Unlocked or Verizon - can I move SIMS?

[NewArtDroid]

Current Pixel 2 XL user and ready to upgrade to 4a. Best Buy offers two options:

- Verizon, for $300, but pay Verizon the $40 activation fee
- or unlocked for $350, but have to move the SIMS from my current Pixel 2XL to the new phone

Even though I've been with Verizon for 16 years, I may switch. So should I go with unlocked? Is it really easy to move the SIMS card from my Pixel 2 XL to the 4a? Is it true Verizon won't charge me an activation fee if I do that?

Need help choosing which option.

 

[codesplice]

Physically moving the SIM from one device to another is pretty easy, but I'm afraid I don't know if that would be sufficient to transfer your Verizon service to the new device. I've used T-Mobile and Fi most recently and all I need to do to switch to a new phone is move the SIM. Verizon may require additional action to register the new IMEI on their network. You might want to check with Verizon's support folks to be 100% sure.

All Pixels can be carrier-unlocked, even the Verizon version. I believe Verizon just requires the phone to be activated on their network first before it can be used elsewhere. So if you're just considering switching away from Verizon at some indeterminate time in the future, either model will work fine.

The only real difference is that the unlocked model can be bootloader unlocked for installing community-built ROMs, while the Verizon model's bootloader cannot be unlocked.

 

[NewArtDroid]

Thanks for the info. I'll search around if I can just move the SIMS card for Verizon. The Best Buy person insists I can.

 

[NewArtDroid]

According to this site, it seems all I need to do is move the SIM since my Pixel 2XL is an activated phone already:
https://www.verizon.com/support/4g-... You must activate your,it in your new device.