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

[otwok]

Re: Bestbuy Mobile Lets me Keep Unlimited Data?

So this is what I did. I had the phone shipped to my home. It came with a SIM Card already in. I took the SIM card out of my old phone and put it in the new G2. I did not turn the phone on. There were instructions given on how to activate the phone. I called that number, and the automated machine tried to activate my phone via automated system but it failed so I had it transfer me to a live person. That live person was then activating my phone. Without me even bringing it up the rep said that I get to keep my unlimited data. That was exciting. He then asked for the number IMEI number and the number on the SIM Card to activate. I gave him the number of my old SIM Card. He then had me make a test call and it was all ready to go. He did say that I could have also activated online from the Verizon website. And there you go, success.

I am thinking of making a new thread and giving everyone information on doing this as everyone is trying to find ways to get subsidized phones and keep their unlimited. This is the way. It is not hard, no need for the hassle just have to wait for the phone to be shipped to your place.

 

[ClintRo]

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

Direfan, you can do this process any time up until Verizon stops allowing us to transfer upgrades. That is why everything should be done online with minimal questions to reps. IMO.

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[DayThyme]

Re: Bestbuy Mobile Lets me Keep Unlimited Data?

I am thinking of making a new thread and giving everyone information on doing this as everyone is trying to find ways to get subsidized phones and keep their unlimited. This is the way. It is not hard, no need for the hassle just have to wait for the phone to be shipped to your place.

That would be great!

ETA - maybe title the thread something like "How to Keep Unlimited Data on Verizon if You Have an Individual Account."

 

[DayThyme]

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

One final question, I then have to keep this extra line for at least 2 years, correct? But it is probably good to keep it for future upgrades or until verizon does away with the loophole.

Yes, you have to keep it for 2 years or pay an ETF. That is why I recommend getting 3 subsidized phones in total - 2 using the upgrades from the UDP lines and then the 1 that comes with the added line - and selling the third to recoup the cost of the added line.

As my third phone I got an iPhone 5s and was able to sell it and make a net profit of $450 after all my costs (listing fees, paypal fees, shipping fees). I got a deal at Best Buy on black friday for a 16GB iPhone 5s for $125 and used the $50 reserve gift card so the price for me was $75 + $30 upgrade fee + tax. The $450 profit more than pays for the added line since I pay $13/mo x 24 months = $312. But even if you don't get as good of a deal as I got, you should still come close to breaking even depending on what you sell the phone for.

Once I get the first smartphone, do I have to transfer the upgrade from the second phone to the third line or is that not necessary and can I just order the second phone. Basically what I am asking is that in this entire process, at any time do I have to transfer upgrades?

Yes, you must transfer an upgrade off of an UDP line onto a basic or tiered data line for you not to lose UDP. That is the whole point of this thread.

 

[otwok]

Verizon: How to keep Unlimited Data and get phone on subsidized price

Hi All,

For those who haven't read the Best Buy thread in this forum there is a way to get a new phone and keep unlimited data.

Okay Guys and Gals,

I did it. I received the LG G2 last night. I had to call Verizon to activate it but I put in my old SIM and the Rep was working on activate it. The rep then told me that I get to keep my unlimited. That was exciting. I kept checking my plan and it still says unlimited. So for those who want a new phone get it from Best Buy, keep your plan and HAVE IT SHIPPED HOME. You will get to keep you unlimited without any problems (at least I did) and get your new phone. Please let me know if there are any questions I'll do my best to answer them. Thanks!

So this is what I did. I had the phone shipped to my home. It came with a SIM Card already in. I took the SIM card out of my old phone and put it in the new G2. I did not turn the phone on. There were instructions given on how to activate the phone. I called that number, and the automated machine tried to activate my phone via automated system but it failed so I had it transfer me to a live person. That live person was then activating my phone. Without me even bringing it up the rep said that I get to keep my unlimited data. That was exciting. He then asked for the number IMEI number and the number on the SIM Card to activate. I gave him the number of my old SIM Card. He then had me make a test call and it was all ready to go. He did say that I could have also activated online from the Verizon website. And there you go, success.

There was no hassle except waiting for my phone. It took them essentially two weeks to ship (probably due to the holidays) but there really was no hassle at all.

