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Adding a 'dumb' line for 5S Upgrade Verizon

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MrSniffles69

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
81
6
Can anyone please help confirm if this is possible?

I currently have a unlimited text and call with 4G data with 1 line on it.

Is it possible to add a second line to this and get the 5S with it. Then put the 5S on my original line and put a normal dumb phone on the new line and only get charged $10?

Can anyone please help guide me through this.

Help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
ET iPhone Home

ET iPhone Home

macrumors 68040
Oct 5, 2011
3,823
529
Orange County, California USA
MrSniffles69 said:
Can anyone please help confirm if this is possible?

I currently have a unlimited text and call with 4G data with 1 line on it.

Is it possible to add a second line to this and get the 5S with it. Then put the 5S on my original line and put a normal dumb phone on the new line and only get charged $10?

Can anyone please help guide me through this.

Help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I tried something similar on Sprint. What happens is your 4G data plan is linked to the type of phone and its cell number. I asked to swap phone numbers from the two lines to get the older data plan I preferred and their database still detected the type of phone the plan is linked to. If the plan no longer exits, it can't be transferred over, this, according to them - to maintain your older plan and link it to a new upgraded phone. Now, this is Sprint.
 
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ItHurtsWhenIP

macrumors 6502
Aug 20, 2013
409
28
'Merica!
MICHAELSD said:
You would have to pay for data on the new line, so it will be at least $40/month.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that's true.

I think the best case scenario is you get charged $40 for the first month and $10 for the next 23 after activating a dumb phone and cancelling the data plan. The contract is for the $10/month. It's not a 24-month data contract.

I'd call Verizon, tell them you're thinking of adding a new line for a family member that isn't sure whether they need or want a smartphone and would like to try it out. Ask them what happens to their monthly bill if they decide to not like the smartphone and want to go back to a regular phone for just simple calls and text.
 
M

MrSniffles69

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
81
6
Thanks for the help and reply guys. For some reason I feel like I read somewhere verizon reps gave people this idea just to get the upgrade.

Hoping to see if someone around here has tried this before.

If not i will call like you guys recommended just don't want to sound dumb lol
 
I

ItHurtsWhenIP

macrumors 6502
Aug 20, 2013
409
28
'Merica!
MrSniffles69 said:
Thanks for the help and reply guys. For some reason I feel like I read somewhere verizon reps gave people this idea just to get the upgrade.

Hoping to see if someone around here has tried this before.

If not i will call like you guys recommended just don't want to sound dumb lol
Click to expand...

I have done it before, but I'd say it's still best to just call and ask. Trust me, you won't be even remotely close to the dumbest caller they've talked to today.
 
MICHAELSD

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,414
3,408
NJ
MrSniffles69 said:
Thanks for the help and reply guys. For some reason I feel like I read somewhere verizon reps gave people this idea just to get the upgrade.

Hoping to see if someone around here has tried this before.

If not i will call like you guys recommended just don't want to sound dumb lol
Click to expand...

Please report back here with what they tell you; I might do this too if there's no data fee haha
 
M

mac.cali

macrumors 65816
Mar 16, 2012
1,448
368
You on the share plan? If so isn't the dumb phone acess $30 a month? Why would you want to spend that much for 24 months? :confused:
 
Hart1583

Hart1583

macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2011
174
140
Peoria, IL
Only way this works is if u aren't in a share everything plan. I have 2 dumb lines on my account times to stager iphone upgrades every year and keep my unlimited data
 
adam044

adam044

macrumors 65816
Jan 24, 2012
1,095
10
Boston
MrSniffles69 said:
Can anyone please help confirm if this is possible?

I currently have a unlimited text and call with 4G data with 1 line on it.

Is it possible to add a second line to this and get the 5S with it. Then put the 5S on my original line and put a normal dumb phone on the new line and only get charged $10?

Can anyone please help guide me through this.

Help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Simple answer yes. AT&T has offered to do this for me.
 
karmatourer

karmatourer

macrumors 65816
Oct 18, 2011
1,006
153
In my house
I added a dummy line with AT&T last year to get the 5.It is $10 a month.Maybe Verizon will do the same.So I get a new phone every year.Sold the 5 2 months ago for $425,so it more than pays for itself.
 
JoshGlzBrk

JoshGlzBrk

macrumors 6502a
Aug 27, 2009
760
15
Yes you can do this. Once you move the smart phone off the new line, you can drop the data plan off of it and pay $9.99 a month.
 
