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

[Mr. Toad]

So to recap, there are two methods to keep your unlimited.

1. BB method
- Go bestbuy online and purchase a phone with keeping existing plan option, and ship it to home.
- When the phone arrives, throw out the sim card of the new one, and insert the existing simcard from old phone into the new phone.
- In this method, activation fee of $35 is charged upon the purchase from BB.

2. Transfer method on family plan.
- When your UDP line is up for upgrade, log into your Non-UDP line and browse for a new phone.
- Get the upgrade transferred from the UDP Line when prompting to purchase through the Non-UDP line.
- When the phone arrives, Activate the phone from Non-UDP line ($35 activation charge), then put a old simcard into the new phone to activate the phone on UDP line.

My question is,
at the last stage of the method 2,
Can I do the following??
- When the phone arrives, instead of activate the new phone from Non-UDP, just insert the old simcard into the new phone to activate the phone on UDP line and avoid paying $35 activation fee.

Much appriciated,
Thx

I think people don't get charged the fee from the best buy model is because the fee is part of the change order. That change order is bypassed by destroying the SIM.

When you order from Verizon they automatically charge the fee.

 

[Netfuel]

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

I received a G3 in the mail today, and am going to try the method that user FlyingArrow used. My wife and I are both on UDP, month to month, with upgrades. I ordered her a G3 with my upgrade (like I was ordering the phone for myself), and will activate it on her line later tonight. I had to go through the motions of changing my plan, so I selected the 2GB plan. It still shows Unlimited on my line, and it should be preserved, since that new G3 will not be activated on my line, and the 2GB option should fall off within a few days. I'll post back with the results.

A big thanks to all who have been so helpful in this Bible-like thread, detailing how we can keep our Unlimited!!

 

[paizk]

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

Hi everyone! I had a quick question. I went through the process of upgrading my phone to an lg g2 through best buy, removing the new sim card and cutting down my old standard one to the size of a micro-sim card using a cutter i bought. It fits like a glove but now whenever i insert my sim card it searches for the sim card for about 30 seconds then goes to "emergency calls only." Is there any way of fixing this without losing my UDP?

Thanks!

(sorry if someone with a similar problem has already been given a solution, this is a pretty big topic)

 

[dss2000]

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

So to recap, there are two methods to keep your unlimited.
2. Transfer method on family plan.
- When your UDP line is up for upgrade, log into your Non-UDP line and browse for a new phone.
- Get the upgrade transferred from the UDP Line when prompting to purchase through the Non-UDP line.
- When the phone arrives, Activate the phone from Non-UDP line ($35 activation charge), then put a old simcard into the new phone to activate the phone on UDP line.

My question is,
at the last stage of the method 2,
Can I do the following??
- When the phone arrives, instead of activate the new phone from Non-UDP, just insert the old simcard into the new phone to activate the phone on UDP line and avoid paying $35 activation fee.

Much appriciated,
Thx

Yes, if you purchased the phone from Verizon you don't need to activate the phone first on the Non-UDP line. Just take the SIM from your old UDP phone and put it in your new phone (assuming it's the same size SIM). The Non-UDP phones pending activation will eventually fall off within about a week. There is nothing wrong with activating first on the Non-UDP line but it's just an extra unnecessary step. Also if you don't have the phone in your possession whoever is using it will get their service interrupted until the phone is re-activated. Basic phones have to go through the *228 process.

But when purchasing from Best Buy doing this method some poster have reported that the pending activation didn't fall off and they had to call Verizon to have them take it off or they had to activate then deactivate the phone on the Non-UDP line to get it off.

 

[dss2000]

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

Go get em FCC !!

FCC head chastises Verizon for throttling unlimited data plans

FCC head chastises Verizon for throttling unlimited data plans

"Mead and company may contend that unlimited users are more likely to choke the network. However, that could be a difficult argument to make when Verizon is targeting only unlimited customers, not capped users who chew up similar amounts of bandwidth. The provider also can't point to the lack of penalties for AT&T's actions, since that carrier didn't agree to open access rules for its LTE frequencies. Unless Verizon can persuade the FCC that throttling is genuinely necessary, it may have to reconsider its strategy."​

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

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

Go get em FCC !!

FCC head chastises Verizon for throttling unlimited data plans

FCC head chastises Verizon for throttling unlimited data plans

"Mead and company may contend that unlimited users are more likely to choke the network. However, that could be a difficult argument to make when Verizon is targeting only unlimited customers, not capped users who chew up similar amounts of bandwidth. The provider also can't point to the lack of penalties for AT&T's actions, since that carrier didn't agree to open access rules for its LTE frequencies. Unless Verizon can persuade the FCC that throttling is genuinely necessary, it may have to reconsider its strategy."​

This could be bad, Verizon might just throttle everyone regardless.

I think Verizon has a rough road ahead. If they start throttling every user, people will get less data, which will reduce their dad income.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[cnotes2019]

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

This could be bad, Verizon might just throttle everyone regardless.

I think Verizon has a rough road ahead. If they start throttling every user, people will get less data, which will reduce their dad income.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

I doubt they will throttle everyone. This may hasten the end of unlimited


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[trucksmoveamerica#AC]

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

Well I just secured another 2 years

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

 

[dss2000]

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

This could be bad, Verizon might just throttle everyone regardless.

I think Verizon has a rough road ahead. If they start throttling every user, people will get less data, which will reduce their dad income.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

They are making too much money on selling higher and higher data limit tiered plans, they wouldn't throttle everyone just to convert a few more unlimited data plans. But they better back off implementing throttling on data on unlimited plans otherwise they will be getting in trouble with the FCC.

