[Instruction] How to get a new phone and keep (legacy) Unlimited Data on Verizon

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

As the OP here who used the basic line to upgrade to the Note 2 from a basic phone I had to:

(1)Activate the Note 2 on the basic line which deactivated the basic phone then
(2)Deactivate the Note 2 and toss the SIM then
(3)insert another new SIM in the Note 2
(4)activate the Note 2 on my unlimited line which reactivated the basic phone on its original line and activated the new Note 2 on my original unlimited line keeling unlimited data which I still currently have.



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I think when you transfer and upgrade that originated from the unlimited line you have to go through the process of activating on the basic phone, put the basic phone back on, then activate on the unlimited line. But when the upgrade originates from the basic line you can just order the upgrade from the basic line, and then just activate it on your unlimited line.

Now doing upgrading from the unlimited line and activating it on another unlimited line without any basic phone intermediary seems a bit of a stretch. It could work but I'm not sure.

But to support my first premiss that if the upgrade is coming from the basic line you can just activate it on the unlimited line look at the comments from this article:

http://www.droid-life.com/2013/09/17/keep-unlimited-data-verizon-upgrade/
213ninja • 3 days ago −
i can confirm that when using the second (online) method described in option 2 that there is no need to activate the new phone on your dummy line first. just slap your sim card in that summamabitch and you're done. i have done this at least 5 times with zero issues over the past 2 or 3 years.​
 

aneftp

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

What if I activated the new phone (the one I transfered my upgrade) on my tiered data line. It's a smartphone that my sister in law uses. Can I just leave that phone on there permanantly? I want to leave the iphone 5S on the tiered data line that didn't have an upgrade available.
 

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

What if I activated the new phone (the one I transfered my upgrade) on my tiered data line. It's a smartphone that my sister in law uses. Can I just leave that phone on there permanantly? I want to leave the iphone 5S on the tiered data line that didn't have an upgrade available.

Yes, you're not doing anything fancy there. Just transfer the upgrade to the tiered data line, order the upgrade and activate the phone on the tiered data line. The contract from where the upgrade originated will be extended 2 years with no effect on the unlimited data.
 

patal05

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

So just to be clear:
Line 1 unlimited data (eligible for upgrade)
Line 2 (2gb tiered data) not eligible for upgrade

I transfered upgrade from line 1 to line 2. The Verizon webpage showed a confirmation that Line 2 is getting iphone 5s and it "ships by October 14th for iphone 5s gold 16GB) alog with the confirmation number and 2GB data for $30 (which was already on that tiered data line).

Than I got a confirmation EMAIL (not webpage confirmation that shows up when you purchase it). The email says "You Order" It does show gold iphone 5S for $199 price but it has my Line 1 (the one with the unlimited data) and it shows line 1 as Your Price $100, upgrade fee $30 and now it shows 2gb data $30"

So this is normal with an email confirmation?

I just wait till the iphone 5s arrives and activate the iphone 5s on Line 2 (the line with the tiered data?)
On the Verizon webpage

Yes, that's the normal email. Technically the email is correct. It is for the unlimited line because that's where the contract is being extended. However, if you activate it on the basic line first, the contract will be extended on the unlimited line, but you won't lose unlimited data. The phone should ship with a SIM card that will auto-activate on the basic line, but that may be phone specific. If the phone number rubber banded to the box is the basic line, then just turn the phone on.
 

crocut

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Has anyone done this with the third party retailer? I heard that Best Buy does not modify the Verizon contracts, meaning there will be no additional EFT upon device deactivation. I could transfer my umlimited upgrade to the 2Gb line, go to Best Buy, upgrade, come back home, activate the old phone back on that line, and use the new device for the unlimited line.
An I wrong in my assumptions?
 

metle_geek

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Has anyone done this with the third party retailer? I heard that Best Buy does not modify the Verizon contracts, meaning there will be no additional EFT upon device deactivation. I could transfer my umlimited upgrade to the 2Gb line, go to Best Buy, upgrade, come back home, activate the old phone back on that line, and use the new device for the unlimited line.
An I wrong in my assumptions?

