Using Verizon iPhone as an iPod Touch...

splproductions said:

I know this question has been asked before, but all the info I see online about it is regarding an AT&T iPhone (with a SIM card).

Because I'm in college, the monthly Verizon plan is a bit pricey, and my iPod Touch has been suiting me just fine. But I'm about to be a dad to two new twins on Monday (boy and girl ), and am betting I'll want a nice camera and video recorder (nicer than the iPod Touch garbage) on me at all times to capture some priceless moments.

Could I pay the full Verizon iPhone price and just never activate it with a phone or data plan? (The reason I'd want the Verizon over the AT&T would be in case down the road I decide to man-up and use it as an actual phone, in which case I would strongly prefer Verizon.)

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Just buy a good SLR camera??

If I were you, I'd just get a point and shoot camera from $100-$200 bucks. You'll be able to find a good one that might even be better than the 4S. When you decide to buy an iPhone, just pay the subsidized pricing for it through Verizon (or whichever carrier you want). It'll be a lot cheaper this way if you aren't paying for the phone up front at full price. If you do decide to buy the iPhone, but later decide that you don't want to keep paying internet for it, then just call up Verizon to activate your old phone (in which case you can remove the internet plan).

That's what I'd do.

Congratulations btw.

macingman said:

Just buy a good SLR camera??

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Because all dads can carry around a 5 pound Nikon D90 with a 1 pound lens at all times while caring for two children. No, the iPhone 4S has an excellent camera, and the 4 is still great.

I don't think there would be a huge difference in buying one unlocked from Apple. I don't know how much Verizon pricing is, but I'll assume ~$600 for an off contract model. Unlocked is nice as you can use it with any carrier, with or without a SIM. You don't have to use a plan, either. Just put it in Airplane mode and turn in WiFi.

Don't buy anything right now. You'll need the cash. The Touch's camera is good enough for the moment. After you get settled with being a parent financially, you'll make a wiser decision. Good luck and congrats!

Tilpots said:

Don't buy anything right now. You'll need the cash. The Touch's camera is good enough for the moment. After you get settled with being a parent financially, you'll make a wiser decision. Good luck and congrats!

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This!!

wordoflife said:

If I were you, I'd just get a point and shoot camera from $100-$200 bucks. You'll be able to find a good one that might even be better than the 4S. When you decide to buy an iPhone, just pay the subsidized pricing for it through Verizon (or whichever carrier you want). It'll be a lot cheaper this way if you aren't paying for the phone up front at full price. If you do decide to buy the iPhone, but later decide that you don't want to keep paying internet for it, then just call up Verizon to activate your old phone (in which case you can remove the internet plan).

That's what I'd do.

Congratulations btw.

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You just gave me an idea (a savings idea) when I read your post. I currently have Sprint. I have two phone plans under one account. First plan is for the 4S (parents), the 2nd plan is for a dumb phone (mine - contract fulfilled). I'm planning on canceling the dumb phone plan this Jan. 2012 leaving me with just the 4S plan.

My parents are traveling abroad and I know they will not take their 4S with them. I want to avoid paying for 6 mos. of service knowing they won't take the 4S with them and the mins/data won't be used at all. Can I then, cancel the 4S during those 6mos. and substitute it my dumb phone (which I cancelled in Jan.'12) or will I be hit with an ETF for the 4S plan?

Two reasons here.
1. I want to avoid paying for the 4S plan just for those 6 mos.
2. I would therefore use my dumb phone for those 6mos. and wait to upgrade to the iPhone 5 or 6 then.

And when my parents return, reactivate the 4S with my new upgrade to the IP5 or 6 and have a shared family plan.

Your probably going to ask me why not just cancel the dumb phone completely and use my parents 4S? (lol), lets just leave the scenario the way I presented it. Otherwise, it'll be more complicated. Thanks.

w00t951 said:

Because all dads can carry around a 5 pound Nikon D90 with a 1 pound lens at all times while caring for two children. No, the iPhone 4S has an excellent camera, and the 4 is still great.

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Most of those priceless moments for the first year or two will certainly be at home, or at a friends house. So yes, I think an SLR is certainly the better option than dropping $600 bucks on a phone that happens to have a decent camera.


If you do go with the phone, why not just get the ATT version, unlocked. It's going to have a better resale value if/when you decide to sell it off.

ok about that congratulations on twins but to actually answer your question (unlike every one else telling you it is an unwise decision)

unfortunately you can't you could buy one while you have a contract for full price but the only people who sell them unlocked are att and unfortunately because verizon doesn't use sims you could not put it on verizons network (technically you could because it supports verizons cdma) but it is policy to not let u use it

you could maybe ask verizon and maybe they would or you could sell it full price to you

maybe switch to att?

or if not you will have to get a contract at verizon






my suggestion would be to sign a contract at verizon and if you can't afford the data pack just drop down to an old phone and get rid of it and keep the iPhone as for right now though a

flip video camera is a good choice they are about 100 dollars and record in full 1080p and take about 5 mega pixel stills or a point and shoot non video





congratulations though

dude, get a real camera. One that can take video. Just before my daughter was born my wife convinced me to get an expensive Nikon camera... it was like $850 or something... but you know what? It takes AMAZING pictures and video. MUCH better than an iPhone. And I STILL have an iphone (9 months later)... so don't be dumb. It's honestly like getting a Microwave to make toast. No. Get the right tool for the job.

splproductions said:

[ETA: I'm looking on the Apple store right now... it says you can only use an unlocked iPhone on GSM networks like AT&T, but you can't use them with CDMA networks like Verizon or Sprint).

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That is accurate. Thing is, with ATT's unlocked phone it's unclocked for all networks, even in the US. It's going to have a higher resale value for this very reason. With Verizon or Sprint, if you pop a US sim card in, you are SOL because it is only unlocked for networks outside of the US.

If you don't intend on ever activating the phone, you could probably get a good deal on an iPhone with a bad ESN. Basically the owner of the phone didn't pay their bill and the phone is blacklisted from being used by that provider. I think it can never be used again on the network, but that may be fine for you.

SuperSnake2012 said:

If you don't intend on ever activating the phone, you could probably get a good deal on an iPhone with a bad ESN. Basically the owner of the phone didn't pay their bill and the phone is blacklisted from being used by that provider. I think it can never be used again on the network, but that may be fine for you.

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FYI, bad ESN can also mean it was stolen. Not sure with Verizon, but I know a bad IMEI (kind of the ESN equivalent on ATT) almost certainly means it was stolen.