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How to: Sell Verizon Contract and Keep your Number.

91K views 164 replies 67 participants last post by  lfootballusasDEF 
#1 ·
OK 1st off let me make the disclaimer that I take no responsibility if this fails to work for you. Under Verizon you are 100% allowed to transfer your service to another individual, referred to as an Assumption of Liability (AOL), you can find it on the Verizon website.

With that said, I will now tell you how I was able to transfer my phone number I've had for 15+ years to a new provider and sell my existing unlimited data contract and make some money instead of pay hundreds in ETFs.

First thing you need to do is sign up for service with whatever new provider you want (I am assuming you are reading this b/c you want to leave Verizon and already have a new provider in mind). When you sign up for new service with another carrier it is VERY important you DO NOT port your existing Verizon number over. Porting the number over at this point will cancel your Verizon contract and you will be stuck paying the ETF.

OK so now that you have your new service with some new phone numbers, you will need to port your existing Verizon number over. To do this, call your new carrier and tell them you want to port your Verizon number over to the new service. You will need the number you are porting and the Verizon account number along with your account PIN (not your myverizon.com password, but your PIN can be found in your myverizon profile). Once your new service rep has told you the number has been ported, log into myverizon and request a new number on your Verizon phone. I'd say this step should be done about 15-30 minutes after you port your Verizon number.

While the number is being ported and your new Verizon number is being issued you will have some overlap with the devices and the numbers. For instance, if someone calls you on your new number it may ring on the new service, but you may not be able to make outgoing calls with the new service. They say the port takes about 24-48 hours for the number to fully port over to the new service, but mine was done in less than 24 hours. I was basically carrying around two phones with me until the port was completed.

OK so now that you have your number ported over to your new line of service you can sell your unlimited data Verizon account (non-unlimited data accounts are pretty worthless and I doubt you'd be able to find someone to buy it). I used eBay to do this, but there are other services like cellswapper.com. If you use eBay, search for Verizon unlimited data contract to get an idea of what your listing should consist of.

My Verizon contract consisted of an unlimited data line and a 2gig data line. I made it very clear in the listing that the winning bidder would be required to take both lines of service. I didn't get as much money, but still better than paying an ETF.

OK so now you listed your contract online and you have a winning bidder. Hopefully, the bidder has paid immediately. So what you need to do is call Verizon and tell them you want to do an AOL and give them the phone number and the name of the winning bidder. I recommend calling the bidder and and going over the details of the steps and when they want to initiate the transfer. Once Verizon has the persons info, they will need to contact Verizon and assume ownership of the contract. If they have Verizon service already its easy, but if its new customer they will have to go through a credit check to make sure they can carry the service. Assuming they are approved for service, once they call Verizon the lines will be transferred. You will receive an email saying the transfer was in progress, but you can also confirm it went though by trying to log in to your online Verizon account (it should lock within a couple hours after the transfer. The transfer of service takes about a day or so to fully complete. Any balance on the account will be billed to or if its a credit it will get refunded to you.

There you go. You keep your original numbers, get out of your Verizon contract, and make some money.

I think I covered everything, but I recommend you read up on the AOL on Verizon's website. If you have any questions, feel free to post them. I wrote this pretty quick so if something doesn't make sense or you need more clarification let me know.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki
 
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#5 ·
You can port your number to whatever line you want.

You'd have to confirm this with Verizon, but if both contracts are in your name than I see no reason why you can't transfer a number between accounts.

As for the other guy, it varies how much you can get for your line. Some eBay listings are like $500, I dont know if these ever sell though. I've seen many sell for right around $300 if its a single line of unlimited data.

Off contract lines seem to sell for more and I'd imagine the longer you hold on to it the more rare they will become and thus more valuable. I am skeptical though that Verizon will eventually screw unlimited data users out of their data and nlstop offering it to those grandfathered in.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki
 
#6 ·
From what I've read and what I understand, I cannot change phone numbers within Verizon.
If I have one limited data line, and one unlimited data line, I couldn't just simply swap the numbers.

The solution, untried, I have found is, port current number to a prepaid plan or Google voice. Then port the number to the unlimited line.

Sent from my wireless telephonic device.
 
#7 ·
I would like to mention that I have tested this and it does not work. Verizon now puts an immediate lock on your phone and you are unable to request a change on your phone number at verizon. Not only that I have been told that should you change your verizon number, you immediately loose your unlimited data as it is based off of the number itself. I just wanted to save some people from anguish and costs.
 
#8 ·
That's very interesting. I just did this about a month ago with no problems at all. Through the whole process, Verizon should only be contacted when doing the actual transfer of the line. Verizon reps may tell you something else, but this worked perfectly for me. The key was to port your number to the new carrier and than immediately go on the myverizon website and request a new number. No where have I read that requesting a new number voids your unlimited data.

Sorry if this information is no longer valid, as I am no longer a Verizon customer I can not test it.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki
 
#9 ·
I've ported two numbers to Google voice. Ported one of those numbers to Google voice and back to Verizon the same day the port was completed with Google voice onto my unlimited data line.
I also changed the number on the unlimited data line before all this because I was receiving texts for the guy that I did the AOL from.

