Unlimited Data Loophole for iPhone 5

[Aguaski]

I am thinking seriously about making the jump from Android to an iPhone 5. First let me give a little background on where I have been over the years. I have always liked the iPhone, but carrier service was important to me so I never made the jump from Verizon to AT&T during the first several generations when iPhone was an exclusive AT&T product. When the exclusivity period ended and Verizon started to carry the iPhone it occurred at a time when 4G was rolling out. Rather than adopt iPhone I elected to stay with Android so that I could secure an unlimited data 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus. For the most part I have always been happy with Android, but I have never been able to totally abandon my desire for an iPhone. Finally iPhone 5 comes out with 4G LTE, but in preparation for the release Verizon moves to family share plans that in my opinion do not save me any money and allow me to consume less data. I have always been a heavy data user so keeping unlimited data is important to me. As a current Android user I frequent the Imore sister site Android Central and occasionally participate in those forums. Below is a link to a thread in the Android Central forum that got me thinking this may be a way for me to keep unlimited data if I switch to iPhone 5.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/verizon/227608-instruction-how-keep-unlimited-data-verizon.html

I currently have a 1,400 minute shared family plan with 4 lines. This is how it breaks down.

Line #1 - Smartphone with unlimited data (my line), NOT eligible for upgrade
Line #2 - Smartphone with unlimited data (my wife's line), NOT eligible for upgrade
Line #3 - Dumbphone with no data plan (my daughters phone), ELIGIBLE for upgrade
Line #4 - Dumbphone with no data plan (my sons phone), ELIGIBLE for upgrade

So similar to what is described in the Android Central thread I provided, can I use this strategy to add an iPhone 5 to line #1? I would first upgrade line #4 to an iPhone 5, and then a day or so later reactivate the dumbphone back to line #4. At that point I should have an iPhone 5 in my hands that is not tied to any line. From there I would activate the iPhone 5 to Line #1.

This seems to be the last hurdle that has stopped me from making the move to iPhone so I appreciate any thoughts or insight.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Jaguarr40]

We - I can give you all the advice in the world and it seems obvious you have done your homework and I don't think I need to actually read the Android thread as I have read it before. Everyone has an opinion on how to keep their plans but the bottom line is it is going to be between you and the Carrier no matter what anyone else says. Both Android and IP5 have goods and bads and you know that. The ultimate decision rests with you my friend and whatever you decide and we hope you come over to iPhone we will welcome you no matter what. Best of luck and let us know what you decide to do.

 

[Elizabeth2]

Aguasli call your provider. Your phones are not tied to their lines. If you have an available update within your plan you can use it for whatever line you would like. It's just transferred and the line with the available update will have a new anniversary date. This applies to Verizon. Simple enough question that I would call your provider.

 

[natasftw]

I'd be interested to see what the cost difference would be.

I'm 99% sure Verizon won't send you the phone for your son/daughter's line without requiring you to add a data plan to that line. Do they still have data plans that aren't the family plan?

When you say "heavy data" what does that mean in numerical values?

There is the option to buy a non-subsidized phone to keep your prior plan. If they do require the data plan for the upgrade to your daughter's line, it might end up being cheaper to buy the phone outright?

 

[pels_17]

Buy the Straight Talk iPhone 5 from Walmart, they're contract-free and it is the exact same model what the Verizon is giving. It is factory-unlocked and the Verizon will work with it. Question is, will Verizon allow you to do that? If you have a sim in your Android device you can cut it to work with the iPhone 5.

 

[Aguaski]

Verizon will absolutely require me to add a data plan at a cost of $30/month, but I would only need it for the period of time before I can reactivate the original dumbphone back to the line. That would be about 1 day so the prorated amount I expect to pay is approximately $1.

On my current Android device's I use approximately 5 GB's and my spouse uses 1 GB. Under the new share everything plans I cannot get 6 GB's of data for what I pay on my unlimited plan. I also expect data consumption to increase over time so keeping unlimited data somewhat future proofs me.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Tpence2177]

This worked for my wife when she upgraded right after the 5 came out. We used a mifi update to get hers.


