Moving SIM from 3G to 4G LTE (Verizon). Any advice?

[MaxDepth]

----- long story -----
Okay so my opinion of cellphones that they are the Devil is of no consequence but it says that I have not kept on mobile technology.

My wife's Verizon HTC Droid Incredible (version 1) is showing signs of age both on the exterior and with the operating system. (Keeps on asking to install update but then says no space for the update, yet the system has been reset to factory and nothing on the SD card.)

She's looked at all the phones available and has selected the Galaxy SIII. She doesn't want to wait for the S4 because the current phone is bugging her. (I don't blame her.)

The reason I ask about migrating from a 3G to 4G phone is that she is one of the last remaining unlimited data plans in Verizon. (Aren't there like only 30 people left on that plan?)

I've bought the phone outright from a non-Verizon vendor (it is the I535 model) and it'll be coming in this week.
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---- short story ------------------
Any issues with pulling the Verizon SIM card out of the Droid Incredible (version 1) and putting it into the Samsung Galaxy SIII?
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[bonkers325]

yes, the S3 needs an LTE sim card, which you can get from a Verizon store

 

[s44]

Pre-LTE Verizon phones didn't have SIMs. Go to a store, have them give you one and switch the number from her phone to the card.

 

[notposting]

Also, if she has a grandfathered text plan make sure they keep that.

 

[Bateluer]

Pre-LTE Verizon phones didn't have SIMs. Go to a store, have them give you one and switch the number from her phone to the card.

^ This. CDMA 3G has no SIM. They introduced SIMs with their LTE service.

Also, if she has a grandfathered text plan make sure they keep that.

Good luck . . . if you were just moving a SIM from one device to another, its cake. But moving from a CDMA device to an LTE device is a big change. You may be stuck with a neutered Share Everything plan.

 

[Duddy]

^ This. CDMA 3G has no SIM. They introduced SIMs with their LTE service.



Good luck . . . if you were just moving a SIM from one device to another, its cake. But moving from a CDMA device to an LTE device is a big change. You may be stuck with a neutered Share Everything plan.

Verizon guy here, They should be able to keep all their grandfathered plans or features. Won't be a problem.

We used sims occasionally in 3G phones to provide global GSM access. But those sims are not LTE compatible. Luckily 4G sims are free.

 

[Bateluer]

Verizon guy here, They should be able to keep all their grandfathered plans or features. Won't be a problem.

Even if they're buying the new phone on subsidized pricing and signing a new contract?

 

[Thegonagle]

I guess I'm one of about 30, but I have unlimited data, so I've looked into this and kept up to date on Verizon's rules.

The rules are very simple regarding unlimited smartphone data:

• If buying subsidized and signing a new contract, you are required to choose a metered data plan.
  
  
• If buying new at retail price and not signing a contract, or if bringing your own new/used device from a different source, you are allowed to keep unlimited data.
  
  
• Upgrades from 3G to 4G are allowed. (VZW doesn't differentiate between 3G and 4G on its data plans.)

Any Verizon store should provide a SIM card free of charge to activate your 4G phone. You can have them make the switch for you, or you can take the new SIM home and activate it online. (Personally, I'd make the switch online, unless buying a used phone off craigslist--then I'd meet the seller at a VZW store so I can be sure it's a clean ESN before I paid.)

 

[Duddy]

I guess I'm one of about 30, but I have unlimited data, so I've looked into this and kept up to date on Verizon's rules.

The rules are very simple regarding unlimited smartphone data:

• If buying subsidized and signing a new contract, you are required to choose a metered data plan.
  
  
• If buying new at retail price and not signing a contract, or if bringing your own new/used device from a different source, you are allowed to keep unlimited data.
  
  
• Upgrades from 3G to 4G are allowed. (VZW doesn't differentiate between 3G and 4G on its data plans.)

Any Verizon store should provide a SIM card free of charge to activate your 4G phone. You can have them make the switch for you, or you can take the new SIM home and activate it online. (Personally, I'd make the switch online, unless buying a used phone off craigslist--then I'd meet the seller at a VZW store so I can be sure it's a clean ESN before I paid.)

Currently, at least in my region, 4G SIMs have to be activated in the store. We don't give people the option of just taking a SIM home currently.

 

[notposting]

Currently, at least in my region, 4G SIMs have to be activated in the store. We don't give people the option of just taking a SIM home currently.

I will end up having to do this if I ever get my Lumia 9xx on VZW. No option online to keep my $5 texting plan anyway (my voice, text, AND data plans are all grandfathered in! ).

edit: Duddy, leak us all sort of Lumia 928 info!

 

[Thegonagle]

Currently, at least in my region, 4G SIMs have to be activated in the store. We don't give people the option of just taking a SIM home currently.

I thought I've read that some people have been able to take the SIM card home, but perhaps they got lucky when an employee bent the rules. Or perhaps I'm just confused.

(I got the rest right though, right? I'd hate to have gone through all that vB formatting only to be wrong... )

 

[MaxDepth]

Got it!
My wife is very happy. Now she can gchat her dad and others while being home with the babies.

Thank you!