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The Truth about Verizon Unlimited Data & Assumption of Liablity

V

VZNUnlmtd4Life

Lurker
I've made this thread to uncover the truth as to whether or not one can do a Verizon Assumption of Liability (AOL) and keep their grandfathered unlimited data plan. I've looked at other threads here and at articles online, and even Verizon's own website. Unfortunately I've found conflicting information. Here's the breadth of my findings:

1. The testimony from a forum user here stating that doing an AOL caused him to lose his grandfathered unlimited data plan. The scary part is he says he woke up the next morning and, as he says, "I'm on the 2 gig plan."
http://androidforums.com/verizon/576118-assumption-liability-verizon-not-honored.html

2. A June 27, 2012 article by phonenews.com stating that an AOL can be performed without losing the grandfathered unlimited data plan:
My Apologies, And My Step Back | PhoneNews.com

3. Verizon's own website states that when doing an AOL "you may be required to switch to current pricing and promotions."
Frequently Asked Billing Questions

I apologize if this issue was settled elsewhere in the forum. If that's the case, please post a link me to that thread. Otherwise, please share information, especially articles from reputable sources or press releases/links coming directly from Verizon. I want to uncover the true facts.

Can you do an Assumption of Liability (AOL) without losing your grandfathered unlimited data plan?
 
I just talked to a customer service representative by dialing 611 from my phone and the CSR said:

-If anyone on the family plan upgrades their phone to a new device, everyone else on the family plan loses their unlimited data status.
-In you do an AOL, you lose your unlimited data status.
-The only way to keep your unlimited data grandfathered status is to literally make absolutely no changes on the account.

Interesting conversation. I'm not sure if this is completely accurate. I was under the impression that if an individual upgrades their phone and gets a stand alone data plan (and avoids the Share Everything Plan) then the rest of the family members will keep their grandfathered status.
 
Clarification : VZW will force you to a new plan when you purchase a new phone ONLY if it's subsidized. That is to say if you purchase a new phone from VZW and pay retail or if you purchase the phone elsewhere you will be able to activate that device on the line and keep the unlimited data (even if you move from 3G to 4G).

That's as it stands as if now - VZW could always change their minds tomorrow.
 
Rachel_Ambler said:
Clarification : VZW will force you to a new plan when you purchase a new phone ONLY if it's subsidized. That is to say if you purchase a new phone from VZW and pay retail or if you purchase the phone elsewhere you will be able to activate that device on the line and keep the unlimited data (even if you move from 3G to 4G).

That's as it stands as if now - VZW could always change their minds tomorrow.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the response Rachel, but what about when an individual on a family plan gets a subsidized phone? Do the rest of the people on their family plan lose their unlimited data plans? The answer is yes according to the customer service rep I spoke to today.

I can't expect everyone in my family to miss out on subsidized pricing. To pay retail price on four iPhones would cost upwards of $2,600 :(

I'm hoping the customer service representative I spoke to was mistaken.
 
VZNUnlmtd4Life said:
Thanks for the response Rachel, but what about when an individual on a family plan gets a subsidized phone? Do the rest of the people on their family plan lose their unlimited data plans? The answer is yes according to the customer service rep I spoke to today.

I can't expect everyone in my family to miss out on subsidized pricing. To pay retail price on four iPhones would cost upwards of $2,600 :(

I'm hoping the customer service representative I spoke to was mistaken.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree with you here at all - just simply providing clarity to your first point in your second post for anybody else who may read the thread looking for information. It's an expensive way round the problem of keeping unlimited - that's for sure.

I've heard various tales of folk in a similar situation where a few say they were able to keep other family members unlimited when they upgraded - others loose it all.

There are multiple threads here of folk who upgraded before the 28th and were still switched to a 2GB plan. It's very nasty there at the moment and I think there's a lot of confusion with the CSRs as to what you can and cannot do.

I've had situations where I've been told something is impossible to achieve by a CSR (not Verizon mind, but story still stands) - and yet magically another CSR has been able to achieve the impossible when I call back 2 minutes later.

Knowledge is everything and not all CSRs are either knowledgeable or have been trained.

Had a Time Warner Cable CSR once who failed to help me one jot - turns out she didn't even own a TV herself... Sigh.
 
Sorry to get off track. The original question was regarding whether or not doing an AOL will cause me to lose my grandfathered unlimited data plan. I believe the answer is yes, but I'm uncertain due to conflicting articles and posts.
 
