Saving a phone for years

[gloriousnumber1]

Has anyone ever gotten a phone with an upgrade, but the activated their old phone and kept the new one and activated it a couple years later? If it keeps my unlimited data longer, I might. Help me out, what could happen that would make this a bad idea?

 

[FJR1300]

Verizon is ending the grandfathered unlimited data plan this summer, that might make your decision easier.

 

[gloriousnumber1]

My point is, if there is a loophole for those who are activating phones but not upgrading, can you keep the unlimited after this summer. Of course, they could say yes now and no later.

 

[Yeahha]

At this point we do not know. Once more details emerge about the new plans we should be able to provide better information but currently if anyone says it will or will not be safe to try doing what you are thinking then it is just speculation.

 

[FJR1300]

I think activating a subsidized phone is a part of accepting the contract, but either way from the Verizon press statement it appears that the first customers to be affected would be those upgrading to lte phones, then the rest later. Verizon can change the contract before it is up, of course the customer could refuse the change and terminate the contract. Same result, no unlimited data plan. I'd just ask Verizon.

 

[euph_22]

Has anyone ever gotten a phone with an upgrade, but the activated their old phone and kept the new one and activated it a couple years later? If it keeps my unlimited data longer, I might. Help me out, what could happen that would make this a bad idea?

Why not buy an unsubsidized phone (either new or a used phone off eBay/craigslist/etc), in two years or whenever you're ready for an upgrade.

I don't think there is anything to prevent this (Verizon doesn't care if you use your new phone, only if you pay for it). However, you're basically planning on buying a phone when it's new(ish) and costly and not using it till it's old and out of date. Not to mention if there is a defect with the phone you'll be SOL because it will be out of warranty by a year. And you'll also have this phone sitting around for 2 years, waiting to be lost or damaged.

 

[FJR1300]

Verizon released a statement clarifying their policy change today; you can keep the unlimited data plan if you buy a phone off contract, subsidized phones require a new contract as always which means no unlimited data option.

I would be surprised if Verizon doesn't follow AT&T's lead by throttling the highest data users once the unlimited plans are officially dropped with subsidized phones. At which point the unlimited plans become meaningless...AT&T begins throttling at 2GB, buying the 3GB or 5GB plan is then a better deal as you can actually use more than on the unlimited plan. Of course that's just pure speculation, but the two major carriers do have a history of following each others' policy changes.

 

[Satires]

Verizon released a statement clarifying their policy change today; you can keep the unlimited data plan if you buy a phone off contract, subsidized phones require a new contract as always which means no unlimited data option.

I would be surprised if Verizon doesn't follow AT&T's lead by throttling the highest data users once the unlimited plans are officially dropped with subsidized phones. At which point the unlimited plans become meaningless...AT&T begins throttling at 2GB, buying the 3GB or 5GB plan is then a better deal as you can actually use more than on the unlimited plan. Of course that's just pure speculation, but the two major carriers do have a history of following each others' policy changes.

If this person is right, they can't throttle 4g. Check out post #34 in this thread http://androidforums.com/verizon/549926-verizon-ending-unlimited-data-grandfathered-users.html

 

[Yeahha]

I am correct

The provisions the FCC put on block c which is what VZW purchased for their LTE prevent the carrier from limiting speed of that part of the spectrum based on the consumer's data use.