Just add a new line of service... Then move the new device to a number with the unlimited data and find a feature phone on Craiglist and drop the data package on the new line. It will cost you $10/Month but you get a new device at the lower price.

When an unlimited line has an upgrade transfer the upgrade to the new line and get a new device and swap the equipment.

I have 2 of lines on my account that I do this with so that my other 2 last lines don't lose the unlimited data.

I just picked up the Razr M this way...

Sent from my scorpion_mini

**DreamSTi** · 09-15-2012, 11:04 PM

You sir are a genius.

**DreamSTi** · 09-16-2012, 12:36 AM

Originally Posted by notrega

Just add a new line of service... Then move the new device to a number with the unlimited data and find a feature phone on Craiglist and drop the data package on the new line. It will cost you $10/Month but you get a new device at the lower price.

When an unlimited line has an upgrade transfer the upgrade to the new line and get a new device and swap the equipment.

I have 2 of lines on my account that I do this with so that my other 2 last lines don't lose the unlimited data.

I just picked up the Razr M this way...

Sent from my scorpion_mini

Are there any fees vzw charges for dropping data on the new line right away?

Like can I go into the store, start the new line and get the phone go home and transfer the new phone to my old line drop the data without them charging me a fee?

**dragonsamus** · 09-16-2012, 12:56 AM

You only have to have data on the line if there is a smart phone on it. Once you put a dumb phone on that line the data plan gets dropped.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

**Notrega** · 09-16-2012, 01:52 AM

Originally Posted by DreamSTi

Are there any fees vzw charges for dropping data on the new line right away?

Like can I go into the store, start the new line and get the phone go home and transfer the new phone to my old line drop the data without them charging me a fee?

Yes...

You can do it at the same time as you add the new line or upgrade while you are in the store and there is no fee associated with owner initiated swap of equipment.

I have 3 smartphones, two lines with feature phones and a tablet on my account. I have used this process to get the DROID X, Thunderbolt, Galaxy Nexus, and now the Razr M.

Sent from my XT907 Scorpion_Mini

**Notrega** · 09-16-2012, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by dragonsamus

You only have to have data on the line if there is a smart phone on it. Once you put a dumb phone on that line the data plan gets dropped.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

Truth

Sent from my XT907 Scorpion_Mini

**carracerz14** · 09-17-2012, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by notrega

Just add a new line of service... Then move the new device to a number with the unlimited data and find a feature phone on Craiglist and drop the data package on the new line. It will cost you $10/Month but you get a new device at the lower price.

When an unlimited line has an upgrade transfer the upgrade to the new line and get a new device and swap the equipment.

I have 2 of lines on my account that I do this with so that my other 2 last lines don't lose the unlimited data.

I just picked up the Razr M this way...

Sent from my scorpion_mini

I did this same thing on my mom's family plan so I could get out of my contract and get my own so I could get the nexus.

Added a dumb phone for 10 bucks to my line, brother got my Droid x

Sent from my RAZR MAXXIMUS

**DreamSTi** · 09-21-2012, 10:17 AM

Im trying to do this right now online and verizon.com is telling me I have to call in to do it. Is this normal?

**DreamSTi** · 09-21-2012, 10:38 AM

Ok, according to Verizon I have 2 options. Wait 24 hour and the sim becomes "unlocked" and they can transfer the phone over to the unlimited line. The other option is to go to the store and have them give me a new sim for the new phone.

**Notrega** · 09-21-2012, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by DreamSTi

Ok, according to Verizon I have 2 options. Wait 24 hour and the sim becomes "unlocked" and they can transfer the phone over to the unlimited line. The other option is to go to the store and have them give me a new sim for the new phone.

Drop in a store they can do a new sim very easy and quickly

Sent from my XT907 Scorpion_Mini

**chuckawd** · 11-01-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by DreamSTi

Ok, according to Verizon I have 2 options. Wait 24 hour and the sim becomes "unlocked" and they can transfer the phone over to the unlimited line. The other option is to go to the store and have them give me a new sim for the new phone.

What was the outcome of this?

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

**DreamSTi** · 11-01-2012, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

What was the outcome of this?

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

I had to deactivate the iPhone for 24 hours before they could switch the sim to my old line. Dumb. I have 3 lines of service now though, 2 smartphones with shared minutes and both have unlimited data and one dumb phone. I got the new phone at the discounted price. I did have to pay a $30 activation fee for the new line.

**chuckawd** · 11-01-2012, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by DreamSTi

I had to deactivate the iPhone for 24 hours before they could switch the sim to my old line. Dumb. I have 3 lines of service now though, 2 smartphones with shared minutes and both have unlimited data and one dumb phone. I got the new phone at the discounted price. I did have to pay a $30 activation fee for the new line.

