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

[tx_tuff]

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

I have an upgrade available for my unlimited plan, but will I lose my september upgrade date for my dumb phone by transfering the upgrade as mentioned in this thread?

No. Once you transfer and use the upgrade the upgrade on the dumb phone will go back to what it was before and the unlimited line will then be 2 years before another upgrade.

 

[androidluvr2]

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

No. Once you transfer and use the upgrade the upgrade on the dumb phone will go back to what it was before and the unlimited line will then be 2 years before another upgrade.

yes, the only thing you can't do is transfer an upgrade to a line that is currently eligible for an upgrade. You must first use the upgrade on that line before you can transfer another upgrade to that line.

 

[Tommy Reinhardt]

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

A quick question. I was just on the phone with a Verizon representative asking him if I could transfer a smartphone from a basic phone onto a line with unlimited, and of course, he said yes.

The only question I have is: On our line, we have 3 unlimited data lines and 1 basic phone. The basic phone has the closest upgrade in June. What my plan was for this was to use the upgrade on the basic phone, upgrade to a smartphone, wait a couple of days, and then switch the SIM or the IMEI with the line that has unlimited data and switch the line that had purchased the phone back to the basic line and pay for that month's data.

When speaking to Verizon, they told me that this could only be done once because even if you transfer an upgrade from another line onto the basic line, that specific line that is eligible for the upgrade will be implemented into a new 2 year contract, which means that the unlimited data package will be lost.

What my family was planning on doing was upgrading the basic line with their upgrades, wait a couple of days and then activate the phone on their line and change back the basic phone when done. This process would then be repeated three times for each phone as we all want new phones. How could we go on to do this for all of us to keep unlimited data, not be in a 2 year contract, and have the basic line use up the upgrades and just transfer the phones?

If you guys have any questions, let me know. Thanks so much!

 

[tx_tuff]

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

A quick question. I was just on the phone with a Verizon representative asking him if I could transfer a smartphone from a basic phone onto a line with unlimited, and of course, he said yes.

The only question I have is: On our line, we have 3 unlimited data lines and 1 basic phone. The basic phone has the closest upgrade in June. What my plan was for this was to use the upgrade on the basic phone, upgrade to a smartphone, wait a couple of days, and then switch the SIM or the IMEI with the line that has unlimited data and switch the line that had purchased the phone back to the basic line and pay for that month's data.

When speaking to Verizon, they told me that this could only be done once because even if you transfer an upgrade from another line onto the basic line, that specific line that is eligible for the upgrade will be implemented into a new 2 year contract, which means that the unlimited data package will be lost.

What my family was planning on doing was upgrading the basic line with their upgrades, wait a couple of days and then activate the phone on their line and change back the basic phone when done. This process would then be repeated three times for each phone as we all want new phones. How could we go on to do this for all of us to keep unlimited data, not be in a 2 year contract, and have the basic line use up the upgrades and just transfer the phones?

If you guys have any questions, let me know. Thanks so much!

Your plan is fine, you don't even need to wait a couple days. But when you transfer your updates it will put that number on a 2 year contract. So after you are done all your phones will be on 2 year contacts but you will still have unlimited data.


Tapatalk mofo

 

[wangster]

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

Wow... I'm so glad I actually read through this thread. I read the first post, and made the mistake of upgrading line #3 on my family plan (with LG Chocolate linked to it) to Note II from Amazon Wireless. My plan all along was to receive the phone, activate it on line #3, wait a day, then put LG Chocolate back on line #3, and activate the Note II on my primary line with unlimited data.

Thanks to everyone that replied to this post, I found out that Amazon charges you a fee if you do that within the 181 days. I called Amazon Wireless and they confirmed that the fee will be charged unless I kept the data plan on line #3 which would make no financial sense to me. Therefore, I just requested a return label to be sent so I can send the phone back, then once it is received, I need to call them and have a conference call with Verizon so that my upgrade date on line #3 can be reversed.

Once that is completed, I am planning to do the same thing again but with a different retailer.

Just to make myself clear, I'm on a family share plan with 1400 minutes.

