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

[DayThyme]

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

Can one get a new SIM ahead of the process in case it is needed?

You can call Verizon and ask for them to mail you one. If you go into a store, they will insist on putting one in the phone and activating the new SIM card before you can leave. They wouldn't even let me touch the SIM card in store, but again, my Verizon store reps are angry, mean and spiteful people who hate their customers.

(if, I say, because I have read upthread that needing a new SIM is not definite and there might be a possibility that doing the switcheroo online might only entail a reprogramming of the SIM that comes with the new phone so it can be recognized as the original unlimited line.

There were definitely posters who said they did this. I was too chicken to try it so I just got a new SIM from an angry, mean and spiteful Verizon store rep who hates me.

Just so you know, the reason the Verizon reps hate me is because I come into the store all the time to play with the phones but I never buy from them. I buy from Verizon online or Best Buy and they don't make any money off of me and that makes them hate me.

 

[jharmon203]

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

I think I am going to wait for the in-store pickup to time out. I just don't trust these guys at this particular store in the activation process.

Again thanks for reply!

 

[DayThyme]

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

I think I am going to wait for the in-store pickup to time out. I just don't trust these guys at this particular store in the activation process.

Sounds like a good plan. It is better to avoid the reps if you can.

 

[DayThyme]

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

Here are screen shots of my account with my phone numbers and precise dates of upgrades removed of course in case anyone doesn't believe this works. I removed the precise dates because I know there are Verizon reps who read and post here and I don't want to be identified by them.

The phone that has the GNote 3 on it (2GB data line) had a dumbphone on it until last week (December) when I transferred my GNex (unlimited data) line's upgrade to that line and purchased a GNote 3 with it. Prior to that in November, I transferred the iPhone 5 (unlimited data) line's upgrade to that line and purchased an iPhone 5s. The iPhone 5 was originally purchased when I added a line in January of this year and then moved it to an unlimited data line. As you can see, I still have unlimited data on the 2 lines I transferred upgrades from. I did the transfers and both upgrades in my last billing cycle. I just started a new billing cycle.

When my mom gets home with the iPhone 5 I will switch the iPhone 5s to that line so you can see that you don't lose unlimited data when you do this.

 

[peters4n6]

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

You can call Verizon and ask for them to mail you one.

I know this sounds stupid, but how should I actually ask for it?

"Hi, I'm a customer and would like to have a SIM card mailed to me [in case I lose one someday][I bought a phone off ebay without one][I'd like to know what one looks like ]

 

[DayThyme]

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

I know this sounds stupid, but how should I actually ask for it?

I would go with "a friend is giving me their Verizon GNote 3 as a present and I need a SIM for it so I can activate it on my line."

 

[peters4n6]

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

I would go with "a friend is giving me their Verizon GNote 3 as a present and I need a SIM for it so I can activate it on my line."

that makes sense. that won't deactivate the SIM in by thunderbolt, right ?

 

[DayThyme]

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

that makes sense. that won't deactivate the SIM in by thunderbolt, right ?

No. Your TBolt SIM won't be deactivated until you actually activate a phone with the new SIM card in it on the line that the TBolt is on. Otherwise, everytime you bought a phone online and it shipped with a new SIM card in it, your current phone would be deactivated and that doesn't happen.

 

[phonefiend]

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

Seems like it. I think it is best to get them to push through the reactivation of the iPhone 5 on the tiered line before messing with the unlimited data line just to be safe.

This is getting really annoying. I called up CS and they removed the "pending order" that was showing on the upgraded tiered data line. Now I can choose to switch devices on any of my lines but they all give me no option but to switch to the new LG G2. It seems like I may need to activate the G2 on my upgraded tiered data line again. Hopefully this time it works and I can switch it back to the iPhone 5 so I can use the G2 on my unlimited line.

 

[DayThyme]

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

Now I can choose to switch devices on any of my lines but they all give me no option but to switch to the new LG G2.

I don't understand. Can you explain more what you are seeing online?

 

[phonefiend]

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

I don't understand. Can you explain more what you are seeing online?

I select my unlimited data line with the Galaxy Nexus and click "Activate or Switch Device" on the left hand side of the page. The next page shows all 3 lines on my family share plan and asks which device I want to activate or switch so I select the galaxy nexus on the unlimited line and click "next". On the next page this is what I see:

So basically I can't switch a line to an arbitrary phone right now, it is forcing me to choose the new phone as you can see above.

 

[DayThyme]

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

I select my unlimited data line with the Galaxy Nexus and click "Activate or Switch Device"

It looks like somehow they nullified the original activation of the LG G2. I would reactivate the LG G2 on the 2GB data line and then try to put the iPhone 5 back on the 2GB line.

