Ordering Phone and Not Activating It

[Old Man]

We'll soon be renewing our contract and getting new smartphones for both of us but we also have two lines on our family plan for my parents, who are just now getting used to the phones they currently have and don't want new phones. However, we could get them phones that would meet their needs at no cost with the new contract. Would it make sense to do that and not activate those phones, putting them away as backups in case something were to happen to one of their current phones? Is there anything that would require us to activate the new phones within some time period?

 

[Frisco]

We'll soon be renewing our contract and getting new smartphones for both of us but we also have two lines on our family plan for my parents, who are just now getting used to the phones they currently have and don't want new phones. However, we could get them phones that would meet their needs at no cost with the new contract. Would it make sense to do that and not activate those phones, putting them away as backups in case something were to happen to one of their current phones? Is there anything that would require us to activate the new phones within some time period?

Doing that sounds to me like a great use for free phones.

I've never heard of any sort of time limit on activation, but I'm wondering what the reaction of the store reps will be when you tell them you do not want the new devices activated.

Why don't you give them a call or visit and ask them?

 

[Old Man]

I was originally simply not going to get phones for the lines but a 'dry run' of the other planned changes online in order to verify all the choices I'd need to make seemed to require selecting a new phone for each line. I asked about this at one of the local VZW stores and they said that it should be no problem to renew the contract with some lines not getting new phones. But then I thought why do that if I could get new phones for free and keep them as backups? So I asked about that through a VZW web site online chat and was given the impression that it was possible, but I didn't really get as direct an answer as I'd like. So I was hoping for confirmation or hearing from someone who may have actually done this.

 

[Frisco]

I was hoping for confirmation or hearing from someone who may have actually done this.

It's a new concept to me: having devices with a carrier, purchased there but not activated at the point of purchase at the store. I like the idea of it, though because it would be like having 100% insurance.

It's common, though, for users to buy a phone at eBay or whatever and then never activate it. All sorts of scenarios.

Many people deactivate one phone and keep it following the purchase of a new device, of course.. that is probably the vast majority of users. Perhaps that is pretty close to your situation. Some even reactivate the old phone while awaiting a replacement or refurb.

 

[00smurf]

If you purchase a new phone, it doesn't have to be activated at the time of purchase. Just acceptence of the contract term to get it at the discounted cost. Through the automated system, you have a choice after accepting the contract term of activating the phone now (option 1) or later (option 2). Just accept the terms and conditions and then select option 2 to not have the phone activated, but putting of of chance of an equipment chargeback for non acceptence of the contract term.

00smurf

 

[Vmanisme]

I know that u can active the phone and reconnect the old one right after, Verizon will do this for you without a problem, they'll release the ESN of the new phone without a question, I've done this before, with a Moto Q9m, i got an upgrade, activated the phone, got verizon to connect my old one back and sold the new phone.