 

[Vancouverbluz]

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

No one answered my question. I asked if I can get a lg g3 by changing shipping type from store pickup to ship to home over that phone.

 

[cnotes2019]

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

No one answered my question. I asked if I can get a lg g3 by changing shipping type from store pickup to ship to home over that phone.

I don't believe you can change it since bb doesn't offer shipping on it in the first place. If you have another line that's not unlimited and doesn't have an upgrade you could transfer the upgrade from your UDP and pick up in store.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rdjr74]

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

From their site:
How will I know if I’m in the top 5% of data users?
As of March 2014, the top 5% of data users were using 4.7 GB or more of data each month.

Back on point

 

[billr]

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

I did it and it worked. Setup:
line 1: ULD, GNex w/ micro sim, upgrade available
line 2: 2GB tiered, no upgrade

On Verizon's website:
1. transfer upgrade from line 1 to line 2
2. select a new Moto-X phone and place the order

When the phone arrives, go back to Verizon website and:
3. activate it on line 2
4. wait for status in My Verizon to indicate it knows about the new phone (I waited overnight, so I don't know how it takes; I just know it isn't immediate)
5. switch devices on line 2 to select the original phone
6. switch devices on line 1 to select the new Moto X phone, which is now available
7. at this point, it wants a sim number. Just to get past this step, I entered the number of the sim that came with the phone (even though it was activated on the other line).

Now, make a trip to the local Verizon corporate store and ask for a new sim for the new phone. They will do this for free and it won't affect your plan or anything.

That was it. Now, I have the new Moto X with ULD and my wife has her Razr M still. She has her original contract end date and my contract date is two years out, as expected.

Note: the only reason I needed to visit the corporate store was because the sim in my GNex doesn't fit the Moto X and I didn't want to cut it down. If your old sim fits, enter that sim number at step 7 and you are all set.

 

[shortwave8669]

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

Received new Galaxy Note 3 today at the subsidized price from BB of only $99 !! Woohoo

1) removed the included new SIM card

2) inserted the old SIM card that belongs to my VZW UDP plan

3) powered on the Note 3

4) checked VZW.com confirmed Note 3 showing using my phone #

5) VZW shows UDP still in place and contract extended for 2 yrs.

 

[cnotes2019]

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

Received new Galaxy Note 3 today at the subsidized price from BB of only $99 !! Woohoo

1) removed the included new SIM card

2) inserted the old SIM card that belongs to my VZW UDP plan

3) powered on the Note 3

4) checked VZW.com confirmed Note 3 showing using my phone #

5) VZW shows UDP still in place and contract extended for 2 yrs.

I did the same thing but for the m8!! I really wanted to bite on the note 3 deal but I'm saving my last upgrades for the fall/winter festivities


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[xyhapu]

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

6. switch devices on line 1 to select the new Moto X phone, which is now available

How did you do this without the site prompting you to change plans? I literally can't make any change on my UDP lines without it telling me to switch to a 'compatible' plan. Even switching already activated and working phones (between lines that are both UDP!) will tell me I need to change my plan.

Hi everyone! I had a quick question. I went through the process of upgrading my phone to an lg g2 through best buy, removing the new sim card and cutting down my old standard one to the size of a micro-sim card using a cutter i bought. It fits like a glove but now whenever i insert my sim card it searches for the sim card for about 30 seconds then goes to "emergency calls only." Is there any way of fixing this without losing my UDP?

The same thing happens to me. The SIM works fine when I move it back to my original phone, but on my new phone I get a SIM not provisioned MM#2 error and a lack of service.

 

[dj1807]

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

Received new Galaxy Note 3 today at the subsidized price from BB of only $99 !! Woohoo

1) removed the included new SIM card

2) inserted the old SIM card that belongs to my VZW UDP plan

3) powered on the Note 3

4) checked VZW.com confirmed Note 3 showing using my phone #

5) VZW shows UDP still in place and contract extended for 2 yrs.

Congrats man. I missed the sale price by one day. Kicking myself SAS gunning for the Note 3 also.

Thinking on taking a chance on waiting for the Note 4 now. What's everyone's opinion on the BB method still being in place at that time?

 

[senior_chupon]

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

So I ordered a phone on my line and should have it soon.

My wife has an iPhone 4s. Assuming this is still possible when the new iPhone comes out this fall, could I theoretically upgrade hers the same way?

the iPhone 4s has a micro sim and I would assume since the 5, 5s and 5c all use nano that any new devices will as well. That's the only hurdle I can see, getting the micro down to sim.

Is my only option to cut the card down? Is there any way to get a nano sim from VZW before the new phone is ordered?

 

[billr]

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

How did you do this without the site prompting you to change plans? I literally can't make any change on my UDP lines without it telling me to switch to a 'compatible' plan. Even switching already activated and working phones (between lines that are both UDP!) will tell me I need to change my plan.

I am on a legacy 700 min family plan and it didn't ask or prompt me to change plans when I tried to activate the new device. I just selected the new phone from the list of previously used phones and it worked.

 

[shortwave8669]

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

Congrats man. I missed the sale price by one day. Kicking myself SAS gunning for the Note 3 also.

Thinking on taking a chance on waiting for the Note 4 now. What's everyone's opinion on the BB method still being in place at that time?

Of course only a VZW/BB insider would have a real answer to your question. But given the age of this conversation and the couple of others found here on Android Central it seems a reasonable assumption to make.

If the G3 is any example. it could be quite some time after the Note 4 is introduced before BB has it to ship. Not being an insider I'm just guessing...