So essentially you go to the best buy site, order the phone you want, make you keep everything the same. Just in case keep all screen shots and print outs.

Please let me know if there is something that needs clarification. Thanks!

 

[direfan]

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

Yes, you have to keep it for 2 years or pay an ETF. That is why I recommend getting 3 subsidized phones in total - 2 using the upgrades from the UDP lines and then the 1 that comes with the added line - and selling the third to recoup the cost of the added line.

As my third phone I got an iPhone 5s and was able to sell it and make a net profit of $450 after all my costs (listing fees, paypal fees, shipping fees). I got a deal at Best Buy on black friday for a 16GB iPhone 5s for $125 and used the $50 reserve gift card so the price for me was $75 + $30 upgrade fee + tax. The $450 profit more than pays for the added line since I pay $13/mo x 24 months = $312. But even if you don't get as good of a deal as I got, you should still come close to breaking even depending on what you sell the phone for.


Yes, you must transfer an upgrade off of an UDP line onto a basic or tiered data line for you not to lose UDP. That is the whole point of this thread.

Thank you very much. Do upgrades expire? Once my phone is eligible for an upgrade, can I take my own sweet time to do this?

 

[cnotes2019]

Re: How to keep Unlimited Data and get phone on subsidized price.

This is discussed within another thread on here.


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[maxchat35]

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

Yes - there is never any danger of losing unlimited data when you use an upgrade that belongs to a non-unlimited data line.

You then can do whatever you want with that phone, including transferring it to another line, even an UDP line, or selling it. And if you do transfer the phone you bought with the feature phone's upgrade to an UDP line, you will not lose unlimited data on the line. The only thing to keep in mind is if you buy the phone from anywhere other than Verizon, Costco or Best Buy, you cannot drop the data plan on the line you used the upgrade on for 181 days or you will be charged a secondary ETF of $400. Motomaker uses Best Buy's system and there is no secondary ETF if you use motomaker to upgrade a line and then drop the data plan.

I just want to point out that although you don't have to do an upgrade transfer since you have an upgrade available on a feature phone line, you don't have to "waste" the upgrade on your UDP line, either. After you upgrade using the feature phone's line, you can transfer the UDP's upgrade to the feature phone line and get an iPhone 5s with the upgrade and then sell it if you don't want another phone. The reason to do this is because you are paying for that subsidized phone in your monthly bill anyhow, so you might as well use it and sell the iPhone if you don't want another smartphone. Or you can save the upgrade to use for when the Moto X2 comes out


No, the SIM card will not be associated with the feature phone line until you activate the new phone. However, Verizon will have in their system that that line has a pending order on it from when the upgrade is used until the new phone is activated. Typically this doesn't interfere with the process but some people have had trouble getting the system to stop showing the pending order even after they activate the new phone. This seems to be more of a problem with iPhones than with Android phones. YMMV.


Yes, but sometimes the pending orders get "stuck" in the system. Hopefully that won't happen, but if it does, everyone who has posted so far has been able to get that issue resolved by calling customer service. Again, seems to be more of a problem with iPhones for some reason.


Doesn't matter because you can use the same google account on multiple phones at the same time. Right now I have the same google account on 2 phones on 2 different lines. The google accounts don't have anything to do with UDPs.

Much obliged, your insight is appreciated. I had read about the issue regarding the secondary ETF penalty so it is good to know that buying through motomaker does not have this penalty associated with it.

Lastly, when going through the motomaker site to look things over prior to checkout I am prompted for a verizon billing account pin number, apparently 1-5 numerical digits. That is that exactly and where do I locate it?

I could probably avoid some of this hassle and just order the 16gb on Verizon's site but I feel the 32gb version is warranted.
Sent from my DROID X2

 

[DayThyme]

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

Thank you very much. Do upgrades expire? Once my phone is eligible for an upgrade, can I take my own sweet time to do this?

