928: Buy at full price or wait for upgrade?

[CHIP72]

I can confirm that if you upgrade to a 4G LTE smartphone via purchasing a smartphone off-contract, you keep your unlimited data. I kept the unlimited data on my primary line when switched from the HTC Trophy (and before that, a Motorola Droid 2) to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

 

[CHIP72]

For those that have grandfathered unlimited data plans on Verizon. You do not necessarily have to lose your unlimited data plan when trying to upgrade your phone with a subsidized price on the phone. The only catch is you have to have more than one phone on your account and one of those other phones must be a basic phone. I did this when I upgraded my HTC Trophy to the HTC 8x. I upgraded my wife's phone, which is a basic phone, to the HTC 8x at a subsidized price. When the phone arrived, though, I activated the phone on my line, replacing my HTC Trophy. This did not switch me to the shared data plan, as technically, I did not change the terms of the contract on my line.

You had to have changed the contract terms on the second (your wife's) line though because that line was "upgraded" from a basic phone to a smartphone with a data contract.

 

[CHIP72]

Candide yams - I should note you can usually get good deals on eBay for off-contract smartphones if you're smart and patient (and make sure you only buy from seller who have very high ratings and who have sold many items, especially smartphones). With Windows Phones and Android OS smartphones, the off-contract price for given smartphones is almost always $50-100 less or greater than what the cost is buying from the carrier (which itself is cheaper than buying from a 3rd party retailer like Best Buy), especially if you wait at least a couple months after the phone is released. Even the newest version of the iPhone, which holds its value very well, is available new from some sellers for a good bit less than at retail. I just bought a new iPhone 5 16GB on eBay for $550; it retails at Verizon at $650.

One other benefit about buying off of eBay is if you have a PayPal account and link that account to your eBay account, you can use the Bill Me Later feature on PayPal to take up to 6 months to pay off your smartphone (if it costs at least $100) with no interest. I used Bill Me Later with the Apple iPhone 5 (though I plan to pay it off in 2 months so I can then buy (probably) the Nokia Lumia 928 once the Lumia is released and the iPhone 5 is paid off) and used it previously with my Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

You had to have changed the contract terms on the second (your wife's) line though because that line was "upgraded" from a basic phone to a smartphone with a data contract.

Yes her line's contract did change, but since her phone is a basic phone and does not require data and I do not have a data plan on her phone, nothing changes on my line. I assure you that this is how I kept my unlimited data when I switched from the HTC Trophy to the HTC 8x. And I will be doing it the same way when this darn Nokia 928 ever gets released. When you order a phone it does not require you to activate the phone on the line that you used your upgrade. So you upgrade your basic phone, but activate on a different line. Your plan does not change.

 

[CHIP72]

Yes her line's contract did change, but since her phone is a basic phone and does not require data and I do not have a data plan on her phone, nothing changes on my line. I assure you that this is how I kept my unlimited data when I switched from the HTC Trophy to the HTC 8x. And I will be doing it the same way when this darn Nokia 928 ever gets released. When you order a phone it does not require you to activate the phone on the line that you used your upgrade. So you upgrade your basic phone, but activate on a different line. Your plan does not change.

Yep, I understand how you were able to keep unlimited data on "Line 1".

 

[Vallos]

For those that kept their unlimited data, how did you go about doing it. Online, Phone, or at a store? I tried doing a dummy transaction online (where I go through the motion but don't finalize) and it forces me to ditch my existing plan.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

For those that kept their unlimited data, how did you go about doing it. Online, Phone, or at a store? I tried doing a dummy transaction online (where I go through the motion but don't finalize) and it forces me to ditch my existing plan.

Do you have more than one phone on your account? And if so are one of your other phones a basic phone? If you go to the store to upgrade, you will definitely walk out losing your unlimited data. If you order online or you get the right person at Best Buy than there is a way to keep your unlimited data, without paying full price.

 

[Vallos]

There is only one line on my account (Trophy).

 

[jleebiker]

There is only one line on my account (Trophy).

I'd be interested to hear a way as well.

My daughter has an iPhone 5 and I have a Trophy. Would LOVE to keep the ulimited on my phone. No other phones or lines on my account. Am I stuck?

 

[Scorpio5x0]

There is only one line on my account (Trophy).

The only way at the moment to keep your unlimited data plan is to also have a basic phone on your account. If all your phones are data plan phones than the only way I know is to pay full price. As I have stated on an earlier post on this thread, I believe. If you have a basic phone than it is a matter of using the upgrade on the basic phone. But when you physically get the phone, do not activate it on the basic phone line, you activate it on the phone line that is your unlimited data plan. If you go to the Verizon store, they will advise you that this can not be done and they will try to convince you that you do not need unlimited data. They will even go as far as to say you don't need unlimited as you used less than 1GB last month on your Trophy. But what they do not tell you, is even with unlimited data, I did not take full advantage of data on the Trophy with it's slow 3G speeds. It was painful at times, just trying to go on the internet and do a quick search. Since switching to 4G I have not used less than 2GB in a month and average over 3GB. 4G opens up the full potential of the phone, in turn you will use it more. When I upgraded from my Trophy to the HTC 8x, I had a few reps at Best Buy and some Verizon reps online go through the steps of keeping the unlimited.
When the 8x was released, I ordered it online upgrading my wife's basic phone that has no data plan. When I received the phone I activated on my line, which has the unlimited data. My data plan did not change and as my wife's phone uses no data it made no difference.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

For those that have all data plan phones. The one thing that you may consider is adding a $10/mo basic phone to your account. Keep the phone as a dummy phone to use to upgrade. May not be feasible for everyone, but the extra $10 a month may be worth it for some to keep unlimited data. I know if I was forced to go to a shared data plan, with my current account as it is right now with 1 smartphone and 3 basic phones, I would be paying at least $80 more a month for less service. I know one thing if I am ever forced by Verizon to shared data, T-Mobile here I come.