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Tapatalk

 

[finn5975]

I do this very thing often. I have five lines with Verizon. My parents both have basic phones with no data plans. I have the iPhone 5 and unlimited data. I use their upgrades to get the smartphone I want. Once I get home from the store, I move the new phone to my line, their basic phone back to their line(s), and cancel their data plan. Easy to do.

 

[natasftw]

Buy the Straight Talk iPhone 5 from Walmart, they're contract-free and it is the exact same model what the Verizon is giving. It is factory-unlocked and the Verizon will work with it. Question is, will Verizon allow you to do that? If you have a sim in your Android device you can cut it to work with the iPhone 5.

Verizon would use CDMA to activate their phone. They haven't historically been very willing to activate phones that weren't originally sold as Verizon phones. You can't simply swap a SIM card with the Verizon network.

 

[Aguaski]

Well I did it. I used a dumbphone line to temporarily activate a new iPhone 5. As soon as I walked out of the store I used my tablet to restore the dumbphone back to its original line and then asked for a new nano sim card on my personal line. Now I am rocking a brand new iPhone 5 with unlimited 4g LTE data. I thought I would circle back to this thread to confirm the process I laid out earlier will work.

As I mentioned before, I am a long time Android guy. My initial impressions of my first iOS device are about what everyone else says that has multi platform experience. The iPhone build quality is amazing. The operating system is obviously very mature and refined. It is fun, and sometimes a little frustrating, to learn how to do something that was second nature in Android. For example, it took me a couple days to figure out how to multitask. Overall I am liking the experience and I am giving thought to changing my Nexus 7 over to an iPad mini. I do wish that Apple allowed 3rd party keyboards like Swiftkey or Swype, but I think I will get comfortable with the existing keyboard over time.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[count123]

I do wish that Apple allowed 3rd party keyboards like Swiftkey or Swype, but I think I will get comfortable with the existing keyboard over time.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Switched to iPhone from android 2 years ago. I still miss swype.

 

[jayes]

I was successful in keeping my unlimited data when I purchased my iphone 5 (to replace an iphone 4) My husband had a dumbphone (no data) with an available upgrade and he bought the iphone 5 online, did not activate it and we took it to Verizon who then activated in on my line instead thus I kept my unlimited plan. Happy camper here.
Fast forward. New car. His dumbphone will not sync via bluetooth and he'd like to use my old iphone 4. Works for me.. until I think... hmmm... how am I going to be able to upgrade my iphone 5 when his next upgrade comes due and keep my unlimited data plan? Will I be able to do the same thing.. buy the phone on his plan and then move it to my phone number? He will not have unlimited data on the iphone 4 as it's a new plan for him, but since it is a smartphone, it will have a data plan already. He will not be on a contract since the iphone 4 is old. Will that same trade off work in this scenario?
And as far as the iphone 4 goes.. is there some way to get cell service on the 4 without having a data plan? He really just wants a phone to use with bluetooth and does not care about the data.

 

[Peligro911]

I was successful in keeping my unlimited data when I purchased my iphone 5 (to replace an iphone 4) My husband had a dumbphone (no data) with an available upgrade and he bought the iphone 5 online, did not activate it and we took it to Verizon who then activated in on my line instead thus I kept my unlimited plan. Happy camper here.
Fast forward. New car. His dumbphone will not sync via bluetooth and he'd like to use my old iphone 4. Works for me.. until I think... hmmm... how am I going to be able to upgrade my iphone 5 when his next upgrade comes due and keep my unlimited data plan? Will I be able to do the same thing.. buy the phone on his plan and then move it to my phone number? He will not have unlimited data on the iphone 4 as it's a new plan for him, but since it is a smartphone, it will have a data plan already. He will not be on a contract since the iphone 4 is old. Will that same trade off work in this scenario?
And as far as the iphone 4 goes.. is there some way to get cell service on the 4 without having a data plan? He really just wants a phone to use with bluetooth and does not care about the data.

With Verizon you have to have data .. As far as swapping lines for the upgrade you only lose unlimited on the line you upgrade IE his .. So you will be fine


Sent from my iPhone 5 from a galaxy far far away (in the USA ) using Tapatalk !

 

[rjkgr]

i totally did this! and loving every second of it haha