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

[Lodingi]

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

Well I ordered my M8 using the BB method. I gave up trying to get the BOGO deal. Hopefully all goes well.

 

[jyoung927]

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

so i've been following this thread since the beginning, trying to decide what i want to do. i finally (after much deliberation and stressing) decided to try the best buy route, and ordered the HTC one m8. i must have missed the posts that say bb won't let you leave the store with the phone deactivated, i thought i remembered someone saying you could just run in, tell them you didn't have time to do it in-store, and you'd take care of activating it yourself. well, i tried that, told the guy specifically not to activate it because i wasn't even going to be able to mess with it for a few days. he nodded along in agreement, i signed a few papers saying i'd picked up the phone, and left. when i got to my car, i went to make a phone call, and, sure enough, he'd activated the damn phone. i checked my account, and, sure enough, my UDP is gone, replaced with a 2gb plan. i called the store immediately, told the other guy who was at the mobile section what had happened, and i needed it undone. asap. of course, they can't do anything in the store besides try to call vzw on your behalf, but he returned the phone, and made multiple phone calls for me while i waited. i was there til a half hour after they closed, still no resolution. yesterday morning i called vzw, told someone my situation, and that i was not at all interested in losing my UDP, and that i wanted it back stat. she filed a claim for me, and when i asked what my odds were of having it re-instated, she said "you don't have anything to worry about." we'll see.

my question now is, once my UDP is back in place, do i risk trying this again, but with the delivery option instead of in-store pickup? what are the odds someone will look at the account, see what happened this first time, and say "f that guy, he's just trying to screw the system" and kill my UDP again. thoughts?

btw, thanks to everyone for posting all this advice and these scenarios.

 

[Lodingi]

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

When you went to make a phone call, did you make the call from the phone you just picked up?

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[tottenj]

Re: Best Buy Mobile lets me keep Unlimited Data Plan on Verizon?

Some good information here. I do have a couple questions. Are you ordering the device for the line with the upgrade, or transferring the upgrade to a non UDP line? Also, can I purchase the phone through the BB website and do a store pickup? Thanks.

From what I understand you upgrade your UDP line, then activate the upgrade with your current SIM card. Do not use the SIM that ships with the upgraded phone - don't even turn it on until the SIM it ships with is replaced with your current one. Also, based on what I've read, you can't pick it up in the store without the Best Buy sales people activating the phone for you. I actually called my local Best Buy yesterday and they confirmed this.

 

[Lodingi]

Re: Best Buy Mobile lets me keep Unlimited Data Plan on Verizon?

From what I understand you upgrade your UDP line, then activate the upgrade with your current SIM card. Do not use the SIM that ships with the upgraded phone - don't even turn it on until the SIM it ships with is replaced with your current one. Also, based on what I've read, you can't pick it up in the store without the Best Buy sales people activating the phone for you. I actually called my local Best Buy yesterday and they confirmed this.

I placed my order and had it shipped. I should receive it next week.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[rdjr74]

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

my question now is, once my UDP is back in place, do i risk trying this again, but with the delivery option instead of in-store pickup? what are the odds someone will look at the account, see what happened this first time, and say "f that guy, he's just trying to screw the system" and kill my UDP again. thoughts?

I don't think they'll be that concerned with this.

Yeah the big thing was YOU NEED IT DELIVERED TO A PLACE YOU CAN SIGN FOR IT. Also because of BB strict delivery policy you need to sign for it. This is the only option you have. You can not go pick it up at the delivery facility. Basically if you can't sign for it then it will go back to the place of origin and the order will be canceled. Reason BB got so strict with this is because they were getting packages stolen during the Xmas holiday. I wasn't able to be there during delivery hours but was able to call UPS and have them delay my delivery to later hours in the evening when someone would be there. They were accommodating and I received a call from them even telling me they were able to extend the deliver time to later. If this is you situation I recommend doing the same once you receive confirmation that you package is out for delivery, then call them immediately.

This may not be your situation but this information could help others on here.

