Comcast is offering a $200 Visa Prepaid card when buying a Verizon phone or tablet

dpham00

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That brand new line that I open just to get the Moto X can be downgraded to a $9.99 dumb phone plan and the $30 data plan removed? I'm not committed to the $30 data plan for 2 years, am I? If not, seems like a good deal for a Moto X @ $9.99/month * 24 months.

Correct, no commitment to the data plan.

Keep in mind though that although you can do this for verizon, Costco and best buy, some other third party may charge a $400 secondary etf if you did this.



Keep in mind that the even if you bought the phone off contract, that you would still need to add a data plan if you want to use it on Verizon
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DayThyme

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That brand new line that I open just to get the Moto X can be downgraded to a $9.99 dumb phone plan and the $30 data plan removed? I'm not committed to the $30 data plan for 2 years, am I?
As dpham00 stated, you can downgrade the line. You can do that 2 ways - either by putting a dumbphone on the new line or by putting a ghost ESN on the new line. When you do either of those the data plan should drop off automatically. However, last time I did this a 75MB $10/mo plan stayed on the line and I had to call to get it removed. ETA - as dpham00 pointed out below, you also can block data on the line to remove all chances of being charged for data on the line.

After you do that, you can put the Moto X on any line you want or even give the device away. However, until I get my $200 Visa prepaid card from Comcast, I am leaving my GNote3 on the line I activated it on. Not sure this is necessary but I don't know if Comcast has the ability to know whether or not I downgraded the line. They said I should get the Visa prepaid card within 30 days of activation so I won't have to pay for the data for long if that is true.
 
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dpham00

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As dpham00 stated, you can downgrade the line. You can do that 2 ways - either by putting a dumbphone on the new line or by putting a ghost ESN on the new line. When you do either of those the data plan should drop off automatically. However, last time I did this a 75MB $10/mo plan stayed on the line and I had to call to get it removed.

After you do that, you can put the Moto X on any line you want or even give the device away. However, until I get my $200 Visa prepaid card from Comcast, I am leaving my GNote3 on the line I activated it on. Not sure this is necessary but I don't know if Comcast has the ability to know whether or not I downgraded the line. They said I should get the Visa prepaid card within 30 days of activation so I won't have to pay for the data for long if that is true.

You can remove the data charge from basic lines by blocking data which can be done online. You can of course call in, but I prefer to do it online rather than calling in.


I spoke to Comcast and they indicated that I could suspend the line and still qualify for the visa prepaid card, didn't ask about removing data, but if it was something you wanted to do, you can call in and ask.

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DayThyme

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You can remove the data charge from basic lines by blocking data which can be done online. You can of course call in, but I prefer to do it online rather than calling in.
good point. I keep forgetting about that.

I spoke to Comcast and they indicated that I could suspend the line and still qualify for the visa prepaid card, didn't ask about removing data, but if it was something you wanted to do, you can call in and ask.
Thanks. What number did you call?
 

Simon_y7

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Somebody said here once that the card should come some months after the phone is used for 14 days, for Comcast to make sure that everything was legit. When I talked to the Comcast rep the second time, she said that the card issuance had nothing to do with whatever ultimately happened with the phone at Verizon. Wait a few months and the card should arrive.
 

DayThyme

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Somebody said here once that the card should come some months after the phone is used for 14 days, for Comcast to make sure that everything was legit. When I talked to the Comcast rep the second time, she said that the card issuance had nothing to do with whatever ultimately happened with the phone at Verizon. Wait a few months and the card should arrive.
It said 30 days, not a few months when I ordered.
 

dpham00

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Somebody said here once that the card should come some months after the phone is used for 14 days, for Comcast to make sure that everything was legit. When I talked to the Comcast rep the second time, she said that the card issuance had nothing to do with whatever ultimately happened with the phone at Verizon. Wait a few months and the card should arrive.

