Does this sound feasible to do regarding adding a line to Verizon? With Cliffs

[leeland]

Looking to get a new phone...have a really old Alltel phone.

- Wife has an iPhone with data plan and we share minutes.
- I want to port out my current cell number to Google Voice so I can keep it.
- I found a new phone on Amazon for half the cost of what it is on Verizon when you add a line (150 vs 300).

http://wireless.amazon.com/Motorola-DROID-Android-Verizon-Wireless/dp/B009P5WWPC/ref=sh_br_ph_2?ie=UTF8&transaction=INDIVIDUAL_NEW&sr=1-2-entd&qid=1353519516901

Can I add the line to the existing plan while at the same time port my current number to Google voice effectively ending my contract which has been up for like 3 years?

SO in the end, I would have a new phone, new number and a Google Voice number (current cell number).


If this is feasible, what are the downsides of using the Amazon Wireless service to purchase a phone? Additional fee's? Activation fee?

I stopped in the local Verizon store and one of the associates told me I could get a penalty for trying to do what I described above (add a new line and port an existing out of contract line to Google Voice).

Based on credits I would get 50 dollars off because it is an Alltel phone + 30 dollar discount for out of Contract + 30 waived fee for new line activation.

SO the phone would be 210 dollars with no activation fee if I did it in store

vs.

Adding a line via Amazon (9.99 add a line and 30 dollar 2 gb plan with 7 dollars insurance).

I am not sure if I would have additional fees after I would get the phone from Amazon to activate it or not...the sales guy said I would (35 dollars).

Any input is appreciated

Thanks in advance,

Lee

 

[Maximus96]

I won't be much help but last time i tried to port my ATT number to google voice the process just stalled for no reason...eventually i just cancelled the porting after waiting for weeks...i couldn't find a number to call to reach anyone...maybe its different now.

 

[cronos]

Ignore the post below the line, as I misunderstood the original post.

The main idea is the same though. Treat them as two separate events.

1. If you port out a number, that line is dead. If you don't have a contract on that line, then you can do this whenever you want. No harm, no foul, no fees.

2. The second event is the adding a new line to your family plan. I'm not 100% sure about this, but the price that Amazon gives you is usually a hugely discounted price to create a new account in a new line, and since you want this line to be an additional in your wife's already established account, they can't give you that price.

I'm guessing that you'll be stuck in #2, unless Amazon allows you to add the new line as an additional line in a family plan, instead of a new line with new contract on a full plan.


===================================
First of all, the two events are completely separate, and there's no reason to complicate them by putting them together.

If you are out of contract, you can port your number out to GV, effectively closing your account with Verizon. No penalty, no fees whatsoever except the fee to port your number to GV (which you have to pay to Google).

You can then (or even do this prior to the above, as this is a completely separate event) create a new account (and new contract commitment) with Verizon through Amazon, getting the phone you want with the price you want.

You will however in the end only have effectively one phone line, as the GV number will have to be forwarded to your new number (on your new account with Verizon, registered through Amazon).

I read through your post though and gotten confused the way you worded 'additional line'. Do you need two total lines with Verizon? Because this way you only get one line.

You can of course still add an additional line (with another new number) to this new account you just created according to Verizon's rule (and you can use your old phone for this, which as soon as you ported the number out, is unusable), however this has nothing to do with your initial account with Verizon, which is completely closed/canceled as soon as you ported the number out.


Edit:
So I just read it again carefully. You already have a family account but your wife's line isn't out of contract, but you only want to port out your number? If so, just ignore my post above

 

[leeland]

Ignore the post below the line, as I misunderstood the original post.

The main idea is the same though. Treat them as two separate events.

1. If you port out a number, that line is dead. If you don't have a contract on that line, then you can do this whenever you want. No harm, no foul, no fees.

2. The second event is the adding a new line to your family plan. I'm not 100% sure about this, but the price that Amazon gives you is usually a hugely discounted price to create a new account in a new line, and since you want this line to be an additional in your wife's already established account, they can't give you that price.

