convert 3g to 4g mifi without losing unlimited Verizon data?

If you have a Verizon 3G unlimited plan, and you buy a 4G capable phone from "somewhere else", will you now have unlimited 4G service . . . or will you still only have unlimited 3G service?

MrWizard wrote:

We downgraded out plan for the winter (at the reps recommendation and not the unlimited plan). We confirmed multiple times that it would be no problem returning to our original plan.

Never ever change your plan..unless you are sure you want that permanently, there is no such thing as changing and then going back
on occasion..under 30 days, aka 15 day grace period, you can revert
but after the grace period it takes a miracle of cajoling to revert back to your previous plan

The point was the offical rep said we could and they even had it in thier system what the rep told us.

For any sane company, they would just override the system and make it right because it's thier fault and they admitted it was thier rep who got it wrong. With Verizon, they were really sorry and claimed to be working on it...for months. I suspect they would still be working on it but a new offer came out that matched the original offer.

I still have a grandfathered 3g data card plan, and I am very skeptical that I can upgrade to 4g service without losing mygrandfathered unlimited data. I would love to do this, since VZ has now begun the process of shutting down the 3g tower recievers in favor of 4g. Eventually, I'll have to go to 4g.

Like Wiz says, if you make a change make sure you want it forever. Years ago a "value-added" reseller in central CA crammed me into an entirely new plan with a new phone number when I walked into his store needing a new phone on a trip. Even though I told the reseller within minutes, and VZ customer service within an hour, it took TWO DAYS of calling and pestering until the return to my old number and plan was approved.

cire wrote:
I have had Verizon 3g (USB760) for years. We're heavy users (10G/mo.) Previously I've been told I can't convert to 4G without giving up my unlimited data.

Today I talked to a Verizon tech support and they said "...I can convert from 3G to 4G mifi if I purchase my own mifi device and I can keep my unlimited data."

Is this true? I'll leave the dark ages tomorrow if it is. I expect this has been covered previously but my searches have not turned up anything.

I had several VZW reps tell me the same thing. I kept asking and several others said no, I cannot upgrade my 3G USB720 to a 4G modem and keep my unlimited plan. So I'm hanging on with what I have. I'm not willing to risk the loss.

At some point in the future 3G will undoubtedly go the way of the dinosaur and I'll be forced to upgrade.....and lose my unlimited.:(

WxToad

3g and 4g are two different contracts. Yes you can buy a new 4g device and keep your 3g unlimited plan... only problem is your new device will not work on 3g. No they won't give you an unlimited 4g plan just because you buy your device out of network.

Our only hope is that to speed the elimination of 3g they offer old existing customers a transition window. We average 50gb per month on 3g and another 50gb on 4g monthly.

As far as I'm aware, a data plan is a data plan. A data plan specifies how much data you are allotted per month, not how fast you download that data.

My phone is capable of 4G but if only 3G is available it still connects and works, only at the slower data rate.

I have an unlimited data plan that I've had for quite a few years. When my device was only 3G capable, my data plan worked then, when I upgraded to a 4G device, I didn't change my data plan. After Verizon dropped the unlimited data plan option, I upgraded my phone by buying it outright instead of upgrading thru Verizon and was able to keep my unlimited plan.

Verizon is doing everything they can to winnow down the people still on unlimited plans.

3g is not going away. verizon uses it for other services such as their new Verizon Vehicle service.

if unlimited service is what you want then i would do nothing that could affect it.

if you buy a hotspot that does both 3g and 4g=if you have 3g unlimited thats what you will get-despite it being 4g capable.

as someone else said Verizons latest hotspot is ONLY 4g. if you wanted it you would lose unlimited.

i have no doubts that eventually Verizon will accomplish it's goal of eliminating it's unlimited contracts. it's just a matter of when-not if.

Here is my .02 - Not directly related to this subject but kinda/sorta.

I am one of the Ex-Millenicom people. Not finding a better alternative, I signed up for Verizon's offer of 20 gig for $100 (only offered to Millenicom folks in order to keep them in the fold). When I was working with the Verizon tech over the phone to do the switch, one of the questions I asked was 'What happens if the Millenicom MiFi (actually a Verizon MiFi) dies and I need to get a replacement ?' The reply from the customer service tech was that I would lose my special plan and that I would then need to get a 'normal' Verizon data plan. As long as I use my original Millenicom MiFi, the plan will continue in place indefinitely.

If I was in your shoes, I would be leery of making any changes as that could provide Verizon with a reason to bump you out of your unlimited plan.

Tim

GoPackGo wrote:

If I was in your shoes, I would be leery of making any changes as that could provide Verizon with a reason to bump you out of your unlimited plan.

X2! A few months ago I was in a Verizon store because my wife's S4 Mini wasn't working properly. After the technicians had tested it and agreed that it had a problem, one of the CSRs started to process a the paperwork for a replacement phone. But on the very last step of the process her computer alerted her to the fact that giving me a replacement phone would cancel its unlimited contract (we had bought the phone ourselves for full price).

It wasn't such a big deal since the phone was under warranty and Samsung repaired it without any problem, but my message is that you should be careful because almost any change to your service can result in loss of your unlimited plan.

docj wrote:

GoPackGo wrote:

If I was in your shoes, I would be leery of making any changes as that could provide Verizon with a reason to bump you out of your unlimited plan.

X2! A few months ago I was in a Verizon store because my wife's S4 Mini wasn't working properly. After the technicians had tested it and agreed that it had a problem, one of the CSRs started to process a the paperwork for a replacement phone. But on the very last step of the process her computer alerted her to the fact that giving me a replacement phone would cancel its unlimited contract (we had bought the phone ourselves for full price).

It wasn't such a big deal since the phone was under warranty and Samsung repaired it without any problem, but my message is that you should be careful because almost any change to your service can result in loss of your unlimited plan.

I've made several recent changes to my account/phone which hasn't affected my unlimited data plan.

A couple of months ago my phone developed a problem where while on a call, I could hear the other party fine but they couldn't hear me. I called Verizon tech support and they sent me a new phone, with no change to my unlimited data plan. I had purchased the phone for full price and didn't even buy it from Verizon. Interestingly, I called LG first since I figured it was a warranty issue. LG told me I had to talk to Verizon first.

Another time a Vzn CSR told me I could save some money by switching to a different voice plan with less minutes. I asked repeatedly if the change would affect my unlimited data plan and was assured it would not so I agreed to the change. It did not affect my data plan but it turned out that the plan with fewer minutes actually caused our monthly minute usage to skyrocket because the lower cost plan did not include the Friends & Family feature. I called Vzn and had them change the plan back, again, no change to my data plan.

I've also added and removed lines to my account and upgraded other phones on my account that didn't have unlimited plans and even changed the data plans on those other phones. I've been able to keep my unlimited plan thru all that.