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

[Simon_y7]

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

Verizon did away with 20 month upgrades. Now, the upgrade is aligned with the contract end date.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II via Tapatalk 4

Well, here what's confusing. I got my current phone on 11/28/2011. My account shows that I was eligible for an upgrade on 7/28/2013, with the Note 3 pre-order at $299.99. 7/28/2013 is 20 months after I got my Rezound.

 

[dss2000]

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

Well, here what's confusing. I got my current phone on 11/28/2011. My account shows that I was eligible for an upgrade on 7/28/2013, with the Note 3 pre-order at $299.99. 7/28/2013 is 20 months after I got my Rezound.

Basically Verizon is doing away with the 20 month upgrade cycle. Before contracts would be for 24 months but they gave you a 4 month break so you could upgrade at 20 months but now they've done away with that so that you can only upgrade after 24 months. But people that were expecting their upgrade at 20 months would be upset. So they still honored those grandfathered phones but going forward will not be able to upgrade until 24 months. There is not additional price break if you wait for the 24 month mark.

 

[dss2000]

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

Confused (sorta).

I see the transfer upgrade option on my unlimited data line (line 1). (line 1 is eligible for upgrade)
Line 2 has LG cosmos 2 (no data required). Line 2 has no data and not eligible for upgrade until 02/2015

So I will transfer upgrade from line 1 (unlimited data line) to line 2 (LG cosmo/no data).

Than I will use upgrade on line 2 (at corp store or online) to buy smartphone and activate smartphone on line 2 and add 2GB data (can this upgrade be done at retail corp store?).

Than after transaction takes place, I will just insert my 4g LTE sim that I already in line 1 and I am done.

Just call VZ to switch line 2 to LG cosmos 2 and take off data?

You can do it online or in the store. You transfer the upgrade to line 2 select a phone to use the upgrade. Because it is a smartphone it needs a data plan so you select one but it will only be for a very short time. Once you get the phone you put your original phone you had on line 2. If it is a dumb phone you will select a new plan again but it won't have data on it so that will drop off. Now you have a smartphone no longer attached to a line. You then activate that phone on your number 1 line. You can't just swap the sim because that is only the 4G part. You need to activate it on line 1 either online or in the store. Sometimes that is all you need to do, sometimes the sim stays associated with your #2 line even though you put your dumb phone back on there. You can clear this up either by taking the 4G sim from the original #1 phone and putting it in your new smartphone or by calling Verizon and asking them to un-associate the sim from the #2 line so you can use it on your #1 line.

 

[shadowsjc]

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

help please

current situation: 2 line family plan

line 1 (mine): droid bionic, unlimited 4G data
line 2: dumb phone,no data (upgrade available)

Step 1: go to VZW, ask for an upgrade on the dumb phone line. Get the LG G2 with 2 GB data
Step 2: go home, call VZW Customer service, ask to reactivate the dumb phone on line 2.
Step 3: call VZW Customer Service, ask them to activate the LG G2 on my Droid Bionic unlimited 4G line

Would this work in allowing me to keep Unlimited 4G? And would I only pay the $200 for the new phone on 2 yr contract? I'm just waiting for the "catch"...like would they charge me something at a later point in time? Or worse take away my unlimited 4G?

 

[Super Turtleman]

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

help please

current situation: 2 line family plan

line 1 (mine): droid bionic, unlimited 4G data
line 2: dumb phone,no data (upgrade available)

Step 1: go to VZW, ask for an upgrade on the dumb phone line. Get the LG G2 with 2 GB data
Step 2: go home, call VZW Customer service, ask to reactivate the dumb phone on line 2.
Step 3: call VZW Customer Service, ask them to activate the LG G2 on my Droid Bionic unlimited 4G line

Would this work in allowing me to keep Unlimited 4G? And would I only pay the $200 for the new phone on 2 yr contract? I'm just waiting for the "catch"...like would they charge me something at a later point in time? Or worse take away my unlimited 4G?

If you read my prior post (and many others) you'll see you can do most if not all of this online without having to contact Verizon. Involving a VZW employee is the greatest risk to your unlimited data IMO.

