Do I have to lose my Alltel Plan for the Droid

[matt4876]

I currently have a Family Data plan with alltel that gives me 500 minutes, 5 my circle friends, and unlimited Data for $109 per month. On this plan I have two blackberrys. Now do I lose this plan and have to get a the closest VZN plan (700 Family Basic plus $29 each for two data plans = $129 total) in order to get the Droid?

I have rec'd conflicting answers on this both in store and over the phone with Verizon. Can someone please give me some official word on this?

[Donsell]

Official word is hard to come by and I certainly can't give it to you, but I'm on the same Alltel place you are on and was told I didn't have to change plans when I pre ordered at Best Buy

[fezzik]

I wouldn't trust best buy's word on Verizon policy.  Altell has been swallowed by big red and eventually your plan will change.  If your plan is compatible with Droid then you should be fine but I think that when you do a new 2 year agreement you get a plan based on current prices.  You can only be grandfathered for so long.  When they changed prices my plan got changed at the last upgrade.  I wasn't happy about it. 

[Donsell]

I don't trust Best Buy either.  I wish Verizon was clear with their policies. I'll be pretty disappointed if I have to upgrade - I have 4 other people on my Family Plan and it's my understanding that they won't accept Alltel Phones on a Verizon plan, but they will accept a Verizon phone on an Alltel plan, but some extra services - like V-Cast- might not be available. 

[PPC_Dude]

I may be totally wrong, but it seems to me that unless you buy the phone at full retail and not at the discounted price with a 1-yr or 2-yr contract, you will not be able to keep your current Alltel package.  The main reason being that you are signing up for a new 1-yr or 2-yr deal and you are signing up with Verizon, not Alltel.  Verizon does not have Alltel plans, they have Verizon plans.  If you choose to buy the phone at full retail, then you could probably keep whatever package that you came with from Alltel.

It's just a working theory though, I have no proof either way.

[Donsell]

I have a current nation wide calling and PDA Data plan.  On My Verizon it says I can upgrade to the current Smart Phones on my existing plan.  This includes the HTC Touch Pro 2.  I'd think if I could use that phone I could use the Droid.

The problem here is that you expect to have trouble.  If Verizon would be very clear on issues like this and the $15 for Exchange Sync (which the store reps continue to tell people they need when they don't), life would be so much easier and the customers would feel much better about their wireless providers.  

We just need clear answers.

[Reusable]

YES.  I visited a Verizon wireless store yesterday and learned that not only will I have to switch to a Verizon plan, but my wife will also be forced to change since we're on a Family plan.  It gets worse:

• My wife is happy with her phone, but will have to purchase a new Verizon phone so that will also cost me more money.
• I have 20 people in my Circle of Friends...Verizon will cut that to 10.
• My text plan will cost more

I was so disappointed that I left the store, so there may be more penalties.  I was ready to upgrade my Palm to a Droid...I'm going to have to re-think the upgrade process since I'm getting the short end of the stick.

Alltel customers are like "red-headed stepchildren."  Note:  Sorry if you have red hair.

[Donsell]

Did you already have a smartphone?  I think that might be the difference.  I can go the MyVerizon and see the Droid and it says it's compatible with my current plan.  But I already own a smart phone on an Alltel plan.  I can understand then not allowing you to change to an old Alltel smart phone plan, but if you already have a smart phone I think you're gold.

It's 9:00am here, Best Buy opens at 10:00.   I'll confirm that I could get it and keep my Alltel plan when I get it. 

[Donsell]

I just got my Droid from Best Buy. It activated on my Alltel account with no changes.  I already had a nationwide calling + data so that might be what's required. 

[NXLDesigns]

Can you say exactly which plan you have?

And did you pay full retail at Best Buy, or did you get the discount for signing a new contract? I'm trying to order mine for the $199, but it's asking me to change my smartphone plan.

P.S: I'm using a HTC Diamond on a Alltel Freedom Plan with Axcess.

[itoe429]

My original alltel plan was Family Smartpack 500 with 10 in my circle.  This plan comes with 500 shared minutes for the lines, and unlimited web access for the primary line.  Both lines include unlimited picture messaging, text and mobile to mobile.  It is my understanding that the second line cannot be altered to get the Droid because it does not have Data.  I upgraded to the Droid on Friday.  There was no action taken on my other phone line since it's not time to upgrade it.  I did not have to change anything.  My bill went up $1 because the insurance for Verizon is $1 more than the Alltel insurance was.  I checked on the Verizon FAQs for former Alltel customers, and as long as you DO NOT try to alter your current plan it will remain at the same rate whenever you renew.  The insurance was more but it is an optional addition. 

[Backnblack]

Thimgs change....Alltel coundn't stay in bussiness......Nothing is free.

[Black6x]

As far as I can tell, when you sign up for a new contract, you lose whatever you had under the old contract if things are different.  For example, I had a Verizon card that had true unlimited data access.  I'm not going to sign up for a contract ever, because you can't get that anymore.  Usually, your only recourse if to pay full price for the phone, which is $600.

That being said, do the math.  It's a 2-yr program and the phone will cost you $200 on that contract, plus the additional $20/month.  20*12=$240, plus the cost of the phone, for a total of $440.  Financially, you are good until 8 months after your contract is up, at which point, you will technically be losing money on the deal.  However, after 2 years, you will be eligible for a new phone, a new contract, etc.

Also, if you are going to pay full price for the Driod, you may want to look into teh Motorola Milestone, which is the unlocked european version of the Droid.  It can double as a world phone, and uses SIM cards.  HEre's what I have found out so far about it: http://community.vzw.com/t5/Android-Devices/Droid-and-it-s-European-counterpart-the-Milestone/td-p/1...

[Black6x]

Correction: Ignore my comment about the Milestone.  We've figured it out.

Also, i made the mistake of only calculating the first year.

It's a 2-yr program and the phone will cost you $200 (after rebate) on that contract, plus the additional $20/month.  20*24=$480, plus the cost of the phone, for a total of $680.  You start losing money in the final 4 months of the contract.

Personally, I can't think of a time where a new contract is cheaper than the old contract, unless your usage increases to the point that additional charges for overages on the original contract exceeds the included ability of the new one.

[snorkel]

Where are you seeing this 29 dollar data plan?  You can't find it anywhere on the VZ site.

[jaja]

No. I have an Alltel plan and bought the Droid yesterday.  Nothing changed at all on my plan.

[Jagger-VzW]

Unless you purchase the DROID for full Retail price OR you obtain one from Ebay/Craigs List, which would be considered CPE (Customer Provided Equipment) you will be required to change to a qualifying Nationwide Calling Plan and add a Data Plan as all PDA/Smartphone/Blackberry's must be on a qualifying data plan as well.   

[Aflack143]

I know this is an older post, but I wanted to share...

I just ordered my DROID from Verizon Online today and did not have to change my current Alltel 500 plan. (previously had a BB Pearl) If they were going to require me to change out of my alltel package that would not have worked for me. I like saving a few pennies with my current plan while also allowed to still have 10 friends and family (which seems to have been bumped to 11 with the merger  ) The comparative Verizon plans do not come close to offering the same thing for the same price!