Moving from family plan to prepaid
SuzyQ
Community Leader
Community Leader

My son is currently on our family plan.  He's considering moving to his own plan, but for his usage, the $50 prepaid, unlimited calls, text and data for his Env3 looks like the best fit.  Can he use the Env3 for this plan?  And can he keep his number?

He also has an older Samsung Sway, still in good shape that he would not mind using.  Is this doable?  We may end up just going into our local corporate store and trying to make it happen, but I like to be informed and don't want to see him get suckered in to something he doesn't want or need.  And I am not all that familiar with prepaid; we've always had a regular account.

Thanks for any insight and experiences you 'd care to share!

Labels (1)
0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
Not applicable

Since the Env3 has an HMTL browser I don't think they'll let you put it on the $50 plan. Even if he could, just so you know the "unlimited" web is actually 1X speed which tops out at 150 kbps. In other words slow. He could probably put it on the $80 smartphone plan. You'll really need to go to your local store an ask though.

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
SuzyQ
Community Leader
Community Leader

He actually could care less if he has internet on the phone or not - he needs unlimited texting (close to 2000 messages halfway into our billing cycle this month) and some voice. 

If he has to go to the $80 share plan for a single line, I might see if we can get him on a 450 minute individual plan with unlimited texting and pay as you go internet for about $60 a month since he will be doing an AOL from our Nationwide share plan....

Thanks for the input, Brian.  I'll let you know how it all works out.

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

I've read on a different forum that the env3 and other allowable multimedia phones have to be on the $80 pre-pay plan.

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
Not applicable

I think he'll be treated as new customer and he'll have to do Share Everything. They do offer 300 MB data plans for single lines on feature phones. So that would be $70 plus tax/fees.

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
SuzyQ
Community Leader
Community Leader

tikibar1 wrote:

I've read on a different forum that the env3 and other allowable multimedia phones have to be on the $80 pre-pay plan.

My, my how things change...  we went to the Verizon corporate store, with his Env3 and his old Samsung Sway in hand.  we were told that neither one would work on the $50 pre-pay plan, or any pre-pay, we'd have t buy a new phone.  In the half hour or so wait we had to be waited on, he started looking around, and liked the LG Lucid, and the iPhone... long story short, he ended up getting the iPhone on his own plan.

We were able to get him the individual 450 minutes, unlimited texting for $59.99,  and $30 for 2GB data.  the other option was Share Everything, unlimited minutes and text and 1GB data for the same $90, but he rarely calls, so it made more sense to get more data and limited minutes.  I clarified with the sales rep, and checked the receipt he electronically signed, and both confirmed Nationwide 450 Talk and Text + 2 GB data.  And the boy has an iPhone... not exactly the scenario we were looking at but he is happy.

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

Yes, things do change, and quickly!  That post that I read on a different forum about the env3 being used on the $80 prepay plan was from just a few months ago!

Good to hear that you could get him on the 450 individual plan.  I remember reading a while back that at least one other poster on this forum had done that since Share Everything came out, but as you say, I thought that might have changed recently.

As long as he's happy, right? 

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
SuzyQ
Community Leader
Community Leader

And the rep DID clarify there would be a $30 upgrade fee - I waited for her to mention it just to see if she would, and she was very clear that the charges for today were the $30 upgrade fee and the sales tax on the iPhone.  Overall, although it took an hour, (actually not too bad, there were a lot of people in the store and they all seemed very busy!!) and we walked out satisfied with the transaction.

** Edit - forgot to add, the rep OFFERED to transfer all his contacts to the new phone (I didn't even know they could transfer from a basic to an iPhone) and she did it in about a minute... flawlessly.  No charge, no hassle, and his new phone has all his numbers... sweet!!

I'll withhold final comments until we see our two bills over the next few weeks, but I don't anticipate any surprises.  Maybe going in pretty well aware of what the options were and knowing what we wanted the end result to be had a lot to do with it.

Message was edited by: SuzyQ

0 Likes
Re: Moving from family plan to prepaid
tikibar1
Community Leader
Community Leader

SuzyQ wrote:

Maybe going in pretty well aware of what the options were and knowing what we wanted the end result to be had a lot to do with it.

Yep, it pays to do your homework.

0 Likes