Purchasing at full retail/off contract

[xderiwx]

Hello everyone!
I'm currently with the VZW S3 and I'm planning to move to the Note 3 when its released. I will be purchasing at full retail price in order to retain my unlimited data plan. Just had a couple quick questions for those of you who purchase your devices at full retail/off contract.

1) Do you have a preferred place you purchase your devices from, or is it a different retailer every time? If so, can you give examples of why?

2) Are there any benefits from purchasing a device at full retail directly from VZW, whether its online or from a store?

3) Assuming the note3 uses the same sim as the GS3 (I'm unaware, anyone see them changing it?), I should be able to just pop my sim into the new device and do the activation through my online VZW account, correct?

I'm just looking for the simplest way to get this done eventually. If I can just purchase the device at full retail, install my current sim and have it activated without having to go into my local VZW, that would be great!

Thank you!!

 

[bunky1971]

I buy all my deviced from MobileNations forums members. Ive swapped 30 times in the past two years with no issues. Im just like you, I refuse to give up unlimited.
On older 3G devices, all you needed to do was the *228 deal. Dont even have to log in.
Now with the 4g sim card its just a matter of switching your sim from device to device. I go from Note2 during the week to RAZR M on the weekend.


Sent from my SCH-I605 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[bunky1971]

I buy all my deviced from MobileNations forums members. Ive swapped 30 times in the past two years with no issues. Im just like you, I refuse to give up unlimited.
On older 3G devices, all you needed to do was the *228 deal. Dont even have to log in.
Now with the 4g sim card its just a matter of switching your sim fron device to device. I go from Note2 during the week to RAZR M on the weekend.


Sent from my SCH-I605 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[dpham00]

Just buy the phone online at Verizon , it will ship to your house free. It should come with a new sim, but your existing sim should work as well. You can also call or order a sim online to have it shipped to your house.

There are ways to keep unlimited and get subsidized phones, but obviously none are as simple as buying full retail.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[xderiwx]

Bunky, dpham,
Thanks for the input! That really helps.

When switching a sim card from one 4g device to another, what's the difference between just switching them vs. using the online VZW device swap? Does the online device swap just instruct you to pop your existing sim card into the new phone?

If just swapping sims from device to device, are there any details I should know about, as far as what's needed for activation?

Thanks!!!

 

[dpham00]

Bunky, dpham,
Thanks for the input! That really helps.

When switching a sim card from one 4g device to another, what's the difference between just switching them vs. using the online VZW device swap? Does the online device swap just instruct you to pop your existing sim card into the new phone?

If just swapping sims from device to device, are there any details I should know about, as far as what's needed for activation?

Thanks!!!

Online has instructions, but not really needed. Just swap sims, no need to do anything else. It will automatically activate

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[xderiwx]

Sounds good, thanks!!

I was thinking about starting a new topic for this, but since you guys are here and helping so much, ill ask here first. Its still on topic with Unlimited data.

Are you guys already out of, or still in contract with your unlimited data plans? We have one of the Nationwide family plans, and I recently noticed that the contract end date is next month. I believe the plan itself was from around 5-6 years ago maybe? So at some point it was renewed, in order to be ending only next month. I can't remember exactly when/why it was, as I don't believe we used any upgrades.

But my main concern is, now with the contract officially expiring, can they force you to another plan? For those of you who have been out of contract, have they bothered you at all? I know I have read a lot about people buying full retail to retain the Unlimited, so I know there must be a bunch of you that are well out of contract and month to month, but I guess reading through the rumor thread got the best of me, and now I'm curious.

This was the first time in a long time that I checked the MyVerizon online account for our plan and noticed the date. I was already assuming we were out of contract for quite some time. But like I said, it must have been renewed at some point.

 

[dpham00]

They can force you onto another plan at anytime whether in contract or not. If in contract, then they can't change the terms of service without allowing you to cancel without etf. With that said, I haven't heard of Verizon forcing anyone off their plans if you do not get a new phone on contract

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[xderiwx]

Apologies for the delay in responding! Thanks again for your input!

So who's been out of contract the longest? Asking around a little bit, the longest I've heard so far is a few months. Surely there must be some who were out for way longer?

 

[zog1977]

I have been out for over a year

I buy from best buy. Cant beat 18 months no interest plus reward zone certs

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2

 

[spiraleze]

Apologies for the delay in responding! Thanks again for your input!

So who's been out of contract the longest? Asking around a little bit, the longest I've heard so far is a few months. Surely there must be some who were out for way longer?

I have been out of contract (month-to-month) on my unlimited line for about 18 months. Verizon has not given me any problems and there was no issue when I upgraded my phone last October using an upgrade from another line.