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

[diesteldorf]

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

So how can I upgrade at Best Buy? Will they do the transfer for me?

Not trying to thread crap and I wish you the best of luck, but I am a big advocate for doing all the transferring and upgrading online and going through Verizon directly via the website.
I realize Best Buy may have a slightly cheaper price or better deal, but when you are asking 3rd Party retailers, or even corporate Verizon to deviate from the norm to do you a "favor" it may not work.

Either they won't know how to do it correctly and you'll lose unlimited data or they will be driven by the commission and just tell you whatever they can to close the sale.
It is also possible everything may turn out fine.

When I upgraded 2 of my lines, to Iphones in September--sold them later for extra cash--I had the peace of mind of knowing it would work. It was also hassle free because I did everything myself without involving another person. Regardless, good luck.

 

[DayThyme]

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

Not trying to thread crap and I wish you the best of luck, but I am a big advocate for doing all the transferring and upgrading online and going through Verizon directly via the website.

I realize Best Buy may have a slightly cheaper price or better deal, but when you are asking 3rd Party retailers, or even corporate Verizon to deviate from the norm to do you a "favor" it may not work.

Either they won't know how to do it correctly and you'll lose unlimited data or they will be driven by the commission and just tell you whatever they can to close the sale. It is also possible everything may turn out fine.

When I upgraded 2 of my lines, to Iphones in September--sold them later for extra cash--I had the peace of mind of knowing it would work. It was also hassle free because I did everything myself without involving another person. Regardless, good luck.

Thanks, I did it at Best Buy because I bought an iPhone 5s to sell so that I can use the cash to buy a Developer Edition Moto X or GNote 3, which are only available at full retail price (although the Moto X Dev Ed will be on sale Cyber Monday for $350). The Best Buy Black Friday deal was $125 for the 16GB iPhone 5s and I had signed up for the $50 gift card, so it came to $75! The deal is still on today if anyone is interested.

The Best Buy guy I had help me knew exactly how to transfer the upgrade. He activated the iPhone 5s in store, I came home and logged onto to my Verizon account and put the basic phone back on the line. It left a 75MB data plan on the line so I called Verizon and they removed that plan for me because I could not figure out how to do it online. The Verizon rep said I could have done it myself online by blocking data on the line.

Still have unlimited data on the line I transferred the upgrade from and the contract on that line has been extended 2 years as of yesterday!

 

[diesteldorf]

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

Cool. Glad it worked for you. Part of me is always nervous to get another person involved for fear that something could go wrong.

 

[DayThyme]

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

Cool. Glad it worked for you. Part of me is always nervous to get another person involved for fear that something could go wrong.

I am sure it is hit or miss with the Best Buy SAs.

 

[thakroz]

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

I've been reading through the thread over the past day or so, and it looks like this method is still a viable way to keep my unlimited data on my plan. I am currently in the Nationwide FS plan with two lines - both smartphone lines. It looks like I need to add a "dumbphone" line on my account which should run $10/mo., without changing my entire plan to a Share Everything.

When I try to do this online by clicking 'Add a Line', I choose a free Dumbphone, and when it comes time to choose a plan, it says my Data Plan is no longer available and that I will be changing my entire plan to a Share Everything plan - which would be bad. Do I have to add a dumb line via a Verizon Store, or....?

Thanks.

 

[diesteldorf]

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

Call Verizon to add a 3rd line. Also, do both your smartphones have unlimited data?

 

[nygiants8690]

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

That is correct.

 

[thakroz]

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

Yes, both of our lines have unlimited data. I will call (or maybe stop by a store?).

Thanks for the advice! Is it common to not be able to add a 3rd dumb line online without changing the overall plan?

 

[DayThyme]

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

Thanks for the advice! Is it common to not be able to add a 3rd dumb line online without changing the overall plan?

Once a plan is no longer offered to new customers, you have to call or have an in-store rep add the line. This is because they have to look for the code for you plan to add the line. No way to do that automatically.

 

[MPKim]

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

The fee they are talking about is the "INSTANT SAVINGS DISCOUNTS" $400 Charge, if certain actions are taken within 181 days. This fee is separate and on top of Verizon's $350 etf. I usually refer to it as a secondary etf for ease of calling, but the charge can be assessed even without terminating the line. Something like moving phones between lines even on the same account may incur this fee. This is the exact wording from Wirefly :

" INSTANT SAVINGS DISCOUNTS
Wirefly promises you savings in the form of instant discounts with no rebates or gimmicks when you sign up for wireless carrier service on a 2 year agreement. We are able to offer these great discounts because we get paid by the wireless carrier for having helped them get (or retain) a good customer. Delivering on this promise means that you must agree to maintain your agreement for a minimum of 181 days after activation. If we are notified by the carrier that they are not going to pay us because your phone has been deactivated during this period, then this may lead to additional charges.
To provide you with significant savings vs. buying in a retail store, the price you paid for your device includes an Instant Savings Discount from Wirefly.
By accepting this Instant Savings Discount, you agree to repay $200 of this discount ($400 for smartphones, tablets, and netbooks) and authorize us to charge your credit card in repayment of this amount if, you signed up for a 2 year agreement and during the 181 days after your new equipment is activated, your wireless carrier notifies us that the services you purchased have been suspended, disconnected, or deactivated, or if you return your purchase outside of the return and exchange provisions of our Satisfaction Guarantee.
Other than simply deactivating a line we’ve activated, your wireless carrier could notify us that you deactivated if:
You fail to pay the carrier in accordance with their terms and conditions
You transfer equipment we activate on one line to another carrier line, even within the same account
You activate this equipment on a new line of service with your current carrier and use it to replace an existing line by deactivating the existing line."

