Adding a line for the Nexus? (And Best Buy Mobile question.)

[iastonish]

Quick question about adding a line

What's up guys? I've been obsessively checking the forum like everyone else in anticipation of the Galaxy Nexus. I just had a quick question about adding a line in order to afford purchasing the GN.


I'm looking to add a line and pay an additional $10 a month on my bill. I currently have an iPhone 4 and I have an extra dumb phone. Do I just add a line, get the GN, switch it to my main line, then stick the dumb phone on the new line and cancel all the additional data plans and what not?

Just want to make sure I have everything set up, so I don't get stuck paying for two smartphones.

If anyone has any familiarity with adding lines, please chime in. I would appreciate your advice.

Thanks!

 

[alee]

Re: Quick question about adding a line

Good question. I have yet to figure out how to add a line to my family plan online. I can only seem to set up another new individual line or a brand new family plan.

 

[tntdroid]

I bought my X this way. Bought new phone on new number. Got home took out dummy flip phone. Called in with it and made it take on the new number. Then took the x and did the same thing adding my old number. In the end you pay $240 during the two years plus I'm guessing $300 for the phone. So its $540. That should be less overall than buying it outright and you also only then pay the $300 in one shot with the other $240 over 2 years. When you move around the lines you may need to call customer service like I did to get them all activated. Also you get a new line you can use for whatever. I give it out to stores and when I'm selling online.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[iastonish]

Re: Quick question about adding a line

I bought my X this way. Bought new phone on new number. Got home took out dummy flip phone. Called in with it and made it take on the new number. Then took the x and did the same thing adding my old number. In the end you pay $240 during the two years plus I'm guessing $300 for the phone. So its $540. That should be less overall than buying it outright and you also only then pay the $300 in one shot with the other $240 over 2 years. When you move around the lines you may need to call customer service like I did to get them all activated. Also you get a new line you can use for whatever. I give it out to stores and when I'm selling online.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

Yea exactly, the ability to spread out the payments makes it very appealing. My main concern is what did you do do change the plan up after you linked the dummy phone? When I get the GN it's gonna have a data plan and what not automatically, so do you have to pay that the first month or do you just go home, make the switch, and dumb the line down right away with no problem?

 

[kilofoxtrot]

Re: Quick question about adding a line

Another advantage... (in some states), you may only get charged sales tax on the subsidized price as opposed to full retail.

I dont think this applies to all states.. Cali comes to mind.

 

[iastonish]

Re: Quick question about adding a line

Also paying $10 every month for the next two years is exactly not the same value as $240 today.

Depending on taxes and surcharges, you may be looking at >$10. I read on another forum or thread that a guy ended up paying $13 every month. 10 cents a day is not that big of a deal anyways.

That's no biggie. I'd rather pay $13 a month, than the $600-700 full retail price upfront.

Can anyone confirm how you switch the plan? TNTdroid, you mentioned you put the dummy phone on the new number after putting the newly acquired phone on your old one. Can you just go right on the VZW website after doing this and change the plan on the dumb phone from there?

 

[tntdroid]

Not 100% sure what to do online. Just use the *228 on the dummy phone and when it asks what number you want to add use the new number. This frees up your old number. Then *228 again from the gn and input your old number. You may be asked to call in to activate since the new line was just set up. Happened to me. They will do it over the phone then just make sure with them that you have the old number with the new phone and the unlimited data plan and the other phone is no data. I believe some of the newer dumb phones still need a data plan so look for a old junk phone on eBay if you don't have one.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

 

[iastonish]

Re: Quick question about adding a line

Alright, thanks for the info man!

 

[Tee312]

New Line

So I'm adding a new line on my plan for a family member and ordering them the Nexus, then giving them my TB for the Nexus (they don't really care, don't know much about smart phones). However, my TB is rooted.

Can I just put stock firmware on there (which would remove root, but leave S-Off) or do I have to turn safety back on? Right now it's running CM7, so obviously I need to switch it back to stock. I'm more concerned about when they go to switch the phones and reactivate the TB that root could mess up the activation, I'm not worried about them saying anything to me about rooting/warranty/blahblahblah.

