[VZW] Early Upgrade Transfer Loophole?

I tried to do this with my new moto x through the moto website and the droid RAZR m's Sim card was bigger than the moto x rendering the swap incompatible. I'd say look into which phones uses the Sim card in terms of size and compatibility. Good luck!

I speak from experience that the size isn't an issue. It may sound crazy but you can literally cut your larger SIM to fit these either with a cutter like the noosy or you can even print out a template. I will caution that the smaller Sims are thinner so you also have to sand down your cut SIM to reduce risk of damaging the phone's SIM cradle.

With that said, you can also take a phone into a corporate Verizon store at any time and get a new SIM for free. Just tell them you bought this phone outright. I used each of these methods to keep unlimited data on my two lines while getting a subsidized moto x and htc one m8.

This is slightly different, however, in that both of mine already had data plans so I was able to select "keep my current plan" through the bb. In the end I don't know how crucial that was in keeping my old lines on the same plan simply by not activating the provided SIM. You might have more trouble because the website may see that you don't even have a data plan and require that you select one in a way that sticks with Verizon.

Sorry for the long post, I'm thorough.

GreenMunky said:

Okay, I know that as of the 24th of August, Verizon closed a loophole which allowed people to transfer a device upgrade from a non-smartphone line to one with an existing smartphone data plan.

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That's not the loophole that was closed. Actually, it wasn't a loophole at all.

What happened on the 25th are these 2 things:

1) If you use a basic phone's upgrade to buy a smartphone and you are on a legacy plan, you will be required to pay for a minimum $30/mo tiered data plan on the basic line for 2 years regardless of what phone is actually on the line (i.e., putting a basic phone on the line will no longer drop the data plan off of the line); and

2) You no longer can transfer your UDP line's upgrades to another line, either basic phone or TDP lines, without losing your UDP.


Wrt #2 - the reason you are no longer able to do this is b/c when you transfer a UDP line's upgrade to another non-UDP line, it is the donor line (i.e., the UDP line) whose contract is extended and will be required to move to a minimum $30/mo tiered data plan for 2 years. Note that UDPs are $29.99/mo.

GreenMunky said:

Some people have cited success by purchasing a divide on Best Buy's website, having the device shipped, and then activating it with a swapped-out SIM card from another device, thus never activating a smart phone data plan on the dumb-phone's line. What I'm wondering is if this is possible through the MotoMaker website.

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Yes it is b/c moto maker uses the best buy check out system, although you haven't described it accurately.

All you have to do is upgrade on your UDP line and when the new phone arrives, do not turn it on. Remove the sim card the phone ships with and replace it with the 4G LTE sim card that is currently active on your UDP line. Then turn the new phone on.

GreenMunky said:

I've got an upgrade available on a dumb-phone's line on my account. If I make use of that upgrade through MotoMaker, can I activate the device using my current Moto X's SIM card once the new device arrives, and keep the $10/month dumb phone plan without upping it to a $30/month smartphone plan?

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This may very well work, but again, I don't think you have described it correctly. To do it what you would do is order a Moto X on moto maker using your basic phone's upgrade on your basic phone line and when the new phone arrives, do not turn it on. Remove the sim card the phone ships with and replace it with a 4G LTE sim card that is currently active on one of your lines on your account. Then turn the phone on.

If you try it, please report back if it works, thanks.

hackeruti said:

I tried to do this with my new moto x through the moto website and the droid RAZR m's Sim card was bigger than the moto x rendering the swap incompatible. I'd say look into which phones uses the Sim card in terms of size and compatibility. Good luck!

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Buy a sim cutter off of ebay for dirt cheap. Or read up on how to cut down a sim card by hand.

cntryby429 said:

I will caution that the smaller Sims are thinner so you also have to sand down your cut SIM to reduce risk of damaging the phone's SIM cradle.

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This.

cntryby429 said:

With that said, you can also take a phone into a corporate Verizon store at any time and get a new SIM for free. Just tell them you bought this phone outright. I used each of these methods to keep unlimited data on my two lines while getting a subsidized moto x and htc one m8.

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As long as you are not left with a pending activation on your line, yes. They will also mail them to you if you call or you can order them here as long as the phone is active on your account.

cntryby429 said:

This is slightly different, however, in that both of mine already had data plans so I was able to select "keep my current plan" through the bb. In the end I don't know how crucial that was in keeping my old lines on the same plan simply by not activating the provided SIM. You might have more trouble because the website may see that you don't even have a data plan and require that you select one in a way that sticks with Verizon.

Sorry for the long post, I'm thorough.

