Keeping Unlimited Data Question

[chuckawd]

"So basically I buy the subsidized phone using line 2 upgrade (dumb phone) and just activate it on line 1 (tbolt)?" Yes
"Doesn't that have an effect on the contract...?" No
"...no matter which upgrade I use, the new phone purchase will still be subsidized..." This is exactly the loophole we're using to keep unlimited data. The important thing to remember is to not upgrade the line/phone# with unlimited data. You can activate/use any phone you want on the line/phone# with unlimited data. That's the part i think you're getting confused with.

The part that's getting me confused is that I thought, when you use an upgrade to buy a subsidized phone, it automatically altered the contract and would force me to change to the new plans and lose unlimited across the board because both phones, the unlimited and dumb, are on the same contract. So, in order to take advantage of this, I would have to do the following:

A) Purchase subsidized using phone dumb phone upgrade <--this is where my confusion sets in - doesn't doing so force me into the new share everything contracts? Or is it that the main line(my unlimited line) is the only line that determines whether or not the contract needs to be changed.

I don't know why I am so confused about all of this. It seems like it's super simple!! I must be losing it.

Here is what I plan on doing then:

1. Purchase subsidized phone using dumb phone upgrade <--I assume that this is the point where i activate the new phone onto my unlimited line and nothing ever happens to the dumb phone line.
2. Move newly purchased phone to my unlimited line
3. Put dumb phone back on it's original line
4. Store Tbolt for a rainy day.

What sort of fees are associated with doing so? I figure there would be at least an activation fee and will there also be a data access fee for one month on the dumb phone line?

 

[chuckawd]

1. Upgrade the line that is directly eligible now (Basic phone line). 2. When the phone arrives, activate it as if you want it on this basic phone line.
3. Now that you did that you have the old basic phone de-activated. Re-activate the basic phone on it's old line. 4. Now you have the Note 2 de-activated ready to be activated on your line.

Just got this from a Verizon Online chat. I think finally, with your guys help and this, I actually get what's happening here.

 

[bjboucher]

I just recently did this and this how it had to work for me to keep my unlimited data. I used the upgrade from my wife's line to get a Galaxy S3. They activated the phone on her line first, then transferred the phone to my line. They then re-added her Thunderbolt back under her line. I kept unlimited and she kept her current 4GB plan. Did not have to switch to a share everything plan. They are not forcing you to switch to share everything, you can keep individual data plans if you like. The folks in the Verizon store were a little reluctant to do this but did work with me which was cool.

 

[chuckawd]

I just recently did this and this how it had to work for me to keep my unlimited data. I used the upgrade from my wife's line to get a Galaxy S3. They activated the phone on her line first, then transferred the phone to my line. They then re-added her Thunderbolt back under her line. I kept unlimited and she kept her current 4GB plan. Did not have to switch to a share everything plan. They are not forcing you to switch to share everything, you can keep individual data plans if you like. The folks in the Verizon store were a little reluctant to do this but did work with me which was cool.

Which extra fees did they charge you with besides the subsidized cost of the gs3?

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

 

[hannsoft]

Ok, BUT - your dumb phone line doesn't have a pre-existing data plan, right? So when you hook the Note 2 to that you'll have to sign up for SOME kind of data plan to that line. I would assume that that has to be a Share Everything data plan, even at the 1GB level.

Now, when you do that - aren't you then making a 2 year commitment on that phone line? If you continue the process as I understand it, you'll get the Note 2 hooked to your main line, and your dumb phone back on it's own line ... but NOW that line has a data plan it doesn't need and a two year commitment to boot!

And if not, what am I missing here? ;-)

GREAT idea here, BTW!

 

[epicness4G]

Yes you can keep your unlimited data in that scenario. The only ways to keep it is either doing a cross upgrade (what you're doing) or buying it out right

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[epicness4G]

No you don't have to get the mobile share plan for that line. You will have to get the 2GB for 30 dollars but once you put that dummy phone back you won't have to get a data plan

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Android Central Forums

 

[TBolt2011]

I have a launch day T-Bolt also. Upgrade coming in about 3 weeks. As of now, we have a Family Plan with 700 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited data. This contract is active as of April 2012.

So what I'm gathering.. Because I'm not the primary line on my account, because that contract is already in stone, I will NOT lose my unlimited data when I upgrade in mid Nov?

 

[Bosgarage57]

So when you reactivate the dumbphone and deactivate the note 2, or whatever phone you choose, the data for that device will go away? I assumed since you sign a 2 year contract, you'd have to pay data for that.

Edit: I got confrimation from VZW that if you switch like this, the data will drop off. But when you try to switch the new smartphone with the old one, it will prompt you to pay the rest of the amount from discount to full retail? This didnt make much sense to me.