Idk its tricky but usually you do sign a new contract with verizon so im sure although best buy would put you in but verizon would say oh hell no because you got the subsidized price when they clearly state if you do you loose unlimited data interesting theory on that loop hole the only sure fire way is to call big red but im thinking they will laugh at you

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crocut

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Idk its tricky but usually you do sign a new contract with verizon so im sure although best buy would put you in but verizon would say oh hell no because you got the subsidized price when they clearly state if you do you loose unlimited data interesting theory on that loop hole the only sure fire way is to call big red but im thinking they will laugh at you

Sent from my HTC One X+ using AC Forums mobile app

It's a same exact thing as everyone is discussing here. Same upgrade transfer. You get the same contract for Verizon through Best Buy with the subsidized phone as what you get directly with Big Red. The only difference is the 3rd party retailer. I know some of them are tacking on their own FTEs, such as Wirefly, Amazon, Radioshack, etc. But I thought Best Buy was clean in that regard.
 
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kimpat

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Any update from the people who received a confirmation email saying the upgrade was being processed for the unlimited line after trying to transfer an upgrade from an unlimited line to a dummy line? Did it end up working out?

That was me. I followed the steps outlined here and the S4 is now on my unlimited line with the unlimited data still in place!

Thanks to everyone who has shared their stories, and tips. It was an easy, relatively quick process. Anyone who is on the fence - DO IT! You won't be sorry. :)
 

MDsmartphone

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Heres my situation.

1- razr maxx unlimited, eligible for upgrade
2-IPhone 4s unlimited, not eligible for anything
3- lg dare dumb phone eligible for upgrade

From what I'm reading I can upgrade the dumb phone to obtain a subsidized new phone and obtain the minimum 2 GB data.

Now, am I activating the new phone on line three first, then deactivating it and putting dumb phone back on three. Then activate the new phone on line one but obtain a new Sim card since the new phone will have a nanosim not compatible with my RAZR maxx?

Or

Am I just taking the new phone when it arrives and activating it straight on line 1 completely ignoring line three.

If that's the case what happens to the plan on line three after I go thru the whole online process of upgrading that line and choosing a new data line only to do nothing to the line?


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4
 

kimpat

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Heres my situation.

1- razr maxx unlimited, eligible for upgrade
2-IPhone 4s unlimited, not eligible for anything
3- lg dare dumb phone eligible for upgrade

From what I'm reading I can upgrade the dumb phone to obtain a subsidized new phone and obtain the minimum 2 GB data.

Now, am I activating the new phone on line three first, then deactivating it and putting dumb phone back on three. Then activate the new phone on line one but obtain a new Sim card since the new phone will have a nanosim not compatible with my RAZR maxx?

Or

Am I just taking the new phone when it arrives and activating it straight on line 1 completely ignoring line three.

If that's the case what happens to the plan on line three after I go thru the whole online process of upgrading that line and choosing a new data line only to do nothing to the line?


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

Do the bolded.
 

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

I think when you transfer and upgrade that originated from the unlimited line you have to go through the process of activating on the basic phone, put the basic phone back on, then activate on the unlimited line. But when the upgrade originates from the basic line you can just order the upgrade from the basic line, and then just activate it on your unlimited line.

Now doing upgrading from the unlimited line and activating it on another unlimited line without any basic phone intermediary seems a bit of a stretch. It could work but I'm not sure.

But to support my first premiss that if the upgrade is coming from the basic line you can just activate it on the unlimited line look at the comments from this article:

http://www.droid-life.com/2013/09/17/keep-unlimited-data-verizon-upgrade/
213ninja ? 3 days ago −
i can confirm that when using the second (online) method described in option 2 that there is no need to activate the new phone on your dummy line first. just slap your sim card in that summamabitch and you're done. i have done this at least 5 times with zero issues over the past 2 or 3 years.​

But on that same thread this poster said they even transferred the upgrade and just activated it on their unlimited line:

T4rd CaptainDisillusion ? 3 days ago −
I don't think you had to activate the new phone on her line in the first place.
I just did the same thing (transferred my lines upgrade to my mom's line that has a 2GB plan) and when I got the phone, I simply swapped SIM cards from my old phone to the new one and was good to go. Never had to mess with her line at all other than transferring the upgrade to it.
2 ?Reply?Share ?
 