M

MrSniffles69

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
81
6
Well I did an online chat with a Verizon Sales Person on their website and according to him if I add a line it would have to be a shared plan which I could then put a normal phone on the line after I got the 5s and would be $30 a month....

Which is not an option for me because i wont pay 720 over a 2 year span.

Has anyone heard anything different recently. I might try calling and see if I get a different answer.

Does anyone else have any other options.

I might try to sell my iphone5 32G for like $350-$400 and pay the difference if that is the only route I have?

Any other suggestions are appreciated thanks everyone that has replied.
 
=w=

=w=

macrumors 6502a
Aug 11, 2012
661
3
MrSniffles69 said:
Can anyone please help confirm if this is possible?

I currently have a unlimited text and call with 4G data with 1 line on it.

Is it possible to add a second line to this and get the 5S with it. Then put the 5S on my original line and put a normal dumb phone on the new line and only get charged $10?

Can anyone please help guide me through this.

Help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I currently have 3 lines on my account. Two smartphones and one dumb phone.

All the lines are used (I have my parents on my plan) and my Father never upgrades his phone. So I may use his upgrade this year to get the 5S, since I just got the 5 on my own line.

I asked a few reps at AT&T if I can do this, even though there is no data plan associated with his line and i've gotten a yes definitive yes from 4 different people, including a manager.

I can't imagine it would be any different for you to add a line and do the same thing. The only difference is that the extra line won't be using any minutes.

Granted, this is AT&T and you're asking about Verizon, but I don't think their policies would be that different.
 
V

vegeto626

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2013
5
0
Edit: This only applies to accounts with unlimited data. If you currently are on a share everything plan, a dummy line will have to be $30

I recently looked into this. This is indeed possible.

First of all, if you currently have unlimited data and on a family plan, you should NOT have the Family Share Everything plan. This is a new plan, and your line cannot/should not be on this plan, because that means if you have more than one phone, you have 2 SEPARATE plans, (1 for unlimited data line, and another plan for your other X phones). The plan that you should be on for a family plan with unlimited data line is the Nationwide talk and text (unlimited text and 700/1400 mins). This plan you share minutes/texts, but data is individual to the line. On share everything its 30 dollars access charge for a dumb phone, BUT on nationwide talk&text, its 10 dollars just to have the dumb phone with no data on it.

I spoke a knowledgeable verizon rep that did a bunch of calculations for me asking about these type of scenarios. Doing this costs a few hundred less than purchasing the new iphone at full retail. because its $240 + phone cost + tax vs. $649 + tax.

What you have to do is add a dummy line and start a new contract on that line to get a subsidized device. Activate the new iphone on the dummy line first. Let a few minutes go by, and walk into a store/call CS to ask to do a device swap. Then you will put your new iphone on your unlimited data line, THEN what you need is to find a dumb phone that is not a smart phone and give the IMEI to verizon in order to give them a phone to tie the line to. If you currently have a smart phone and you swap it in to the dummy line, they will detect it and add a data package to that line which is like an additional 20/30 bucks. Hope this helps, I am going to do this once I am able.
 
M

MrSniffles69

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
81
6
vegeto626 said:
Edit: This only applies to accounts with unlimited data. If you currently are on a share everything plan, a dummy line will have to be $30

I recently looked into this. This is indeed possible.

First of all, if you currently have unlimited data and on a family plan, you should NOT have the Family Share Everything plan. This is a new plan, and your line cannot/should not be on this plan, because that means if you have more than one phone, you have 2 SEPARATE plans, (1 for unlimited data line, and another plan for your other X phones). The plan that you should be on for a family plan with unlimited data line is the Nationwide talk and text (unlimited text and 700/1400 mins). This plan you share minutes/texts, but data is individual to the line. On share everything its 30 dollars access charge for a dumb phone, BUT on nationwide talk&text, its 10 dollars just to have the dumb phone with no data on it.

I spoke a knowledgeable verizon rep that did a bunch of calculations for me asking about these type of scenarios. Doing this costs a few hundred less than purchasing the new iphone at full retail. because its $240 + phone cost + tax vs. $649 + tax.

What you have to do is add a dummy line and start a new contract on that line to get a subsidized device. Activate the new iphone on the dummy line first. Let a few minutes go by, and walk into a store/call CS to ask to do a device swap. Then you will put your new iphone on your unlimited data line, THEN what you need is to find a dumb phone that is not a smart phone and give the IMEI to verizon in order to give them a phone to tie the line to. If you currently have a smart phone and you swap it in to the dummy line, they will detect it and add a data package to that line which is like an additional 20/30 bucks. Hope this helps, I am going to do this once I am able.
Click to expand...


