Transfer line of service 2025

[whyjustwhy25]

I am the account owner of a prepaid family plan.  I want to transfer one of the family numbers to another Verizon Wireless account - which is postpaid.  

When I get into my account, there is NO option to select transfer.  When I go to 'Manage Devices' there is NO option to select transfer.  

When I get to the Verizon website page that says "Transfer Your Service', and I click on that button, it takes me to a page with shopping, customer service, Most popular, Top Device Brands, etc. - NO option to select transfer.

A customer service rep on chat said that the sales team needs to manage a 'merge'.  The sales team said they do not handle that and I need to talk to a transfer rep.  The sale person supposedly transferred me, but I was disconnected. The customer service line sends me into automated oblivion, and when I state I want to speak to an agent, it disconnects me.  

So after spending 4+ hours, there is no resolution or clear path to transferring one of my family account numbers to my son's new family account.

So...why did he  add an account with 3 lines with Verizon?  Oh yeah - and he bought 2 new phones and a watch.

Anyone know how to fix this?

[SynthpopAddict · Accepted solution]

Hi, yes, a prepaid number cannot be transferred directly to a postpaid account because the accounts aren't even in the same places in Verizon's system.  Also, the payment structure is completely different, where a prepaid plan expires every month while postpaid lines are "contract" lines.  To get the number moved to the postpaid account, you must first convert that number to postpaid service, and then it can be moved.  Converting will mean there is a 2nd account under your name for the postpaid number.

Inside Sales at 800-256-4646 is the department to contact regarding the conversion.

[update] P.S. - After converting the line to postpaid and getting the new postpaid account in your name, you must keep the postpaid line for 30 days before you are allowed to transfer it to another postpaid account.  See details in this link under Eligibility:

https://www.verizon.com/support/transfer-your-service

[SynthpopAddict · Accepted solution]

Do not login to your My Verizon account, as prepaid accounts are not eligible for the transfer of service thing.  You must first convert the line in question to postpaid and change the service plan to something else, since the postpaid plans are all different than prepaid ones.  Then the postpaid line has to be re-registered on My Verizon as if you never had an account, because the postpaid lines are under a totally different URL for logging into My Verizon.  This means you will (temporarily) have 2 different logins for My Verizon, one for your family prepaid account and the other for the postpaid line you converted.

Once you get that set up, then you can work on transferring the postpaid line to your son's postpaid account after holding the line for 30 days.

[SynthpopAddict · Accepted solution]

Hi, yes, a prepaid number cannot be transferred directly to a postpaid account because the accounts aren't even in the same places in Verizon's system.  Also, the payment structure is completely different, where a prepaid plan expires every month while postpaid lines are "contract" lines.  To get the number moved to the postpaid account, you must first convert that number to postpaid service, and then it can be moved.  Converting will mean there is a 2nd account under your name for the postpaid number.

Inside Sales at 800-256-4646 is the department to contact regarding the conversion.

[update] P.S. - After converting the line to postpaid and getting the new postpaid account in your name, you must keep the postpaid line for 30 days before you are allowed to transfer it to another postpaid account.  See details in this link under Eligibility:

https://www.verizon.com/support/transfer-your-service

[whyjustwhy25]

Thank you!!!  I will work on this tomorrow and then update with what I find out.  Really appreciate all the info!

[whyjustwhy25]

And the link is helpful - but the problem is there is NO button that takes me through the transfer process - I get stuck in an informational loop, or it kicks me to the sales menus.  

[SynthpopAddict · Accepted solution]

Do not login to your My Verizon account, as prepaid accounts are not eligible for the transfer of service thing.  You must first convert the line in question to postpaid and change the service plan to something else, since the postpaid plans are all different than prepaid ones.  Then the postpaid line has to be re-registered on My Verizon as if you never had an account, because the postpaid lines are under a totally different URL for logging into My Verizon.  This means you will (temporarily) have 2 different logins for My Verizon, one for your family prepaid account and the other for the postpaid line you converted.

Once you get that set up, then you can work on transferring the postpaid line to your son's postpaid account after holding the line for 30 days.

