[xgnuwdd]

Under my account:
Me: Smartphone
Brother: Dumbphone

Wife is on a seperate account and she has a dumbphone.


I want to upgrade my wife to a SG3 using my brothers avaiable upgrade phone.
I want to get the phone online. What process do I need to take to get my brothers upgrade and give it to my wife on a different account who too has a dumbphone.


I read some older threads (dated 2010) saying that if I get an upgrade phone and give it to someone else, not activating it on my account first, Verizon would charge me the full proce of the phone after so many days.
This still true?

What steps do I need to take to make this happen if even possible on Verizon.

[adactthrd]

Call them, or go to a best buy mobile on a slow day and try to find the most bored looking rep, who looks like he wants to blow his/her brains out. Most likely, if they hate being there, they are probably more intelligent than the standard BBY employee. Ask them to go over the options with you. I used to do that a long time ago when I worked for best buy mobile, see what I could do to help people who were able to articulate what they wanted me to do .

[AndyScouchek]

If they don't have data on their line Verizon is going to force you to get a data plan if you want the subsidized price on the SGS3.

[xgnuwdd]

Well I expect and know that will happen, just want that new charge on the wife's account.


How will the sim card stuff turn out?
Use my sim to activate the SG3 on my account and then deactivate and reactivate with the sim that came with the phone on my wifes line?

[AndyScouchek]

The SIM only provisions LTE data, you will need Verizon to switch the lines, which they will do even if you traded phones across accounts.

[xgnuwdd]

Seems good. Will do this then.

Will activate it on my number just in case they do charge full price if not activated under purchasers account. Then deactivate it and reactivate it under my wife's line on her account.

I enjoy being able to do that stuff online. Going to store is dumb and you usually have to bitch for them not to charge you, which is usually $30.


What is dumb is I notice they now charge a $30 upgrade fee! WTF is that man!??!


May try and get this phone ordered tonight. :-)
My wife isn't even techy and really doesn't even want a smartphone (though she does use mine a lot), but she will soon have one much better than mine come the 7th. Shows how much I love her, me going to have the sh/t phone.

[xgnuwdd]

Ok, so I just ordered the SG3.

I am going to activate it on my account I think just in case. Don't want to be charged full value of this phone. Then deactivate it and reactivate it under my wife's account.

Now, would it make a difference if I activate it under my line or does it have to be under my brothers line as it is his upgrade?

[xgnuwdd]

With the last two upgrade phones I have received, seems like Verizon went from giving upgrade every 24 months down to every 20 months?

Makes up for that $30 upgrade fee imo.
Maybe this fee is applied only if you upgrade before 24 months?

[AndyScouchek]

They apply the upgrade fee regardless, typically. At the same time, I was less than 6 months into my contract and the agent at the Verizon store gave me the fully subsidized price of the SGS3, which was fantastic.

[xgnuwdd]

That's what's up!

Seems like one good reason to hit up the store. Go in knowing what you want.
I go in there to look at phones to try them out before I buy, but god their sales reps are annoying while you are trying to shop.