Sent from my Razr Maxx using Tapatalk 4

 

[dss2000]

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

help please

current situation: 2 line family plan

line 1 (mine): droid bionic, unlimited 4G data
line 2: dumb phone,no data (upgrade available)

Step 1: go to VZW, ask for an upgrade on the dumb phone line. Get the LG G2 with 2 GB data
Step 2: go home, call VZW Customer service, ask to reactivate the dumb phone on line 2.
Step 3: call VZW Customer Service, ask them to activate the LG G2 on my Droid Bionic unlimited 4G line

Would this work in allowing me to keep Unlimited 4G? And would I only pay the $200 for the new phone on 2 yr contract? I'm just waiting for the "catch"...like would they charge me something at a later point in time? Or worse take away my unlimited 4G?

This might actually be more straight forward than the method described by the original poster because the upgrade available is on the dumb phone on line 2 that doesn't have data. You might want to contact Verizon to verify but I think you can just use your upgrade on line #2 and get a new phone at the subsidized price, $200 in this example and just activate it on line #1. You will be tied into a new contract on line #2. Since you aren't transferring the upgrade from the unlimited data line to another line. I've had phones that I had upgrades on and just sold the phone new out of the box without activating it on my phone line. The purchaser didn't have any problem activating the phone. I think many of the phones sold on eBay and Craig's list that are brand new out of the box are obtained this way. Let us know what they say, if this is true it would save a lot of people a few extra steps. This is different than what the original poster said so I would verify it with Verizon.

If they say you can't simply do as above you should be able to buy a new phone using the upgrade on line 2, activate it on line 2. Put the original dumb phone back on line 2. Then putting that new phone on line 1.

 

[KJD209]

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

Here's what you do. Order LG G2 online using verizon30 code (30% off) on the basic line. When the phone arrives, do not activate it on that line. Activate it directly on your line as a "switch device" transaction. If you have a sim card, just install and go. If you do not have a sim card, just enter imei and sim card serial number into proper boxes online. You now have an LG G2 on your unlimted line and, since you never activated the smart phone on your other line, it stays as it is.

 

[aneftp]

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

One last question,

The line I "transfered the upgrade to" (line 2) the one with the LG Cosmos isn't currently eligible for an upgrade.

So does that make a difference the line 2 withouth an upgrade?

Someone said the line I would need to transfer the upgrade to has to be eligbile for an upgrade?

So that would not make any sense. Since my line 1 (unlimited data line) that's currently eligbile for upgrade. I want to transfer that upgrade to line 2 (no data/LG Cosmos 2) that's not eligible for upgrade till 2015. Does it matter if line isn't eligible for upgrade. I want to than obviously transfer the upgrade to line 2 than upgrade to new smartphone.

 

[shadowsjc]

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

Here's what you do. Order LG G2 online using verizon30 code (30% off) on the basic line. When the phone arrives, do not activate it on that line. Activate it directly on your line as a "switch device" transaction. If you have a sim card, just install and go. If you do not have a sim card, just enter imei and sim card serial number into proper boxes online. You now have an LG G2 on your unlimted line and, since you never activated the smart phone on your other line, it stays as it is.

Will doing this re-set my contract for 2 more years on verizon? Will I still have the original minutes and texting plan, just for 2 more years?

 

[Ratamacue2]

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

Will doing this re-set my contract for 2 more years on verizon? Will I still have the original minutes and texting plan, just for 2 more years?

Yes and yes.

 

[anon(647285)]

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

I've been reading through this entire thread. I have only one line unlimited line, is it still possible for folks like me?

 

[mstraw9379]

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

Quick question for those that have done this? does it have to be a dumb phone line that you use? I was going to use a smartphone line that already has a 2GB plan. That way I don't have to deal with the start and stop of a data plan.

Please let me know. Plan on getting a new phone soon.

 

[cc1995]

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

Hey guys. Galaxy Nexus owner here and I'm interested in getting the LG G2 and I currently have unlmited data I want to keep. My wife also has a smartphone with unlimited as well and we both are eligible for upgrades and we both want to keep our unlimited if possible. Is this senario possible?