 

[TurboLegacy]

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

So I had to call best buy today because of a problem with my order. They told me that I'd lose my UDP and that they'd give me a 2gb plan. Supposedly they were calling Verizon while I was on hold. I asked whether or not the phone would be activated when it arrived. He said that it would be preactivated. So sounds like I can likely still do the SIM card swap. If it doesn't work for me and I lose my UDP, I'm returning to best buy and at least getting the BOGO on the S5 through Verizon directly. Argh. What a pain.

Update: Logged into VerizonWireless and see my data plan as still unlimited. But my wife's data plan CHANGED and is now prorated as a 2GB plan for the rest of the month. I think I officially lost her UDP. No idea why her order had a problem and mine didn't. Also don't know how billing will work if 1 of us is still unlimited and the other isn't.

Update2: Chatted with Customer Service at Verizon. Found that both lines are still attached to my old Family Talk 700 plan. My 2nd line just has a 2gb limit where as my primary still has UDP. Customer service offered to increase my 2nd line to 6gb for the same price. I also had a ticket opened for myself to get the UDP back. She said that it would go away once I activate my phone. I said my phone was a month backordered, so I want my UDP effective until I activate my next phone. Hopefully this will reactivate the loophole for when I activate my new phone.

Update3: I now have shipping notifications for both of my phones.

What should I do next?

 

[Ceetar]

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

(recap: 4 lines. 2 UDP, 2 dumb. 1 upgrade avail on each. transferred to dumblines, BOGO'd the S5. Activated on the smartphone lines with my S3 sims)

When I logged into my account on the web it was giving me crap about 'pending orders' but at the advice of others I let it go and it has indeed dropped off so everything has gone swimmingly. My total plan is unchanged, 2 dumbphones, 2 unlimited. Kicker is somehow this only extended the contract on one of the lines. So I've got one contract that goes until 2016, 1 month to month on the line that the upgrade was transferred to and two upgrades available later this year. Feels like a bug but I have no idea how/why they'd catch it at this point.

 

[Lodingi]

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

(recap: 4 lines. 2 UDP, 2 dumb. 1 upgrade avail on each. transferred to dumblines, BOGO'd the S5. Activated on the smartphone lines with my S3 sims)

When I logged into my account on the web it was giving me crap about 'pending orders' but at the advice of others I let it go and it has indeed dropped off so everything has gone swimmingly. My total plan is unchanged, 2 dumbphones, 2 unlimited. Kicker is somehow this only extended the contract on one of the lines. So I've got one contract that goes until 2016, 1 month to month on the line that the upgrade was transferred to and two upgrades available later this year. Feels like a bug but I have no idea how/why they'd catch it at this point.

Wow. Good for you. I couldn't get past the plan selection screen. It was forcing me to a tiered data plan.

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[avatar480]

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

Of you active or first with the old SIM you shouldn't have any problem getting a new SIM from Verizon later on.

The sim card for Verizon only holds the ISIS NFC capability. If you are not familiar with that, it is Verizons version of Google Wallet. You don't need this unless you plan on using the service. I disabled the app and will never use it. The phone itself does have NFC built in. There is a chip that is set around the camera area. I have confirmed this with my M8 and I can assure you it does work. I tried it several times with my wifes S3. Just make sure both phones have NFC turned on. On the M8 there is an icon on the notification bar that shows NFC is turned on. Stupid it's there but nothing you can do about it unless you turn off NFC. Just be aware, the NFC is a bit finicky but it does work, guaranteed!

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated. I don't care about Verizon's version of Google Wallet so I'll stick with my cut down SIM. Good luck to everyone.

 

[jyoung927]

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

When you went to make a phone call, did you make the call from the phone you just picked up?

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No. I left my current phone in my car, just to further try to avoid switching anything from the old one to the new one. Never even took the new one out of the bag. Picked up my old phone, turned the screen on, and noticed that data was no longer there. Bastards.

