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

[androidluvr2]

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

I got him a new phone from Ebay so i want to know if i can go online and use the activate or switch device feature on verizon.com or do i need to do the whole under the radar thing by switching the sim cards.

If you bought the phone from ebay, there is no problem with unlimited data if you activate it on the line as long as it is a smartphone and it is. All of what is being talked about here has to do with getting a subsidized phone using an upgrade.

I plan to use my upgrade to "upgrade" my brothers phone then reactivate his old phone leaving me with my new phone to use on my account.

Transfer your upgrade to your brother's line, use the upgrade on your brother's line, activate the new phone on his line and then activate his old phone back on his line. Then get a new SIM card for the new phone for your line and activate the new phone on your line.

Anyways overall what im trying to figure out is can i do the activation of the phones using the website without it changing my plan or do i need to just switch the sim cards and keep it off of the verizon website.we already have 4g sim cards in our active phones. Thanks for all the help by the way!!

I will need to defer to someone else about whether or not you can use the old SIM card in the new phone. In fact, you should start a new thread with this question in the Verizon forum.

As for the activation via website, yes you can do that without it changing your plans. Just be sure and activate any subsidized phones on your brother's 2GB line before you switch them to your unlimited data lines.

 

[filmsquad]

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

This thread should be a sticky. I finally joined the android family over from rotten apple. Ive been following this particular thread for a few weeks now and pulled the trigger on the "loophole". This fri will be the end of my billing cycle but at the same time ill be receiving my upgrade phone am i too late in finding out if my unlimited will stay active? If i followed the op's directions i really dont have to worry about losing my unlimited data right?

 

[mesocyclonic]

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

This thread should be a sticky. I finally joined the android family over from rotten apple. Ive been following this particular thread for a few weeks now and pulled the trigger on the "loophole". This fri will be the end of my billing cycle but at the same time ill be receiving my upgrade phone am i too late in finding out if my unlimited will stay active? If i followed the op's directions i really dont have to worry about losing my unlimited data right?

If you followed the directions, you should be fine. You can check on MyVerizon periodically over the next few weeks to make sure your line still has unlimited data.

 

[jessenj]

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

Can someone point me in the right direction? I have 2 Androids on my Family Share plan, mine and my wife's. We both have upgrades available on our lines because I bought our phones out of contract at full retail to keep my unlimited plans. Now, I would like to swap my S3 for the S4 when it comes, but I want to know how I can get the subsidized price and use my upgrade without sacrificing my unlimited?

Thanks in advance.

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Can someone point me in the right direction? I have 2 Androids on my Family Share plan, mine and my wife's. We both have upgrades available on our lines because I bought our phones out of contract at full retail to keep my unlimited plans. Now, I would like to swap my S3 for the S4 when it comes, but I want to know how I can get the subsidized price and use my upgrade without sacrificing my unlimited?

You have to add a line to the family plan to keep unlimited data on both your and your wife's lines.

So you would add a line and get an S4 at that time. Then follow the procedure of activating the S4 on the new line, then activating a dumbphone on the new line (or the ghost ESN) and dropping the data plan. Then activate the S4 on your line but you would need to get a new SIM card from Verizon for that step.

Then you transfer your upgrade to the new line and get another S4 and sell the extra S4 to recoup the fees for the added line.

 

[androidluvr2]

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

I just called verizon, and if you are swapping two 4G LTE phones between lines, you can just exchange SIM cards. If you do not currently have a 4G LTE phone on the line you want to move a 4G LTE phone to, you need to get a new SIM card. The SIM cards are associated with the phone number of the line. There is no way to disassociate the SIM card with the phone number it is assigned to once it is activated in the Verizon system.

 

[androidluvr2]

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

or do i need to just switch the sim cards and keep it off of the verizon website.we already have 4g sim cards in our active phones. Thanks for all the help by the way!!

I just called verizon on this. If you have two 4G LTE phones that have already been activated, you just swap the SIM cards between the two phones to switch them to the other's line.

 

[rechvanny]

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

Past the 14 days and one billing cycle and I still get to keep my unlimited. I guess I'm pretty safe having to worry about it being taken away at this point now. Yay! Thanks so much for the idea androidluvr2! And to the Verizon rep who I spoke with, thank you so much!