If you are planning to etf the line, just suspend the line until you get the visa prepaid card

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mjcotter

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This sounds great then! For me, paying the $240 for 2 years for the dumb phone line ($9.99/month * 24 months makes complete sense. It's cheaper than paying the off contract price, even cheaper than the Cyber Monday Motorola $150 off fiasco. I did get in on the Comcast $200 promo last week, so that will offset the majority of the $240. I just haven't tried activating the Moto X yet. Making sure I have all the info before trying, though I need to do it within the 14-day window in case things don't work and I want to cut bait and return it.

Why do people buy phones at off-contract prices? Makes complete sense to add another line and effectively pay $240 for the phone. Or, am I missing something???
 

dpham00

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This sounds great then! For me, paying the $240 for 2 years for the dumb phone line ($9.99/month * 24 months makes complete sense. It's cheaper than paying the off contract price, even cheaper than the Cyber Monday Motorola $150 off fiasco. I did get in on the Comcast $200 promo last week, so that will offset the majority of the $240. I just haven't tried activating the Moto X yet. Making sure I have all the info before trying, though I need to do it within the 14-day window in case things don't work and I want to cut bait and return it.

Why do people buy phones at off-contract prices? Makes complete sense to add another line and effectively pay $240 for the phone. Or, am I missing something???

If you bought the phone after 11 /28 then you can return until 1 /15.

Don't forget you have to pay taxes and fees on top of the $10 plus activation or upgrade fee (unless fees were waived)

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DayThyme

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Don't forget you have to pay taxes and fees on top of the $10 plus activation or upgrade fee (unless fees were waived)
This. For me, an added line is $13/mo. From my bill it would appear to be $18/mo, but that is because of how they reallocate the taxes, surcharges and fees among the lines after you add a line. When you subtract what the bill was before I added the line from what it is after I added a line, it is $13/mo. So the cost of the line is $312 for 24 months.

I can buy an iPhone using the added line's upgrade for $199 + tax + the upgrade fee = $241. If I can net $553 on the sale of the iPhone, the line pays for itself. However, in some states like California, you pay tax on the full price of the phone so you would have to net closer to $600 for the line to pay for itself.

I noticed that if you were adding a line through the Comcast promo, they said there would be no activation fee. But if you were upgrading, there would be an upgrade fee.
 

Simon_y7

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If you are planning to etf the line, just suspend the line until you get the visa prepaid card

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 3 via Tapatalk Pro

I plan to move the phone to upgrade my unlimited line. This isn't what you're talking about, I hope.
 

dpham00

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This. For me, an added line is $13/mo. From my bill it would appear to be $18/mo, but that is because of how they reallocate the taxes, surcharges and fees among the lines after you add a line. When you subtract what the bill was before I added the line from what it is after I added a line, it is $13/mo. So the cost of the line is $312 for 24 months.

I can buy an iPhone using the added line's upgrade for $199 + tax + the upgrade fee = $241. If I can net $553 on the sale of the iPhone, the line pays for itself. However, in some states like California, you pay tax on the full price of the phone so you would have to net closer to $600 for the line to pay for itself.

I noticed that if you were adding a line through the Comcast promo, they said there would be no activation fee. But if you were upgrading, there would be an upgrade fee.

I don't buy phones to resell. But for example if you are on tmobile and wanted the note 3, you could pay $708 for a sim locked Note 3 from tmobile or for example if you bought it via the Comcast deal, pay $200 with $200 visa prepaid card, free activation. Then suspend line until visa prepaid card comes and etf. You would pay $350 plus one days service plus tax, though buying from tmobile would incur more tax than Verizon if bought when the note 3 was $200

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dpham00

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I plan to move the phone to upgrade my unlimited line. This isn't what you're talking about, I hope.

No you are fine suspending service is an option for those not on Verizon hut want a Verizon phone

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DayThyme

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I don't buy phones to resell. But for example if you are on tmobile and wanted the note 3, you could pay $708 for a sim locked Note 3 from tmobile or for example if you bought it via the Comcast deal, pay $200 with $200 visa prepaid card, free activation. Then suspend line until visa prepaid card comes and etf. You would pay $350 plus one days service plus tax, though buying from tmobile would incur more tax than Verizon if bought when the note 3 was $200
I don't want to cancel the line. I like having the extra line as an emergency phone. I keep it in my mother's car so if she ever forgets her phone, or forgets to charge her phone, there is always a working phone in her car.