I don't think they'll be that concerned with this

I guess what i'm thinking is, if something were to go wrong and i were to lose my UDP again, the second time i go through the process to try to get it back all the notes and activity from this first time will be on my account. And if it's just a group of people at vzw who decide on a case by case basis whether or not they'll give it back, and they see I've already done this once, they may not be so forgiving the second time around.

Yeah the big thing was YOU NEED IT DELIVERED TO A PLACE YOU CAN SIGN FOR IT. Also because of BB strict delivery policy you need to sign for it. This is the only option you have.

This isn't my problem, i can easily have it delivered to my work and sign for it. Although...that would make the billing and shipping addresses different, which seems to also be raising red flags with them? FCCCKKKK.

 

[Ceetar]

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

Wow. Good for you. I couldn't get past the plan selection screen. It was forcing me to a tiered data plan.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

I never had to select an overall plan, kept me on the nationwide plan or whatever it was I have. Just selected the 2gb for data for the lines since I wasn't going to activate them anyway and it didn't matter. I was expecting to have to manually downgrade them after all activations were complete, but ended up not having to.

 

[rdjr74]

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

Yep exactly! I to read all of these posts as it seems you did as well and that did come up. I would avoid any questions if at all possible and do the steps in order as people have stated and as I have. I didn't want to take any chances what so ever. And I am now rocking a M8 with UDP in-tacked

 

[minidre]

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

I did geek squad protection and they sent me an email confirmation of being active the day I recieved the shipment don't cancel it'll go throught mine did. GS5 with UDP

Ah good to know, I didn't cancel it yet thank you very much

 

[droidfourlife]

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

ok looking for my easiest way to upgrade 2 lines i have..

line 1 UDP upgrade ready, razr
line 2 UDP upgrade ready, bionic
line 3 4gb data, iphone5
line 4 dumb phone, upgrade ready

option 1.....should i switch upgrade to dumb phone, upgrade to smart phone with data plan, activate then deactivate and cancel data plan and switch new phone to line 1 and repeat process for line 2 or...
option 2.....should i switch upgrade to line 3 since its not unlimited and already has data. take new upgrade and get new phone, then reactivate iphone5 and take the new phone and put it on line 1 and repeat process for line 2.

which way would you think is easier to do in store? i was thinking about doing the BB upgrade loophole but would have to do alot of sim card cutting that i really do want to mess with.

 

[droidfourlife]

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

ok looking for my easiest way to upgrade 2 lines i have..

line 1 UDP upgrade ready, razr
line 2 UDP upgrade ready, bionic
line 3 4gb data, iphone5
line 4 dumb phone, upgrade ready

option 1.....should i switch upgrade to dumb phone, upgrade to smart phone with data plan, activate then deactivate and cancel data plan and switch new phone to line 1 and repeat process for line 2 or...
option 2.....should i switch upgrade to line 3 since its not unlimited and already has data. take new upgrade and get new phone, then reactivate iphone5 and take the new phone and put it on line 1 and repeat process for line 2.

which way would you think is easier to do in store? i was thinking about doing the BB upgrade loophole but would have to do alot of sim card cutting that i really do want to mess with.

 

[tottenj]

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

Just got shipping confirmation for an S5 that I ordered yesterday, Verizon is still showing unlimited with an upgrade date of 2016.

 

[chris98891]

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

got my shipping notification on the m8. VZW shows unlimited until 2016! Let's hope it stays this way!

 

[Daniel Marlar]

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

So I am still wondering if this can work by purchasing a phone from somewhere else. BB doesn't offer a shipping option for the phone I am interested in, but I can get it off amazon and have it shipped to my house. Any feedback would be awesome.

 

[tx_tuff]

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

So I am still wondering if this can work by purchasing a phone from somewhere else. BB doesn't offer a shipping option for the phone I am interested in, but I can get it off amazon and have it shipped to my house. Any feedback would be awesome.

Haven't heard of this working anywhere else. But try it. When you get to the party were you pick your data plan and it doesn't let you keep you current plan (unlimited) then it doesn't work. If you can keep it then go for it.