Upgrading phone while keeping prepaid plan?

[Acantha]

I have a Verizon prepaid plan--$45/mo. I'm happy with my plan, but I'm not happy with my phone. If I got a better phone (such as the Droid Turbo), could I keep my plan? I'd pay full price for the phone, obviously. I don't see why I wouldn't be able to keep my prepaid plan, but you never know...

 

[dpham00]

So long as you are on a smartphone plan you can buy a new smartphone at full retail at anytime

Sent from my Verizon LG G4

 

[Acantha]

Great! Also, if I do buy a new phone at retail price, could I switch to a prepaid carrier, like Straight Talk?

 

[Mr. Toad]

If the phone is compatible and unlocked you can switch you carrier whenever you want. Verizon phones are already unlocked. You would just need to check the bands.

 

[dpham00]

Most Verizon 4GLTE Android phones would work but most are missing some bands used by tmobile and att

Sent from my Verizon LG G4

 

[dusoccer10]

Great! Also, if I do buy a new phone at retail price, could I switch to a prepaid carrier, like Straight Talk?

WillMyPhoneWork.net - Check if your phone works on a network is where you want to check compatibility questions. For the most part, Verizon phones will work on AT&T and T-Mobile. Where problems come up are usually in the LTE bands as Verizon phones tend to be missing one or two of them from complete compatibility.

To my knowledge, the only two phones that work on just about everyone in the US are the Nexus 6 and the unlocked iPhone.

 

[dpham00]

Most Android also don't have tmobile 4g

Sent from my Verizon LG G4

 

[Acantha]

T mobile has basically no reception here, so that's fine by me...

 

[sulla1965]

So long as you are on a smartphone plan you can buy a new smartphone at full retail at anytime

Sent from my Verizon LG G4

This

 

[ColbyJvonBrown]

Great! Also, if I do buy a new phone at retail price, could I switch to a prepaid carrier, like Straight Talk?

Yes it would work. As long as it was a Verizon phone and you used Verizon's Prepaid Sim Card from the Straight Talk BYOP Kit you would have to buy. Follow those steps it includes in the kit (I called it was alot easier) and the phone should be activated when you turn it on for the first time with the Verizon Sim Card from Straight Talk, not the one that came with the phone when you bought it out right from Verizon. I did this with a Verizon Moto E 2nd gen and it works great on Straight Talk. You get unlimited talk, text, and the first 5gb of unlimited data at high speeds before it is slowed. The only thing I can't get to work is MMS messaging. I can't edit the MMS setting in the apn, I also can't delete or add a new apn. Other than that it should work.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[UDPGuy]

Yes it would work. As long as it was a Verizon phone and you used Verizon's Prepaid Sim Card from the Straight Talk BYOP Kit you would have to buy. Follow those steps it includes in the kit (I called it was alot easier) and the phone should be activated when you turn it on for the first time with the Verizon Sim Card from Straight Talk, not the one that came with the phone when you bought it out right from Verizon. I did this with a Verizon Moto E 2nd gen and it works great on Straight Talk. You get unlimited talk, text, and the first 5gb of unlimited data at high speeds before it is slowed. The only thing I can't get to work is MMS messaging. I can't edit the MMS setting in the apn, I also can't delete or add a new apn. Other than that it should work.

Posted via the Android Central App

I wonder how that works. If it's using Verizon towers then isn't it breaking the rules of the 700 mhz spectrum by throttling?

Posted via Nexus 6 with unlimited international data via AT&T

 

[dpham00]

I wonder how that works. If it's using Verizon towers then isn't it breaking the rules of the 700 mhz spectrum by throttling?

Posted via Nexus 6 with unlimited international data via AT&T

Not to my knowledge. My understanding is that Verizon cannot not deny, limit, or restrict the ability of their customers to use the devices and applications of their choice. So it doesn't apply to another person such as a manufacturer or mvno not owned by Verizon. Secondly it is my understanding that Verizon is not restricted from throttling based on the rules.

 

[UDPGuy]

Not to my knowledge. My understanding is that Verizon cannot not deny, limit, or restrict the ability of their customers to use the devices and applications of their choice. So it doesn't apply to another person such as a manufacturer or mvno not owned by Verizon. Secondly it is my understanding that Verizon is not restricted from throttling based on the rules.

They can't throttle. They can do whatever is necessary to protect their network, but they can't discriminate. Which is why when the new policy came out for unlimited data users getting network prioritization the FCC through a fit. It's all or none