And to think we used to drive cars without having phones on us a mere 15 years ago and never felt unsafe doing so. Now I get a bit panicky if I forget my phone thinking, what will I do if I get a flat tire?
 

dpham00

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I don't want to cancel the line. I like having the extra line as an emergency phone. I keep it in my mother's car so if she ever forgets her phone, or forgets to charge her phone, there is always a working phone in her car.

And to think we used to drive cars without having phones on us a mere 15 years ago and never felt unsafe doing so. Now I get a bit panicky if I forget my phone thinking, what will I do if I get a flat tire?

Sure you have that option. There are sometimes deals for new lines and waived activation which you could take advantage of if you cancelled the line. But obviously if you have a need, then yeah, use it as a basic line. If you plan to keep it as a spare phone in the car, I recommend keeping the battery separate from the phone. And consider password protecting the phone as you are liabile if someone stole the phone and made calls. my family had cell phone service over 15 years ago, on Verizon, though I did move to att for a few years in the early 00s
 

DayThyme

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Sure you have that option. There are sometimes deals for new lines and waived activation which you could take advantage of if you cancelled the line. But obviously if you have a need, then yeah, use it as a basic line. If you plan to keep it as a spare phone in the car, I recommend keeping the battery separate from the phone. And consider password protecting the phone as you are liabile if someone stole the phone and made calls. my family had cell phone service over 15 years ago, on Verizon, though I did move to att for a few years in the early 00s
I had it on ATT at least as early as 1993, but I only used it as an emergency line because it was too expensive to use it for any other purpose! Probably no more expensive in 1993 dollars than a line today, but not a lot of people had them back then so it seemed like a luxury.

Is there any negative credit hit for canceling a line as long as you pay the ETF?
 

dpham00

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I had it on ATT at least as early as 1993, but I only used it as an emergency line because it was too expensive to use it for any other purpose! Probably no more expensive in 1993 dollars than a line today, but not a lot of people had them back then so it seemed like a luxury.

Is there any negative credit hit for canceling a line as long as you pay the ETF?

It depends, if you have multiple lines and cancel just one then it shouldn't matter. If you have one line and cancel then it may show up as a closed account.

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DayThyme

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BTW, what is this $20 data plan? That's what I thought, too, but today I double-checked my bill, and it said $29.99 for "Email and Web unlimited." And when I upgraded my dumb line later today, it said $29.99 for 2GB.
A 2GB data plan is $30, not $29.99. I think that right there is the proof that the verizon rep did not transfer the upgrade and instead did the upgrade on your unlimited data line. Lucky for you that you caught it within 14 days and could get someone in tech support to reverse what she did.

THIS is why I avoid verizon reps, especially the one who was manning the comcast promo line the night we were both doing this. She outright lied to you about the promo not being available if you did this online because she got some sort of bonus or commission for doing the upgrade for you and didn't want to lose it if you went online. I could tell she was lying just by the tone of her voice, which wasn't sweet at all when I challenged her on the BS she was spewing. I gave her an earful about the open access restrictions on Verizon's Block C licenses, lol!

You are very lucky you got someone to restore your unlimited data.
 

dpham00

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A 2GB data plan is $30, not $29.99. I think that right there is the proof that the verizon rep did not transfer the upgrade and instead did the upgrade on your unlimited data line. Lucky for you that you caught it within 14 days and could get someone in tech support to reverse what she did.

THIS is why I avoid verizon reps, especially the one who was manning the comcast promo line the night we were both doing this. She outright lied to you about the promo not being available if you did this online because she got some sort of bonus or commission for doing the upgrade for you and didn't want to lose it if you went online. I could tell she was lying just by the tone of her voice, which wasn't sweet at all when I challenged her on the BS she was spewing. I gave her an earful about the open access restrictions on Verizon's Block C licenses, lol!

You are very lucky you got someone to restore your unlimited data.

Yeah, personally I would only transfer upgrade online. Calling in, there is a chance they won't do it right

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