Line #1 - Unlimited data (upgrade available)
Line #2 - Unlimited data (upgrade available)
Line #3 - No data (upgrade available)

I am going to go upgrade line #3 to a Note II adding the $30 data plan, except this time, either through Costco or Best Buy. Once the phone is received, I will activate it on line #3, make some test calls, use a little bit of data just to make sure everything is working fine and everything activated on line #3.

Then, I am going to put LG Chocolate back on line #3, and cancel the $30 data plan that I added when I upgraded. Then activate the Note II on line #1.

From what I have read so far, Best Buy and Costco will not charge a fee even if I drop the data plan on line #3 and the unlimited data on line #1 will not be effected.


Has anything changed since the last time I read about Costco and Best Buy not charging a fee even if the data plan is dropped on the upgrade line? Any other issues that I may run into while doing this?

 

[tx_tuff]

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

Wow... I'm so glad I actually read through this thread. I read the first post, and made the mistake of upgrading line #3 on my family plan (with LG Chocolate linked to it) to Note II from Amazon Wireless. My plan all along was to receive the phone, activate it on line #3, wait a day, then put LG Chocolate back on line #3, and activate the Note II on my primary line with unlimited data.

Thanks to everyone that replied to this post, I found out that Amazon charges you a fee if you do that within the 181 days. I called Amazon Wireless and they confirmed that the fee will be charged unless I kept the data plan on line #3 which would make no financial sense to me. Therefore, I just requested a return label to be sent so I can send the phone back, then once it is received, I need to call them and have a conference call with Verizon so that my upgrade date on line #3 can be reversed.

Once that is completed, I am planning to do the same thing again but with a different retailer.

Just to make myself clear, I'm on a family share plan with 1400 minutes.

Line #1 - Unlimited data (upgrade available)
Line #2 - Unlimited data (upgrade available)
Line #3 - No data (upgrade available)

I am going to go upgrade line #3 to a Note II adding the $30 data plan, except this time, either through Costco or Best Buy. Once the phone is received, I will activate it on line #3, make some test calls, use a little bit of data just to make sure everything is working fine and everything activated on line #3.

Then, I am going to put LG Chocolate back on line #3, and cancel the $30 data plan that I added when I upgraded. Then activate the Note II on line #1.

From what I have read so far, Best Buy and Costco will not charge a fee even if I drop the data plan on line #3 and the unlimited data on line #1 will not be effected.


Has anything changed since the last time I read about Costco and Best Buy not charging a fee even if the data plan is dropped on the upgrade line? Any other issues that I may run into while doing this?

Why not just go to a Verizon store? They don't bite.

Tapatalk mofo

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Why not just go to a Verizon store? They don't bite.

It is usually cheaper at Best Buy and Costco except for iPhones and the brand new releases.

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Line #1 - Unlimited data (upgrade available)
Line #2 - Unlimited data (upgrade available)
Line #3 - No data (upgrade available)

I am going to go upgrade line #3 to a Note II adding the $30 data plan, except this time, either through Costco or Best Buy. Once the phone is received, I will activate it on line #3, make some test calls, use a little bit of data just to make sure everything is working fine and everything activated on line #3.

Then, I am going to put LG Chocolate back on line #3, and cancel the $30 data plan that I added when I upgraded. Then activate the Note II on line #1.

From what I have read so far, Best Buy and Costco will not charge a fee even if I drop the data plan on line #3 and the unlimited data on line #1 will not be effected.

That will work.

Has anything changed since the last time I read about Costco and Best Buy not charging a fee even if the data plan is dropped on the upgrade line? Any other issues that I may run into while doing this?

nothing has changed that I have read. As always, check the fine print, but those sorts of changes usually get publicized.

 

[cnotes2019]

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

This was more than likely answered in this thread but I hope you don't mind me asking it as I couldn't find it in the first 5 pages. When you transfer the upgrade from the unlimited line to the limited then upgrade on limited line then activate dumbphone back on limited etc that your contract gets extended on the unlimited line and your limited lines contract is back to how it was prior ? Is it because the new phone is activated on the unlimited line and thats all ? Thanks !

 

[cnotes2019]

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

I think I found the answer :


The line donating the upgrade will receive the contract extension and the line receiving the subsidized device initially will be the one forced to choose a tiered data plan.



The line receiving the upgrade from the donator line will keep the same upgrade date and contract end date.



Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[cnotes2019]

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

Or maybe not. Why is it that the line donating the upgrade won't lose it's unlimited plan ? It's not treated as if the line actually used its upgrade to get a subsidized phone ?

 

[tx_tuff]

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

This was more than likely answered in this thread but I hope you don't mind me asking it as I couldn't find it in the first 5 pages. When you transfer the upgrade from the unlimited line to the limited then upgrade on limited line then activate dumbphone back on limited etc that your contract gets extended on the unlimited line and your limited lines contract is back to how it was prior ? Is it because the new phone is activated on the unlimited line and thats all ? Thanks !

Yes the line you transfer from (unlimited) will have a new two year contract. Had nothing to do with the new phone being on it, just that it was where the upgrade came from.


Tapatalk mofo

 

[wangster]

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

It is usually cheaper at Best Buy and Costco except for iPhones and the brand new releases.

Yes. This is my reason for not going to Verizon corporate store.

 

[cnotes2019]

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

Thanks ! Next question is what's the difference between an alternative upgrade and transferring an upgrade ? Thanks again !

 

[wangster]

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

I'm on the Verizon website trying to transfer an upgrade to another line on a family account. I can't seem to find where I can just transfer the upgrade eligibility without actually upgrading the device. Can someone point out to me where it can be done?

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Thanks ! Next question is what's the difference between an alternative upgrade and transferring an upgrade ? Thanks again !

I believe Verizon reps use alternative upgrade to mean you don't actually transfer the upgrade, you do the upgrade on the line eligible for the upgrade but don't activate the phone on that line, activate it on another (alternative) line.

If the unlimited line is the one eligible for the upgrade and you do that, you will lose unlimited data.

 

[Itaku]

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

Just signed up on these forums.

Wanted to let everyone know that I just did this method today, but beware of 2 things which kinda got me screwed over:

1) Verizon has different SIM card sizes, I have to head to a Verizon store tomorrow when they're open and get a SIM card that will fix in my new phone.

2) While the phone was activated on the dumb phone line temporarly, the phone decided to download a 93MB update, then after switching back to no data plan on the dumb phone, it billed atll 93 of those MB at $1.99 each.

I think the first one was discussed, but that 2nd part, be careful with that one. I'm trying my best to complain to Verizon a bunch about that one, it was a software update that never asked me to download or anything either.

 

[androidluvr2]

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

1) Verizon has different SIM card sizes, I have to head to a Verizon store tomorrow when they're open and get a SIM card that will fix in my new phone.

That's not a big deal. They will also mail them to you.

2) While the phone was activated on the dumb phone line temporarly, the phone decided to download a 93MB update, then after switching back to no data plan on the dumb phone, it billed atll 93 of those MB at $1.99 each.

Ouch! You can go back in and put the $30 2GB data plan on that line and you will only get charged a prorated $30 for the month. Then downgrade at the beginning of your next billing cycle.

Moral of this story - Have your smartphone on WiFi when you activate it! What happens with Android when activating is that it asks you to input the WiFi information. If you don't, it warns you that you could incur data charges.

 

[dpham00]

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

Just signed up on these forums.

Wanted to let everyone know that I just did this method today, but beware of 2 things which kinda got me screwed over:

1) Verizon has different SIM card sizes, I have to head to a Verizon store tomorrow when they're open and get a SIM card that will fix in my new phone.

2) While the phone was activated on the dumb phone line temporarly, the phone decided to download a 93MB update, then after switching back to no data plan on the dumb phone, it billed atll 93 of those MB at $1.99 each.

I think the first one was discussed, but that 2nd part, be careful with that one. I'm trying my best to complain to Verizon a bunch about that one, it was a software update that never asked me to download or anything either.

Don't worry, the charge should be automatically removed in one or two billing cycles. A smartphone cannot be on the pay as you go $1.99 plan, i asked and they would not allow it. My wife uses sometimes 0 mb a month in her iPhone . If you are worried, just call them, they will remove the charge.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Don't worry, the charge should be automatically removed in one or two billing cycles. A smartphone cannot be on the pay as you go $1.99 plan, i asked and they would not allow it. My wife uses sometimes 0 mb a month in her iPhone . If you are worried, just call them, they will remove the charge.

But he put the dumbphone back on so the smartphone is on the unlimited line, not the pay as you go line.