Verizon family plan question

[Insomniator]

I know I can call and find out but just wanted to get your thoughts here:

My dad and I are on a family plan. He is the main account holder/phone number and uses a feature phone from the 1980's. I have a Rezound (not due for upgrade next year) with grandfathered unlimited data.

He wants to drop his line and get a smartphone on metroPCS for 30 bucks a month. Would this screw me over unlimited data wise? I mean could I just become the main number on his old account and not change anything? Or does moving to an individual plan mean starting from scratch...

 

[rcpratt]

You're not signing a new contract, so I don't see how they could get you on that one.

 

[notposting]

Pretty sure you will be hosed. It will be a new plan so contract or not, it will be changed enough.

 

[Chocu1a]

Moving to another plan will negate your unlimited data. You could take over his plan, by transfer of ownership. You will still be paying the same as he was & keep both lines, but you can never get an upgrade from Verizon because that will move you to a Shared Everything plan. You could buy your phones outright to keep your unlimited.

 

[Lyfer]

120% no, you will not be hosed. You'll just be required to move to a Nationwide for single lines. As a former Vzw bloodsucker sales rep, just make sure they don't move you to a Shareeverything plan or put you on the 2gb for $30 plan.

 

[Metron]

Another alternative to keep your grandfathered plan:
1) Add another line, which also nets you a new phone on the existing plan
2) Transfer the new phone and unlimited data plan to the "primary" line
3) Activate an older "basic" phone with no data plan on the new 3rd line at $9.99/month
4) Now your dad is free to leave, you will have a new phone on unlimited data, and you're only paying the initial charge for the new phone plus $9.99/month.

 

[bigrash]

I think you'll lose data since you'll have to change your plan.

 

[Insomniator]

Hmmm thanks everyone, going to go to a store and see what they say.

Losing unlimited data wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for me, but I just like having it!

 

[cl-scott]

Going from a family plan to an individual plan, you would almost certainly lose the unlimited data. Also Metron's idea would work, except that you'd need some kind of data plan on the new line. Otherwise you're stuck paying off-contract prices, and there's no real point.

Probably the easiest thing for you to do would be for your dad to just go get a MetroPCS phone, and leave the VZW one as kind of a fallback. Then depending on how things go for him with MetroPCS, when your contract is up you could potentially just move over with him, otherwise work out some kind of deal for the cost of the additional line for VZW.

Another possibility would be if say your mother wants a cell phone or maybe sibling. They could take over your dad's line, everyone wins.

 

[Insomniator]

OK so went to he store today and its quite simple --

I can take ownership, drop his line, and switch to an individual plan and keep my unlimited data. The only issue is that if I ever upgrade with a new contract I lose the data and have to switch to the normal 2/4gb. I can still however just pay full price for phones and keep the unlimited data for as long as I want. I think this was going to be the case regardless if I kept the family plan or not.

Whats still ridiculous is that its fucking...

60 for the lowest individual plan + 30 for data + 20 for texting + 7 for insurance + taxes. I guess I knew that it would be 100 bucks no matter what but seeing it is just unbelievable. These companies are completely ripping all of us off.

 

[notposting]

Heh.

$60 for 500 shared minutes family plan, N&W and free VZW calls, $30 data, $5 texting (plus GV for unlimited when on data), + taxes - 18% discount = $90/month.

Only thing I regret is dropping the $5 texting plan off my wifes line for awhile and VZW dropping that option with no warning.