 

[phonefiend]

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

It looks like somehow they nullified the original activation of the LG G2. I would reactivate the LG G2 on the 2GB data line and then try to put the iPhone 5 back on the 2GB line.

I'm trying to reactivate now, let's see.

 

[DayThyme]

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

I put the iPhone 5s on the iPhone 5 unlimited data line by switching the SIM card to show you that you don't lose unlimited data when you transfer upgrades and follow the process in this thread. To refresh, I purchased the iPhone 5s in November by transferring the upgrade from the iPhone 5 unlimited data line to my dumbphone line (which currently has the GNote 3 on it because I transferred the GNex unlimited data line's upgrade to the dumbphone line afterwards in December and got a GNote 3 using that upgrade). I activated the iPhone 5s on the line that now has the GNote 3 on it (but used to have a dumbphone on it), then put the dumbphone back on the line and dropped the data plan and then transferred the GNex unlimited data line's upgrade to the dumbphone line and got the GNote 3 and left it there. Now I put the iPhone 5s on the iPhone 5 unlimited data line by putting the iPhone 5's SIM card in the iPhone 5s.

I will put the dumbphone back on the GNote 3 line and drop the data plan when I decide whether or not I am keeping or selling the Gnote 3 based on how I like the Moto X Dev Ed that I have coming on Tuesday. I am going to put the Moto X on the GNex line so I can directly compare the Moto X to the GNote 3. And I got the GNote 3 thru the Comcast $200 Visa gift card promo so I am not taking that phone off the line until I get my gift card.

 

[phonefiend]

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

I reactivated the G2 on the upgraded tiered line and then once again "pending order" appeared. Called up tech support and they removed the "pending order" and the G2 was still active on the tiered line so all looked good. Now I went to switch the tiered line back to use the iPhone 5 and it went through but that damn "pending order" is back and showing under the iPhone 5.

Edit: Ok, once I had my brother turn on his iPhone 5 and I guess it officially activated the "pending order" is now gone underneath the iPhone 5 online.

 

[DayThyme]

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

I reactivated the G2 on the upgraded tiered line and then once again "pending order" appeared. Called up tech support and they removed the "pending order" and the G2 was still active on the tiered line so all looked good. Now I went to switch the tiered line back to use the iPhone 5 and it went through but that damn "pending order" is back and showing under the iPhone 5.

Sorry you are having so much trouble. I think it is more of a problem with iPhones for some reason. I had a lot of problems when I was switching back and forth between an iPhone 4s and an iPhone 5. I would just get a new SIM card for the G2 now that it has been activated twice on the tiered data line.

 

[phonefiend]

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

Sorry you are having so much trouble. I think it is more of a problem with iPhones for some reason. I had a lot of problems when I was switching back and forth between an iPhone 4s and an iPhone 5. I would just get a new SIM card for the G2 now that it has been activated twice on the tiered data line.

I appreciate your help in this. The "pending order" was a false alarm because once I had my brother turn his iPhone 5 back on the "pending order" was gone. I guess I will just switch my galaxy nexus SIM to the G2 but if I try to do a switch device online on my unlimited line it again shows me that screenshot above about using the G2 which kind of worries me.

 

[DayThyme]

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

I guess I will just switch my galaxy nexus SIM to the G2

If they have the same size SIM cards, that is the way to go. Keep us posted!

 

[phonefiend]

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

If they have the same size SIM cards, that is the way to go. Keep us posted!

Yeah, they are both nano-SIMs . I put the SIM from my galaxy nexus into the G2 and the phone works. I went online and it is correctly showing the G2 instead of my galaxy nexus on my unlimited line. Is there anything I should look for online to make sure everything went through correctly, that I still have my unlimited data, and that they won't think I never activated the G2 on the tiered line and end up charging me full price at some point or cause me to lose unlimited data? I'm still well in my 14 day return window so don't want to be surprised afterwards if it turns out something messed up.

The only thing that still bugs me is if you go here: Set Your Location and put in the IMEI it still shows this:



If I check other phones I have it doesn't show this message.

 

[DayThyme]

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

Is there anything I should look for online to make sure everything went through correctly, that I still have my unlimited data, and that they won't think I never activated the G2 on the tiered line and end up charging me full price at some point or cause me to lose unlimited data? I'm still well in my 14 day return window so don't want to be surprised afterwards if it turns out something messed up.

Go to view usage and it should still say unlimited data on your line. Keep checking that during the 14 day window. Also if you hit change minutes, text or data it will show you a share everything plan but warn you that you have unlimited data and will lose that if you switch to share everything. If you hit show all plans, it will show you that you still have unlimited data. Both of those confirm that you still have unlimited data.