Currently upgrades do not expire. However, there are 2 downsides I see to waiting very long to use them:

1) Verizon takes the position that upgrades are not part of the contract so they can make changes to their upgrade policy at any time. They just recently did this with changing people's upgrade dates from 20 months to 24 months while they were still on contract. So the longer you wait, the more you risk that you will be a victim of a Verizon policy change on upgrades; and

2) The cost of a subsidized phone every 24 months is built into your monthly wireless charges. And if you don't use an upgrade, you delay the date of the next upgrade by that same amount, thus effectively diluting the financial benefit of the subsidy to you.

IMO the only time it is worth waiting is if you know a newer model of a phone that you want is coming out soon, and by that I mean 6 months or less.

 

[DayThyme]

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

Lastly, when going through the motomaker site to look things over prior to checkout I am prompted for a verizon billing account pin number, apparently 1-5 numerical digits. That is that exactly and where do I locate it?

You should have been asked to set up a PIN when you opened your account. It is not anywhere online that I am aware of. If you can't remember your PIN, you can call and give them all of your info and they can reset it for you. Or you can go into a store and show picture ID and they can reset it for you.

 

[DayThyme]

Re: How to keep Unlimited Data and get phone on subsidized price.

This is discussed within another thread on here.

Actually, no, what he did was very different. He did not transfer an upgrade from an UDP line to another line. Nor did he use a non-UDP line's upgrade.

What he did was use his UDP line's upgrade on his UDP line to purchase a phone through Best Buy online. He was not forced to pick a new plan. Then when the new phone came in the mail, instead of activating the phone on his UDP line using the SIM card that came in the phone, he activated the new phone using a SIM card from his old phone that was on his UDP line.

So the key points here are:

1) purchase a new 4G LTE smartphone through best buy online using the upgrade on your UDP line and do not pick a new plan;
2) have the new 4G LTE smartphone shipped to your house NOT to the store; and
3) remove the SIM card that comes with the new 4G LTE smartphone phone and replace it with the SIM card from the 4G LTE smartphone that is already on your UDP line and then activate the new 4G LTE smartphone on your UDP line.

 

[direfan]

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

Currently upgrades do not expire. However, there are 2 downsides I see to waiting very long to use them:

1) Verizon takes the position that upgrades are not part of the contract so they can make changes to their upgrade policy at any time. They just recently did this with changing people's upgrade dates from 20 months to 24 months while they were still on contract. So the longer you wait, the more you risk that you will be a victim of a Verizon policy change on upgrades; and

2) The cost of a subsidized phone every 24 months is built into your monthly wireless charges. And if you don't use an upgrade, you delay the date of the next upgrade by that same amount, thus effectively diluting the financial benefit of the subsidy to you.

IMO the only time it is worth waiting is if you know a newer model of a phone that you want is coming out soon, and by that I mean 6 months or less.

Thanks a lot. Makes sense.

 

[DayThyme]

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

verizon billing account pin number

when I just logged on, under profile, I see a billing password. However, it is blanked out with asterisks but I think it is the billing PIN. You can only change it online if you know what your old one is, but as I said above, I am sure if you can't remember yours you can call and have it reset or go into a store and have it reset.

They made me set one up when I set up my account.

 

[direfan]

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

As my third phone I got an iPhone 5s and was able to sell it and make a net profit of $450 after all my costs (listing fees, paypal fees, shipping fees). I got a deal at Best Buy on black friday for a 16GB iPhone 5s for $125 and used the $50 reserve gift card so the price for me was $75 + $30 upgrade fee + tax. The $450 profit more than pays for the added line since I pay $13/mo x 24 months = $312. But even if you don't get as good of a deal as I got, you should still come close to breaking even depending on what you sell the phone for.

I noticed that you bought your phone from Best Buy. What is the difference with buying from Best Buy as opposed to verizononline? If Best Buy has a good deal can I buy it from Best Buy? One of the points in the strategy to upgrade is to 'add a device' on the verizon website. SO would it also work if I buy it from Best Buy?

Thanks for your patience in answering all my questions.

D

 

[maxchat35]

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

You should have been asked to set up a PIN when you opened your account. It is not anywhere online that I am aware of. If you can't remember your PIN, you can call and give them all of your info and they can reset it for you. Or you can go into a store and show picture ID and they can reset it for you.

when I just logged on, under profile, I see a billing password. However, it is blanked out with asterisks but I think it is the billing PIN. You can only change it online if you know what your old one is, but as I said above, I am sure if you can't remember yours you can call and have it reset or go into a store and have it reset.

