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Switching carriers, will suspending service interfere with porting ?

jwfowble

Sep 18, 2010, 7:26 PM
I've been off contract for nearly a year with Verizon and decided to get a slightly dated new phone with AT&T (an LG Shine II vs the VX8700 I had before). My billing cycle with Verizon will start a new month on the 21st, but I expect my new AT&T phone to be delivered on the 22nd or 23rd.

I can live without a phone for a few days if it'll save me $50. Will suspending service with Verizon help me not pay for a full month when I'd only be with verizon for 2 days of that month ? Is there any reason to believe that suspending my service will interfere with the port going smoothly ?

By reading this forum, it looks like the fee to suspend is $15, which is fine by me. Though Verizon will do partial month billing for many circumstances,...
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vzwinagent

Sep 18, 2010, 8:12 PM
They will pro-rate the last month. I would not suspend service as that could possibly interfere with porting. The only time they won't pro-rate the last month is if you are still under contract. Once you're out of contract I don't think they can legally charge you once you're gone. Billing stops when the day you port out.
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jwfowble

Sep 18, 2010, 10:16 PM
Are you sure about pro-rating the last month ? I know they do that when you start a contract but others on the internet suggest they had to pay for the full month.



Cancellations will become effective on the last day of that month's billing cycle, and you are responsible for all charges incurred until then.


http://community.vzw.com/t5/Voice-and-Broadband-Call ... »

http://cellphoneforums.net/verizon/t290070-charges-r ... »
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vzwinagent

Sep 18, 2010, 10:29 PM
Should only be charged full month if you port out or cancel while still under contract.
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epik

Sep 19, 2010, 10:56 PM
Whenever a customer ports out, the MTN is suspended in the system pending the end of the bill cycle, at which time the line will become deactivated. They will not prorate the last month for a port unless you find someone who will disconnect the line early. The OP would have to call customer care AFTER the port is completed to see IF they'll terminate before the end of the billing cycle.

This system has been in place for a couple years. It's all automated. If you've seen otherwise, it's because a person made a manual change in the system. The automated port system WILL suspend the mobile number and/or account until the end of the billing cycle.

In other words, Verizon will keep the money unless you request otherwise. Standard pro...
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vzwinagent

Sep 19, 2010, 10:59 PM
My mistake... this is the part that confused me:

If you terminate your service as of the end of your minimum term, you won't be responsible for any remaining part of your monthly billing cycle. Otherwise, all terminations by you during a monthly billing cycle become effective on the last day of that billing cycle.

It's a little confusing. I always took that as it wouldn't be charged after the contract was up. I guess it means only on that date.
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jwfowble

Sep 19, 2010, 11:24 PM
Sounds like my best option, since my new phone from Amazon isn't shipped activated and they don't start billing until it is activated, will be to keep using my old Verizon phone for the next month and do the port/activation on my new AT&T phone a few days before the upcoming cycle.

Hopefully Amazon wireless doesn't freak out if I wait 28 days to activate the phone they ship.
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vzwinagent

Sep 19, 2010, 11:28 PM
Well one way to look at it you've already paid for the Verizon service since they bill a month in advance. It's not like you're going to have to pay them anymore money. If you start the new service whenever you get the new phone it will still all work out in the end. Yes, you'll be paying for two services for that time but since you've already paid one you won't really notice. 🙂

Something else you might do it put the Verizon plan down as low as it can go before you do the switch, if you do it early. Like get rid of any extra features and go to the lowest minutes (if a proration of minutes wont cause that cycle to go over) then you'll actually still get money back because you've already paid in advance for a normal month of service.
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jwfowble

Sep 19, 2010, 11:43 PM
But, if I wait to activate the new carrier then I should only pay for a few days of "double coverage" instead of nearly a full month. I just need to remember to cancel automatic bill payment.


This way I takee advantage of the fact that carriers are only pro-rating the first monthly cycle in which you join and not the final month when you leave.
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vzwinagent

Sep 19, 2010, 11:52 PM
Also keep in mind that your billing cycle with AT&T may not be the day you start. With Verizon they are pretty random. It could be the day you start service or a couple days before that which will make your first bill almost double. It could also end up that you start service on the last day of your billing cycle and the first bill will only be for one month and one day. It's pretty random usually. Not that it really matters in the end, it'll still be the same. I know that doesn't affect you paying double for both services.
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