[whyjustwhy25]

Ah ha - that explain why there are not buttons/links to go through the transfer process!  So to make sure I am getting this:

I have to convert my family plan to a postpaid? Which means I lose the great prepaid deal I have (and it states when I switch plans, I can't go back to what I had).  

When I look at 'manage lines', the only option for my son's line is to delete it.  If I do that, won't he lose his number?

[whyjustwhy25]

Or once I select 'delete' and then 'continue' will it give me an option to sign up for a postpaid plan?  

[whyjustwhy25]

I'll just call Verizon tomorrow. Thanks again for clearing up a lot of confusion!

[SynthpopAddict · Accepted solution]

You're welcome. 🙂

To answer your questions:

1) If I'm understanding correctly, you have multiple lines in a family prepaid account and there's only one line (your son's) which you want to transfer to him.  Your son has a postpaid account of his own.  In this case, you do NOT need to convert the entire family account to postpaid.  You only need to convert your son's line to postpaid, because only postpaid lines can be transferred.

2) Do not delete your son's line from your prepaid account, as that will disconnect the number and cause headaches in itself.  While your son may be able to contact Verizon to ask for the number back (and hence avoid the whole conversion to postpaid process I'd outlined in earlier posts), it might also only be able to be reactivated as a prepaid line, or it may be tied to your account still in la-la land so then he can't get it.  Numbers are not supposed to go up for recycling until 45 days have passed from the disconnection date, but better to be safe than sorry.

3) I don't know what discounts you are getting in your prepaid account, but losing one line to postpaid service will change the multi-line discount you are receiving for the prepaid family group account.  I am assuming you have a legacy plan which is not currently being offered.  But that's a question for Verizon CS.

[whyjustwhy25]

Thanks again!  The details you provided really helped to better understand the quagmire that is Verizon Customer Service.  And saved so much time!!!  Ultimately - he decided to cancel the old number. He couldn't keep the phone for 30 days (has to turn it in) so the prepaid to postpaid timeframe wouldn't work.  It's okay, though - a fresh start is sometimes good!  

[SynthpopAddict]

You're very welcome and glad I could help!  I've actually investigated if there are part-time gigs for Verizon CS as a more profitable side hustle than the side hustle I already have elsewhere, but alas, no dice.  Doctor told me not to get 3 jobs anyway. 😜

Per the "returning phone" thing your son is doing: Is that for a trade-in offer?  If his new phone supports 2 SIMs or 2 eSIMs, it's still possible to put the second (old number) onto the new phone.  You would still have to do the postpaid conversion thing first and hold the postpaid line for 30 days though before the number can be transferred.  Another option to consider is the Second Number promotion, where a talk/text only number is added to a dual SIM phone and it's pretty cheap - $10/month was the last I'd heard for a promotional rate, and I think it goes up to $15/month after some time.  Might keep your son from completely losing his old number.

Second Number 

[vzw_customer_support]

If you would like, we can get you over to our sales team, and they can assist with your account and moving the lines.

-Bryan

[whyjustwhy25]

I had already spoken with the sales team.  Customer service sent me to them.  Sales sent me back to customer service.

[vzw_customer_support]

whyjustwhy25, We're just checking in to let you know we're here to help with your service concern. Please let us know if you still need assistance.

-Art

[vzw_customer_support]

Hello. Im sorry to hear about your experience. The reason there is no option to transfer is because that's not what you need to do in order to move your line. It's a migration that I can do for you. I'm sending you a PN to get started. Thanks 

-Will

[whyjustwhy25]

Thank you for reaching out.  SynthpopAddict has been tremendously helpful - should be a CS agent for Verizon.  

The migration would mean another line on the new number.  He just wanted to keep his old number on his new plan...not have two phone numbers.

From previous info., we realized that the 30 day window to hold a number transferred from Prepaid to Post Paid wouldn't work - since he has to turn in his old phone within 30 days as part of the new plan/new phone purchase.

Ultimately, he is notifying people of his new number, and will cancel the old one this week.  Thank you.