How to break Verizon contract and keep number?

[Ellsass]

My wife and I each have an iPhone 5 and would like to upgrade to the 5S. I'm willing to pay the ETF (we have a year left) and start a new contract. We want to keep our phone numbers.

How do I actually break the current contract? Assuming I can find the phones in stock, does my old contract get terminated upon activating the new one? Do I need to set up both phones at once (i.e. if I can't find them both in stock at the same time do I have to wait)? Can I do this online, or would an Apple store or Verizon store be better?

 

[sunshinecourt9]

Just start a new contract somewhere else and carry your number over. Verizon will send you a bill after it's done.

 

[coasterswim]

Why would Verizon let you cancel a contract with them and allow you to keep your number and sign up for a new contract?

 

[Ellsass]

Why would Verizon let you cancel a contract with them and allow you to keep your number and sign up for a new contract?

I don't know... Do you meant that they won't? I assumed they wouldn't care as long as I pay all the fees (and I will).

 

[racer1441]

Staying with verizon or moving to another carrier?

 

[kevroc]

I don't know... Do you meant that they won't? I assumed they wouldn't care as long as I pay all the fees (and I will).

It has do to with "Porting" your number.

If you go to AT&T and buy a phone and start a new contract, you now 2 contracts. But when you "Port" or "Transfer" your number to AT&T, you give them your Verizon information and they'll transfer the number to your new AT&T contract. As soon as the number is transferred any existing contracts under that number are terminated and whatever ETF's are applied.

If you have a family plan or multiline plan with 2 lines and you port your number out on one of them, the carrier typically rolls you over to an individual plan. Usually if you port out like that, you'd call Verizon afterward to make sure they have it on an applicable individual plan up until the time you port the final number.

It's really all very easy as the carriers do this all day long.

It's common to sign up for service with a new provider with their automatically assigned phone number, test the service for a week or so to ensure your happy with it (because you are still within your return/cancellation period with the new provider) and once you deem you are happy with the new provider you call their 800 number and transfer your phone number from your old provider to your new one and you're done. It usually takes a few hours for your number to transfer but it can happen pretty fast.

In a month or so you'll get a bill from Verizon with whatever ETF's and remaining monthly fee's are for service.

 

[emoore]

I think its typical that providers will not let you cancel your contract and keep service with them. A few years ago I canceled Verizon and paid the ETF and I couldn't come back for 30 or 60 days.

 

[Diseal3]

I am wondering the same thing. Is it possible to port a number out to google voice and then port back in to get the new customer discount? Is there a waiting period?

 

[Ellsass]

It has do to with "Porting" your number. ....

Thanks for the very helpful info. I ordered the new phones through AT&T and I'll port the numbers as you described.

Re: not being able to start a contract within 30 days of canceling one, I guess I'm lucky that both AT&T and Verizon have decent coverage where I live so I can go back and forth.