Replacement cellphone on prepaid account - options?

I have a prepaid account with Verizon (with a very high balance) and my old
Kyocera is starting to get a bit worn and shappy.



Yesterday, I walked into the local Verizon store and asked about purchasing
a replacement phone to associate with my existing prepaid account. They
noted I could purchase any phone on display, but would have to pay the full
retail price. The cheapest phone was $149.



I asked about the 2 prepaid phone options at $94.99 and $124.99 (with setup
fee) and was told they could not be activated to existing
account.....although this is exactly what I did the last time I changed
phones.



Does anyone know the real story? Can I purchase a Verizon compatible phone
from anyone (ebay, reseller) and have it activated to a prepay account at a
local store? If so, where's a good vendor?



I make maybe 10 calls a month, so spending $150 on a phone with features I
don't need is not real desirable - I spend $30 every 2 months to keep the
phone number and account active. The high balance keeps me from switching
plans and/or carriers.



Any advice on a low-cost option is greatly appreciated (since the price of
the phone represents 10 months of calling for me.....)



Thanks in advance.

"NoSpam" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

> Yesterday, I walked into the local Verizon store and asked about
> purchasing a replacement phone to associate with my existing
> prepaid account. They noted I could purchase any phone on
> display, but would have to pay the full retail price. The
> cheapest phone was $149.

If you've followed this newsgroup for awhile you know that some of us
feel that Verizon stocks their stores with low grade morons. Go to
their website or call, you'll get to talk to someone who knows
something.


--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

Answering my own question in case someone Googles this in the future....

The rep at the Verizon retail store was, of course, completely incorrect.
Had I followed her advice, I would have ended up with a barebones phone for
$150.

After calling Verizon customer service, the rep told me I could go to
Walmart, purchase a Verizon prepaid phone there, and simply have it
activated to my existing account.

I ended up purchasing a Samsung SCH-870a for $70 - the non-prepaid model was
selling at Walmart for $230 without a service plan.

Took 2 minutes to activate on my existing account. Service rep was very
pleasant. Even got to keep my old prepaid plan, which is much better for my
needs than the current Inpulse plan.

Just sad that the Verizon store people couldn't give the correct
information - I would have wasted $80 and not received as good a phone. If
I didn't have so high a balance, I'd probably switch carriers.....


"NoSpam" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:QEK7i.16523$923.9919@bignews3.bellsouth.net.. .
>I have a prepaid account with Verizon (with a very high balance) and my old
>Kyocera is starting to get a bit worn and shappy.
>
>
>
> Yesterday, I walked into the local Verizon store and asked about
> purchasing a replacement phone to associate with my existing prepaid
> account. They noted I could purchase any phone on display, but would have
> to pay the full retail price. The cheapest phone was $149.
>
>
>
> I asked about the 2 prepaid phone options at $94.99 and $124.99 (with
> setup fee) and was told they could not be activated to existing
> account.....although this is exactly what I did the last time I changed
> phones.
>
>
>
> Does anyone know the real story? Can I purchase a Verizon compatible
> phone from anyone (ebay, reseller) and have it activated to a prepay
> account at a local store? If so, where's a good vendor?
>
>
>
> I make maybe 10 calls a month, so spending $150 on a phone with features I
> don't need is not real desirable - I spend $30 every 2 months to keep the
> phone number and account active. The high balance keeps me from switching
> plans and/or carriers.
>
>
>
> Any advice on a low-cost option is greatly appreciated (since the price of
> the phone represents 10 months of calling for me.....)
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>

On Sat, 2 Jun 2007 10:58:15 -0500, "NoSpam" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:

>Answering my own question in case someone Googles this in the future....
>
>The rep at the Verizon retail store was, of course, completely incorrect.
>Had I followed her advice, I would have ended up with a barebones phone for
>$150.
>
>clip-<

Looks like you found a solution, but the best advice is to go to e-bay
and search on verizon wireless. There are dozens of reputable dealers
who are selling brand new VZW compatable phones of all flavors and
very competitive prices. The woman in my Verizon store in Brunswick,
ME actually told me about it and discouraged me not to buy something
at the VZW store! I bought a Moto v325 about a year ago. Great little
phone.

~jeb

NoSpam wrote:

> Just sad that the Verizon store people couldn't give the correct
> information - I would have wasted $80 and not received as good a phone. If
> I didn't have so high a balance, I'd probably switch carriers.....

They could give the correct information, they just didn't want to.