My family is switching from Sprint to Verizon within the next couple weeks, but I want to be able to get the iPhone 5 at the subsidized price whenever it comes out, hopefully June. If I am put on the plan as a fourth line and get a subsidized phone from Verizon now, I will not be able to get another phone (the iPhone 5) for another 20 months at the subsidized price. I've been told by Verizon customer service that I cannot use my current CDMA Sprint phone on their network. I could provide a Verizon phone, that I would get from a third party, and sign up for a month to month plan with no contract and wait till the iPhone 5 comes out and at that point be added as a fourth line on the family plan, but the pricing for the month to month plan is too much. Is it not possible to use the phone that I would provide on the family plan now and then get the iPhone 5 when it comes out at the subsidized price? Does anyone have this figured out or have any other ideas? Thanks for the help.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Family wants to switch to Verizon now, I want the iPhone 5 when it comes out, advice?
- Thread starter tnsmart
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
That is the one option I see, but do you know if it is possible to use the phone that I would get on the family plan now and then get the iPhone 5 when it comes out at the subsidized price?
Any other ideas? Thanks.
Can you handle just having Virgin Mobile for a while? Their plans start at $25 per month.
My family is considering a jump to Verizon but next year. For now we're on our own. The VM plans make it affordable for us to do the basics of texting and voice. I just upped to the smartphone usage. VM uses Sprint's network.
My family is considering a jump to Verizon but next year. For now we're on our own. The VM plans make it affordable for us to do the basics of texting and voice. I just upped to the smartphone usage. VM uses Sprint's network.
Month to month rates are identical to contract rates. Buy an old V3m Razr off of craigslist, add a line with it, and upgrade when the phone you want comes out.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16875101038&cm_re=75-101-_-75-101-038-_-Product
Buy a Palm Pixi off NewEgg for $60. That way you have a decent smartphone to use and you lock in the $29.99 unlimited data plan.
Buy a Palm Pixi off NewEgg for $60. That way you have a decent smartphone to use and you lock in the $29.99 unlimited data plan.
Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
Incase anyone is curious or has this question in the future, here is what I have found out:
I called a Verizon Wireless sales representative today and she told me that the way family plans work is this: each line on the plan is on a separate contract. If Verizon provides a line with a subsidized phone, that line must begin a two year contract. This is likely what the other three people in my family will do now. She said that I could be a fourth line on the plan, but that if I provide my own Verizon phone, I do not have to begin a contract and can pay the same amount on the family plan, the extra $10 or $15, on a month to month basis. As soon as I get a subsidized phone, I must begin the two year contract for my line. So, I will likely just buy a cheap phone now and be on a month to month plan as a fourth line on the family plan until the iPhone 5 is released and I can get it at the subsidized price.
Does anyone know when the $29.99 unlimited data plan is set to be eliminated as an option? How many people use more than 2GB? I'm not sure that I want to pay the extra $5 for unlimited data.
Incase anyone is curious or has this question in the future, here is what I have found out:
I called a Verizon Wireless sales representative today and she told me that the way family plans work is this: each line on the plan is on a separate contract. If Verizon provides a line with a subsidized phone, that line must begin a two year contract. This is likely what the other three people in my family will do now. She said that I could be a fourth line on the plan, but that if I provide my own Verizon phone, I do not have to begin a contract and can pay the same amount on the family plan, the extra $10 or $15, on a month to month basis. As soon as I get a subsidized phone, I must begin the two year contract for my line. So, I will likely just buy a cheap phone now and be on a month to month plan as a fourth line on the family plan until the iPhone 5 is released and I can get it at the subsidized price.
Does anyone know when the $29.99 unlimited data plan is set to be eliminated as an option? How many people use more than 2GB? I'm not sure that I want to pay the extra $5 for unlimited data.
Nothing, the whole concept of family plans just struck me as weird when I read this, it causes weird situations like htis. We don't have that across the pond. All plans are individual. And cheaper, but that's a different story.
Is that unlocked?
EDIT: Nevermind, in the "no contract phones category"
HERP HERPITY HERP DERP DERP
Last edited:
I'm in the same situation as you. I'm getting married this summer and my wife-to-be has Verizon. We both want IPhones but don't want to get one this summer and have a new one potentially come out in the Fall. I've researched MetroPCS, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and other prepaid plans. So are you basically saying that we can keep my fiance's phone, start a family plan, and then I buy a used Verizon phone and we'll be good to buy an IPhone later? If so, that solves my dilemma!
I'm in the same situation as you. I'm getting married this summer and my wife-to-be has Verizon. We both want IPhones but don't want to get one this summer and have a new one potentially come out in the Fall. I've researched MetroPCS, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and other prepaid plans. So are you basically saying that we can keep my fiance's phone, start a family plan, and then I buy a used Verizon phone and we'll be good to buy an IPhone later? If so, that solves my dilemma!
Yes. If you both provide your own phones, then they can be activated on a family plan without a contract. Once you get the subsidized iPhone, you will begin 2 year contracts. Make sure that her pervious 2 year contract is over though, so that you don't have to pay an early termination fee. And I don't think that you can activate a phone on a new plan while that phone is still on an old plan, so you will need to cancel her current subscription before you will be able to activate the phone on the family plan. I would call Verizon first, though, to make sure that you can't just transfer her phone to the new family plan while not entering into a contract. The Verizon sales representatives and customer support are helpful and friendly, both over the phone and email.
With more and more information coming in that the iPhone 5 won't be released till late this year, I actually changed my mind and bought an iPhone 4 yesterday. So, I haven't actually put what I have said above into practice, but it should work.
It's Verizon. It's a moot point anyway. Unlocked phones on Verizon are about as useful as a bicycle for a fish.
Thanks for the advice! We probably won't start a plan for a few months so I'm hoping I'll have a better idea of what the Iphone 5 will be like a and a potential release date. We're both willing to wait. I'll check with our local Verizon store and see what they say about starting a new contract with old phones.
EDIT: Posted some long drawn out solution but the OP had already got the news from Verizon. Sorry.
Last edited:
EDIT: Posted some long drawn out solution but the OP had already got the news from Verizon. Sorry.
lol, too funny
Since you gave in and purchased the iPhone 4, if and when the iPhone 5 is released, you can always sell your 4 on eBay/Craig's List, and use the money you make from that, and put it toward an unsubsidized iPhone 5.
No one can say with any certainty. My guess is that Verizon ends unlimited data before the next iPhone is introduced.
So I probably be better off moving to Verizon now instead of waiting for the new iPhone.