Question regarding trying to keep unlimited data

[icecreaman]

Forgive me if this has been asked before. We have an old Alltel plan with 2 smart phones and 2 feature phones. The feature phone line has an eligible upgrade, so can you use the feature phone line to get a smartphone at subsidized price, then switch that line back to the feature phone, and activate the new smartphone on the line you're actually wanting to upgrade and therefore keep unlimited data since you aren't actually using the smartphone lines' upgrade? Or is that not how things work?

 

[Rachel A]

I'm not quite sure I follow the logic here. That said, VZW are pushing extremely hard to get people off the grandfathered unlimited plans. If you buy a smartphone from VZW with a subsidized price they will insist I think on putting that on, at the least, a 2GB plan and not allow it to be changed without paying the ETF.

I would be pretty gobsmacked, to say the least, if you were able to pull this off.

 

[icecreaman]

I'm not quite sure I follow the logic here. That said, VZW are pushing extremely hard to get people off the grandfathered unlimited plans. If you buy a smartphone from VZW with a subsidized price they will insist I think on putting that on, at the least, a 2GB plan and not allow it to be changed without paying the ETF.

I would be pretty gobsmacked, to say the least, if you were able to pull this off.

It does sound kind of confusing and I too, would be surprised if they allowed this. Was just wondering if anyone tried it.

feature phone --> upgrade to smartphone at subsidized price --> put old feature phone back on that same line

I would now have the smartphone that I assume I could do as I wish with, like sell on ebay, craigslist etc.

If I sold it to someone on ebay for example, Verizon would treat it as a phone you purchased yourself and allow you to keep unlimited data, if I understand the policy correctly anyway.

But if I took that same smartphone and switched out my current smartphone with it, would I still be able to keep unlimited data like someone I sold the phone to would be able to?

It would essentially be like having a dummy line to only use for upgrade purposes.

 

[Rachel A]

Ok, I get you now!

Yeah, my feeling is that when you upgrade the feature phone to a smart phone that you'll be forced to purchase a tiered data plan on a 2 year contract.

Whilst you'll possibly be able to switch the lines back and sell the phone on you would then be stuck with a feature phone on a tiered data plan for 2 years.

The only way I've personally heard of keeping unlimited is by purchasing a phone at either retail from VZW or elsewhere from a third party.

You may want to ask yourself what are you going to gain out of trying to keep unlimited. Once you're off the contract then VZW have the ability to force you off to a tiered plan whenever they want. May not be now but I can't see them keeping it round longer than a year for anyone who didn't sign up by 6/28.