 

[redcat22]

I have a launch day T-Bolt also. Upgrade coming in about 3 weeks. As of now, we have a Family Plan with 700 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited data. This contract is active as of April 2012.

So what I'm gathering.. Because I'm not the primary line on my account, because that contract is already in stone, I will NOT lose my unlimited data when I upgrade in mid Nov?

The trick to using this loophole is simple (although i was confused at first... just read my earlier posts LOL). The important variables are that it's a family plan in which one line has unlimited data and at least one other line has a regular data plan. The loophole is to ONLY USE THE LINE(S) WITH THE REGULAR DATA PLAN(S) to get upgrades/subsidized pricing. NEVER USE THE LINE WITH UNLIMITED DATA TO UPGRADE. You have to transfer the upgrade to the line with the regular data plan, activate the new phone, switch the new phone to the line with unlimited data, and then reactivate the original phone that has the regular data plan. That's ALL there is to it. This is as straight forward, cut and dry, black and white, down to the nitty gritty as i can make it.

 

[chuckawd]

That's where I think I may run into trouble going this route. My current plan has my main line wiry unlimited data and then a basic phone with no type of data at all. I think that what might happen is when I purchase and activate the GNOTE 2 on that basic line, I will be forced into one of the new plans because I will have to add a data package to that line. I am ok with having to add data to that line for the few moments I have the gnote activated and then removing it when I reactivate the basic phone back onto that line.

If you read my post above you'll see a step by step instruction on how to so this directly from a Verizon chat I had yesterday and it seems like the salesperson at the other end knew that I had a basic phone on my other line so I'm left to assume that this method will work just fine. I do have a copy of the entire conversation I had with him and will post it up when I get home if you all would like.

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

 

[Bosgarage57]

If you read my post above you'll see a step by step instruction on how to so this directly from a Verizon chat I had yesterday and it seems like the salesperson at the other end knew that I had a basic phone on my other line so I'm left to assume that this method will work just fine. I do have a copy of the entire conversation I had with him and will post it up when I get home if you all would like.

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

Chuck, please do, I had a chat today with a VZW rep and she said once the GNote is reactivated onto the unlimited plan, you will have to pay to difference between the sale price and full retail. Honestly I dont see how they could do that though.

 

[chuckawd]

The trick to using this loophole is simple (although i was confused at first... just read my earlier posts LOL). The important variables are that it's a family plan in which one line has unlimited data and at least one other line has a regular data plan. The loophole is to ONLY USE THE LINE(S) WITH THE REGULAR DATA PLAN(S) to get upgrades/subsidized pricing. NEVER USE THE LINE WITH UNLIMITED DATA TO UPGRADE. You have to transfer the upgrade to the line with the regular data plan, activate the new phone, switch the new phone to the line with unlimited data, and then reactivate the original phone that has the regular data plan. That's ALL there is to it. This is as straight forward, cut and dry, black and white, down to the nitty gritty as i can make it.

So what you're saying is that both lines have to currently have a data plan? In my case I have an unlimited data plan on my main line and zero data of any sort on my basic line which is the one I plan on using to make this all work.

Since there is currently no data on that basic line, I can assume two scenarios :
1: I will have to temporarily add data to that line when I activate the GNote 2 then pull it off when I reactivate the basic phone. This is how it would ideally work.
2: I will be forced into some sort of Share everything plan to add that data and will then have to pay an etf to remove the gnote from that line.

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

 

[chuckawd]

Chuck, please do, I had a chat today with a VZW rep and she said once the GNote is reactivated onto the unlimited plan, you will have to pay to difference between the sale price and full retail. Honestly I dont see how they could do that though.