You absolutely can change your number on an unlimited data line. You can port your number out, change the number on the line, suffer no ETF, and keep the unlimited data.
https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/779321

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
 
#12 ·
Jova and Art, just going by my experience. Just trying to make sure people can see the other side of the coin. Basically I did this, i callled ATT which is my new account holders, told them i'd like to transfer my old number to them, they said sure, did what they needed, and basically had me switch off both phones, in 5 minutes flat it was done. I logged on to my verizon and attempted to request a different number, that area was greyed out, and it stated that the account was already suspended. It was all live, and immediate. As soon as i requested the port over, they closed my verizon account. Keep in mind that was the only number i had there.

Again, i can't say how it would play out with porting over to Google. Although I think thats my next step, it should allow me to keep my number forever nearly wherever i go that way. Art don't feel bad at all, you warned us its not a guaranteed process. Now i'm trying to use cellswapper to give away my verizon plan, along with a droid phone. Might have to offer my galaxy nexus as well, but was hoping to recup some of my expenses by selling the phone. Anyone know of any other service besides cellswapper that is dependable?
 
#15 ·
Also, apparently I fried my SIM card switching phone numbers, porting out a number, switching lines, and porting a number back in. I did this all like over a week ago, but somehow it killed the SIM card. That or the NSA accidentally fried it trying to monitor my stuff.

Sent from my wireless telephonic device.
 
#16 ·
Holy crap this worked. I ported my VZW number to my new Nexus 4 with tmo's Walmart plan, prepaid 100 minutes unlimited text and data for $30 a month. Followed your directions and everything went without a hitch, my VZW line is still active with a new number. Now to sell my unlimited data VZW line. So happy to be free of contracts.
 
#17 ·
Glad to hear it still works! Selling on eBay took me some time, one guy never paid, he said his PayPal account isn't working with eBay and wanted to do the transaction outside of eBay. The 2nd guy was really nice, but unfortunately he wasn't approved for Verizon service without putting down a $300 deposit, finally worked out perfect with the last guy who bought it. But it was a real pain listing and relisting it. Make it as clear in your listing to maybe avoid some of what u went though.

Another thing, its a but of a PITA to go from prepaid to postpaid with T-Mobile. Apparently, they are two separate entities and if you want to do it. You have to sign up for new post paid service with a new number and than they will port the number for your prepaid.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RootzWiki
 
#26 ·
I think I just figured out a way to port your number to a new carrier without de-activating your vzw account. I haven't tried it yet, but this is my plan:

Activate a new line on vzw in addition to my old (unlimited) plan, then move my old number to the new vzw plan that I just added (and get a random new number on the old account).

Then, create an account with T-Mo, and port the old number over to them...which will essentially "cancel" that brand new account that I created on vzw. And since there's no ETF if you cancel in the first 15 days, I shouldn't be charged anything.

So then I'll have my old number on T-Mo, and some new random number on my old vzw account, ready for an AOL to whomever wants it :)

Not 100% sure it will work, but it seems like it should.
 
#29 ·
Thank you so much for this information. I wanted to make the switch to T Mobile, but wanted to sell my lines without losing my numbers. My only question is if this will work with 2 lines? I currently have a family plan with 2 unlimited data lines at Verizon. Would I just get a family plan at T Mobile with 2 new numbers, then port them over one at a time...maybe making 2 separate calls to T Mobile? I am just worried that if I port over one number and change it successfully on Verizon, then they will lock me out of changing the second number.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
 
#30 ·
Thank you so much for this information. I wanted to make the switch to T Mobile, but wanted to sell my lines without losing my numbers. My only question is if this will work with 2 lines? I currently have a family plan with 2 unlimited data lines at Verizon. Would I just get a family plan at T Mobile with 2 new numbers, then port them over one at a time...maybe making 2 separate calls to T Mobile? I am just worried that if I port over one number and change it successfully on Verizon, then they will lock me out of changing the second number.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
I switched two numbers around within Verizon using Google voice as a medium. It took about a week because it takes three days to completely port out the number and then be able to unlock it to port it back in.
I'm considering T-Mobile as well, and if I do, I'll use the same method. Port out to GV, then port out from GV to T-Mobile.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
 
#31 ·
So guys, does this still apply? I mean as far as doing an AOL with an unlimited line?

I'm leaving VZW and moving to AIO (just bought a Nexus 5) and if I can make some cash of my old line with unlimited, it's something I'd like to do.

Just to clarify what I'm asking, can I still do an AOL and have the person assuming liability retain my unlimited data?

Thanks!
 
#33 ·
Hi I have 4 lines of service and looking to move to TMobile. This is what I have

1st Line - Unlimited 4g service (month to month)

2nd Line - Unlimited 3g Service (month to month)

3rd Line - no data (month to month)

4th Line - no data and has about 8 months left on contract

My first question is, if I transfer the 2nd line to someone and they activate a 4g phone, do they still keep the unlimited data as the current phone is 3g on that line?

My second query is I was wondering if I could transfer my upgrade from my 1st line to my 4th line (thinking this would then transfer the contract term over to my 1st line), then do an AOL to someone so that I do not have to pay the ETF anymore on the one line.

We do want to move all 4 lines over to T-Mobile, can I port over the 2 numbers without data and have tmobile create 2 new phone numbers for the first two lines while I do the AOL on them, that way we dont need 4 new numbers with tmobile? Or will verizon not like that and prevent the AOL on the 2 lines with data then?

Not sure if anybody did this with multiple lines like this, any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
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