<3 my Galaxy Note 2...

 

[pezboy]

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

I am going to pull the trigger today. Am I understanding the process correctly?

1. Add a new smartphone line (line #3) to my nationwide family plan that has 2 unlimited data phones (lines #1 & #2).
2. After activating new smartphone line (#3), transfer unlimited data upgrade from line 1 to new line 3.
3. Upgrade and activate line 3 with line #1's upgrade.
4. ESN change either new smartphone to line #1.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for line #2.

Am I missing anything?

 

[androidluvr2]

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

1. Add a new smartphone line (line #3) to my nationwide family plan that has 2 unlimited data phones (lines #1 & #2).
2. After activating new smartphone line (#3), transfer unlimited data upgrade from line #1 to new line #3.
3. Upgrade and activate line #3 with line #1's upgrade.
4. ESN change either new smartphone to line #1.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for line #2.

Am I missing anything?

You got it! The only additional step I would consider is after you get done using/activating line #2's upgrade on line #3, put a dumbphone on line #3 to drop the data plan but that assumes you don't want 3 smartphone lines and are going to sell one of the phones to recoup the cost of line #3. If you want 3 smartphone lines then of course, you wouldn't do that.

Just to clarify, if all of the smartphones including the old phones are 4G LTE phones, all step 4 requires is a SIM card swap between the phones assuming the phones have the same types of SIM cards (micro, nano, etc.) If they have different SIM card types (for instance iPhone 5 has a nano SIM and Galaxy Note 2 has a micro SIM) you have to actually get a new SIM card to swap the phones. There are ways to cut SIM cards and SIM card adapters, but I wouldn't mess with that when you can get them for free from Verizon.

If the old phones are not 4G LTE devices, then you need new SIM cards to get the new phones from line #3 to lines #1 and #2.

Please report your results back to us!

 

[Droid3r]

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

Why would he need to transfer upgrade to newly opened line 3?? Doesnt a new line comes with an upgrade??

iSheep... iSheep... Meowww that's Apple VZW GSIII

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Why would he need to transfer upgrade to newly opened line 3?? Doesnt a new line comes with an upgrade??

yes, but he wants 3 new smartphones - 2 for his 2 unlimited data lines and then probably 1 to sell to recoup the cost of the added 3rd line. Or maybe he wants 3 smartphone lines, idk.

 

[jmayer77]

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

I am going to pull the trigger today. Am I understanding the process correctly?

1. Add a new smartphone line (line #3) to my nationwide family plan that has 2 unlimited data phones (lines #1 & #2).
2. After activating new smartphone line (#3), transfer unlimited data upgrade from line 1 to new line 3.
3. Upgrade and activate line 3 with line #1's upgrade.
4. ESN change either new smartphone to line #1.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for line #2.

Am I missing anything?

I will probably be doing the same exact thing in the next few days but with 3 lines!

I was trying to add the new line online but it seems to want to change my plan to family share? Do I have to do this over the phone or in-store or am I missing a hidden option?

Thanks

 

[dpham00]

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

I will probably be doing the same exact thing in the next few days but with 3 lines!

I was trying to add the new line online but it seems to want to change my plan to family share? Do I have to do this over the phone or in-store or am I missing a hidden option?

Thanks

You should be currently on a family share plan and there is no requirement to move to the share everything plan. You can do it online

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[androidluvr2]

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

I was trying to add the new line online but it seems to want to change my plan to family share? Do I have to do this over the phone or in-store or am I missing a hidden option?

What do you mean change your plan to Family Share? Do you mean Share Everything? Nationwide Family Share is what you have now. It is different from Share Everything.

I did a mock add a device through my plan. You start by hitting My Verizon, then Add New Device. Then select your phone. Then select the data plan for new phone.

The only time there might be an issue is if you have some sort of special promo on your family share account, like I have unlimited any mobile to any mobile. I have to add a line over the phone because it will take away my any mobile to any mobile if I don't.

Just add the line over the phone if you are worried. Tell them you don't want to make any changes to your plan except to add a line and its associated data plan.