Scott: Hello! My name is Scott. Thank you for chatting with our Sales Department today. I can walk you through starting new service, upgrading, or adding lines! How may I assist you today?
You: Hello Scott. I have a quesiton about upgrading one of my phones.
Scott: I'd be happy to assist you.
Scott: Awesome.
You: Thank You.
Scott: Do you have a line eligible to upgrade now?
You: I currently have unlimited data on my main line and obviously I do not want to lose that however I am looking forward to purchasing the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 on launch day using one of my upgrades.
You: I do indeed have an available upgrade on my secondary, non data line.
Scott: Awesome, why not pre-order it now?
You: I would love to get it pre ordered but need to assure that the way in which I will be using an upgrade to purchase it will not knock me off my unlimited data plan
Scott: The line that is the basic phone and eligible to upgrade, you'd want to upgrade that line directly to the phone. This will keep unlimited data on your line.
Scott: Once you receive the phone, activate it on the line, then take the basic phone that was on it and re-activate it onto that line.
Scott: This now has the Note 2 de-activated, ready to be activated on your line, keeping your unlimited data.
You: AWESOME!! So to verify, if I was to pre order online, would I use the upgrade for my basic line, recieve the phone, activate it onto my main unlimited line and then re activate the basic phone back onto its original line?
Scott: Close.
Scott: You'd activate it on the basic phone line first.
You: Darn, I get so confused when trying to figure this out
Scott: The line it you used to upgrade to it.
Scott: 1. Upgrade the line that is directly eligible now (Basic phone line). 2. When the phone arrives, activate it as if you want it on this basic phone line.
Scott: 3. Now that you did that you have the old basic phone de-activated. Re-activate the basic phone on it's old line. 4. Now you have the Note 2 de-activated ready to be activated on your line.
You: Ok very well!!! I am sure people are doing this quite frequently. I prefer actually visiting the Verizon store to make phone purchases as I enjoy waiting in line etc. Would this be something that could be done actually in store?
Scott: If you wish to, yes.
You: Ok, lastly this is where I get most confused...once I use the basic line upgrade, that has no effect on the overall plan correct? ie: it extends the contract but doesn't effect the plan.
Scott: It extends just that lines contract.
Scott: Doesn't effect your plan.
You: ok awesome! So, in the end, I would end up paying 3 activation fees correct? One for activating the GNOTE on the basic line, one for activating it on my main line, and one for reactivating the basic line.
Scott: Not at all.
You: I would pay no activation fees?
Scott: There is an upgrade fee of $30 when upgrading that's a one time fee.
Scott: There isn't a fee to activate a phone on previous lines.
Scott: Activation fee is only when adding a new line and is a one time fee as well.
You: Oh, I didn't know that. So no activation fee to activate the GNOTE on the basic line and no activation fee to activate it onto my unlimited line. Activation fees are for activating a new line of service ie: new phone number etc?
Scott: Indeed.
Scott: Well, new phone number and contract for a new line.
Scott: As you can have your current number changed and then still no activation fee.
You: ok I see, that I never knew. I just learned more in the past few minutes about this that I have in the 8 years I have been with verizon. Superior service!! I think that covers everything for now Scott. Thank You very much for your help!!

 

[Bosgarage57]

thanks Chuck, that answered alot. Wish you got to ask him about data on the dumbphone switch. Im hoping that it just falls off since there wont be a smart phone on it anymore.

 

[chuckawd]

thanks Chuck, that answered alot. Wish you got to ask him about data on the dumbphone switch. Im hoping that it just falls off since there wont be a smart phone on it anymore.

What do you gather from that conversation as far as the data and contract are concerned? From what I understand, it should be an issue.

Sent from AOSP Thundershed powered 4GLTE Thunderbolt

 

[bjboucher]

You: Ok, lastly this is where I get most confused...once I use the basic line upgrade, that has no effect on the overall plan correct? ie: it extends the contract but doesn't effect the plan.
Scott: It extends just that lines contract.
Scott: Doesn't effect your plan.

What this is saying is, when you upgrade your "dumbphone" line, it will be a new 2-year agreement and since you'll be adding data to use the smartphone you will be adding data to the 2nd line for 2 years. Unless you want to pay an early termination fee. Unless you can kill data on a line without any kind of early termination fee, that i'm not 100% sure about.

 

[Bosgarage57]

same here, that is what Im afraid of. At most someone could try it, and if cannot get data to drop then send the phone back within 14 days.

 

[chuckawd]

What this is saying is, when you upgrade your "dumbphone" line, it will be a new 2-year agreement and since you'll be adding data to use the smartphone you will be adding data to the 2nd line for 2 years. Unless you want to pay an early termination fee. Unless you can kill data on a line without any kind of early termination fee, that i'm not 100% sure about.

That's where my main concern comes in...canceling the data. I will have to boot up another chat with Verizon and ask them about that. If you do get hit with either an early termination fee or having to pay data for 2 years, that would far outweigh the full retail price of the phone. And, with that being said, I don't know if I can see myself paying $700 for a phone.

 

[fwhomeboy]

That's where my main concern comes in...canceling the data. I will have to boot up another chat with Verizon and ask them about that. If you do get hit with either an early termination fee or having to pay data for 2 years, that would far outweigh the full retail price of the phone. And, with that being said, I don't know if I can see myself paying $700 for a phone.

I'm another first day Thunderbolt owner and I only have one line. I gotta find a way to add a line so I can get the 299 price. I'm not too smart either. What's my best option ? Maybe add a dumb phone line ?