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The method works with any 3rd party retailer and you can read my explanation of why it works here.

cntryby429 said:

This is slightly different, however, in that both of mine already had data plans so I was able to select "keep my current plan" through the bb. In the end I don't know how crucial that was in keeping my old lines on the same plan simply by not activating the provided SIM.

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So, just so I understand, you're saying that the 'workaround' is that you can use the upgrade on a line that currently has unlimited data and then as long as you don't activate w/ the new SIM that vzw won't actually remove the unlimited from the line?

I wonder how long this will be available?

piccit said:

So, just so I understand, you're saying that the 'workaround' is that you can use the upgrade on a line that currently has unlimited data and then as long as you don't activate w/ the new SIM that vzw won't actually remove the unlimited from the line?

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That's exactly what I'm saying. I used it for a One m8 from htc.com (powered by BB) and for a Moto X from BB.com. both times there were early statements that unlimited data plans are no longer offered and blah blah blah. When you go through the menus you can still select "keep my existing plan". Once I got my new phones, I promptly threw away the sim that came pre-installed and used my own.

Still have 2 UDPs with contact end dates in 2016. Amusingly, I never even paid the $30 fee (transfer, upgrade, maintenance, whatever they call it) and my m8 was upgraded back when it came out.

GreenMunky said:

Okay, the line with the upgrade available is a $9.99/mo, non-LTE line. If I follow these steps, how likely is it that I'll be stuck with a $30/mo data plan on that non-LTE line?

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No one has tried it but based on everything we know, it should work. If it doesn't work then it is because we don't understand how the switch orders work on basic lines.

If you return the phone within 14 days, you are let out of both your 2yr contract and your 2yr data plan requirement so I don't see the harm in trying. Please report back if you do.

piccit said:

So, just so I understand, you're saying that the 'workaround' is that you can use the upgrade on a line that currently has unlimited data and then as long as you don't activate w/ the new SIM that vzw won't actually remove the unlimited from the line?

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That is correct as long as you are ordering from a 3rd party retailer and ship to your home. Please see these threads at AC and SD

http://forums.androidcentral.com/verizon/351917-verizon-how-keep-unlimited-data-get-phone-subsidized-price.html

http://slickdeals.net/f/6964624-upgrade-and-keep-your-unlimited-data-with-verizon?v=1&page=205


Also, I believe the Best Buy Method has been posted on this forum before.

KidJoe said:

I wonder how long this will be available?

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Verizon is actively working to close this loophole but it will require them to completely revamp how they handle orders from all 3rd party retailers - i.e., the switch order will have to be implemented by some mechanism other than the sim card the phone ships with.

cntryby429 said:

That's exactly what I'm saying. I used it for a One m8 from htc.com (powered by BB) and for a Moto X from BB.com. both times there were early statements that unlimited data plans are no longer offered and blah blah blah. When you go through the menus you can still select "keep my existing plan". Once I got my new phones, I promptly threw away the sim that came pre-installed and used my own.

Still have 2 UDPs with contact end dates in 2016. Amusingly, I never even paid the $30 fee (transfer, upgrade, maintenance, whatever they call it) and my m8 was upgraded back when it came out.

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The best part is getting out of the upgrade fee!

Keep in mind that only BB and others who use BB's check out system like MM do not require you to pick a new plan and the customer agreement says keep existing plan. With any other 3rd party retailers you are required to pick a new plan and the customer agreement reflects that. However, you do not lose your UDP.

Could Verizon audit accounts? Sure. Have they ever? No.


The other thing to be aware of is that only BB (and presumably those retailers who use BB's check out system) and Costco don't have secondary etfs. Amazon and all of the other 3rd party retailers have them so you need to be aware of their terms and make sure you don't violate them and trigger their secondary etf - i.e., canceling the line b/f 181 days, dropping the data plan (which of course you wouldn't do since it is a UDP line), etc.

GreenMunky said:

Ordered this afternoon. Chose the feature phone line with the upgrade available, chose the option to keep my existing plan, and completed checkout. Phone should arrive in a few weeks (hopefully less) so we'll see what happens then.

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Waiting to hear if it works for you. I really don't wanna loose my unlimited

GreenMunky said:

Phone arrived today. Took out the preinstalled SIM card and used the mine for the initial boot and everything's great. Verizon account still shows my feature phone active with the no-4G plan! I'll keep an eye on it for the next week or so just to make sure, but I think everything's all good.

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That's awesome!!! BTW that is called the Jaycemiskel method and it works as long as you never activate the new smartphone on the basic line.

This is awesome to see because my X should be here Tuesday and I am doing the same thing! OP did you already have a nano sim or did you cut yours?