 

[Vallos]

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I am not looking for a work around in keeping my unlimited data without paying full price. I am aware and perfectly fine in paying retail. My girlfriend was told by T-Mobile stores that she needed to do it over the phone (to keep her grandfathered plan), and thought I needed to do the same with Verizon, since it seems I can't do it online.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I am not looking for a work around in keeping my unlimited data without paying full price. I am aware and perfectly fine in paying retail. My girlfriend was told by T-Mobile stores that she needed to do it over the phone (to keep her grandfathered plan), and thought I needed to do the same with Verizon, since it seems I can't do it online.

Sorry, misunderstood. Unfortunately, cant advise on that as I have not been through the online screens when paying full price. I would have thought that the screen asking for your data plan would not appear or there would be a selection with no changes. As far as I am aware, Verizon has never put anything out that people with grandfathered lines have to purchase their phone only through a specific venue. Have you checked Amazon.com, to see if it still asks for a data plan when paying full price? And, I thought T-Mobile still offered unlimited data on their new plans.

 

[Vallos]

No, I have not. I'll go through all my options, including Amazon and eBay, once the 928 becomes available. Thanks for the help, nonetheless.

 

[Zomby Jeezus]

I too would like to know as well. I have only one phone on my plan, trophy. I have unlimited data. I have also heard and read that if you buy it at retail, you get to keep the unlimited plan. I have not gone through the online buy process to see if it works. I don't want to buy a dummy phone. I asked about this in a store recently (when looking at the z10, which I didn't like) and the rep didn't say that I couldn't do that. I should have pressed harder. He tried to convince me I should upgrade and get the larger data plan and that I wouldn't use more than 1g . I use more than one gig on my trophy, and I am sure I will use MUCH more on my 928.. Can anybody confirm if you can buy online or whether you need to do it at the store? I just want to keep my unlimited plan and am totally fine buying full retail or even doing the new payment plan.

 

[CHIP72]

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I am not looking for a work around in keeping my unlimited data without paying full price. I am aware and perfectly fine in paying retail. My girlfriend was told by T-Mobile stores that she needed to do it over the phone (to keep her grandfathered plan), and thought I needed to do the same with Verizon, since it seems I can't do it online.

If you buy your off-contract smartphone separately, you can switch your phones on-line and the unlimited data will stay with the line. All or most of my phone switches have been done on-line (with phones bought off of eBay), and my unlimited data on "Line 1" hasn't changed when I switched devices on that line. (I can't remember, but my first phone switch may have been done over the phone with a Verizon Wireless representative.) More specifically, my "Line 1" has switched among a Motorola Droid 2, HTC Trophy (which was the original phone on "Line 2"), Blackberry Bold 9930 (briefly), and Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I'll probably switch from the Galaxy Nexus to an Apple iPhone 5 on that line later this week (and probably replace the Apple iPhone 4 I currently have on Line 2 with the HTC Trophy, at least briefly). You'll need the MEID number/letter code for the phone you're adding to the line if you switch the smartphones around yourself. You should be able to find that code under the phone's settings (and I think also on the box that contained the phone, if you still have the original box).

The one thing you can't do is add a basic phone to a line with unlimited data; you lose the unlimited data that way.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

The one thing you can't do is add a basic phone to a line with unlimited data; you lose the unlimited data that way.

I added a basic phone with no data plan to my account back in December. It changed nothing with the unlimited data on my line. If you get a basic phone that has data capability and get a data plan with it, then I could see that screwing up your unlimited data plan. As most basic or feature phones now a days have data capability, it is important that what you get is a phone that Verizon does not require data on, hence why I am saying basic.

 

[hopmedic]

The one thing you can't do is add a basic phone to a line with unlimited data; you lose the unlimited data that way.

I added a basic phone with no data plan to my account back in December. It changed nothing with the unlimited data on my line. If you get a basic phone that has data capability and get a data plan with it, then I could see that screwing up your unlimited data plan. As most basic or feature phones now a days have data capability, it is important that what you get is a phone that Verizon does not require data on, hence why I am saying basic.

I believe he meant putting a basic phone on the one-line unlimited plan in place of the smartphone that had the unlimited plan. This makes perfect sense, as putting a dumb phone on a line that has data it can't use, they'll pull the data.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

If you replace the smartphone with a basic, then yes you will lose the data. But adding a basic phone as a new line will not.

 

[jmunchies1]

I've always been able to keep what I want on my plan if I call and order with CS over the phone. I still have my PDASMS 2000 text code from like 2006