Porting Verizon Number and Subsidy

[Loonytik]

I plan on buying the new iphone when its available however, I have a two part question for those in the know:

1. I assume number porting to the iphone is a non-issue but I dont know anyone that wasn't already an AT&T customer.

2. (And more important) Should I switch over to AT&T, purchase a junk phone until the iphone comes out so I can get the "rumored" subsidy?

Thanks!

 

[ibglowin]

Number porting with Verizon works perfect. I ported my number and had my phone activated via iTunes in less than 5 minutes back when i got my phone in Oct.

I would wait and see what happens next week at WWDC. Then get the phone from whomever has the best deal. Lots of rumors about ATT subsidy with activation and a 2 year agreement floating around.

 

[Loonytik]

Number porting with Verizon works perfect. I ported my number and had my phone activated via iTunes in less than 5 minutes back when i got my phone in Oct.

Did you use itunes to "port" your number, or did you do that at the store where you purchased your iphone?

 

[ibglowin]

iTunes from the comfort of my living room sofa.

 

[citron230]

the activation process is easy. whether your opening an account for the first time, porting a number from another carrier or transferring an existing AT&T account.

 

[rayward]

I am skeptical of the subsidy, as I'm not sure how AT&T can go about giving it to you. The purchase and the activation of an iPhone are two separate and distinct transactions. Maybe a mail-in rebate will be the only way they can do it, but I'm sure that will get people whining because (a) they have to shell out all the cash up front; and (b) you never get back the sales tax paid on the discounted amount.

As for the OP's question: I confirm what others have said that porting a number is a breeze and activation is completely through iTunes which puts years on your life (rather than having to stand around in a cell phone shop, announcing all your personal details to the shifty rep. while unknown ne'er-do-wells stand at your shoulder).

As I said in another thread: one of the coolest parts of activating your iPhone is watching your old phone die and your iPhone spring into life! For me, the bars disappeared on my old phone, and reappeared on my iPhone within moments. You don't normally get to watch the circle of life happen in front of you like that. That was a good day!

 

[PoitNarf]

Just be mindful of the order in which you do things. You HAVE to keep your Verizon phone active for the number port to be successful. When Verizon receives the number port request they transfer the number and then cancel your Verizon account if there are no other lines tied to that account. The second you deactivate your Verizon account your number become up for grabs in the Verizon system and you'll never see it again, so make sure you port the number before canceling Verizon.

 

[lindsayanng]

I ported my number through itunes and it ended up being a pain in the butt, but my experience was a tad different than everyone else's because we were porting a verizon number and adding it to a business share plan.. It ended up taking 3 days to fully complete, and even when it was complete, my verizon phone still rang up to 24 hours after the intial port.. the calls were coming through on BOTH phones, so i just turned off my verizon phone..

It CAN be a pain, but if you are just setting a one single account from a verizon account, you should have NO issues..

Also, i would WAIT to set up an ATT account because i am pretty sure a subsidy would only be applied to NEW account holders, and if you set up an account a week before the phone is allegedly susidized, then you are no longer an existing customer. Being new to ATT, you can have an upper hand here because they are PROBABLY going to have more inscentives for new customers than existing customers. thats just my guess though