Unlimited Data

[manderson904]

Here comes another question about keeping the unlimited data...

So I upgraded my Husband's phone last weekend at Best Buy, and of course lost the unlimited data. I just stumbled unto the threads about keeping your unlimited data and want to see if I can possibly do this myself.

We have two lines with unlimited data on both. No dummy lines. Here's what I was thinking we could do.
1) Buy flip phone off ebay
2) Return Husband's new Galaxy S3 phone and get back his unlimited data (since I am still within the 14 day window).
3) Reactivate his old iPhone on his current line
4) Add a new line with the Galaxy S3 and activate it. Get a $30.00 2G data.
5) Activate the flip phone on the new line and turn this into a dummy line (this will automatically drop the 2G data plan)
6) Activate the Galaxy S3 on Husband's line.

My current line has a renewal available July 2nd, which I was planning on using to get the S4. At that point I can transfer my upgrade to the dummy line and do the above process again. If by then Verizon no longer allows to transfer upgrades between lines, I would add another line and keep 2 dummy lines for upgrades.

Do I have that right?

I have read a bunch of threads on this today, but I want to make sure I am "getting" this.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[mesocyclonic]

Sounds like you've got it, just make sure they do put the unlimited data on your line like they are supposed to. One thing to note is that you'll have 3 upgrades floating around; your two current lines plus the subsidized phone through the new dummy line. Some people have used that third upgrade to buy an iPhone and then sell the iPhone to recoup the costs of having that extra line on their plan. It depends on if you want to go through the trouble of selling the iPhone or not whether it's worth it to you.

 

[dpham00]

You don't have to buy a flip phone, you can use a dummy phone (no physical phone) on the new line after you move the new smartphone off the line.

Other than that, it looks good.

When transferring the upgrade from the unlimited line, make sure to activate the phone on the non unlimited line.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[manderson904]

Thanks for the response guys! I am going to do this ASAP!

You don't have to buy a flip phone, you can use a dummy phone (no physical phone)
Can you elaborate on this? Where do I get the information to activate this dummy phone? (like the numbers on the back of the phone).

 

[manderson904]

Actually I googled and this is what I got from another forum:

You could always use the dummy ESN number which is 13800111111. This dummy esn is usually used by VZW CSR's when someone wants a line to stay active without a phone. This would work, right?

 

[androidluvr2]

You could always use the dummy ESN number which is 13800111111. This dummy esn is usually used by VZW CSR's when someone wants a line to stay active without a phone. This would work, right?

Ghost ESN = 13800000400.

 

[dpham00]

Ghost ESN = 13800000400.

That's correct. That is what I am using now

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[androidluvr2]

That's correct. That is what I am using now

I just went online and tried to put that ESN on my dumbphone line and it said it could not process my request. Do you have to have a CS rep do it for you?

 

[manderson904]

Ghost ESN = 13800000400.

I found that number in another more recent post. I will use this! Thank you so much everyone!!!! You guys just saved me some money

 

[dpham00]

I just went online and tried to put that ESN on my dumbphone line and it said it could not process my request. Do you have to have a CS rep do it for you?

Yes, I had a rep do it for me.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II

 

[manderson904]

So this switch isn't something I can do online?

Can they do it for me at Best Buy? Or am I better off doing the return and adding a new line at Best Buy and calling to activate the dummy line with Customer Service? I was just going to ask the guy at Best Buy for an extra SIM card.

By the way, thanks mesocyclonic for pointing out about the 3rd upgrade.

 

[androidluvr2]

So this switch isn't something I can do online?

I tried doing it online and wasn't able to. dpham00 did it by calling and having them do it over the phone.

So you could call and have the ghost ESN put on the dumbphone line and then hang up and switch the new phone to your unlimited data line online. Once they put the ghost ESN on your dumbphone line, you can activate the new phone on your unlimited data line online.

 

[manderson904]

UPDATE- So we went to BB and had them reverse the upgrade and added a new line on the Galaxy. Of course Verizon gave me a bunch of crap about not being able to get back the unlimited. I was on the phone for a bit with CS and she finally agreed to appeal it. Then she went on and on about how it wasn't guaranteed. That was Friday. I just checked my account and the unlimited is BACK on the account.

So now I need to activate the Ghost ESN. When I call them back, what do I say? That I want to put the new line on hold and to use the Ghost ESN? Or do I say that I want to activate this phone and just give the Ghost ESN number?

 

[dpham00]

UPDATE- So we went to BB and had them reverse the upgrade and added a new line on the Galaxy. Of course Verizon gave me a bunch of crap about not being able to get back the unlimited. I was on the phone for a bit with CS and she finally agreed to appeal it. Then she went on and on about how it wasn't guaranteed. That was Friday. I just checked my account and the unlimited is BACK on the account.

So now I need to activate the Ghost ESN. When I call them back, what do I say? That I want to put the new line on hold and to use the Ghost ESN? Or do I say that I want to activate this phone and just give the Ghost ESN number?

Just tell them that you have no physical phone on the line, so you want to put a dummy phone on the line. If they are confused, give them the dummy phone esn. If they are still confused just hang up and call back.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II