Alternate upgrade?

[bowerman]

I am on a Verizon family plan. My line is not due for an upgrade for a long time, but another line on the family plan is (just a standard flip phone). my question is: Can I use the other (flip phone) upgrade to get my self a new incredible WHILE leaving the flip phone a standard, non data line? When i go to purchase online using the upgrade, it makes me choose a data plan. Thanks!

 

[hajabooja]

You can do this, I'm not sure about doing it online though. If your not adding a data plan to the line, then I'm sure you can go in-store and they can do it for you.

 

[woop]

Yes you can. Order the phone using the flip phone's upgrade, adding the data plan as well to that line. Once you get the phone shipped, call to accept the terms and conditions but DECLINE to activate the phone at that moment. After you're done with that, call customer service and say you would like to activate a phone on your line using another persons upgrade and that you have the phone. They will verify a few things with you and then ask for the ESN/MEID # behind the battery. After that, you can activate the phone, and they will add the data plan onto your line and take it off the previous line.

 

[atakin77]

I did an alternate upgrade for my Incredible and it was very easy. I ordered the phone online using another phone line on my account that was eligible for an upgrade. When I received it, I called customer service. I eventually pushed "0" at some point to talk with someone, and told him I wanted to do an alternate upgrade. The CSR stayed on the phone with me through the process, which only took a few minutes. I did not even have to activate it on my wife's account for a short time.

Just note that if you upgrade on a line that has a dumb phone, that line will be committing to a data plan for the term of the contract (1 or 2 years), even if there is not a smart phone on the line.

 

[bowerman]

I did an alternate upgrade for my Incredible and it was very easy. I ordered the phone online using another phone line on my account that was eligible for an upgrade. When I received it, I called customer service. I eventually pushed "0" at some point to talk with someone, and told him I wanted to do an alternate upgrade. The CSR stayed on the phone with me through the process, which only took a few minutes. I did not even have to activate it on my wife's account for a short time.

Just note that if you upgrade on a line that has a dumb phone, that line will be committing to a data plan for the term of the contract (1 or 2 years), even if there is not a smart phone on the line.

Does that mean i would have to pay the $30 data per month for the dumb phone line also? Or do you mean that i would just have the higher ETF like a smart phone line? Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[atakin77]

Does that mean i would have to pay the $30 data per month for the dumb phone line also? Or do you mean that i would just have the higher ETF like a smart phone line? Thanks for the help everyone!

Yes, you would have to pay the $30 per month data fee on that line also. When you accept the terms, you are agreeing to the data plan for the life of the contract, even if that phone is switched to another number and replaced with one not needing data.

I have three lines on my account:

Mine, a BB Tour, ineligble;
Wife, a BB Curve, eligible;
Mom, Dumphone, eligible.

At one point VZW had a BOGO on the Moto Droid, and I considered upgrading at the time, using my wife's and mother's accounts to do the BOGO. I could have done it, but then my mom's line would have been committing to the data plan even though she would be switched right back to her flip phone. Needless to say, I did not want to pay $30 a month for data on a line that could not even use it.

I ended up upgrading to the Incredible on my wife's account. Her line was eligible, and already had data on it, so there was not any increase in cost.

Hope this helps...

 

[Miche77er]

I am on a Verizon family plan. My line is not due for an upgrade for a long time, but another line on the family plan is (just a standard flip phone). my question is: Can I use the other (flip phone) upgrade to get my self a new incredible WHILE leaving the flip phone a standard, non data line? When i go to purchase online using the upgrade, it makes me choose a data plan. Thanks!

I do this all the time, I order my phones usually online, and have to select a data plan and a texting plan, but after I get the phone and activate it, and everything, you can *611 (call verizon) and set everything back up to what it was before

Dont forget insurance, if you decline insurance, it screws everything up, i made that mistake ONCE!

 

[bowerman]

Yes, you would have to pay the $30 per month data fee on that line also. When you accept the terms, you are agreeing to the data plan for the life of the contract, even if that phone is switched to another number and replaced with one not needing data.

I have three lines on my account:

Mine, a BB Tour, ineligble;
Wife, a BB Curve, eligible;
Mom, Dumphone, eligible.

At one point VZW had a BOGO on the Moto Droid, and I considered upgrading at the time, using my wife's and mother's accounts to do the BOGO. I could have done it, but then my mom's line would have been committing to the data plan even though she would be switched right back to her flip phone. Needless to say, I did not want to pay $30 a month for data on a line that could not even use it.

I ended up upgrading to the Incredible on my wife's account. Her line was eligible, and already had data on it, so there was not any increase in cost.

Hope this helps...

Well in my case, it would be cheaper to just pay full retail for the phone...

For example: Using alternate upgrade 1 year: $30 per month for 12 months + $269 for the phone = $629

Paying full retail= $529.

Thanks for the help!

 

[LiQUiDBuD]

I just accepted terms and conditions on the Incredible and then went to my verizonwireless.com account and clicked Activate Phone on my line. Voila! No help necessary from customer service and I never had to get it switched from my wife's line to mine.