I get what your saying now!!

Unfortunate I am on a Share everything plan! I actually just got my own contract with Verizon last year when I got off my parents plan,

So it seems the only option I have would be to either pay the 30 extra a month or just buy the phone flat out full retail price.

Bummer
 
E

EvilQueen

macrumors 6502
Aug 15, 2013
262
21
In my own world
MrSniffles69 said:
Can anyone please help confirm if this is possible?

I currently have a unlimited text and call with 4G data with 1 line on it.

Is it possible to add a second line to this and get the 5S with it. Then put the 5S on my original line and put a normal dumb phone on the new line and only get charged $10?

Can anyone please help guide me through this.

Help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I did it right after the 5 launch with a Galaxy S3. I bought the S3 on a extra line, and bought a used dumb phone for 5 bucks. Put the used phone on the new line, took my iPone off my main line and sold it and put the S3 on the main line.

It costs something like 9 bucks a month for the extra line.
 
L

legioxi

macrumors 6502a
Mar 2, 2013
644
76
mac.cali said:
You on the share plan? If so isn't the dumb phone acess $30 a month? Why would you want to spend that much for 24 months? :confused:
Click to expand...

If he is already on the share plan, with a line that has unlimited data, that means he is on the old plan. Adding a dumb phone is $10/mo. If he added a smart phone (i.e. new iPhone), he can remove the data from that line once he puts a dumb phone on it and then pay $10/mo for 24 months.

However, if he is on a solo plan with unlimited data, he cannot go to a family share plan anymore of the old style. So he is SOL.
 
Nautilus007

Nautilus007

macrumors 68030
Jul 13, 2007
2,642
1,320
U.S
If you swap the new line to a basic phone and you aren't on the new share plans you will only pay 10.00 plus tax for the line. Doing this over two years would cost 240+ tax and you get to keep you're unlimited data so it'd be a better option over full retail. You would also have a nice spare phone for the axe or something else (kids or relatives). As long as you don't exceed 5 lines on you're family plan it's a good idea.
 
M

MrSniffles69

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2012
81
6
Thanks all.

It seems since I am already on the share everything plan i am SOL.

Now i face the long hard decision if I want to pay the extra money a month.

I am just so about the finger scanner that I want it bad!
 
V

vegeto626

macrumors newbie
Sep 11, 2013
5
0
MrSniffles69 said:
Thanks all.

It seems since I am already on the share everything plan i am SOL.

Now i face the long hard decision if I want to pay the extra money a month.

I am just so about the finger scanner that I want it bad!
Click to expand...

You do not want to add the dummy line because it will cost you activation/Monthly for 2 years/Phone price up front. This is $35+$720+$199. This does not make sense as you can buy a new phone at full retail at $649+tax. To keep your unlimited data, either buy full retail at once or do a the 12 month payment plan. Which is like $54 a month + $2 payment fee. The 12 month payment plan allows you to keep unlimited.
 
J

jmxp69

macrumors 6502
Dec 10, 2008
324
0
One thing I haven't heard mentioned yet: As i understand it, if you buy a subsidized phone from Verizon you will have to switch from your unlimited to a share everything plan. I don't think they'll subsidize a new phone for an unlimited line/plan.
 
I

Iphone5preorder

macrumors 6502a
Sep 20, 2012
873
466
ItHurtsWhenIP said:
I have done it before, but I'd say it's still best to just call and ask. Trust me, you won't be even remotely close to the dumbest caller they've talked to today.
Click to expand...

LOL I laughed out loud at this because I did customer service before at a telecommunications company and its completely true. :).
 
I

ItHurtsWhenIP

macrumors 6502
Aug 20, 2013
409
28
'Merica!
jmxp69 said:
One thing I haven't heard mentioned yet: As i understand it, if you buy a subsidized phone from Verizon you will have to switch from your unlimited to a share everything plan. I don't think they'll subsidize a new phone for an unlimited line/plan.
Click to expand...

Usually, the unlimited is appointed to a specific line, not the account. I'm in a full family plan (not share everything) and of the 4 cell lines, mine is the only one still on unlimited data. So, if he adds the new line it'll get the tiered data plan, but the line with the unlimited shouldn't be affected.

I don't think it's made a share everything plan until you have more than 5 lines. 2-5 lines shouldn't require share everything.

Iphone5preorder said:
LOL I laughed out loud at this because I did customer service before at a telecommunications company and its completely true. :).
Click to expand...

:D
 
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