I am a USA resident and recently got to study in Australia for two years. My question is: Can I disable my unlimited data plan (Don't want to lose this feature while I am away in Australia) for my Verizon iPhone 5 for half a year, a year, or two years? Thank you in advance.
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iPhone 5 Unlimited Data Plan disable
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Also my second question is my iPhone 5 is unlocked so when I arrive in Australia, all I have to do is buy a Australian sim card and place it into the iPhone 5?
WOW! Such helpful responses!!!!
OP,
Verizon will not let you "turn off" unlimited data. I imagine your goal is to keep your unimited grandfathered plan. You either need to pay for it while you are gone, or lose it. They may allow you to terminate contract due to your overseas move though.
As far as the sim, essentially yes, just get a nano sim from an AUS carrier and you are good to go. YMMV with LTE bands (though I have heard they really don't have that down under yet anyway).
OP,
Verizon will not let you "turn off" unlimited data. I imagine your goal is to keep your unimited grandfathered plan. You either need to pay for it while you are gone, or lose it. They may allow you to terminate contract due to your overseas move though.
As far as the sim, essentially yes, just get a nano sim from an AUS carrier and you are good to go. YMMV with LTE bands (though I have heard they really don't have that down under yet anyway).
To lordofthereef thank you for the response. I do want to keep my grandfathered unlimited data plan.
1. Could I transfer my grandfathered unlimited data plan to one of my siblings (when I come back after two years I can get it back to my iPhone 5)?
2. When I get a Australian sim card do I get a Australian number or do I keep my American number?
1. Could I transfer my grandfathered unlimited data plan to one of my siblings (when I come back after two years I can get it back to my iPhone 5)?
2. When I get a Australian sim card do I get a Australian number or do I keep my American number?
Yes because an "apple ambassador" should know the semi-esoteric details regarding a different company's policies and procedures.
OP: Couple thoughts -- first, see if Verizon gives the option to suspend your account for a period of time. That might be the best/easiest.
As for a SIM - the number will come from whatever company you buy the SIM and service from. I'd recommend you go with an Australian company / SIM / numbers. When you make friends in Oz, do you want them to have to make an overseas call every time they call you?
Your 3 options are:
- Paying for the plan while you're overseas
- Giving your plan to a family member
- Selling your plan to someone, make a few bucks while you're at it. You can than buy it from someone once you're back.
You can suspend your account for 90 days up to two times per year. That would be the only "break" you will get. The days it is inactive will extend your contract. Also, if you do not unsuspend the service within 90 days, it will automatically become active. When it becomes active, they ding you with a $15.00 "reconnect" fee. So at most you could leave it disconnected 180 days out of the year and you would be dinged with $15.00 x 2.
I've been suspending my VZW line (with unlimited data) without billing for at least a couple of years now. I've always done it online and even though the service automatically starts back up in 90 days, I just set a reminder for myself to go back online and suspend it again on the day it's due to start back up.
You can keep on doing it continuously (without end)? I've only heard that you can do it once or twice per year at most.
I think some carriers do have a temporary hold that you can put on your account for a few months but I don't think you can do it for long periods of times like you're mentioning 2 years.
If you let someone else use your phone number and plan and as long as they pay for it and don't switch away from the unlimited data plan then you will be able to get it when you come back.
But then you are stuck with a number that someone else was using for a while and all his friends calling you now instead. But you can always get the number changed if you want.
About the 2nd question yes the Verizon i5 is fully unlocked and you can stick any gsm sim card from any carrier in the world and it will work with no probs.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Don't mean to crash the thread, nor open one to say hi! but i just decided to signed up today after reading up and down through the forums for over 4 years
But to give some light about AT&T grandfathered dormant plan details. I went to England last year for 7 months and was able to put my account on dormant status for 6 months. I was then told I'd be charged $10 after the 6th one.
So yeah, there is an AT&T option to save your plan if you're not in the military. You just have to ask for it and att retention will make it happen. But, in my case, not knowing I was staying in England longer then the 5 months I planned, I decided to cancel my grandfathered line after no one wanted it.
So... If anyone who has an AT&T unlimited data plan and want to transfer billing responsibility to give to someone. My hand is up!
Thanks guys!
But to give some light about AT&T grandfathered dormant plan details. I went to England last year for 7 months and was able to put my account on dormant status for 6 months. I was then told I'd be charged $10 after the 6th one.
So yeah, there is an AT&T option to save your plan if you're not in the military. You just have to ask for it and att retention will make it happen. But, in my case, not knowing I was staying in England longer then the 5 months I planned, I decided to cancel my grandfathered line after no one wanted it.
So... If anyone who has an AT&T unlimited data plan and want to transfer billing responsibility to give to someone. My hand is up!
Thanks guys!
yes and you might be able to get LTE here since you are using Verizon iphone 5. according to apple, A1429 CDMA model supports all LTE bands that are used in Australia.
if you would like to know more about carriers in AU, i would be able to help.
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LTE has been around for a while in major cities here. All three carriers now have LTE, but coverage (LTE) is not really that great, especially vodafone.
Well I don't want to jinx it but yes, I've been doing it continuously for two years. Maybe the key is to do it online like I've been doing it.