I'm guessing that you'll be stuck in #2, unless Amazon allows you to add the new line as an additional line in a family plan, instead of a new line with new contract on a full plan.


===================================
First of all, the two events are completely separate, and there's no reason to complicate them by putting them together.

If you are out of contract, you can port your number out to GV, effectively closing your account with Verizon. No penalty, no fees whatsoever except the fee to port your number to GV (which you have to pay to Google).

You can then (or even do this prior to the above, as this is a completely separate event) create a new account (and new contract commitment) with Verizon through Amazon, getting the phone you want with the price you want.

You will however in the end only have effectively one phone line, as the GV number will have to be forwarded to your new number (on your new account with Verizon, registered through Amazon).

I read through your post though and gotten confused the way you worded 'additional line'. Do you need two total lines with Verizon? Because this way you only get one line.

You can of course still add an additional line (with another new number) to this new account you just created according to Verizon's rule (and you can use your old phone for this, which as soon as you ported the number out, is unusable), however this has nothing to do with your initial account with Verizon, which is completely closed/canceled as soon as you ported the number out.


Edit:
So I just read it again carefully. You already have a family account but your wife's line isn't out of contract, but you only want to port out your number? If so, just ignore my post above

You are correct in the last edit...

I got time today and called Amazon to clarify.

My wife has a plan that is 1 year old.
My plan is almost 5 years old.

We are on a family share plan (sharing minutes) and we have separate text plans and she has a data plan.

Our bill is about 125 a month (lame) because we are getting over charged...and I should have ported the number along time ago.


Amazons site has the menu option on the order screen (Add A Line "To My Family Account").

The price rings up at 149 for the phone, if I say I want to upgrade my existing line it goes to 175 for the phone...which is why I want to port my number to GV.

The guy on the phone basically said if I order the phone and link it to my wife's number then it her number has to stay active for 6 months...at which time that is when Amazon wireless gets paid a commission for being the 3rd party seller.

If not then I believe you are subject to the termination fee via Amazon (which I think is 250 bucks "The instant Discount").

If the new line stays connected to the number it was originally tied to for 6 months you are fine, your obligation to Amazon is complete, there is nothing else for you to do.

You still have to honor the contract via Verizon obviously.

SO...if I get the phone via Amazon it breaks down like this...

149 + 35 dollar activation fee + 9.99 add a line + 30 dollar 2 gb data plan = 225 and change

if I get the phone at the Verizon store

300 - 50$ alltel credit - 30 contract credit = 220 for the phone + 9.99 + 30 dollar data plan = 260

Then we would just move to a shared everything plan with 4 gb and the bill is going to be a little under 140

So to save myself a little money, I will go via Amazon and save 35 bucks or so to put toward porting my number and some accessories like a case / charger.


Hope this makes sense or helps someone else.

If my logic seems wrong let me know...if you care that is

 

[cronos]

I think you're on to something. That option to 'add a line to family account' sounds exactly like what you needed.

Don't link this new line from Amazon to your wife's line or especially not to your current line, but instead just add a third line to your family plan, which will come with a new number, new contract commitment, etc.

When it's done, you will then have three lines in your family plan. Now all you need to do is port out your old number to GV to cancel that line. You will now have two lines in your family plan just like before:
1. Your wife's line, untouched
2. Your new line from Amazon (which comes with Amazon rules in addition to regular Verizon contract, etc.)

As soon as the port is done you can forward your GV number (your old number) to your new line from Amazon and you're done. You also probably want to time the GV port out so you don't waste a monthly fee with your old line.

I didn't check your math with the $, but I'm sure it's good

 

[leeland]

well like you said I can port out the number any time...it is my personal cell, I have a work one as well which is why this all came to be...

The work phone is getting cancelled at the end of the month and I need to supply my own phone for work...SO...I will probably do like you just referenced, get the new phone set up...once done I will port the old number to GV and be done with it and forward all calls to my new number...99% of people have the old number and the new number will only be given out for work.

Thanks for clarifying the logic!