AT&T: Possible to assign existing contract to different number?

[Massie]

Here's the situation: my wife and I just had twins and are looking to trim our budget. She has a 4S that's out of contract, while my 5 has a year left. I'd love to cancel my service and transfer the remaining contract to her number. (I'd get a cheap go phone or something for voice calls while away from wifi.) The goal is that she gets to keep her number, and AT&T still gets their contract money, but overall we drop one line.

Can anyone tell me if AT&T will allow this? The rep I talked to in-store today seemed a little confused about what I was asking.

 

[kch50428]

Congrats on the new wee ones...

What I'd do... get a 'dumb phone' and put it on your line to finish the contract... and put your 5S on wife's number and leave it go month to month...

 

[Massie]

Sorry to sound dumb, but can you break that down a bit more for me? Sounds like I'd still be paying for two plans?

 

[kch50428]

Sorry to sound dumb, but can you break that down a bit more for me? Sounds like I'd still be paying for two plans?

Yeah... you'd be paying for two plans still... but the route you want to go with a prepaid phone... would that cost a lot less in the end?

 

[Massie]

Yeah... you'd be paying for two plans still... but the route you want to go with a prepaid phone... would that cost a lot less in the end?

I think I'm confused about whether or not AT&T will let me keep the line without a data plan...going to call customer care after work tonight; will report back!

 

[kch50428]

I know on Verizon one can take a line with a smartphone on it and put a 'dumb' phone on it with no issues at all... you no longer have to pay the cost of the data plan... with the family share plans - one can just swap devices in their MyVerizon account...

 

[Massie]

I know on Verizon one can take a line with a smartphone on it and put a 'dumb' phone on it with no issues at all... you no longer have to pay the cost of the data plan... with the family share plans - one can just swap devices in their MyVerizon account...

Really! Seems odd, like people would buy the subsidized iphone and then switch to a cheapo plan...

 

[Totalimmortal363]

As far as switching to a "dumb" phone on you existing line, yes you can do that without penalty.

When it comes to moving a contract, that cannot be done so far as I've ever seen. The contract is tied to that line and that line only, no swapping.

 

[Massie]

As far as switching to a "dumb" phone on you existing line, yes you can do that without penalty.

When it comes to moving a contract, that cannot be done so far as I've ever seen. The contract is tied to that line and that line only, no swapping.

Hmm...do you guys have any recommendations for rock bottom plans for dumbphones? If they're not dirt cheap it might just be easiest/cheapest for me to simply pay the ETF on my iPhone 5.

Thanks for the help!

 

[acerace113]

Since the 4S is not under contract couldn't you just get a "voice only" plan for it?


Sent from my iPod touch (5th generation) or iPhone 4S using Tapatalk.

 

[Massie]

Since the 4S is not under contract couldn't you just get a "voice only" plan for it?


Sent from my iPod touch (5th generation) or iPhone 4S using Tapatalk.

We want to keep the 4S as-is. (But AT&T requires data for smartphones anyway.)

 

[acerace113]

We want to keep the 4S as-is. (But AT&T requires data for smartphones anyway.)

Ah, Then the only option you might have is to cancel the contract on the iPhone 5. I would do the math to see if it would save you money before deciding what to do though.

Here in Canada once your contract is up you can chose a voice only plan but they add a data flex plan as a backup but it only applies when you use data.


Sent from my iPod touch (5th generation) or iPhone 4S using Tapatalk.

 

[Massie]

Checked in with AT&T today--as expected, I can't move the contract to the other line. We ran through all the options, and came up with:

-change from iPhone to dumbphone, use voice only plan, save about $40
-keep iPhone, but change from unlimited data on two lines to a shared 1 or 2 GB plan, save $30-40
-cancel iPhone, pay ETF of $205, save around $85-90

OR we could cancel both lines, pay my ETF, and then pick up some sort of Straight Talk type of plan, saving about $100-110.

Honestly not sure what I'm going to do at this point!