Switching Upgrade Dates

I was looking around earlier, and I saw that I could switch upgrade dates with another line on my plan. I have a Blackberry Curve. I am not eligible to upgrade it until January. The other phone is a Verizon Wireless feature phone. (It isn't even offered anymore.) It is eligible to upgrade now.

I have a few questions. The first one is the one I'm concerned about most.

I was thinking about selecting to switch the upgrade dates so I could see how much it would be to update the feature phone if it was then considered "early." I am a little afraid to do this. Will I be able to switch them back after I look around for a bit? Or will I be stuck with it like that once I hit the okay button?

My next question, I'm sure has been asked before. But I can't seem to find anything with my specific situation.

Since I only have two lines on my plan, I know that if I cancelled one of them, I would have to switch to an individual plan. I was wondering if anyone had any information on how this works. If I cancelled a line, it would be for the feature phone, not for the Blackberry. Since I would have to switch to an individual plan, would I have to pay an activation fee on it? Any other advice or information about this would be really appreciated.

Thanks for any help! :smileyhappy:

Accepted answers

SuzyQ

Shoogie09 wrote:

When I go into my Verizon options, I can go to a page where I can see both phones. Under the feature phone, I see that it is eligible for an upgrade right now. Under my phone, I see that I still have to wait until January to upgrade. Then, there is an option that will allow me to use the upgrade for my phone (the Blackberry), and then make the feature phone wait until January. (Thus, switching upgrade dates.) I know that I'm allowed to look at the phones all I want without hitting purchase. I was referring to the step before that. Before I can get in to see the phones, I have to basically select the line I want to upgrade. (This is what I meant by being stuck.) Let's say I hit the button to upgrade the feature phone, but then I don't go through with it. Will I be able to go back and see the page before that allows me to switch the upgrades? Yes, if you leave the site, or go back to the home screen, things should go back to the way they were. If they don't, you may have to log out of the site, then log back in and you'll be back to the way things were.

I'm probably over-complicating this. And I promise I don't mean to. I'm really sorry for any confusion. I know I should have figured out a way to be clearer about all of this.

As far as my "end result" in all of this - I'm not sure what I want that to be. Since my original post, I've actually been able to talk to my mom a bit more. She isn't happy with her feature phone. I know that there are more to choose from now than when I got her the one she has. I have just been thinking about cancelling her line of the plan and getting her a prepaid phone since it could better suit her needs. If her line is currently on a month to month, contract fulfilled, then you can cancel and move her to a prepaid. But you probably won't find a better deal than $10 a month add a line to your plan; we have my mother on our plan and she doesn't have to "refill" or worry about minutes expiring or any of that. She's using an older one of our phones so there is no contract on that line... it works better than pre-paid for us. I've heard of other carriers doing this, so this is why I'm going to ask this next question - if I do not touch the upgrades, and cancel her line, is it possible that I won't have to pay anything? If you don't touch the upgrades, and her line is currently out of contract, then there would be no fee to cancel. Look at when it says her contract or upgrade date is.... and if you "switch upgrade dates", and use her line to get the iPhone, it will extend the contract on her line for 2 years, meaning an ETF if you cancel her line, regardless of which line you actually use the iPhone on.

All comments

SuzyQ

Shoogie09 wrote:
I was looking around earlier, and I saw that I could switch upgrade dates with another line on my plan. I have a Blackberry Curve. I am not eligible to upgrade it until January. The other phone is a Verizon Wireless feature phone. (It isn't even offered anymore.) It is eligible to upgrade now.

I have a few questions. The first one is the one I'm concerned about most. And I'm not sure I understand what you want to gain by "switching upgrades" - replace the Curve? Or replace the feature phone?

I was thinking about selecting to switch the upgrade dates so I could see how much it would be to update the feature phone if it was then considered "early." ?? I think you misunderstand the concept of "switching upgrade dates", because that really isn't what happens at all. There isn't a way to make the feature phone line considered an "early" upgrade if it is currently eligible. I am a little afraid to do this. Will I be able to switch them back after I look around for a bit? If you are simply LOOKING at phones and upgrade prices, NOTHING CHANGES until you actually make a purchase. You can look, go through the entire ordering process, then cancel before hitting the final submit order and nothing will change. Or will I be stuck with it like that once I hit the okay button? Stuck with it like what?? Each line has an upgrade eligibility date, and that changes only by purchasing a discounted phone and extending the contract on that line.

Just a clarification on what happens when you "switch upgrade dates" - What you are, in effect, doing is using the upgrade for one line, extending it's contract, and using the phone on a different line. The "upgrade" dates for each line DO NOT CHANGE, the phone you purchase with the upgrade eligibility can be used on any line.

If you do use the secondary line's upgrade, that contract will extended, and you will be charged an ETF if you cancel the secondary line.

My next question, I'm sure has been asked before. But I can't seem to find anything with my specific situation.

Since I only have two lines on my plan, I know that if I cancelled one of them, I would have to switch to an individual plan. Yes, if you cancel the secondary line on a family plan with two lines, the other line will be converted to an individual plan. I was wondering if anyone had any information on how this works. If I cancelled a line, it would be for the feature phone, not for the Blackberry. Since I would have to switch to an individual plan, would I have to pay an activation fee on it? No, the activation fee applies when you ADD a new line of service. Any other advice or information about this would be really appreciated.

