My current phone is in its death throes and my Verizon contract has expired so I looking at the unlocked Verizon phones. Now before you start talking about Track Phone, etc., where we live Verizon is the only carrier that gives some semblance of reliable service and also works well when we are on the road. We can't get AT&T or Sprint service at home. So I am pretty much stuck with Verizon, which I really don't have a problem with except I dislike the contract part. Since you now pay nearly full load for a replacement phone even when you are on contract, I figured I might as well pay the full phone price and skip the contract. I will stick with an Android phone probably but just thought I would get others thoughts.

I have an unlocked smartphone. It's verizon, no contract, and it's straight talk. Straight talk is owned by tracfone but IT IS NOT a tracfone. DH has a tracfone so I do know the difference. However, DH phone also uses Verizon. My phone has served me well. We don't care for AT&T or Sprint either.

I dont know how elaborate a smartphone you have or want but I have a Motorola G4 play, If you get it unlocked from Motorola or another source (Amazon for instance) you can get a sim card for any carrier, Verizon, ATT T-Mobile, whatever. The phone operates in both GSM and CDMA systems. And by ordering from Motorola direct you get less crapware, the stuff that junks up and slows your phone. It's still a android system and all feature are still functional such as wifi hotspot and tethering.

Watch for the deals. Both DW and I got new smart phones for half price. Thats like 15 bucks a month for two years. No hassles. Still not cheap, but we both got the latest offerings of respective brands.

Check out swappa.com. I've have very good experiences buying used phones there. There are lots of people who will pay big bucks to have the latest and greatest, which lets me buy a used last year's latest and greatest relatively inexpensively.

My wife and I both have Tracfone/LG smart phones using Verizon towers. Tracfone also has a "Bring Your Own Device" plan.

experience with unlocked Verizon phones | Good Sam Community

hawkeye-08
Explorer III
May 23, 2017
My daughter and I purchased new all carrier smartphones direct from Motorola (we got Pure edition). My came with SIM card and I was able to activate over phone after several calls. Her phone did not come with SIM and we went to ATT store, they put SIM in and activated. Took 5 minutes and was free.

We needed new SIM cards because ours were micro in old phones and new phones needed nano. It is common to BYOD (bring your own device) now.
jrs1871
Explorer
May 22, 2017
I am aware of the SIM card requirement. A friend bought one of the Motorola phones and I put my SIM card into her phone and it worked just fine. So I knew the phone would work, I just wasn't sure how Verizon handled a phone switch if they didn't sell it. Thanks for the replies. It gave ma a couple of more things to think about before I pull the trigger.
mike-s
Explorer
May 22, 2017
On Verizon, once your contract expires, the only reason that you'd renew was to get a subsidized phone. But, I think that's gone now, and they lock you in by selling phones on a time payment plan.

Some phones bought outside Verizon may work (e.g. Google pixel bought from Google), or you can get a used one (I mentioned Swappa as a source for used phones). Then you just move the "SIM" card from your old phone to the new - that's it, other than installing apps, moving contacts, etc. You stay on a month-to-month contract. If the new one takes a different size card, you may need to go to a VZW store and get a new one, but it doesn't require signing a new contract.
OLYLEN
Explorer
May 22, 2017
Was at Costco the other day and was asking about the same question. The answer was get the new phone and pay by the month, then after the first payment, then second month pay the phone off. You buy the phones now no more "FREE" upgrades and don't need the contract is basically what they said. phones ranged from like $100 for old technology to $800 for the new S8.

LEN
MrWizard
Moderator
May 21, 2017
yes you can

in fact many phones are NOW 'ALL CARRIER capable' and unlocked and just need the correct sim

you may have to call verizon to have it 'activated' aka switched to your account

but yes any VZW capable phone you want to use, can be purchased 3rd party and used

i bought my S4 on amazon
down_home
Explorer II
May 21, 2017
tou will have to have sim card for verizon.
jrs1871
Explorer
May 21, 2017
Maybe I should have phrased my question a little differently. I wondered if I can buy an unlocked Verizon phone and continue to use it on my Verizon plan, just not have a contract. I have no problem with Verizon, I just would rather not be under contract anymore. I am somewhat considering at Motorola Moto 4G.
Nick-B
Explorer
May 21, 2017
There are 2nd tier providers that provide Verizon coverage & network but at less cost depending on your overall needs. My wife and I both have pay as you go with Boom Mobile. We use Verizon phones that are no longer under a contract. Don't need to be "unlocked".
down_home
Explorer II
May 21, 2017
Thy kept telling us we had to have our phones unlocked if we change providers from Verizon.
Said Verizon will do it i you ask them.
They refused.
Guess what they weren't locked in the first place. Just changed out the chips.
Black Berries. Still use mine. Wife changed to a Smart Phone, which the Blackberry is too, but with keys. Range is about twice what her Smart Phone is.

If yours does need unlocking instructions on simple procedure on the Internet.
note I didn't read all the replies so sure as tomorrow is Sunday someone already said this.
Charlie_D_
Explorer
May 20, 2017
Go to the Amazon site and look around. Hundreds of phones. We bought an LG phone from Amazon and use Tracfone. Check comments and questions carefully. Ours is on the Verizon network and works great.

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