They made me set one up when I set up my account.

Understood. I called customer service this evening and they reset it for me over the phone. Now I just have to figure out if I want the black weave backing or the regular black backing lol. It's a pity the dev version isn't available to purchase via upgrade too.

Sent from my DROID X2

 

[DayThyme]

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

Now I just have to figure out if I want the black weave backing or the regular black backing lol.

My verizon store had a display of the backs. I picked the woven black for my mom because I thought it would show fingerprints less. I think that is true, but the woven design is stamped on; there is no texture to it.

It's a pity the dev version isn't available to purchase via upgrade too.

yeah, but I don't think any manufacturer sells dev eds as upgrades. You could sell the custom one and use the cash you make off of the sale to put towards a dev ed. The 16GB Moto X's are going for $330 new on swappa and the dev eds are $450 new.

 

[maxchat35]

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

My verizon store had a display of the backs. I picked the woven black for my mom because I thought it would show fingerprints less. I think that is true, but the woven design is stamped on; there is no texture to it.


yeah, but I don't think any manufacturer sells dev eds as upgrades. You could sell the custom one and use the cash you make off of the sale to put towards a dev ed. The 16GB Moto X's are going for $330 new on swappa and the dev eds are $450 new.

Regarding the back was the non woven one soft touch in anyway? My store only had the white woven on display and as you noted there was no texture or even grip really imo. The phone is getting the blackout treatment but if there is no discernible difference between the woven and non woven ill probably opt for the woven.

As for the upgrade I considered doing that but idk, at this point I just want a new freaking phone lol.


Sent from my DROID X2

 

[DayThyme]

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

Regarding the back was the non woven one soft touch in anyway?

The darker colors are soft touch - both the black and woven black are soft touch but the woven black is still stamped on, no texture to it other than the soft touch. It says either soft touch or smooth touch on the motomaker site, but it is hard to notice the description unless you are paying attention.

My store only had the white woven on display and as you noted there was no texture or even grip really imo. The phone is getting the blackout treatment but if there is no discernible difference between the woven and non woven ill probably opt for the woven.

The woven white is smooth touch, the woven black is soft touch - both are just stamped on designs. The solid black is soft touch.

ETA - I have the dev ed and don't care for the woven white smooth touch.

 

[maxchat35]

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

The darker colors are soft touch - both the black and woven black are soft touch but the woven black is still stamped on, no texture to it other than the soft touch. It says either soft touch or smooth touch on the motomaker site, but it is hard to notice the description unless you are paying attention.


The woven white is smooth touch, the woven black is soft touch - both are just stamped on designs. The solid black is soft touch.

ETA - I have the dev ed and don't care for the woven white smooth touch.

10-4. Woven it will likely be then.

Sent from my DROID X2

 

[otwok]

Re: How to keep Unlimited Data and get phone on subsidized price.

Actually, no, what he did was very different. He did not transfer an upgrade from an UDP line to another line. Nor did he use a non-UDP line's upgrade.

What he did was use his UDP line's upgrade on his UDP line to purchase a phone through Best Buy online. He was not forced to pick a new plan. Then when the new phone came in the mail, instead of activating the phone on his UDP line using the SIM card that came in the phone, he activated the new phone using a SIM card from his old phone that was on his UDP line.

So the key points here are:

1) purchase a new 4G LTE smartphone through best buy online using the upgrade on your UDP line and do not pick a new plan;
2) have the new 4G LTE smartphone shipped to your house NOT to the store; and
3) remove the SIM card that comes with the new 4G LTE smartphone phone and replace it with the SIM card from the 4G LTE smartphone that is already on your UDP line and then activate the new 4G LTE smartphone on your UDP line.

Thanks. This is exactly right. It is different from the add a line plan. For those who don't want to pay the money to add a line or do not fully understand how to go that route this is an easier and more hassle free route. At least for the time being until they fix it. It's essentially getting your upgrade from Best Buy, select keep existing plan, ship home, use your current sim card in place of the one pre-installed in the new phone and it should be done. The rep even confirmed with me. Easy.