 

[dadsterflip]

I had my sister in law activate my wife's rooted TB and they didn't say anything.
Plus it was running sense 3.5 so not sure if thwy couldn't tell the difference but no problem activating it.
Oh yea they did bring it in the Back because guy went into recovery accidentally and didn't know how to move it around hahahaa.

 

[Tee312]

Re: New Line

I had my sister in law activate my wife's rooted TB and they didn't say anything.
Plus it was running sense 3.5 so not sure if thwy couldn't tell the difference but no problem activating it.
Oh yea they did bring it in the Back because guy went into recovery accidentally and didn't know how to move it around hahahaa.

Hahahah, if I was running sense 3.5 or something I wouldn't even bother with going to stock firmware, but i'm sure they'd notice CM7 on a TB, and CM7 could interfere with the activation process. Thanks for the post, I'll just leave s-off and go to stock firmware.

 

[enigmaisdead]

I just wanted to clarify this method before heading out tomorrow.

By my understanding, I can circumvent having to pay full retail for the Nexus (since I burned my upgrade on the Bionic) by:

1. Going to Verizon
2. Adding a line to my family plan for $9.99/month
3. Purchasing the Nexus at the contract price for that line
4. Activating that line with a non-smartphone
5. Activating the Nexus using my line's number

Is that correct or too convoluted?

Also, can Best Buy do these things in-store at Best Buy Mobile? Their online estimator is quoting $301 if I trade in my Bionic, which would basically cover the contract price of the Nexus if I can get it there.

Thanks in advance!

 

[st0ic_1]

Wouldn't you have to set up a smartphone plan(since you're buying a smart phone), then change it after you left the store, then activate the dumb phone on that line?

 

[enigmaisdead]

Wouldn't you have to set up a smartphone plan(since you're buying a smart phone), then change it after you left the store, then activate the dumb phone on that line?

Fair point. Hm. So set up the data package and cancel it when I get home?

Honestly, I'm tempted just to go to Best Buy, tell the girl straight-up what I want to do, and just see if she'll do it. Honesty is generally the best policy after all, and I don't see the point in making it more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[kilofoxtrot]

I have done what you are thinking. Opened a line on my family plan with a smartphone. Then activated a dumb phone on that new line and activated the new smartphone on my main line.

I'm not sure if you can do this at Best Buy.

Some may tell you that you are committed on the new line for its data plan... that is false. Data is a feature and you can drop it anytime.

You will have to get a new SIM for the Nexus when you switch it to your intended line.

 

[2defmouze]

Assuming you get that all set up....With taxes and fees that extra line will cost you around $13+ a month. Times 24 months contract, equals $312....factor in some time value of money assumptions, and you're looking at saving literally a couple dollars for all the trouble, in the long run....just an FYI to help save you the trouble..

 

[rsantos97]

Fair point. Hm. So set up the data package and cancel it when I get home?

Honestly, I'm tempted just to go to Best Buy, tell the girl straight-up what I want to do , and just see if she'll do it. Honesty is generally the best policy after all, and I don't see the point in making it more complicated than it needs to be.

They wouldn't have a problem with that at all because the data is just a feature, the line will still be active, which is what they care about. Hell the girl at a Verizon Corp store tonight, told me to do that instead of paying full retail for it.

Just make sure you have a dumb phone to switch over to the line.

 

[MRGQ]

I wanna do this also but im a bit confused...my question is if i go to the VZ store and say i wanna add a new line and get the Nexus, when i leave the store how do i put the Nexus over to my main line if the 4G card on the nexus is attached to the new line I added? maybe i missed something here.....

 

[lembowski]

Assuming you get that all set up....With taxes and fees that extra line will cost you around $13+ a month. Times 24 months contract, equals $312....factor in some time value of money assumptions, and you're looking at saving literally a couple dollars for all the trouble, in the long run....just an FYI to help save you the trouble..

But it also gives you an extra upgrade 2 years later...

 

[Sentrix]

I wanna do this also but im a bit confused...my question is if i go to the VZ store and say i wanna add a new line and get the Nexus, when i leave the store how do i put the Nexus over to my main line if the 4G card on the nexus is attached to the new line I added? maybe i missed something here.....

Just ask them to do it for you. They will.