So you did have to add data temporarily to the dumb phone line and then were able to remove it no problem? No extra fees or early termination fees or the like?

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

**DreamSTi** · 11-01-2012, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

So you did have to add data temporarily to the dumb phone line and then were able to remove it no problem? No extra fees or early termination fees or the like?

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I paid for like 4-5 days worth of data, thats it. No other termination fee's.

**chuckawd** · 11-01-2012, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by DreamSTi

I paid for like 4-5 days worth of data, thats it. No other termination fee's.

It seems like you were able to do what I have been trying to figure out for days now. I assume you have a Family Share plan where you share your minutes and text but have independent data plans?

Can you kindly explain how you went about making this work please? I believe we have very similar situations except I have the Family Share plan with one current unlimited data smartphone and one basic phone with no data at all but it does have an upgrade available. Where I think I may run into trouble is adding data service to the basic line once I use the upgrade to get a new phone (Note 2) because I feel like the only way to add data is to switch to the new Share Everything plans.

**DreamSTi** · 11-02-2012, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

It seems like you were able to do what I have been trying to figure out for days now. I assume you have a Family Share plan where you share your minutes and text but have independent data plans?

Can you kindly explain how you went about making this work please? I believe we have very similar situations except I have the Family Share plan with one current unlimited data smartphone and one basic phone with no data at all but it does have an upgrade available. Where I think I may run into trouble is adding data service to the basic line once I use the upgrade to get a new phone (Note 2) because I feel like the only way to add data is to switch to the new Share Everything plans.

I can try to explain

My wife and I have a family plan with shared minutes and texts, but we each have our own unlimited data plans. I wanted to get a new phone at the discounted price but I wasnt about to give up unlimited data. I bought a cheap dumb phone on Craigslist. I then went and bought a new iPhone and added a new line to our plan, sharing the minutes and texts with our current plan and adding a data package, I think it was 2GB. I then went home and tried to switch the iPhone to my line and activate the dumb phone. Verizon told me the iPhone had to be de-activated for 24 hours before they could "unlock" the sim and swap the phone to my line.

I waited more than 24 hours since I was going out of town for the weekend, I think it was 3 days. I called back, switched the iPhone to my line, activated the dumb phone on the new line. Now I have the new phone, purchased at the discounted price, kept both unlimited data plans and now I have a 3rd line for $10 a month. I only got charged the $30 activation fee for adding the new line and I paid for 3-4 days of data on that new line.

Hope I explained it good enough!

**wolverine2003** · 11-02-2012, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by chuckawd

It seems like you were able to do what I have been trying to figure out for days now. I assume you have a Family Share plan where you share your minutes and text but have independent data plans?

Can you kindly explain how you went about making this work please? I believe we have very similar situations except I have the Family Share plan with one current unlimited data smartphone and one basic phone with no data at all but it does have an upgrade available. Where I think I may run into trouble is adding data service to the basic line once I use the upgrade to get a new phone (Note 2) because I feel like the only way to add data is to switch to the new Share Everything plans.

They won't force you to the Share Everything plan. They only will force you to have teired data on any new line or any line that you use the upgrade on. If you do like what I did (and Dream S Ti), you can add a new line of service to your plan which will get tiered data (temporarily) and the move it to your unliminited line. You can then drop the tiered data off of the new line of service after you add it to a basic phone and then you can just throw that phone in the drawer. This will raise your bill a little b/c you're now paying $10 for a phone, but for some (including myself), it is still cheaper than moving to Share Everything.

**chuckawd** · 11-02-2012, 02:54 PM

So now I just need to wait a month for the Note 2! Thanks for all of your help guys! Like a crazy person I've been losing sleep trying to figure this out.

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

**Pinkman.** · 11-15-2012, 04:08 AM

Originally Posted by notrega

Just add a new line of service... Then move the new device to a number with the unlimited data and find a feature phone on Craiglist and drop the data package on the new line. It will cost you $10/Month but you get a new device at the lower price.

When an unlimited line has an upgrade transfer the upgrade to the new line and get a new device and swap the equipment.

I have 2 of lines on my account that I do this with so that my other 2 last lines don't lose the unlimited data.

I just picked up the Razr M this way...

Sent from my scorpion_mini

Will transferring my upgrade from my Unlimited line to a tiered line kill my unlimited data? I want to transfer my upgrade to my gf's tiered line to get the droid DNA. When it arrives I'll just put my sim in the phone. I'm just worried it could void out my unlimited....