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Okay, I pre-ordered the iPhone 5 using an available upgrade on a line that currently has a dumb phone associated with it.
I have an iPhone 4 currently on my line that still has an unlimited data plan.
I want to activate the new iPhone 5 to my line that has the unlimited data plan and transfer my iPhone 4 to the other line.
I want to do this in a way that I don't lose my unlimited data plan.
So what is the best way to do this - should I call Verizon support and see if they can switch the iPhone 5 to my unlimited line before I activate it?
Or, should I activate the iPhone 5 on the line I upgraded it on, and then do a device switch between the two lines after it's been activated?
From what I've read here so far, a SIM switch is NOT needed to switch the iPhone 5 to a different line (despite what some Verizon reps have been telling people).
However, it sounds like in order to switch the iPhone 5 after it's been activated on the upgrade line, you have to deactivate it by putting another phone back on the upgrade line, waiting 24 hours, and then activating the iPhone 5 on the unlimited data line. ( and I assume at that point, I could switch the now deactivated iPhone 4 back onto the upgraded phone line).
Is the latter the best approach to take, or is there a better way?
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Actually, I've been meaning to post what I found to be the answer to my question but I've been busy getting my newly activated iPhone 5 setup and configured.
The ultimate solution is to keep calling VZW tech support until you get a customer service rep that knows what he or she is doing.
Before trying any of the different solutions posted in this forum, I decided to call Customer Service one more time to see if they finally had their act together and could give me a clear answer as to how to switch the phone. I ended up speaking with a very friendly and helpful rep named Pamela and explained the situation (used the available upgrade on my wife's phone to get the iPhone 5, but wanted to use the iPhone 5 on my line and put my iPhone 4 on my wife's line, while still keeping my unlimited data plan intact). She said, fine, she could help me with that and that it was good that I called before turning on the iPhone 5 and trying to activate it. I turned off my phone and my wife's phone, and she first went about linking my iPhone 4 to my wife's line, and she then assigned the iPhone 5 to my line after I gave her the MEID and SIM card ID number. (so this proves that the SIM card is not hard linked to the phone line it was ordered on and you do not need to swap the SIM card to activate the phone on a new line if you haven't activated the phone yet - they can reprogram the SIM card to another line).
Once the reassignment of the phones to the desired phone lines had completed (and she confirmed that my unlimited data plan was still in place), she had me turn on the iPhone 4 and once it showed the signal bars, dial *228 to complete the activation of that phone on my wife's phone line.
Then I turned on the iPhone 5 and went through the setup/activation process (there's no dialing of *228 needed with a SIM card phone). Once done, the iPhone 5 was activated on my line and she had me call the other phone number from each phone to make sure everything was working.
Success!! The iPhone 5 was on my line with unlimited data and the iPhone 4 was on my wife's line without any need to activate/deactivate/wait 24 hours/reactivate, and without having to swap SIM cards.
It took all of about 10-15 minutes, most of which was time spent waiting for the iPhones to boot up.
Simple and easy the way it should be.
Your final assumption is correct.
However, it sounds like in order to switch the iPhone 5 after it's been activated on the upgrade line, you have to deactivate it by putting another phone back on the upgrade line, waiting 24 hours, and then activating the iPhone 5 on the unlimited data line. ( and I assume at that point, I could switch the now deactivated iPhone 4 back onto the upgraded phone line).
I had the same issue and used this exact fix. Good Luck!
Actually, I've been meaning to post what I found to be the answer to my question but I've been busy getting my newly activated iPhone 5 setup and configured.
The ultimate solution is to keep calling VZW tech support until you get a customer service rep that knows what he or she is doing.
Before trying any of the different solutions posted in this forum, I decided to call Customer Service one more time to see if they finally had their act together and could give me a clear answer as to how to switch the phone. I ended up speaking with a very friendly and helpful rep named Pamela and explained the situation (used the available upgrade on my wife's phone to get the iPhone 5, but wanted to use the iPhone 5 on my line and put my iPhone 4 on my wife's line, while still keeping my unlimited data plan intact). She said, fine, she could help me with that and that it was good that I called before turning on the iPhone 5 and trying to activate it. I turned off my phone and my wife's phone, and she first went about linking my iPhone 4 to my wife's line, and she then assigned the iPhone 5 to my line after I gave her the MEID and SIM card ID number. (so this proves that the SIM card is not hard linked to the phone line it was ordered on and you do not need to swap the SIM card to activate the phone on a new line if you haven't activated the phone yet - they can reprogram the SIM card to another line).
Once the reassignment of the phones to the desired phone lines had completed (and she confirmed that my unlimited data plan was still in place), she had me turn on the iPhone 4 and once it showed the signal bars, dial *228 to complete the activation of that phone on my wife's phone line.
Then I turned on the iPhone 5 and went through the setup/activation process (there's no dialing of *228 needed with a SIM card phone). Once done, the iPhone 5 was activated on my line and she had me call the other phone number from each phone to make sure everything was working.
Success!! The iPhone 5 was on my line with unlimited data and the iPhone 4 was on my wife's line without any need to activate/deactivate/wait 24 hours/reactivate, and without having to swap SIM cards.
It took all of about 10-15 minutes, most of which was time spent waiting for the iPhones to boot up.
Simple and easy the way it should be.
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