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

But on that same thread this poster said they even transferred the upgrade and just activated it on their unlimited line:

T4rd CaptainDisillusion ? 3 days ago −
I don't think you had to activate the new phone on her line in the first place.
I just did the same thing (transferred my lines upgrade to my mom's line that has a 2GB plan) and when I got the phone, I simply swapped SIM cards from my old phone to the new one and was good to go. Never had to mess with her line at all other than transferring the upgrade to it.
2 ?Reply?Share ?

And here is another poster saying same thing:
IBT ? 3 days ago −
I just did this by way of upgrading another line on my account from the web. When the new phone arrives, simply power down YOUR phone, remove SIM, place in newly arrived phone and you're done. You activate and assume the new phone, the phone you used to upgrade with reverts to its original state. Any data plan you chose will automatically fall off if its a dumbphone. Easy, no contacting of Verizon required.​

Also found an interesting post from a Verizon Rep probably why when you go into the store some will lie to you. They don't want to waste their time because they don't get a commission when you upgrade using this method:
gmx ? 2 days ago −
I just have one request in regards to this article as a vzw employee please don't go into the store and ask a rep to do this for you. We do not get paid on alternate upgrades therefore you are wasting our time helping you to game the system. Do this online yourself if it is that important to you. You can come in after to switch the phones around just don't do the upgrade in store. Also check your usage on vzw.com before you get all I NEED MY UNLIMITED DATA!!! I see if everyday people say that and I look at their usage and they use like 200MB/Mo. Also if you use unlimited data you are prob a techie and should be able to figure this out yourself. If you couldn't you prob don't need unlimited data.​
 

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Heres my situation.

1- razr maxx unlimited, eligible for upgrade
2-IPhone 4s unlimited, not eligible for anything
3- lg dare dumb phone eligible for upgrade

From what I'm reading I can upgrade the dumb phone to obtain a subsidized new phone and obtain the minimum 2 GB data.

Now, am I activating the new phone on line three first, then deactivating it and putting dumb phone back on three. Then activate the new phone on line one but obtain a new Sim card since the new phone will have a nanosim not compatible with my RAZR maxx?

Or

Am I just taking the new phone when it arrives and activating it straight on line 1 completely ignoring line three.

If that's the case what happens to the plan on line three after I go thru the whole online process of upgrading that line and choosing a new data line only to do nothing to the line?


Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4

Both methods appears to work. The first is more proven by several users in this thread. If you look at the comments in the below link will see that the second seems to works too and simpler and avoids the potential stuck SIM problem that sometimes occurs. The data plan doesn't kick in until you activate that phone. When you put it on another phone it will just drop off and will revert to what you had before, or after a period of time it will expire and fall off.
http://www.droid-life.com/2013/09/17/keep-unlimited-data-verizon-upgrade/
 

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Hey guys. I got some great advice on this thread about ugrading both my wife's and my unlimited plans. I was going to knock her down to a 2 GB tiered since she doesn't use much data and then switch my upgrade to her line and have her activate it and deactivate it and then use it on my line keeping my unlimited in place. I called sales at Verizon online and they guy told me that I could just have my wife order the upgrade online and choose the 2GB tiered plan but when the phone arrives make sure that she doesn't activate it and I can take the phone and first activate it on my existing line and since she didn't activate it her plan won't change. Then when she wants to upgrade her line. I use my upgrade to order her ohone online and do the same thing. Choose the new 2GB tiered plan and when the phone arrives I make sure not to activate it on my line and just have her activate it on her line, thus my unlimited won't change since I never activated the phone on my line. Both lines contracts will extend for another two years but our unlimited data won't change since we never activated the new phones we ordered on the line we order the upgrade on. I asked him repeatedly if this would keep our unlimited plans in place and he assured me it would. I just want to check on this forum if this sounds correct and if anyone has ever tried this. It would be great if this worked since we would both get to keep our unlimited data.

