Transfer Upgrade to 2GB Line to Preserve Unlimited

[WannaBeYou]

Here is my situation. I have 2 unlimited data lines sharing 700 minutes. I want to add another line for a family member who will have a smartphone on that line with 2GB of data and will join my other 2 lines in sharing the 700 minutes.

When that line is added, it is eligible for a subsidized phone. Then about 9 months later, I am eligible for upgrades on both of the unlimited data lines. I was told by VZN that I could do alternative upgrades at that time. The way it would work is I would transfer my upgrade from one of my unlimited lines to the 2GB line and get the subsidized phone on that line. Then I would activate the subsidized phone on the 2GB line and then transfer the subsidized phone back to my unlimited line and then put the smartphone that was originally on the 2GB line back on that line. I could then repeat that with the other unlimited data line.

From what I have read here and from what VZN has told me, this is called an alternative upgrade and that will not cause me to lose unlimited on the line I transferred the upgrade from.

My question is - What happens to the upgrade date on the 2GB line? Does it get reset at that point to be 20 months from the date I do the alternative upgrade on that line?

 

[spiraleze]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

Despite what you were told from the VZN rep you talked with I do not think you will be allowed to retain your unlimited data plans in the scenario you described.

When you do the "alternative upgrade" from the unlimited plan line you are signing a new contract for that line which automatically eliminates the availability/possibility of the unlimited data option for that line.

My guess is that the rep you were talking with either did not understand what you were suggesting, or maybe they were just leading you into a sale (for the 3rd line) as you would not be doing the "alternative upgrade" for 9 months, well past any time where the sales person would get into trouble.

 

[nerdyessence]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

No, if you use one of the unlimited data lines for an alternate upgrade for another line on the account. You'll lose the unlimited data on the line that you use. At this time, VZW allows you to keep the unlimited by purchasing the phone at full retail.

Doing an alternate upgrade makes the eligible line re-up for another 2 years with the contract.

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[Djnikkofb]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

If you add the hotspot for $30 on the grandfathered unlimited plan, will you retain your unlimited data? Is the hotspot just a feature that can he cancelled at will without affecting your plan?

Posted via Droid DNA/Transformer Infinity

 

[WannaBeYou]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

Guys - there is a poster on another thread who has done exactly what I described and he did not lose unlimited. He even posted a pick of his bill. So I think the VZN rep knew what they were talking about. I am going to call again and see if I get the same answer from a second rep.

 

[nerdyessence]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

You can try it if you like but you'll end up losing the unlimited data plan.

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[WannaBeYou]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

You can try it if you like but you'll end up losing the unlimited data plan.

Why is VZW rep telling me I won't? Why is there a poster on another thread who did and didn't lose unlimited and is showing a copy of his bill in the forum?

 

[WannaBeYou]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

Also, there are lots of posters on macrumors that claim to have done it, too. Please understand you have to transfer your unlimited data line's upgrade to a line without unlimited data and first ACTIVATE the new phone on the line without unlimited. Then switch the new phone to the unlimited data line and put a feature phone on the line without unlimited so that you don't have to pay for a data plan. So here is how it works:

Current lines:
Line 1 - GNex with Unlimited Data
Line 2 - iPhone 4S with Unlimited Data

I will add a line with 2GB data to my current family plan and buy an iPhone 5 at the subsidized price ($200). Then I will have

Line 1 - GNex with Unlimited Data
Line 2 - iPhone 4S with Unlimited Data
Line 3 - iPhone 5 with 2GB Data

Then I will sell the iPhone 5 and put a feature phone on Line 3, should end up netting about $300 since I think I can sell a brand new in box iPhone 5 for $550 and I will only pay $200 + tax + $35 activation fee for it. The $300 will cover the cost of Line 3 for 20 months until the next upgrade is available (20 months x $15/mo (where I live $10/mo added line + fees/taxes is around $15/mo)).

Then when Line 1 is eligible for an upgrade, I will transfer Line 1's upgrade to Line 3, get a smartphone that I want, activate it on Line 3 with a 2GB data plan and then reactivate the feature phone on Line 3 which will cancel the data plan on that line and use the new smartphone on Line 1. Then repeat this with Line 2's upgrade and when Line 3 comes up for an upgrade, get the newest iPhone and sell it to cover the cost of Line 3.

This is working for people without losing unlimited data because the new smartphone is first activated on the added line that does not have unlimited data. If you try to activate the new smartphone on a line with unlimited data before you activate it on a line without unlimited data, it will cancel your unlimited data.

 

[WannaBeYou]

Re: Alternative Upgrade to Preserve Unlimited

Despite what you were told from the VZN rep you talked with I do not think you will be allowed to retain your unlimited data plans in the scenario you described.

When you do the "alternative upgrade" from the unlimited plan line you are signing a new contract for that line which automatically eliminates the availability/possibility of the unlimited data option for that line.

