Kept my unlimited plan without paying unsubsidized price for iPhone5!!!

[wyajbb17]

Just wondering how many other Verizon iPhone 5 adopters have experienced this. I have had one of the very old unlimited data plans for years. Yesterday I was sure I would be swapping over to a share everything plan. Now, unlike most, I honestly wasn't too bummed about it since my old plan actually costs me more than what most people had been paying for unlimited data, 450 minutes and 500 texts per month. After my 20% employee discount that I get from my employer, my cost is $112 actual cost, including $20/month for my 1GB iPad data plan, compared to $96 before taxes and fees with a 6GB/month share everything plan. I have really never gone over 4GB often enough to warrant choosing a share everything plan over 6GB, so technically I'd be saving a little bit of money and gaining more minutes and texts (of which, I have also never gone over).

Now the only reason I was even in this situation is because I accidentally stumbled upon the fact that I could upgrade my iPhone 4s to the 32 GB Black "5" on the line that my iPad is currently attached to for the fully subsidized price of $329.99 ($30 upgrade fee), and then switch it over to my main cell line once the phone arrived.

So I open the beautiful box yesterday after waiting for the FedEx guy to make his rounds, call up Verizon customer support (who answer surprisingly quickly to be honest with you), have him activate the phone on the other line and he says "you're all set." I foolishly ask him, "Wait, so I don't have to change my current plan?, It's still in tact?". The rep tells me that "yeah, everything on your plan is like it was yesterday. Nothing has changed."....Meanwhile, I am doing cartwheels inside.

So now I can sell my phone to Amazon, get $361 for it and actually make money by upgrading to the iPhone 5 and still be left with an unlimited data plan in tact! On top of that, by swapping the upgrades of the two lines, I am going to be eligible to upgrade again in June by once again transferring the upgrade. And the same thing the next year, and the next year, and the next year!

Anyone else get this lucky? Haha

 

[Sublime]

I hope I get that lucky but I rather go to the store and upgrade I would like to see my new phone first before I upgrade I hope I can keep the plan I have now I don't want it to change we pay the bill so we should have the chose to change or not you would think right

 

[hookbill]

I don't know if your realize this or not but to work it out the way you say you are going to do it you will need to purchase at the price of $649.00 for the iPhone 5. You'll still be getting a savings, but I didn't see that mentioned in your plan. And you would keep the same data plan.

 

[wyajbb17]

Hookbill, was your post directed at me or the guy who posted after? Because that wasn't a "plan", that's what has already happened. I did not have to pay the unsubsidized amount of $649. I paid the regular $330 for mine, already received it and activated on my unlimited data line without having to switch to a Share Everything plan. As for future upgrades, because the line I am upgrading will never be the one that I use the phone on, I will never have to change my plan as long as I activate the phone on my main line (the one with the unlimited data plan).

Like I said, I was trying to figure out if anyone else had experienced this since I made out like a freaking bandit (made money upgrading to the iPhone5, kept unlimited plan and will continue to have a yearly upgrade).

 

[XDRoX]

I thought this was well known. There are two ways to keep your unlimited plan.
1. Pay the full price for the phone.
2. Use another line's upgrade (which is what you sort of did).

Example. My cousin, my aunt, and my uncle are on the same bill. On Friday my cousin walked into a Verizon store and bought a new iPhone 5 using his mom's upgrade with his mom's number on the phone.
The next day he called Verizon and asked that the new iPhone 5 be moved to his number with his unlimited data plan. And asked that his mom's old phone be re-activated. Verizon said sure and made the move. His mom however is now in a new 2 year contract with her old crappy phone, but my cousin made out, and his mom could care less.

 

[XDRoX]

Also, I forgot. Congrat's OP, to keeping your unlimited plan and getting the new phone. But I don't really understand why people need unlimited data. Normal use comes nowhere close to 2GB a month IMO. Personally I'd rather have unlimited talk and texting.

I'm in the same boat as my cousin. My wife is due for an upgrade this December. I could very easily take her upgrade and keep my unlimited plan. But I'm going to switch over to the shared plans. I'd rather have unlimited talk and text than unlimited data which will get throttled if I use too much anyway.

 

[aubre34]

People need unlimited data for streaming. My husband streams well over 20gb a month. Can't imagine what not having unlimited data anymore would be like!

 

[wyajbb17]

Also, I forgot. Congrat's OP, to keeping your unlimited plan and getting the new phone. But I don't really understand why people need unlimited data. Normal use comes nowhere close to 2GB a month IMO. Personally I'd rather have unlimited talk and texting.

Thanks.

Honestly, if I was coming anywhere close on the minutes and texting, I would agree, but I routinely use 4-5 GB a month with normal useage. I do travel a lot, but even then WiFi is usually readiliy available. Still it's well over 2GB.

 

[XDRoX]

Ya it's worth it for you, I agree. I never go over 2GB. My cousin doesn't have Internet at his house, his phone is the only way he can get online. So for him it was worth it as well.

 

[Sublime]

Just wondering could I upgrade and let my wife stay with the unlimited plan if we are on the same plan probly not but it don't hurt to ask I heard about it somewhere

 

[speedy_ri]

I too always go well over 2GB. I went through the process of seeing how much more i would spend if i went with a shared plan... I use 4-5 GB on average per month minimum. Especially with MLB and NBA audio and video streaming, I continuously go over an alloted amount. Traveling so much this past month I have exceeded 15 GB. I will keep my iPhone4 for now and considered doing what was suggested above.... but when i called about using a different upgrade I was informed that as soon as I buy an upgrade on another line on my current plan, my unlimited data would be lost since and all phones would be transfered to shared since we are all on a paid allotment of 2GB per phone.

 

[brandct]

Also, I forgot. Congrat's OP, to keeping your unlimited plan and getting the new phone. But I don't really understand why people need unlimited data. Normal use comes nowhere close to 2GB a month IMO. Personally I'd rather have unlimited talk and texting.

I'm in the same boat as my cousin. My wife is due for an upgrade this December. I could very easily take her upgrade and keep my unlimited plan. But I'm going to switch over to the shared plans. I'd rather have unlimited talk and text than unlimited data which will get throttled if I use too much anyway.

I wanted to keep it just for the fact that it is a safety net. I know there will be no overages, but honestly I think I would be good on a 4-6GB Share Everything plan but do not know what it would do to my bill yet. I will keep unlimited as long as possible though just because of that safety net.