Switching devices on a contract

[fallofshadows]

Hey folks,

I'm going to try to keep this brief, but there are some details involved in this that would need answering.

My main question for now is this: If I have a device that's attached to my main phone number and is currently under contract (the two year contract plan) until next year, can I disconnect that device from the phone number and add a different one without paying an early termination fee?

Now, for lots of details!

My account basically has my phone, a Galaxy S5, under contract until next year. It also has my wife's iPhone 6 under the device payment plan. Even though I'm under contract, we share 10GB of data.

Floating around on a different account I used to be linked with is a third line, which I was using to get upgrades before they were supposed to be available on my line. There's a long story behind that, but basically that 3rd line is eligible for an upgrade, but only to the Device Payment plan.

So, I'm interested in getting myself an iPhone 6. Here's how I think it would work, but I'd like to know if this is actually doable:
1. Upgrade 3rd line to Device Payment for an iPhone 6.

2. Transfer this 3rd line over to my account, which contains are two main phone numbers.

3. Swap devices on the phone numbers, so the iPhone 6 would become my primary device.

4. Drop the S5 off of the plan entirely.

What I'm basically looking to have happen will be: I'll have an iPhone 6 as my main phone, and pay the major chunk of my bill for that device. The 3rd line will go back to what it is right now: registered as a "basic phone" that costs $20/month to keep open, but is not able to be closed until January due to an old contract. I'm thinking I'd basically have to assume the liability of one line onto the other. In other words, my Device Payment liability would go under my primary line, with my remaining 2 year contract spending the rest of its days as a "basic phone" on the 3rd line.

So... is this doable?

Thanks!

[Snn5]

fallofshadows wrote:

Hey folks,

I'm going to try to keep this brief, but there are some details involved in this that would need answering.

My main question for now is this: If I have a device that's attached to my main phone number and is currently under contract (the two year contract plan) until next year, can I disconnect that device from the phone number and add a different one without paying an early termination fee?

You can change devices on contract yes, but cannot get a new device at a discounted price.

Now, for lots of details!

My account basically has my phone, a Galaxy S5, under contract until next year. It also has my wife's iPhone 6 under the device payment plan. Even though I'm under contract, we share 10GB of data.

Floating around on a different account I used to be linked with is a third line, which I was using to get upgrades before they were supposed to be available on my line. There's a long story behind that, but basically that 3rd line is eligible for an upgrade, but only to the Device Payment plan.

So, I'm interested in getting myself an iPhone 6. Here's how I think it would work, but I'd like to know if this is actually doable:
1. Upgrade 3rd line to Device Payment for an iPhone 6.

2. Transfer this 3rd line over to my account, which contains are two main phone numbers.

3. Swap devices on the phone numbers, so the iPhone 6 would become my primary device.

4. Drop the S5 off of the plan entirely.

What I'm basically looking to have happen will be: I'll have an iPhone 6 as my main phone, and pay the major chunk of my bill for that device. The 3rd line will go back to what it is right now: registered as a "basic phone" that costs $20/month to keep open, but is not able to be closed until January due to an old contract. I'm thinking I'd basically have to assume the liability of one line onto the other. In other words, my Device Payment liability would go under my primary line, with my remaining 2 year contract spending the rest of its days as a "basic phone" on the 3rd line.

So... is this doable?

Thanks!

If you upgrade a line using the device payment plan, that line stays a smartphone line.  You have to have service attached to a device on the payment plan. Otherwise you have to straight pay off in full and immediately the device on that plan and line. 

[fallofshadows]

Ok, so using the 3rd line with Device Payment is out of the question. But theoretically I could get a Verizon capable iPhone directly from Apple and add it to my contracted line while dropping off the S5? I just want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly. Thanks!

[Snn5 · Accepted solution]

Yeah, you can stop using the S5 whenever and replace it with another smartphone that is Verizon-compatible.

[fallofshadows]

Well, that turns out to be a much easier solution that I had originally anticipated. Thanks!