I just figured this out. I was worried that when my parent dies I would be forced to do an AOL and would lose my unlimited data. That's not the case! My parents added me as an authorized account manager. Even if my parents die, I can just keep paying the bill and make any account changes I want. I can even change addresses.

This holds true unless you're selling a phone for profit to a stranger. In that case an AOL would be needed.
 
Regarding the unlimited loss of all account members if one upgrades their phone at subsidized price... The CSR was either mistaken, or lying. Only if the account manager specifically chooses to move the account to Share Everything will that occur. If a non-account manager comes in for an upgrade that has unlimited, their line will be bumped to 2GB, however the rest of the lines will not change.
 
VZNUnlmtd4Life said:
I've made this thread to uncover the truth as to whether or not one can do a Verizon Assumption of Liability (AOL) and keep their grandfathered unlimited data plan. I've looked at other threads here and at articles online, and even Verizon's own website. Unfortunately I've found conflicting information. Here's the breadth of my findings:

1. The testimony from a forum user here stating that doing an AOL caused him to lose his grandfathered unlimited data plan. The scary part is he says he woke up the next morning and, as he says, "I'm on the 2 gig plan."
http://androidforums.com/verizon/576118-assumption-liability-verizon-not-honored.html

2. A June 27, 2012 article by phonenews.com stating that an AOL can be performed without losing the grandfathered unlimited data plan:
My Apologies, And My Step Back | PhoneNews.com

3. Verizon's own website states that when doing an AOL "you may be required to switch to current pricing and promotions."
Frequently Asked Billing Questions

I apologize if this issue was settled elsewhere in the forum. If that's the case, please post a link me to that thread. Otherwise, please share information, especially articles from reputable sources or press releases/links coming directly from Verizon. I want to uncover the true facts.

Can you do an Assumption of Liability (AOL) without losing your grandfathered unlimited data plan?
Click to expand...

Like anything else, you can ask 10 VZW reps and 10 different answers. The key thing is to get the right rep that is willing and knows how to make it happen the way you want/request it to happen. They also can make mistakes when processing the AOL. I talked to two different VZW reps in the business division just yesterday, and they both told me that the AOL is possible and the unlimited data feature will remain on the account. All the AOL is just you taking over the responsibility/liability of the existing line/account. No more, no less. If the change it in any way, you haven't taking over anything , but created a new account. So when doing a AOL the features will stay the same.

Think about it. If you were to take over the AOL payments on my car, and worked it out with the back to do so, would the bank AOL my car to you or will the bank force you to take a different car? AOL or taking over anything you are taking over it as is. If anything is changed you now have something different and you haven't taking over anything. Anyone cal contact VZW and start a new account or add a new line. So why would it make sense to anyone to think if you processed a AOL on someones line/account, why would it make sense to anyone that it would change in anyway?
 
VZNUnlmtd4Life said:
Sorry to get off track. The original question was regarding whether or not doing an AOL will cause me to lose my grandfathered unlimited data plan. I believe the answer is yes, but I'm uncertain due to conflicting articles and posts.
Click to expand...
You will not lose anything. The AOL just means your taking on more responibilty onto your account. However the account is set up when you take it over that's how it will stay. Also remember. VZW treats each and every line on your account as a different contract. As long as you do not change your separate data plans into a share everything plan.

I have 6 phones/devices on our account. 2 of the phones are unlimited and three phones are plane phone without data. And 1 is a USB modem on a 5GB plan. The phones do share 1400 min's, but they do not share DATA. As long as I keep the data portion separate, they are treated as separate plans. If add a 7th phone or device by doing a AOL and taking over someones line, it comes over to me AS IS to my account.
 
VZNUnlmtd4Life said:
I just talked to a customer service representative by dialing 611 from my phone and the CSR said:

-If anyone on the family plan upgrades their phone to a new device, everyone else on the family plan loses their unlimited data status.
-In you do an AOL, you lose your unlimited data status.
-The only way to keep your unlimited data grandfathered status is to literally make absolutely no changes on the account.

Interesting conversation. I'm not sure if this is completely accurate. I was under the impression that if an individual upgrades their phone and gets a stand alone data plan (and avoids the Share Everything Plan) then the rest of the family members will keep their grandfathered status.
Click to expand...

Not true. Your not taking to the right VZW rep's.
 
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