would you buy a 2nd VZW Galaxy Nexus for free as a spare? (deactivated it after a few days)

[Touchpaddle]

VZW is currently selling the Galaxy Nexus for $50. I happen to have a $50 VZW gift card from a promotion.
So the final cost to me will be $0.

I have a factory cell phone that's hardwired into the car and cannot be removed. The VZW contract on it
ran out a couple of years ago, and I've been using it off-contract for the two year. (yes, I know that's stupid)

I plan to get the Galaxy Nexus and activated it. After a few days, I'll deactivate it to avoid paying the data
charge. This line will just back to the non-smartphone in the car. Since I'll mostly likely just keep using the
phone anyway, I don't mind extending the contract on this line for another 2 years.

My main line is a Galaxy Nexus, on unlimited plan, for another 15 month. I'm also paying $7(?) a month
for the Asurion protection plan. (again, I know it's kind of stupid) I figured I'll just get the $0 Galaxy Nexus
and keep it as a spare, if my main Galaxy Nexus gets damaged/lost/stolent/etc...

Is this a stupid plan?

 

[brianr8011]

Well, I think the main issue with your plan is the fact that you would be buying this new 'spare' phone at a subsidized contract price. If I remember correctly, when VZW went to the shared data plans, they said that people with Unlimited plans could keep them until another line on the account upgrades, at which point they would force all lines on the account onto the shared plan.

So by doing this, you would be locked into a 2 year contract on a phone you don't plan to use, and lose your unlimited data in the process. Even if you deactivate the phone after a couple of days, I'm fairly confident that you will have lost your unlimited data plan permanently.

 

[Touchpaddle]

Well, I think the main issue with your plan is the fact that you would be buying this new 'spare' phone at a subsidized contract price. If I remember correctly, when VZW went to the shared data plans, they said that people with Unlimited plans could keep them until another line on the account upgrades, at which point they would force all lines on the account onto the shared plan.

So by doing this, you would be locked into a 2 year contract on a phone you don't plan to use, and lose your unlimited data in the process. Even if you deactivate the phone after a couple of days, I'm fairly confident that you will have lost your unlimited data plan permanently.

My main line has unlimited data.

The line I want to upgrade has no data at all. It's just a "dumbphone" that was factory-installed(by Mercedes).
After I get the $0 Galaxy Nexus and extend the contract by 2 years, this line will go back to the dumbphone.

Since I'm not upgrading anything on the main line with the unlimited data, I don't see how it can affect the unlimited
data. It will be no different than buying a Galaxy Nexus on eBay and putting it on the this line. Or am I wrong?

 

[brianr8011]

My main line has unlimited data.

The line I want to upgrade has no data at all. It's just a "dumbphone" that was factory-installed(by Mercedes).
After I get the $0 Galaxy Nexus and extend the contract by 2 years, this line will go back to the dumbphone.

Since I'm not upgrading anything on the main line with the unlimited data, I don't see how it can affect the unlimited
data. It will be no different than buying a Galaxy Nexus on eBay and putting it on the this line. Or am I wrong?

The way it works is that if you purchase a subsidized handset, it can only be added to a shared data plan. This will force all of the other lines on your account on to the shared plan, which is why you will lose the unlimited plan on your primary line. It doesn't matter what the dumbphone has now. When you drop the new Nexus off of your secondary line and add the old phone back on, you won't have the option to re-add the unlimited plan as they can only add plans that are currently available.

Does that make sense?

 

[Edwill86]

You have to buy the phone at full retail price to avoid losing your unlimited. changing one of your lines will affect your plan as a whole. You can play hard ball and threaten to start dropping your lines on vzw if they dont give you the on contract pricing without touching your unlimited data, but thats a risk.
now you might be able to just add it with tiered data and have it not affect your plan. thats something i am not 100% on.

 

[whitewallman]

The way it works is that if you purchase a subsidized handset, it can only be added to a shared data plan. This will force all of the other lines on your account on to the shared plan, which is why you will lose the unlimited plan on your primary line. It doesn't matter what the dumbphone has now. When you drop the new Nexus off of your secondary line and add the old phone back on, you won't have the option to re-add the unlimited plan as they can only add plans that are currently available.

Does that make sense?

Actually, only new/additional lines will me shared/limited data. Just did this a few weeks ago when the nexus was free with a new line. Original lines are still unlimited data, new ones have 2gb cap.

