Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
We have four iPhones with unlimited data and one dumb phone. Could we all just keep transferring our upgrades to the dumb phone, buying iPhone 5's at subsidy, and then transferring them back? Basically just whoring out the dumb phone over and over until all the iPhone people have subsidized 5's with unlimited data?
 
Yes, it will work. It's been mentioned more than a few times in this thread.

----------



I've spoken to more than 6 Reps about phone swapping on Unlimited Data plans and they've all told me that it's allowed and not a problem. The terms of keeping your UDP is that you not use the subsidy on your account. Technically, by swapping a phone, you're bringing your own phone to them. That's what they've all told me.

Thanks alot! Now I'm more excited than I was before. All I have to do is wait till the 28th
 
We have four iPhones with unlimited data and one dumb phone. Could we all just keep transferring our upgrades to the dumb phone, buying iPhone 5's at subsidy, and then transferring them back? Basically just whoring out the dumb phone over and over until all the iPhone people have subsidized 5's with unlimited data?

No. This has been mentioned several times on here already. You can never touch the subsidy on your Unlimited Data account to buy a 4G phone. The minute you do, even if it goes to another line, you will lose your Unlimited Data.
 
No. This has been mentioned several times on here already. You can never touch the subsidy on your Unlimited Data account to buy a 4G phone. The minute you do, even if it goes to another line, you will lose your Unlimited Data.

Hmm don't think you understood my post. We're transferring our upgrades to the dumb phone, getting the 5's on subsidy, activating them each time on the dumb line, deactivating, and then activating them back on our original unlimited data plan lines. It's already been described over and over in this thread that it works, now I'm wondering if we can do it over and over to the same dumb line no problem.
 
Hmm don't think you understood my post. We're transferring our upgrades to the dumb phone, getting the 5's on subsidy, activating them each time on the dumb line, deactivating, and then activating them back on our original unlimited data plan lines. It's already been described over and over in this thread that it works, now I'm wondering if we can do it over and over to the same dumb line no problem.

I don't think you understand. You can't do any kind of upgrade off the unlimited data line. That includes transferring the upgrade to the non smart phone line. If you were to take advantage of the upgrade via a transfer from unlimited data to a non smart phone you will lose the unlimited data regardless of what phone you get. Bottom line is that unlimited data line can't use the upgrade price in anyway shape or form.
 
Hmm don't think you understood my post. We're transferring our upgrades to the dumb phone, getting the 5's on subsidy, activating them each time on the dumb line, deactivating, and then activating them back on our original unlimited data plan lines. It's already been described over and over in this thread that it works, now I'm wondering if we can do it over and over to the same dumb line no problem.

I did understand your post. Everything I have read is that you cannot touch your subsidy on your Unlimited Plan, even if you transfer it to another line that doesn't have an Unlimited Data plan and then transfer it back. Verizon will still consider this you using your upgrade to buy a 4G phone, transferred or not, and will cancel out your UDP.

Perhaps you're seeing info elsewhere that says this is okay... but everything I've read and been told by VZW Reps says you cant transfer your upgrade and purchase a 4G phone and keep UDP that the subsidy originally transferred from.

Most everything about swapping phones from a dumb phone is based on the dumb phone having an upgrade available, not on transfer.
 
I did understand your post. Everything I have read is that you cannot touch your subsidy on your Unlimited Plan, even if you transfer it to another line that doesn't have an Unlimited Data plan and then transfer it back. Verizon will still consider this you using your upgrade to buy a 4G phone, transferred or not, and will cancel out your UDP.

Perhaps you're seeing info elsewhere that says this is okay... but everything I've read and been told by VZW Reps says you cant transfer your upgrade and purchase a 4G phone and keep UDP that the subsidy originally transferred from.

Most everything about swapping phones from a dumb phone is based on the dumb phone having an upgrade available, not on transfer.

Oh crap. Can anyone confirm this?
 
Oh crap. Can anyone confirm this?

Yah Verizon can. LOL. I've looked into doing the same thing and it's not possible. Your paying retail price or not having unlimited data. You might get one of the non-smart phones to get an upgrade, but if your looking to do the whole family.... your out of luck.
 
Yah Verizon can. LOL. I've looked into doing the same thing and it's not possible. Your paying retail price or not having unlimited data. You might get one of the non-smart phones to get an upgrade, but if your looking to do the whole family.... your out of luck.


So I guess all the representatives from Verizon, that have confirmed that you can do the equipment swap are wrong? Considering that many people have asked from many different places I dare to say you're actually wrong, but we'll see when the phone finally arrives.

Maybe your representative is dumb and doesnt know how to make it work.
 
So I guess all the representatives from Verizon, that have confirmed that you can do the equipment swap are wrong? Considering that many people have asked from many different places I dare to say you're actually wrong, but we'll see when the phone finally arrives.

Maybe your representative is dumb and doesnt know how to make it work.

Actually we have a personal rep from my employer. He stops by and visits us from time to time. He's been our rep for years and been pretty accurate with his information. I say go ahead and try it. If it doesn't work like you wanted to, its your data plan lost not mine. :D
 
Can you buy the iphone 5 on a new line without adding a dumb phone first and then activate the dumb phone on that line after I receive the iPhone 5?
 
So I guess all the representatives from Verizon, that have confirmed that you can do the equipment swap are wrong? Considering that many people have asked from many different places I dare to say you're actually wrong, but we'll see when the phone finally arrives.

Maybe your representative is dumb and doesnt know how to make it work.