People are doing this on this forum and other forums and it is working and they are in fact as you say signing a new contract but it is for unlimited data. I doubt that there is some conspiracy going on where a bunch of people are lying on a variety of different internet forums about having done this and having it work to keep their unlimited data.

And they are doing this without going through reps; they are doing it entirely online.

 

[tennvol]

Then go for it. I never understood why people come to any forum and ask what should I do and then argue when different information or points of view are presented.

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[WannaBeYou]

Then go for it. I never understood why people come to any forum and ask what should I do and then argue when different information or points of view are presented.

I am looking for people who have done it and lost unlimited or kept unlimited to chime in and tell me how they did it so I can get their real world experience on this. Also, I hadn't checked the macrumors forum until the naysayers here caused me to doubt the VZW rep I spoke with. Now I feel more confident that this will work so it has been a helpful experience for me. Thanks!

 

[nerdyessence]

As someone who works for Verizon I can tell you that doing an alternate upgrade with an unlimited data plan. You'll lose unlimited data plan. At this time, the only way one can keep the unlimited data is paying full price for the device.

Sure you can certainly add a line to the account to get a discounted device then activate that phone. Switch the new phone to one of the unlimited lines and put a dummy phone on the add a line. But using the unlimited line to alternate upgrade for the third line will NOT allow you to keep the unlimited data.

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[nerdyessence]

Read point #8...It talks about keeping unlimited data.

http://support.verizonwireless.com/faqs/Calling Plans/share_everything.html

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[WannaBeYou]

Read point #8...It talks about keeping unlimited data.

Share Everything^{<small>SM</small>} Plan FAQs | Verizon Wireless

I am not following you. If I add another line, it will not be a Share Everything line, it will still be a Family Share line.

 

[DarkScythe]

Here is my situation. I have 2 unlimited data lines sharing 700 minutes. I want to add another line for a family member who will have a smartphone on that line with 2GB of data and will join my other 2 lines in sharing the 700 minutes.
[...]
My question is - What happens to the upgrade date on the 2GB line? Does it get reset at that point to be 20 months from the date I do the alternative upgrade on that line?

No, it keeps its own upgrade date.
Upgrade dates are tied to the end of the contract term.
For example:
Line 1 -> Upg Avail 12/12
Line 2 -> Upg Avail 3/13

Transfer L1 -> L2, L1 becomes 12/14 (technically 8/14, but whatever.)
Line 1 -> Upg Avail 12/14
Line 2 -> Upg Avail 12/12

Use upgrade on L2 -> Alternate Upgrade, contract isn't extended.
Line 1 -> Upg Avail 12/14
Line 2 -> Upg Avail 3/13

Transfer device back to L1 after reactivating old device on L2 -> Same as above.

This is from my experience.

 

[Bond32]

Lots of bad info in this thread. I've done basically what the op said 3 times now without issue. And no the phone does not need to be activated on the non unlimited data line. Once it's purchased it only takes the unlimited data line sim card.

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[WannaBeYou]

Lots of bad info in this thread. I've done basically what the op said 3 times now without issue. And no the phone does not need to be activated on the non unlimited data line. Once it's purchased it only takes the unlimited data line sim card.

Thanks for the info!

It doesn't seem to me like the VZW reps are even trying to hide this as a possibility (that is as long as you know about it beforehand). They will admit it is possible if you ask about it, but they won't offer you the info if you don't.

I suppose so few have figured this out that it isn't an issue for VZW to let some of us keep this option. Perhaps they will close this loophole if it gets too widely known like what happened with the unlimited data loophole. But this is different because fewer and fewer people will have unlimited data as more and more people are switching to Share Everything so I am hoping this loophole doesn't close any time soon.

I am grateful for those of you who have shared your experiences because I wouldn't have known about it otherwise!

 

[nerdyessence]

I know. The point was that you were using an unlimited line for an alternate upgrade for your add a line. You'd use lose the unlimited.

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[Bond32]

I know. The point was that you were using an unlimited line for an alternate upgrade for your add a line. You'd use lose the unlimited.

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No... Lol. AGAIN. If your unlimited data line has an available upgrade and you have another line on the account you can transfer that upgrade to another line without loosing unlimited data.

 

[nerdyessence]

No... Lol. AGAIN. If your unlimited data line has an available upgrade and you have another line on the account you can transfer that upgrade to another line without loosing unlimited data.

You CANNOT keep unlimited data doing an alternate upgrade with an unlimited data plan. I work for VZW and tried to do this with a line on a customers account today.

Customer had an add a line that was eligible for an upgrade but wanted to put the smartphone on the unlimited data line. It'll remove the unlimited data on the unlimited line.

The only way around this is to upgrade the add a line and put the new equipment on the unlimited line. The point I was making with the link, is keeping the unlimited data can only be done if you buy the device out right and NOT upgrading the add a line on the account.

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