Thanks for any help!

What is the end result you want? Two lines? One line? Are you looking to replace the Curve? The feature phone?

Shoogie09

I was thinking about switching the upgrades because I was looking into getting the iPhone 4. (Just to get this out of the way - Yes, I know I can upgrade now if I take out a new 2-year contract. I've done that before. But that's not what I mean here.)

I have my mother on my plan, so she's the one with the feature phone. She doesn't need anything with data. She only uses her phone for... well, making calls. (Crazy, right? lol)

As far as what I meant by being stuck with things, well, here was my thought process... (Strictly hypothetical at this point because I haven't done anything.)

When I go into my Verizon options, I can go to a page where I can see both phones. Under the feature phone, I see that it is eligible for an upgrade right now. Under my phone, I see that I still have to wait until January to upgrade. Then, there is an option that will allow me to use the upgrade for my phone (the Blackberry), and then make the feature phone wait until January. (Thus, switching upgrade dates.) I know that I'm allowed to look at the phones all I want without hitting purchase. I was referring to the step before that. Before I can get in to see the phones, I have to basically select the line I want to upgrade. (This is what I meant by being stuck.) Let's say I hit the button to upgrade the feature phone, but then I don't go through with it. Will I be able to go back and see the page before that allows me to switch the upgrades?

I'm probably over-complicating this. And I promise I don't mean to. I'm really sorry for any confusion. I know I should have figured out a way to be clearer about all of this.

As far as my "end result" in all of this - I'm not sure what I want that to be. Since my original post, I've actually been able to talk to my mom a bit more. She isn't happy with her feature phone. I know that there are more to choose from now than when I got her the one she has. I have just been thinking about cancelling her line of the plan and getting her a prepaid phone since it could better suit her needs. I've heard of other carriers doing this, so this is why I'm going to ask this next question - if I do not touch the upgrades, and cancel her line, is it possible that I won't have to pay anything?

I'm sure that's probably really crazy, but hey, you never know till you ask, right?

Again, sorry for the confusion. And really sorry for the novel I've written.

Thanks!

SuzyQ

Shoogie09 wrote:

When I go into my Verizon options, I can go to a page where I can see both phones. Under the feature phone, I see that it is eligible for an upgrade right now. Under my phone, I see that I still have to wait until January to upgrade. Then, there is an option that will allow me to use the upgrade for my phone (the Blackberry), and then make the feature phone wait until January. (Thus, switching upgrade dates.) I know that I'm allowed to look at the phones all I want without hitting purchase. I was referring to the step before that. Before I can get in to see the phones, I have to basically select the line I want to upgrade. (This is what I meant by being stuck.) Let's say I hit the button to upgrade the feature phone, but then I don't go through with it. Will I be able to go back and see the page before that allows me to switch the upgrades? Yes, if you leave the site, or go back to the home screen, things should go back to the way they were. If they don't, you may have to log out of the site, then log back in and you'll be back to the way things were.

I'm probably over-complicating this. And I promise I don't mean to. I'm really sorry for any confusion. I know I should have figured out a way to be clearer about all of this.

As far as my "end result" in all of this - I'm not sure what I want that to be. Since my original post, I've actually been able to talk to my mom a bit more. She isn't happy with her feature phone. I know that there are more to choose from now than when I got her the one she has. I have just been thinking about cancelling her line of the plan and getting her a prepaid phone since it could better suit her needs. If her line is currently on a month to month, contract fulfilled, then you can cancel and move her to a prepaid. But you probably won't find a better deal than $10 a month add a line to your plan; we have my mother on our plan and she doesn't have to "refill" or worry about minutes expiring or any of that. She's using an older one of our phones so there is no contract on that line... it works better than pre-paid for us. I've heard of other carriers doing this, so this is why I'm going to ask this next question - if I do not touch the upgrades, and cancel her line, is it possible that I won't have to pay anything? If you don't touch the upgrades, and her line is currently out of contract, then there would be no fee to cancel. Look at when it says her contract or upgrade date is.... and if you "switch upgrade dates", and use her line to get the iPhone, it will extend the contract on her line for 2 years, meaning an ETF if you cancel her line, regardless of which line you actually use the iPhone on.

Jax_Omen

Actually, regarding that "better deal"... it costs at least $30/month more to have a family share plan versus an individual plan (individual 450 versus FSP 700: $40 vs $70, individual 900 versus FSP 1400: $60 vs $90), so it's entirely possible, even LIKELY, that a light-usage individual could be better off on prepaid ($10/month if you do a $30/3 month refill and don't use it up before it expires) versus being part of a 2-line FSP. If he had three lines? Yeah I'd totally agree with keeping the line versus going prepaid, at that point it's $10 either way.

And yeah, the "transfer upgrade" you're seeing has nothing to do with changing upgrade dates. It's the same thing as doing an upgrade on her line, then switching her back to her old phone and putting her new phone on your line. The only difference is that VzW's system does the work for you, so all you do is activate the phone and it's on your line.