There's a difference of an equipment swap and transferring your upgrade swap.

All the methods I've read about say you can swap the equipment by using an eligible upgrade on a phone that is NOT currently on UDP. You can activate and then deactivate that phone and THEN swap the phone to one that has an UDP.

This is way different than transferring an upgrade on an UDP to another non UDP phone and then transferring back.

This has been stated over and over and over again through these threads.
 
Because I don't want to look all over this thread, can someone point me to the answer? Which plan is $10? I talked to a Verizon rep and he said for $20 additional I could add a basic phone as Family Share, I would be doing 700 shared minutes and it wouldn't touch my data. I asked for the cheapest plan possible, so which one is $10??
 
Because I don't want to look all over this thread, can someone point me to the answer? Which plan is $10? I talked to a Verizon rep and he said for $20 additional I could add a basic phone as Family Share, I would be doing 700 shared minutes and it wouldn't touch my data. I asked for the cheapest plan possible, so which one is $10??

The reason why he quoted you $20 was $10 for the access line and $10 for data. Tell them you just want the $10 access line and pay as you go data. That is allowed with basic phones. Just make sure not to use it or else you will be paying a nice bill. ;)
 
Actually we have a personal rep from my employer. He stops by and visits us from time to time. He's been our rep for years and been pretty accurate with his information. I say go ahead and try it. If it doesn't work like you wanted to, its your data plan lost not mine. :D

it will work, my friend is a store manager for verizon and stated it will work. Been there 5 + yrs. Also he said they do audits and could take it away if they find out that is the reason they do that.
 
OK - here is my scenario:

I have a family plan with two iPhone 4's - Old plan, 1400 minutes shared, text feature, and unlimited data on both lines for $30/month. Both lines eligible for upgrade around 10/7. I use a fair amount of data, and would not mind keeping unlimited. My wife uses less than 1 GB/month usually. She also doesn't necessarily care about getting the iPhone 5.

My thought was:

1) Keep my old national access family plan with 2 lines.
2) Use the subsidy and upgrade to iPhone 5 on my wife's line, revert to 2GB $30 month data plan on that line.
3) Then switch the iPhone to my line, and reactivate her old iPhone 4 on her line. Or, sell both iPhone 4's and buy a 4S for her online or something.

Any reason that wouldn't work? That way, I would have unlimited data on the iPhone 5, and she would have 2 GB data on her phone.

I realize this will only work once, or at best, once every 2 years - ie, if I ever use a subsidy on my line, I lose my unlimited data.

Thoughts?
 
OK - here is my scenario:

I have a family plan with two iPhone 4's - Old plan, 1400 minutes shared, text feature, and unlimited data on both lines for $30/month. Both lines eligible for upgrade around 10/7. I use a fair amount of data, and would not mind keeping unlimited. My wife uses less than 1 GB/month usually. She also doesn't necessarily care about getting the iPhone 5.

My thought was:

1) Keep my old national access family plan with 2 lines.
2) Use the subsidy and upgrade to iPhone 5 on my wife's line, revert to 2GB $30 month data plan on that line.
3) Then switch the iPhone to my line, and reactivate her old iPhone 4 on her line. Or, sell both iPhone 4's and buy a 4S for her online or something.

Any reason that wouldn't work? That way, I would have unlimited data on the iPhone 5, and she would have 2 GB data on her phone.

I realize this will only work once, or at best, once every 2 years - ie, if I ever use a subsidy on my line, I lose my unlimited data.

Thoughts?

Yes, that will work. It's pretty much what most people who are trying to keep Unlimited Data is doing.
 
If I get the iPhone 5 on my dad's dumbphone line, do I have to activate the phone on my dads line or can I just activate it on mine right away? Also do I need a nano sim to use 4g data? One more thing will is there and an activation fee and do I have to pay for 2gb right when I activate the phone on my dads line or does it bill the 2gb at end of billing cycle? Thanks!
 
Just checking, as this scenario does not involve a "dumb phone" line at all...

Yeah, it doesn't appear to need a dumb phone. As long as the other line has an available upgrade and isn't going to have Unlimited Data, it will work. Just be sure to activate it on the line you're getting the upgrade on (not the UDL you're keeping) and then deactivate and then take to your VZW store to activate it on the line keeping UDL.
 
Yeah, it doesn't appear to need a dumb phone. As long as the other line has an available upgrade and isn't going to have Unlimited Data, it will work. Just be sure to activate it on the line you're getting the upgrade on (not the UDL you're keeping) and then deactivate and then take to your VZW store to activate it on the line keeping UDL.

Great, sounds like a plan, thanks!
 
I've done this: Ordered my iPhone 5 on another line on our family plan. To keep my unlimited data, I need to first activate it on that line, then just *228 and activate it on my line and reactivate the dumb phone? I can't activate on my line first, right? Also, I can do this all remotely without going to a Verizon store?

Also, if I transfer my upgrade to the dumbphone line and it uses it to purchase a new dumbphone, will my unlimited data go away?
 
I've done this: Ordered my iPhone 5 on another line on our family plan. To keep my unlimited data, I need to first activate it on that line, then just *228 and activate it on my line and reactivate the dumb phone? I can't activate on my line first, right? Also, I can do this all remotely without going to a Verizon store?

Also, if I transfer my upgrade to the dumbphone line and it uses it to purchase a new dumbphone, will my unlimited data go away?

Do not do anything with the upgrade on the unlimited line, you will lose the unlimited
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.