Transfer subsidized phone (S4) Verizon to grandfathered unlimited line possible?

[AnMig]

I have a rooted GNEX that I have been hanging on due to its unlimited data plan.
I intend to keep this unlimited plan until Verizon pries it off my cold dead hands.

I intend to buy my teenage son a new phone/plan soon and was wondering if I get him a subsidized S4 or Note 2 will I be able to transfer that new subsidized phone to my grandfathered line?

I intend to give him my GNEX to be used with his new data limited plan. I also intend to keep him on this plan for at least 2 years to fulfill the subsidy requirement.

Will Verizon allow this? google is no help full of conflicting answers depending on rep they spoke with ect.

I was hoping another member here have successfully done what plan to do.

I am stuck with Verizon as I live in a rural area and their coverage is optimum.

Phones I am paying for from Verizon

GNEX -grandfathered data plan (upgrade eligible)
Iphone 4-grandfathered data plan
Samsung galaxy S3-limited data plan
Non data phone


Thanks

 

[Lyfer]

Speaking as a former VZW employee. As long as you buy the phone at RETAIL with no subsidizing then YES you will be able to keep it.

However in your situation there is no way you'll be able to keep it since you are going the subsidized route.

GG and happy hunting.

P.S. Why not just slap the thing on a credit card and call it a day? Thats what I did for my brother who I have no idea how he uses 5gbs a month when I rarely use more than 44mb. (luckily I made him pay me back in 3 month installments)

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Dont quote me on this, but aren't the new phones on Verizon activated by SIM?

 

[fstime]

Yes, this is known as one of the only loopholes to keeping Unlimited data on Verizon.

Purchase the phone on another line and then transfer to the unlimited data plan's line.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Yes, this is known as one of the only loopholes to keeping Unlimited data on Verizon.

Purchase the phone on another line and then transfer to the unlimited data plan's line.

Agreed

You pay full price or you can purchase it subsided on another line and change phones.

 

[AnMig]

Agreed

You pay full price or you can purchase it subsided on another line and change phones.

Unfortunately people are saying you cannot transfer a subsidized phone to an unlimited plan.

I was planning on buying a new S4 or note 2 subsidized with a NEW data limited plan for my son.

I was then planning on giving him my old Galaxy nexus to be used on his new data limited plan and then use/transfer the new subsidized phone to my grandfathered plan.

Lyfer however stated that you cannot do this.

Push come to shove I guess I can just purchase a unsubsidized phone but I have feeling Verizon will ultimately discontinue their unlimited plan in 1-2 years anyway and I would have wasted 500$

I use my phone to watch TV (streamed from my home) when I am fishing so an 1-2 hour of viewing will eat up 2gb easy.

Thanks

 

[AnMig]

Just an update

Verizon let me switch phones and keep my unlimited account.
I am now using the new note 2 subsidized on my unlimited account and my son is on a new plan withy old gnex.

All he did was swap sim cards.

I am hoping verizon does not mess up my unlimited account or I will be pissed.

 

[s44]

All he did was swap sim cards.

That's the thing about SIMs -- once they're activated you can swap to whatever you want.

Some people on HoFo have swapped Verizon LTE SIMs into MiFi hotspots and are guzzling hundreds of GB/month. (Yes, they're ruining the party for the rest of us. But you can, and VZ can't stop you or even throttle because of FCC restrictions for 700mhz.)

 

[Red Storm]

That's the thing about SIMs -- once they're activated you can swap to whatever you want.

Some people on HoFo have swapped Verizon LTE SIMs into MiFi hotspots and are guzzling hundreds of GB/month. (Yes, they're ruining the party for the rest of us. But you can, and VZ can't stop you or even throttle because of FCC restrictions for 700mhz.)

Wait what? I can take my SIM from my unlimited line and put it in a hotspot device?!

 

[s44]

Wait what? I can take my SIM from my unlimited line and put it in a hotspot device?!

yes

(I'm sort of afraid of the consequences of opening this can of worms here.)

 

[openwheel]

You can pull a subsidized phone from another line, and put it in your unlimited line.
I do it all the time.

 

[Red Storm]

yes

(I'm sort of afraid of the consequences of opening this can of worms here.)

Hmm, according to other posts it is theoretically possible to take a SIM from a Mifi and put it in your phone, which would give you data only (with pay as you go minutes and text)... and all I need is data for Google Voice. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I doubt it would work though, but if it did? ~$30/month for 4GB Verizon LTE data? I might give this a shot...

