Over on the android forum, there is a thread about this. Didn't see one here and see people talking about giving up unlimited data on Verizon - Nooooo!!!!
You have to either have a line that doesn't have unlimited data on it already, be willing to sacrifice unlimited data on one of the lines or add a line to your family plan and so your cost increase by about $13/mo after fees and taxes. But for a family plan of 2 people, adding a line will mean 3 subsidized phones in 20 months and you can sell the third one to recoup the costs of the added line. Here is how it works if you are adding a line:
1) Add a line to your family plan;
2) Buy a subsidized 4G LTE smartphone when you add the new line;
3) Add 2GB data plan for $30 a month on the new line;
4) Activate the new smartphone on the new line;
5) Activate a basic phone (or a ghost phone ESN = 13800000400) on the new line;
6) Choose pay per use as your data plan on the new line;
7) Get a new SIM card for the new 4G LTE smartphone to be on an unlimited data line and activate the new smartphone on this unlimited data line (ordering a new SIM card and activating the new smartphone on an unlimited data line can be done online);
8) Transfer the upgrade from an unlimited data line to the basic phone line (you can do this online once your upgrade is eligible);
9) Repeat Steps 2-7
10) Repeat Steps 8-9 using the upgrades for the other unlimited data lines on the family plan and sell one of the subsidized smartphones to recoup the cost of the added line.
Step 4 is crucial - you MUST activate the new smartphone on the new line first to keep unlimited data on the line you will switch the new smartphone to. Do NOT activate it on the unlimited data line before you activate it on the new line or you will lose unlimited data on that line.
The data plan drops off the basic line when you put a basic phone (or a ghost phone) on the basic line since you are choosing pay per use and not required to have a data plan on a line with a basic phone. You will be billed the entire $30 for the 2GB data plan for the month in which you do this, but will be credited back a prorated amount the next month from the time you put the basic phone on the new line. You can get the new SIM card at a Verizon store rather than ordering one online to speed up the process and reduce the prorated 2GB data plan charge.
The most unbelievable part of this is that when you do the transfer of the unlimited data line's upgrade to the new line and use the upgrade, it renews the unlimited data line's 2 year contract and resets the upgrade on that line for 20 months later. Yep, that is right, you renew your unlimited data for 2 years.
The only places you can do this are Verizon, Best Buy and Costco because all other 3rd party retailers will charge you a $400 fee if you drop the data plan on the new line. Verizon, Best Buy and Costco don't.
All of this can be done entirely online at verizonwireless.com.
Just want to point out NEVER put the ghost ESN or a basic phone on a line with unlimited data or you will lose unlimited data!
You have to either have a line that doesn't have unlimited data on it already, be willing to sacrifice unlimited data on one of the lines or add a line to your family plan and so your cost increase by about $13/mo after fees and taxes. But for a family plan of 2 people, adding a line will mean 3 subsidized phones in 20 months and you can sell the third one to recoup the costs of the added line. Here is how it works if you are adding a line:
1) Add a line to your family plan;
2) Buy a subsidized 4G LTE smartphone when you add the new line;
3) Add 2GB data plan for $30 a month on the new line;
4) Activate the new smartphone on the new line;
5) Activate a basic phone (or a ghost phone ESN = 13800000400) on the new line;
6) Choose pay per use as your data plan on the new line;
7) Get a new SIM card for the new 4G LTE smartphone to be on an unlimited data line and activate the new smartphone on this unlimited data line (ordering a new SIM card and activating the new smartphone on an unlimited data line can be done online);
8) Transfer the upgrade from an unlimited data line to the basic phone line (you can do this online once your upgrade is eligible);
9) Repeat Steps 2-7
10) Repeat Steps 8-9 using the upgrades for the other unlimited data lines on the family plan and sell one of the subsidized smartphones to recoup the cost of the added line.
Step 4 is crucial - you MUST activate the new smartphone on the new line first to keep unlimited data on the line you will switch the new smartphone to. Do NOT activate it on the unlimited data line before you activate it on the new line or you will lose unlimited data on that line.
The data plan drops off the basic line when you put a basic phone (or a ghost phone) on the basic line since you are choosing pay per use and not required to have a data plan on a line with a basic phone. You will be billed the entire $30 for the 2GB data plan for the month in which you do this, but will be credited back a prorated amount the next month from the time you put the basic phone on the new line. You can get the new SIM card at a Verizon store rather than ordering one online to speed up the process and reduce the prorated 2GB data plan charge.
The most unbelievable part of this is that when you do the transfer of the unlimited data line's upgrade to the new line and use the upgrade, it renews the unlimited data line's 2 year contract and resets the upgrade on that line for 20 months later. Yep, that is right, you renew your unlimited data for 2 years.
The only places you can do this are Verizon, Best Buy and Costco because all other 3rd party retailers will charge you a $400 fee if you drop the data plan on the new line. Verizon, Best Buy and Costco don't.
All of this can be done entirely online at verizonwireless.com.
Just want to point out NEVER put the ghost ESN or a basic phone on a line with unlimited data or you will lose unlimited data!
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