Do you have to change your plan to upgrade your phone?

[dallaswinn]

I just left my local VZ store empty handed.   I went there to buy a Nokia Lumia since it's time to upgrade and was told I had to change my plan since I had the 'unlimited data plan' because they don't offer that any more.   Which, is exactly why I don't want to change my plan, just upgrade my phone.  Surely this is not true; they can't make you change your plan!!!!!

[SuzyQ]

No, they can't make you change your plan, however, if you want to upgrade at a discounted price, and sign a new contract, there will be new terms this time around - there is no more unlimited data grandfathering and carryover.

You can keep the unlimited data plan by buying your phone from a private party, or by paying retail price (basically, bring your own phone).  If you want the deeply discounted pricing, you will be required to sign a new contract and choose a tiered data plan.

[dallaswinn]

Thanks SuzyQ.  It would be cheaper for me to buy a new phone than to pay the extra for their new data plan every month!  We have been with VZ for over 20 years, which is before they were even VZ.  I will be taking our business elsewhere.

[SuzyQ]

The 2GB/mo allowance is the same price as the unlimited - how much data do you normally use in a month?  My daughter has the iPhone and keeps within the 2GB limit quite easily.  My son has an iPhone on AT&T and manages quite well also.  So it is not more expensive unless you use much more data than the 2 GB allowance.

If you do use much more, then you'll need to shop around and find who can provide you with the data you need for the price you want to pay. Good luck to you.

[dallaswinn]

I really don't use that much data but don't want to change my plan.   I pay 29.99 for my data plan and it's unlimited.  Under the new 'share everything' plan, the data part is $60 a month for 2GB.  OUCH!

[SuzyQ]

But you don't need to switch to Share Everything - you can keep whatever plan you have now, and just change to 2GB data for $30 vs the unlimited (unless you are on the very old America's Choice Connect plan).  If you are on the Nationwide, you can keep your minute allowance and just change the data portion to 2 GB/$30.  You DON'T have to move to Share Everything.

[OutlawFirebird1]

your going to have to buy the phone at full price, the only way, to keep your plan the way it is.

[SydneyK]

If you stay with Verizon, you'll have to ask yourself if keeping unlimited data is worth paying full retail vs. buying on contract. For heavy users, it might be; for others, maybe not. At least the Lumia is relatively affordable.

[AZSALUKI]

suzyq is correct. there are still individual data plans available. i upgraded my wife's phone and simply selected the INDIVIDUAL data plan for $30 (2gigs). many of the reps will only present the share everything plans as an option, but you can still keep your old plan. the only thing that would change is you would go from unlimited to 2 gigs/month.

[gina7239]

You could add a line and move the phone to the line with unlimited afterword. You might have to pay $10 a month for that line by doing a reg family share.