 

[brianr8011]

Actually, only new/additional lines will me shared/limited data. Just did this a few weeks ago when the nexus was free with a new line. Original lines are still unlimited data, new ones have 2gb cap.

Interesting. I could SWEAR that I read on one of these android sites that it worked the way I described it, but I can't find the particular post right now.

 

[vivek615]

I have been told I can upgrade phones and keep unlimited on older phones

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[techfellow]

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but i've been thinking on getting the Gnex, or the razr M the $50 price makes it even more attractive. what would you guys go with.

 

[JNM]

Easy choice. The Nexus.

I admit to my bias.

 

[techfellow]

Easy choice. The Nexus.

I admit to my bias.

Really! Even thought the Nexus is nearing it's first birthday?

 

[brianr8011]

Here is one of the posts I was thinking of:
[Update: Verizon Clarifies] Verizon Will End Unlimited Data Grandfathering If You Buy A 4G Phone From This Summer Onward

From that post:
"Update: In response to the rather vocal outcries of many of its subscribers on the web, Verizon has clarified what will happen to 3G/4G data plans explicitly. The takeaway is this: anyone purchasing a smartphone from this summer forward on subsidy pricing will be pushed into tiered/shared data. If you choose not to buy a smartphone on subsidy, you can keep your unlimited plan if you choose to.

This means if you renew your 2-year agreement, from this summer forward, on any line by buying a "discounted" phone, you lose unlimited.
......
...the next time you (or anyone on your plan, for that matter) upgrade your handset to anything with 4G LTE service, your unlimited goes bye-bye for good."

For good measure, here is a thread on a VZW support forum where some one was told before they upgraded that they would be able to keep their unlimited data, then once they actually went to upgrade were told that they could not (I know, shocking that a Sales Rep might not actually know the rules or flat out lie...):
https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/770548

And From Verizon's website:
Share Everything Plan: Unlimited Talk & Text with Shared Data.
I have an unlimited data plan on my account. Do I need to change it?

You're not required to switch to a Share Everything Plan, but if you do, you won't be able to keep your unlimited data package. When you upgrade, you can choose from a voice plan with a standalone data package or a Share Everything Plan. If you want to keep unlimited data, you have the option to pay full retail price for a new phone.

 

[Touchpaddle]

update:

I went to the local Verizon corporate store this morning and bought another GN at $0. (after my $50 VZW gift card)

Without even asking, the manager told me that my main line will continue to have unlimited, at least until the contract
on the main line runs out at the end of 2013. The new line with GN as put on the $29/2GB old data plan. I told
him that I intended to go home and deactivate it, since I just wanted it as a spare.(and/or wifi-only device) He said
not to bother and deactivated it for me right there. After that was done, he put my old factory-installed dumbphone
back on the line. He did say that I may see a $1 charge for the month. (prorated from the $29 monthly data charge,
for 1 hour of service..)

The new GN now works great... on wifi. The strange thing is that the phone came with Jelly Bean already installed. WTH?

 

[Johnly]

There is nothing stupid about not signing a cell phone contract. In fact, the opposite is true, not being tied down simply gives you options.

 

[Touchpaddle]

not being tied down simply gives you options.

same can be said about marriages!

am I the only married man who picture someone else during *** and *******?

 

[HalizDad]

There is nothing stupid about not signing a cell phone contract. In fact, the opposite is true, not being tied down simply gives you options.

I spend $200.00 on a new phone...6 months down the road Verizon makes me mad, so I leave. I pay a $350.00 ETF and switch to Sprint. Total cost = $550.00

You spend $699.00 on a new phone. 6 months down the road Verizon makes you mad, so you leave. You pay no ETF because you bought the phone outright, and can only go to AT&T because you also bought the GSM version thinking you were cool...(Just humor me dammit) Total cost = $699.00

Great logic.

 

[Touchpaddle]

I spend $200.00 on a new phone...6 months down the road Verizon makes me mad, so I leave. I pay a $350.00 ETF and switch to Sprint. Total cost = $550.00

You spend $699.00 on a new phone. 6 months down the road Verizon makes you mad, so you leave. You pay no ETF because you bought the phone outright, and can only go to AT&T because you also bought the GSM version thinking you were cool...(Just humor me dammit) Total cost = $699.00

Great logic.

my Vulcan mind cannot compute that logic...

 

[Edwill86]

might have installed JB during the activation process