I have her purchase the LG G2 I want using her upgrade online using the Verizon30 discount. When we receive it in the mail. I don't have her activate it and just leave her old Iphone (I know...I've been trying to get her to switch) on her line and take the LG G2 and bring it into a Verizon store and have them activate it on my line and keep unlimited. When she decides she wants to upgrade. I can do the same thing and just give her the phone I purchased using my upgrade and not activate it and give it to her and she can get it placed on her line....thus us both keeping our unlimited data. Has anyone ever been in this situation and can this not be done like this...or is there another way I can accomplish keeping my unlimited on both lines without having to purchase a full priced phone. I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks,

 

[jcash3]

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

Quick question for those that have done this? does it have to be a dumb phone line that you use? I was going to use a smartphone line that already has a 2GB plan. That way I don't have to deal with the start and stop of a data plan.

Please let me know. Plan on getting a new phone soon.

Nope, use the 2GB line for the upgrade. Make sure that they phone is activated on that 2GB line before activating it on the unlimited line though.

 

[jcash3]

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

Hey guys. Galaxy Nexus owner here and I'm interested in getting the LG G2 and I currently have unlmited data I want to keep. My wife also has a smartphone with unlimited as well and we both are eligible for upgrades and we both want to keep our unlimited if possible. Is this senario possible?

I have her purchase the LG G2 I want using her upgrade online using the Verizon30 discount. When we receive it in the mail. I don't have her activate it and just leave her old Iphone (I know...I've been trying to get her to switch) on her line and take the LG G2 and bring it into a Verizon store and have them activate it on my line and keep unlimited. When she decides she wants to upgrade. I can do the same thing and just give her the phone I purchased using my upgrade and not activate it and give it to her and she can get it placed on her line....thus us both keeping our unlimited data. Has anyone ever been in this situation and can this not be done like this...or is there another way I can accomplish keeping my unlimited on both lines without having to purchase a full priced phone. I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks,

The only way that I know of to keep both lines unlimited is to add a third line, transfer your upgrade to it and activate it on that third line. Activating the phone on any unlimited line will require you to switch to a tiered data structure. It might be worth the extra $10/mo or so to keep the unlimited data.

 

[barr377]

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

Can this loophole be done by buying a phone directly from an Apple store and then doing the transfer? I have unlimited on my line and my brother has a dumb phone. Can I upgrade his phone through apple and then do the transfer of the phone to my line, or is it safer to buy the phone directly from a verizon store? Thanks!

 

[cc1995]

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

If I add a third line and do it that way. Would I be able to do the same thing with my wifes line as well in about a month. Just again transfer her upgrade back to the third line and then transfer that third line back to a dumb phone and take off the data and have her put the new phone on her line keeping unlimited in place for her as well?

One other question. Once My wife and I transfer our upgrades and put these new phones on our existing unlimited plans, we will never be eligible for another upgrade again since we will not have signed any new contracts....is that correct? Or once we transfer the upgrade a new two year time period will be placed on our line again? It would suck if in order to keep unlimited and get a new phone means you will never be eleigible for a new subsidized phone again since you never signed a new cotract.. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[tx_tuff]

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

If I add a third line and do it that way. Would I be able to do the same thing with my wifes line as well in about a month. Just again transfer her upgrade back to the third line and then transfer that third line back to a dumb phone and take off the data and have her put the new phone on her line keeping unlimited in place for her as well?

One other question. Once My wife and I transfer our upgrades and put these new phones on our existing unlimited plans, we will never be eligible for another upgrade again since we will not have signed any new contracts....is that correct? Or once we transfer the upgrade a new two year time period will be placed on our line again? It would suck if in order to keep unlimited and get a new phone means you will never be eleigible for a new subsidized phone again since you never signed a new cotract.. Hope I'm wrong.

You can do the same thing with your wife's as soon as you are done with the first one, no reason to wait.

Both lines will be on a new 2 year contract, whatever line you transfer the update from gets a new 2 year contract. So you keep your unlimited but you are still under a new contract.

 

[cc1995]

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

Thanks for the help explaining. That's good to know about the new 2 year contract once I transfer.

 

[kajinofe]

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

Is anyone having issues doing the online swap of the devices. I keep getting to the page where it says:
"Switch Device
Transfer SIM Cards
To transfer service to a new device, just move the SIM Card from your current device, put it in the new device, and turn the new device on.

Once the SIM Cards have been transferred, follow the instructions below to restore contacts to your device. This will complete your activation."

I've waited 30 min and logged back into my vzw account and still the change didn't take place on the site. The new phone didn't deactivate either...