It was almost too easy! lol

 

[atakin77]

Well in my case, it would be cheaper to just pay full retail for the phone...

For example: Using alternate upgrade 1 year: $30 per month for 12 months + $269 for the phone = $629

Paying full retail= $529.

Thanks for the help!

You could sell your Eris on eBay. You might get $200 +/- for it, which would lessen the bite some if you have to go retail. You still might want to check with VZW about the data, but that is how is was explained to me by several reps in February.

 

[LowRG]

Yes, you would have to pay the $30 per month data fee on that line also. When you accept the terms, you are agreeing to the data plan for the life of the contract, even if that phone is switched to another number and replaced with one not needing data.

I have three lines on my account:

Mine, a BB Tour, ineligble;
Wife, a BB Curve, eligible;
Mom, Dumphone, eligible.

At one point VZW had a BOGO on the Moto Droid, and I considered upgrading at the time, using my wife's and mother's accounts to do the BOGO. I could have done it, but then my mom's line would have been committing to the data plan even though she would be switched right back to her flip phone. Needless to say, I did not want to pay $30 a month for data on a line that could not even use it.

I ended up upgrading to the Incredible on my wife's account. Her line was eligible, and already had data on it, so there was not any increase in cost.

Hope this helps...

I feel this is incorrect information. Unless done improperly by an inexperienced tech at VZW, the data plan will follow the phone, not resulting in 1-2 years of unused data plan.

 

[CRPercodani]

That is very false information. You are NOT committing to a 2 year data plan, just a 2 year contract. You ONLY need a data plan if you have a smartphone on the line, once you switch it to another account you DO NOT need it. Whoever explained this to you or told you it is very inexperienced.

 

[mas90guru]

I may try this though on my MiFi line -- I wonder if that will present any issues since the device isn't technically a phone.

Then again I'd be swapping out my Droid which I'm starting to like a little more.

Decisions.

 

[lgldrgdlr]

That is very false information. You are NOT committing to a 2 year data plan, just a 2 year contract. You ONLY need a data plan if you have a smartphone on the line, once you switch it to another account you DO NOT need it. Whoever explained this to you or told you it is very inexperienced.

Exactly. I did the exact thing for the DInc. Pre-ordered online, adding a line to my account. Added the data plan while ordering. Once I received the phone, I called CSR and told them I need to activate the DInc on the primary line and my dumbphone on the new, secondary line. Took about 3 minutes and was done. I have NO data plan on the secondary line(which was originally setup with one because of the DInc order). Like CR said, it's the contract you're committed to and not the phone plan. That can be changed at any time with no repercussions.

 

[bowerman]

That is very false information. You are NOT committing to a 2 year data plan, just a 2 year contract. You ONLY need a data plan if you have a smartphone on the line, once you switch it to another account you DO NOT need it. Whoever explained this to you or told you it is very inexperienced.

Thanks a lot for conforming this!! I just talked to verizon and they said the same thing you said. Data plan follows the phone.... If there is no smart phone being used on the line, you will not get charged for data! Thanks for confirming!!

 

[dt_]

Will the upgrade eligibility dates switch? I.e. say my line has a year before being eligible for an upgrade while the other line is eligible now.. if I do an 'alternate upgrade' (i.e. activate the Incredible on my line and add $29.99/month data), will the other line be eligible for upgrade a year later?

Thanks!

 

[CRPercodani]

Just so I have this right dt_

Line 1 is your line, line 2 is the one that is currently eligible for a upgrade, your going to use line 2 to get the Inc then put it on line 1, you want to know if line 1 will still be eligible for a upgrade in a year right?

If so then yes it will be.

 

[AdmSuvvuk]

That is very false information. You are NOT committing to a 2 year data plan, just a 2 year contract. You ONLY need a data plan if you have a smartphone on the line, once you switch it to another account you DO NOT need it. Whoever explained this to you or told you it is very inexperienced.

In fact, in my case, I upgraded one line, added the data pack took the new phone in to Verizon for them to switch the ESN (since it was close and I had some time to kill), and they automatically cancelled the data plan when the dumb phone was reactivated.

 

[NightStalker]

Will the upgrade eligibility dates switch? I.e. say my line has a year before being eligible for an upgrade while the other line is eligible now.. if I do an 'alternate upgrade' (i.e. activate the Incredible on my line and add $29.99/month data), will the other line be eligible for upgrade a year later?

Thanks!

I am doing this exact thing and plan to activate my phone tomorrow. The way I understand it you will basically end up swapping dates with the phone on which you order the upgrade. So basically line 1 and line 2 will swap eligibility dates.

 

[dt_]

I am doing this exact thing and plan to activate my phone tomorrow. The way I understand it you will basically end up swapping dates with the phone on which you order the upgrade. So basically line 1 and line 2 will swap eligibility dates.

Cool. Thanks

 

[dt_]

Oh -- before I forget, one more question: can the alternate upgrade be done at Best Buy? I'd prefer to buy the phone there so as to get an instant rebate rather than a mail-in rebate.
Thanks

 

[CRPercodani]

It should be fine to do it at BB as long as your the primary account holder.