<p>We have family cell phone plan with Verizon, and have three lines. All three are now eligible for the upgrade. As I understand, they are going to discontinue the upgrades at the end of April. But, both S2 and I like the phones we have now and don’t really want to trade up. BUT S1 goes through phones like they were water (see Actual phone calls you don’t want to recieve thread!). He likes the most basic phone he can get. So my question is …</p>
<p>Can I order three phones now (all three for free) and just hold them until S1 needs them? If I don’t activate them? Or are they tied to the phone number that the upgrade was on??</p>
<p>We have a family plan and can move upgrades to whichever line needs it. We have done that several times and never had a problem. What do you mean they are discontinuing upgrades?</p>
<p>I was told that they are going to stop the free phone program this spring. They will honor them through May 1st or so, but after that there will be no more free phones. I just wonder if I can stockpile these phones now.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this will help, but here is my experience. A few years ago I was eligible for a free phone with another 2-year commitment. It turned out I hated the new phone, so I just put my SIM card back into my old phone. </p>
<p>I imagine if all your phones (including the new phones) use the same type SIM card, you could all get new phones now, and just put your SIM cards into whichever of those phones you each want. Just make sure each of you copy your contacts to your SIM cards before you start switching things around.</p>
<p>We always have an extra cell or two in the house and that’s how we manage it. I think we might only do that with our AT&T phones though so I am not sure if the policies would be different, my dad is the only person with verizion. (Why we have two cell plans in the first place, I’ll never understand.)</p>
<p>I was recently offered a free phone but was feeling guilty about taking it because my current one was working just fine. The kids talked me into it, and within about a month, one of my kids had lost his so I sent him my old one. Bottom line–I think I’d take as many free phones as were offered. With a family plan, you’ll eventually need them.</p>
<p>This is the incentive I need to finally think about dumping Verizon and I have till next April to do it.</p>
<p>I have 5 phones on the plan - 4 lines have the cheapest free phone and oldest boy pays me $35 per month to cover the increased cost of his Android.</p>
<p>Anyone have any suggestions for a multi-line plan which doesn’t require you to have a data plan or Internet access but does provide unlimited texting and free phone to phone calls on the plan and/or in the network (like Verizon’s friends and family)?</p>
<p>DS was recently eligible for an upgrade but took his sweet time activating the new phone. I was charged for the phone because he activated it after the allowed 30 day window. 30 day window? What 30 day window - never heard of it! I am now on month 2 of trying to get the charge reversed. Every time I call Verizon Wireless I get a different answer, but I’m not giving up - the phone was $189.99.</p>
<p>From the Verizon website:</p>
<p>Other upgrade questions</p>
<p>02-27-2011 06:09 PM</p>
<p>Both lines of my family plan are eligible for an upgrade and I am in dire need of a new phone, but the other phone on the plan is still okay. If I redeem both upgrades, can I keep one of the two new phones without activating it? In other words, can I upgrade and just keep the new phone as a back-up phone? Also, if I decide to only redeem one of the two upgrades, can I redeem the other one whenever I want afterwards?</p>
<p>Re: Other upgrade questions</p>
<p>02-27-2011 07:18 PM</p>
<p>No they both have to be activated within 30 days or you will be charged full price. Reason for this is when you activate it, you agree to terms and conditions to resign another 2 year contract.</p>
<p>It sounds like maybe you should get a new phone for your son and activate it but then keep the old phone in case he loses/destroys the new one. That way you can take it back in to a Verizon store and reactivate it if necessary. That should work, yes? </p>
<p>I sat on my new in two upgrade eligibility for more than a year then finally decided to use it just recently and with all kinds of misgivings (and lots of debating and grumbling), I went for an Iphone mainly because I wanted to be grandfathered if Verizon dropped the unlimited data plans. Now my family is amused to see how much I am enjoying my apps and having email on the run. I sure didn’t need it but I have to admit that I like it.</p>
<p>Whenever you upgrade, whether to a free phone or not, you also renew your contract (usually for two years). So, if you were to get three new phones to stockpile, you’d be renewing three of your lines. With ATT, I know you can switch phones around by switching SIM cards (although some smart phones don’t transfer contacts).</p>
<p>I would activate all three to avoid these charges mentioned above and then a week later or so, I would just switch back to my old phone and keep the “new” ones for Son’s use down the line.<br>
We had to change phones around alot in our family. When using Verizon, we kept all the old phones when we did the “new every two” and used them as back up is someone ruined their phone.
I moved the family to AT&T when Verizon limited there free phone choices. I was miffed that Verizon was forcing me to get a data plan in order to have a new phone that had some cool features like touch screen. Seemed Verizon just kept driving up the prices. I am very happy with AT&T. Family got “cool” free phones and we have unlimited messaging etc. Some of these did not require a data plan but I got unlimited for the family at a good price. Kids use it regularly.</p>
<p>Yes. Do upgrade all three phones now. You can always keep the old phones and activate them (online, on your own, in 5 minutes, at no cost) in the future whenever you’ll need them.</p>
<p>For example, if one of you loses or breaks a phone, simply activate one of the old ones. We’ve done that several times.</p>
<p>Presuming you want to continue all 3 phones for another contract period definitely take the new free/cheap phones. You can use the newer technology and have spares for problems. We once lent one to a relative who lost theirs- they returned it when their plan ran out and they got a new one. I also needed to revert to an old phone once. Our replacement basic phones last summer all included bluetooth- something my old basic phone did not have and that is becoming common in cars. Eventually you can donate the oldest phones to charitable organizations.</p>
<p>Thanks guys, I think we will go ahead and get phones for all and keep S2 phone and mine as backups for S1 (his is no good since he dropped a drill on it and cracked the screen).</p>
<p>I knew it could not be as simple as just getting the phones – glad I asked you all.</p>
<p>We also have verizon and how I am curious what the new option will be as well. Hadn’t heard about them discontinuing the “new every two” program. Can’t imagine them not having some incentive to renew one’s contract.</p>
<p>I was actually at the Verizon store today (got S a new one for his bday). Sales rep said that New Every Two was going away, on 7/1.</p>
<p>To tell you the truth, I’m not really even sure what the program actually DID/does for me. We end up getting discounted phones and extending the contract on whichever line it’s on, so we get the “discounted” price. Evidently I will be eligible for new every two at the end of the month. The rep told me that if I waited and used it, I’d be able to get the same phone that S got today for $50 less (a Droid Pro, we paid $179 using the standard upgrade to his line). I don’t quite get it, so I’m not sad about it going away. Maybe I’m just naive.</p>