 

[HoosierDaddy2442]

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

OK. So I'm looking for the most logical solution to my plan to keep unlimited data and eventually purchase the S4 on my line. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Here's the details.

1. Galaxy Nexus - Unlimited Data - Upgrade eligible 8/15/13
2. HTC Thunderbolt - Unlimited Data - Upgrade says month-to-month?
3. Samsung Intensity II - Basic Phone - Upgrade "eligible for discount"

Here's what I'm wanting to do.

Purchase the S4 and keep unlimited data (Line #1)
Switch out of the HTC Thunderbolt on Line #2 and give my current Galaxy Nexus on Line #1 to my wife and her keep the unlimited data, as well. (Line #2)
Keep a basic phone as Line #3

If I'm understanding correctly, the upgrade dates don't matter, especially since I don't want to do an upgrade on an unlimited data line, correct? I would somehow have to alter my current plan on Line #3, in order to get this completed or add another line altogether, am I correct?

 

[dpham00]

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

OK. So I'm looking for the most logical solution to my plan to keep unlimited data and eventually purchase the S4 on my line. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Here's the details.

1. Galaxy Nexus - Unlimited Data - Upgrade eligible 8/15/13
2. HTC Thunderbolt - Unlimited Data - Upgrade says month-to-month?
3. Samsung Intensity II - Basic Phone - Upgrade "eligible for discount"

Here's what I'm wanting to do.

Purchase the S4 and keep unlimited data (Line #1)
Phase out of the HTC Thunderbolt on Line #2 and give my current Galaxy Nexus (Line #1) to my wife and her keep the unlimited data, as well. (Line #2)
Keep a basic phone as Line #3

If I'm understanding correctly, the upgrade dates don't matter, especially since I don't want to do an upgrade on an unlimited data line, correct? I would somehow have to alter my current plan on Line #3, in order to get this completed or add another line altogether, am I correct?

Upgrade line 3 to the s4, after activating the s4, simply move the sim from the gnex to the s4. Get a new sim for the tb line, since it has a mini sim. Activate the dumb phone back on the dumb phone line

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Purchase the S4 and keep unlimited data (Line #1)

1) upgrade the basic line #3 to get the S4, add a 2GB data plan to that line then activate the S4 on line #3.

2) Then put the Intensity II phone back on line #3 and drop the data plan.

3) Then put the S4 on your unlimited line - if the S4 uses a micro SIM, you will do that by taking the GNex's micro SIM out of it and putting it in the S4. If the S4 uses a nano SIM, you will need to get a new SIM card for the S4.

4) Move your GNex to line #2 by taking the micro SIM card out of the thunderbolt and putting that micro SIM card in the GNex (both are micro SIM cards).

 

[androidluvr2]

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

Get a new sim for the tb line, since it has a mini sim.

Ok, if the thunderbolt is a mini SIM instead of a micro SIM then you need a new SIM card since the GNex is a micro SIM. You would be able to tell by looking at them.

 

[dss2000]

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

yes, but he wants 3 new smartphones - 2 for his 2 unlimited data lines and then probably 1 to sell to recoup the cost of the added 3rd line. Or maybe he wants 3 smartphone lines, idk.

Wouldn't you
1. Get a new line #3 and a new subsidized smartphone with that line (call it phone C).
2. Swap phone C with phone on line #1 (call it phone A).
3. Transfer the upgrade from line #1 to line #3 to get a new phone (call it phone D)
4. Swap phone D with phone on line #2 (call it phone B)
5. Transfer upgrade from line #2 to line #3 to get another new phone (call it phone E)
6. Sell phone E
7. Get a tablet (Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, $189 on ebay) to put on line #3 to get the monthly price down to $10/mo. Hotspots are $20/mo, dumb phones are $30/mo.

Start:
Line #1: Phone A
Line #2: Phone B
Line #3: Phone C

End
Line #1: Phone C
Line #2: Phone D
Line #3: either Phone A or B or a tablet or nothing if they let you.
Extra Phone E sold

Question I have on step 7 is somebody told me you can have a line with no device and Verizon will charge you $10/mo. Is that correct? Then you wouldn't have to get a tablet.