dropping a line and adding another

[Fzerowii]

hello, i am on a family plan right now and i am one of the added lines.  we have a 2 year contract, and in the future if i didn't want tobe on the plan anymore, could i drop off but then add someone else to the plan ( to replace my line) for free? because i don't want to pay the cancel fee. thanks!

[kwm1337 · Accepted solution]

No. The cancellation fees associated inside of the contract are directly connected with your phone number. If you cancel your line at any time you would be liable to pay what ever the remaining balance is on your line within that contract. As for the other person they would just be added to the account. There is no way to "substitute" a line as you are proposing.

--kwm1337

[Fzerowii]

ok thanks i'm glad you cleared that up before i did anything.

[BambooHead]

You can do an Assumption of Liablility (AOL), if you're wanting to get on to your own/someone else's VZW accnt. Even if you are under contract, you wouldn't have to pay an ETF do to the AOL. Since you're not actually 'disconnecting' the line, just taking it from one accnt to another. But kwm1337 is right, you can't 'swap' contracts between existing lines because the contract is associated with the line of service, which is the phone number.

[Fzerowii]

now i'm confused lol

what's the difference between AOL and what i was saying?  do you mean like if i transfer my current number and/or phone then i wont have to pay?  and this is all in theory i haven't done anything yet

[kwm1337]

An AOL says you become the guarantor for the account it involves filling out the appropriate forms and gathering all IDs [general driver's licenses from all members of the plan] of those on the plan, their addresses, e-mail addresses, numbers, billing information, et cetera... It must be signed by the party releasing liability and the party accepting all liability for paying the entire account. It is a sticky and sometime disastrous [but sometimes it works out for people falling into collection] legal maneuver which would not accomplish much in your case.

--kwm1337

[Fzerowii]

i understand now but i don't own the account, i'm just an added phone. so how would that work?

[kwm1337]

Well if you did an AOL you would be responsible for paying for the entire account on your own.

If you just add a phone you just that: add the phone [you can have up to the five (5) lines on a shared plan). A couple options though:

1). Pay full price for the phone on your own and have your own plan and not have a contract and leave at your pleasure.

or

2). Agree to the contract [that the owner has of which you would like to join] and when it is time for you to leave pay what ever is remaining on your Early Termination Fee [ETF]

Either way to add the phone just make sure you purchase a phone or have a VZW phone that is a current VZW compatible model to be activated. Then just get the phone activated with the permission of the owner who may have to do it for you because after all they are responsible for paying the bill. Your number will be ported if you are keeping it from another carrier and at that time your number will be associated with a contract.

So in a heirarchy it goes like this:

Account Owner - Contract with VZW <---- This level stays unchanged except for the number of phones under it (see below)

                           |||

Numbers Associated with Contract Above up to five (5) line - You would be one

When you break that line away is when you would be charged an ETF and you are out at that point.

I hope that was what you were asking when you wanted to know what would happen if you just added a phone.

Please don't hesitate to ask further questions. If anything is not clear enough. I know a lot of people in your shoes that go through being added and they drop all the time. Most just go with it and then are shocked at the outcome. I hope you have a good experience understanding everything before you go through with any changes.

--kwm1337

[Fzerowii]

ok thanks a lot for your help i think i understand