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I have 3 lines on one account (1 parent, 2 teens). Account 1 and Account 2 were set up at the same time. Account 3 was added later. When account 3 was added, that teen (being the youngest) got Account 2's old phone and the new phone was given to Account 2 teen.
Fast forward to today. Account 1 and Account 3 are finishing year 2 of 3 year contract. Account 2 is not on a contract anymore. Here is the problem. Account 3 teen's crappy phone doesn't work anymore so hey, lets check out the latest teen-friendly plans that have evolved over the past couple of years.
So, I am checking this out but I can't move account 3 because he is still on contract for the phone that is assigned to Account 2. I could move account 2 if I want but he has an amazing never to be repeated plan deal negotiated over a 2 1/2 day marathon with retention. But no contract so technically could move.
My account, Account 1, has a 5 GB data free upgrade that I can't get anymore. Account 1 and Account 2 both have 6 GB data (not shareable) and Account 3 has 1 GB. If I move them to shareable, I pay the same overall amount but drop from 13 GB total to 5 GB data total shared. The 2 accounts with 6 GB don't use all the data but I am afraid to drop the data limit because I have been burned in the past with data overages on internet. (Not a nice mom when I get a $400 internet bill due to overages).
I spent hours mapping out all my phone plan options and there doesn't seem to be any way to get the total service cost down. That's why I considered moving Account 3 teen with his crappy phone to another carrier with more teen friendly data limits. Plus Account 3 teen's phone needs to be replaced. 2 simple goals but apparently IMPOSSIBLE to execute.
Account 3 teen's phone # is tied to the contract for Account 2 teen's phone on contract till December 2015. Here have been my choices.
Change all 3 lines to shareable data which I am not sure what it achieves except I think then I can get a new phone for $150 on a 2 year contract which i can assign to Account 3 teen. This option saves me no money and reduces the family data from 6/6/1 to 6 total.
Do nothing. This is the option I stopped at last time because I just gave up after frustrating hours of talking to Telus client care who are "bewildered" by the problem.
I am spending $260 plus tax per month on this account. I have had the account for at least 2 years and had jumped from Bell Mobility (where I had been a mobility/business account customer for 10 years).
I don't understand how I can get Account 3 teen a new phone for the "new contract" price without messing up the plan that Account 2 teen has (which is where Telus shows I have upgrade rights).
Anyone have any ideas?
So you can either buy a new phone outright and keep plan 2, or get the subsidized phone, but pay more for the service. Many have faced that conundrum and had to decide which was more important, the GB or the subsidy. Most seem to keep the GB.
You can get 10GB of data shared between the three lines for $295 ($30/mth more than you are paying now)
$55 x 2 - for the two phones on contract
$40 x 1 - for the one phone not on contract
$145 x 1 - for 10GB of shareable data
If the third user is using a lot more data, it might be worth it to make the switch, instead of paying overages every month.
Yes, we do go round in circles sometimes. Here's my understanding:
In 2011 you purchased an iPhone 4 for your eldest teen. You got a sweetheart deal at that time including 6GB of data. This plan is now over three years old, and up for renewal (but not at the great deal you currently have). You clearly don't want to loose this deal.
In December 2012, you purchased an iPhone 5 on contract. This is the 1 GB plan available at the time, and ends in 2015, at which time you can renew the contract.
To keep family harmony, you gave the iPhone 5 to your eldest teen, and the iPhone 4 to your youngest. Swapping SIM cards would have let the older teen keep the 6 GB plan previously in use, leaving the younger teen with the iPhone 4 and the 1GB plan.
(Have I got it so far?)
Now the iPhone 4 is at it's end of life. No surprise, as it is now 3 years old. You want to replace it. The plan it was originally purchased under is up for renewal, but it being the sweetheart deal you got at the time, you don't want to give it up. Also the phone user of that plan has the newer iPhone5, which is working just fine, so no changes needed.
Problem is the contract you signed in 2012 for the iPhone 5 has 13 months to go, and a $220 balance. You swapped phones between teens, and the teen using the plan contracted in 2012 has the iPhone4. You want Telus to move the balance owning on the 2012 contract (which expires in December 2015) to the 2011 contract which is now completed, as that contract is 'connected' to the newer iPhone 5.
(Am I till on track?)
Unfortunately, the balance owing stays with the contract, not with the phone. We don't get to mix and match as we please. As I stated in my earlier comments, if you want to keep the sweetheart deal you got for your eldest, you will need to purchase a phone outright. There is no way to continue it and get a subsidized phone.
You could pass the iPhone 5 to teen #2, putting the subsidy & the iPhone back together, and provide the older teen with the new phone, our you can get a new phone and put in on the younger teen's plan. I don't see any way Telus is going to move balances between contracts.
Hope this clarifies things.
Pay off the device balance for whatever account has the worst rate plan (sounds like the 1GB plan), you may have to switch around SIM cards & phone numbers after the fact to make it work but you will still have the same rate plan offers (Excl. the 1GB plan).