Edit: Wait nevermind it'd be $50 a month not $30.

 

[RockinZ28]

Curious, anyone gone through checkout for a transfer upgrade through Verizon from your unlimited line to another line with a 2gb plan? Will it just renew your current contract like before, or force you to change?

I already did the upgrade the 2gb line at discount, then swap sims deal.

 

[AnMig]

I am glad Verizon made it easy to switch phones by just swapping SIM CARDS (at least for 4g phones).

It really opens up the market for buying secondhand phones.

Now if they only stop looking the bootloaders (Note 2) everything will be gravy. It does not stop the developers but makes it easier to a brick your phone.

The way I look at it I have 2 kids on 4g phones data capped. I can just keep using their 2 year upgrade cycle and get a subsidized phone every year and still keep my grandfathered unlimited plan.


Peace

 

[T_Yamamoto]

My next phone (iPhone, yes I'm switching over since I've played with android for some time and looking for something new, I still have my N7 and D1 I play games on) will be bought full price and then I'll just transfer lines, so I get to keep my unlimited data.

 

[Red Storm]

My next phone (iPhone, yes I'm switching over since I've played with android for some time and looking for something new, I still have my N7 and D1 I play games on) will be bought full price and then I'll just transfer lines, so I get to keep my unlimited data.

Isn't retail price like $650? Would be cheaper to get it subsidized and immediately eat the ETF, assuming you can get out of the activation and other fees.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Isn't retail price like $650? Would be cheaper to get it subsidized and immediately eat the ETF, assuming you can get out of the activation and other fees.

I would lose my unlimited data

 

[AnMig]

My next phone (iPhone, yes I'm switching over since I've played with android for some time and looking for something new, I still have my N7 and D1 I play games on) will be bought full price and then I'll just transfer lines, so I get to keep my unlimited data.

Since you are buying the phone full price from verizon they should give you a new 4g capable SIM Card if your old phone does not have a 4g sim card.

I you already have a 4g SIM card on your unlimited account then you can just buy the phone on Ebay or something. Verizion marks up there phones by 150-200$. Just make sure its a Verizon phone then you can just swap or insert your 4g SIM card without even going to Verizon.

Correction apparently Iphone uses a different size sim card, you may need to go to Verizon to change SIM card

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2181238

 

[Thegonagle]

... I have feeling Verizon will ultimately discontinue their unlimited plan in 1-2 years anyway and I would have wasted 500$

Why would they do that? They make good revenue from your monthly bill, and they don't need to subsidize a new phone.

I use my phone to watch TV (streamed from my home) when I am fishing so an 1-2 hour of viewing will eat up 2gb easy.

That's really cool. What kind of hardware do you use for that?

 

[Insomniator]

Why would they do that? They make good revenue from your monthly bill, and they don't need to subsidize a new phone.

They've hinted at it before, reps have mentioned in passing that unlimited will be going away...

 

[s44]

They've hinted at it before, reps have mentioned in passing that unlimited will be going away...

Probably with VoLTE or something like that, though.

 

[AnMig]

Why would they do that? They make good revenue from your monthly bill, and they don't need to subsidize a new phone.


That's really cool. What kind of hardware do you use for that?

I use vulkano player, its a streaming device attached to your receiver, good almost hd quality. I actually removed my TVs cards because of this. It's kind of like sling box.

 

[trmiv]

So anyone done this sort of thing with third party Verizon vendor? Amazon has the Note 2 for $199, while it's $299 at Verizon. I'm tempted to purchase it at Amazon with my mother-in-law's upgrade (we pay for her cell phone service on our family plan), but activate the Note 2 on my line, and give her either my Galaxy Nexus or a Droid X2. I know the rules for the third party vendors on upgrades can get odd sometimes.

 

[Red Storm]

So anyone done this sort of thing with third party Verizon vendor? Amazon has the Note 2 for $199, while it's $299 at Verizon. I'm tempted to purchase it at Amazon with my mother-in-law's upgrade (we pay for her cell phone service on our family plan), but activate the Note 2 on my line, and give her either my Galaxy Nexus or a Droid X2. I know the rules for the third party vendors on upgrades can get odd sometimes.

Couldn't you just do the upgrade on her line via Amazon, then go to a Verizon store and have them switch it over?

 

[trmiv]

Yea I could do that, but I've heard that Amazon will charge you their $250 for not keeping the phone on the line you purchased it on for at least 181 days.