Yes, cc1995 also mentioned this. See their post above. Do you have a link where someone has done this and verified that it works?
 
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aneftp

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Yes, that's the normal email. Technically the email is correct. It is for the unlimited line because that's where the contract is being extended. However, if you activate it on the basic line first, the contract will be extended on the unlimited line, but you won't lose unlimited data. The phone should ship with a SIM card that will auto-activate on the basic line, but that may be phone specific. If the phone number rubber banded to the box is the basic line, then just turn the phone on.

Ok, so the email is standard. But is email showing the unlimited data number along with the 2GB data plan added on standard also? I transferred my upgrade (from my unlimited data to my sister in law's tiered data line). She will actually keep the iphone 5S on her tiered line permantley. But I wanted to give my sister in law my upgrade since that line was eligible for upgrade.

I don't plan on "deactivating" my transferred line that my sister in law will be using the iphone 5s. I just wanted to use the subsidy upgrade. I leave my Verizon LTE sim with unlimited data in my Verizon iPad 100% of the time anyways.
 

patal05

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Ok, so the email is standard. But is email showing the unlimited data number along with the 2GB data plan added on standard also? I transferred my upgrade (from my unlimited data to my sister in law's tiered data line). She will actually keep the iphone 5S on her tiered line permantley. But I wanted to give my sister in law my upgrade since that line was eligible for upgrade.

I don't plan on "deactivating" my transferred line that my sister in law will be using the iphone 5s. I just wanted to use the subsidy upgrade. I leave my Verizon LTE sim with unlimited data in my Verizon iPad 100% of the time anyways.

Does it say that under the "Plan Features?" That list should reflect the plan that the phone will actually be on. It's confusing, but that's how it looked for me too.
 

dss2000

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

I'm not that familiar with prepaid phones. Are they different in some way than regular Verizon contract phones? When starting a new line to get a smartphone could you then activate a cheap Prepaid phone like a Samsung Gusto 2 on the line to drop data and to free up the smartphone? Thanks in advance.
 

aneftp

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

Does it say that under the "Plan Features?" That list should reflect the plan that the phone will actually be on. It's confusing, but that's how it looked for me too.

Yes. It says that under plane features. So 2gb reflected the tiered data line (line 2) I added data to. And my number listed in email confirmation (unlimited line) was in email. So the plan features reflect the transferred upgraded line. I think I got it.

One past thing. I log into verizon and my unlimited line says (upgrade in process) and I cannot change the features unless I call customer service. So that's normal?
 

anon(344812)

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

I've been looking around on some more info regarding the 'transfer upgrade from' feature to an unlimited line, but haven't found solid word. I've got three devices

(1) Dumbphone - Eligible for upgrade
(1) Smartphone (4GB plan) - Eligible for upgrade
(1) Smartphone (Unlimited) - Eligible for upgrade

I was going through the process of using my dumbphone upgrade to go on my unlimited line, but when it came to choosing plans, I get a notice saying my unlimited plan was no longer available and I had to choose one of their newer plans. Am I missing something here? I thought this was supposed to be a very simple process, but it doesn't look like I can keep my contract as is, even if I'm using another line's upgrade. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

tx_tuff

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Re: [Instruction]How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon

I've been looking around on some more info regarding the 'transfer upgrade from' feature to an unlimited line, but haven't found solid word. I've got three devices

(1) Dumbphone - Eligible for upgrade
(1) Smartphone (4GB plan) - Eligible for upgrade
(1) Smartphone (Unlimited) - Eligible for upgrade

I was going through the process of using my dumbphone upgrade to go on my unlimited line, but when it came to choosing plans, I get a notice saying my unlimited plan was no longer available and I had to choose one of their newer plans. Am I missing something here? I thought this was supposed to be a very simple process, but it doesn't look like I can keep my contract as is, even if I'm using another line's upgrade. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Since all 3 phones are eligible you can not transfer a upgrade. Just upgrade one of the phones that is not unlimited, activate it on that line. Did activate old phone back on that line and new phone to unlimited.

Tapatalk mofo
 

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