Wirefly terms and conditions including our equipment discount policy

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II via Tapatalk 4

Does anyone know if the bolded part applies if I transfer the phone to the unlimited line after activating it on another smartphone line that doesn't have unlimited data (same carrier)?

 

[DayThyme]

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

Does anyone know if the bolded part applies if I transfer the phone to the unlimited line after activating it on another smartphone line that doesn't have unlimited data (same carrier)?

Honestly, I am not sure why you are even asking this question. That is EXACTLY what it applies to. There is nothing to interpret here; it is as clear as day. If you do that, YES, YES, YES you will be charged the fee.

 

[MPKim]

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

Honestly, I am not sure why you are even asking this question. That is EXACTLY what it applies to. There is nothing to interpret here; it is as clear as day. If you do that, YES, YES, YES you will be charged the fee.

Well I didn't know if the "another" applied to "carrier", "line", or both "carrier" and "line"

 

[DayThyme]

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

Well I didn't know if the "another" applied to "carrier", "line", or both "carrier" and "line"

Not trying to be mean here, but this is simple reading comprehension. No law degree required.

" INSTANT SAVINGS DISCOUNTS
Wirefly promises you savings in the form of instant discounts with no rebates or gimmicks when you sign up for wireless carrier service on a 2 year agreement. We are able to offer these great discounts because we get paid by the wireless carrier for having helped them get (or retain) a good customer. Delivering on this promise means that you must agree to maintain your agreement for a minimum of 181 days after activation. If we are notified by the carrier that they are not going to pay us because your phone has been deactivated during this period, then this may lead to additional charges.

 

[LS50]

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

Other than simply deactivating a line we’ve activated, your wireless carrier could notify us that you deactivated if:

Operatve word above is "could" ... it does not say "will".

 

[ClintRo]

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

You only need one dummy line.....you can transfer an upgrade to it, get the new phone, then move that phone over to an unlimited line. Then you repeat the process with the upgrade from the other unlimited line...transferring the upgrade, getting the new phone, then switching that phone over to the unlimited line. If I read correct, the dummy line will cost you about $10/month additional.

Your new "dummy line" will be under a 2 year contract, essentially locking you in. Your 2 unlimited lines will not be locked into the new contract.

Plus.... When you add the dummy line it will come with an upgrade.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[DayThyme]

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

Your new "dummy line" will be under a 2 year contract, essentially locking you in. Your 2 unlimited lines will not be locked into the new contract.

Just to clarify - when you add a dummy line and get the subsidized phone that comes with it, the dummy line is under a 2 year contract. When you transfer an upgrade from an unlimited data line to an existing dummy line and upgrade on the dummy line, the contract that is extended 2 year is the unlimited data line's contract.

 

[macarthur4]

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

Can someone please confirm if this will work to keep unlimited data:

I will be using verizonwireless.com:

line 1 has unlimited data (upgrade eligible)
line 2 has 2gb (not upgrade eligible)

transfer upgrade from line 1 (unlimited) to line 2 (2 gb data).
upgrade line 2
activate new phone on line 2

then i am not sure what to do

use the "Switch device" option from line 2 to line 1
or do i switch sim cards?

then how do i reactivate line 2 ?

thanks for your help!

 

[DayThyme]

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

then i am not sure what to do
use the "Switch device" option from line 2 to line 1
or do i switch sim cards?

then how do i reactivate line 2 ?

After your new smartphone is activated on line 2, if the phone that was originally on line 2 has the same size SIM card, just take the SIM card from the new smartphone and put it in the phone that was originally on line 2.

And if the new smartphone has the same size SIM card as the phone you have now on line 1, then put the old line 1 SIM card in your new smartphone.

If your phones have different sized SIM cards, then you need new SIM cards.

 

[macarthur4]

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

Thanks for the reply DayThyme.
The older phone has a different sim card and the two newer ones would have the same one. Where do you get sim cards, from Verizon? How much are they?
Other than the sim card replacement option, would it work with the "Switch with another device" option on Verizonwireless.com? Or do you need to replace the sim cards?

Thanks again!

 

[DayThyme]

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

Where do you get sim cards, from Verizon? How much are they?

Verizon will give you a SIM card for free. You can call and have it mailed or stop in a store. They have no problem whatsoever with you switching phones around lines on your account. They can't - the terms of their Block C license prohibit them from doing anything to stop you from switching phones around.

Other than the sim card replacement option, would it work with the "Switch with another device" option on Verizonwireless.com?

yes, so for the phone that is currently on line 2, after you activate your new smartphone on line 2, log into Verizon and go to the switch device option for line 2. It will ask you if you are switching to a device that was previously on your account. You say yes and then you get to select that device from a drop down menu. That is all you do to put line 2's original phone back on line 2.

Then take the SIM card that is in the phone originally on line 1 and put it in the new smartphone and you are good to go.