Is There a Way to Swap Phones With Verizon Wireless?
By Maya Austen
Newer and better models of cellphones are continually being made available on the market. Wireless network providers, such as Verizon, don't expect you to commit to one cellphone indefinitely. That's why if you're a Verizon Wireless customer and you have purchased a new Verizon cellphone, Verizon makes it easy for you to swap it with the current phone being used with your Verizon account.
Identification Number
Before changing the phone used with your Verizon Wireless account you have to obtain the identification number for your new Verizon cellphone. The identification number for CDMA cellphones is referred to as the phone’s Electronic Serial Number or Mobile Equipment Identifier number. It's a number that's unique to one particular CDMA cellphone. To locate the ESN or MEID number for your Verizon phone, turn off the phone and remove the battery cover. Take out the battery. The number is printed on a label inside the battery compartment.
My Verizon
My Verizon is Verizon’s online account management tool. As a Verizon customer, you can use this tool to make changes to your account yourself without going through a Verizon customer service representative. To access My Verizon, go to VerizonWireless.com and sign in to your Verizon account. If you haven't yet registered for My Verizon, you'll have to register first. Once logged in, scroll down the My Verizon account overview page to the “I Want To…” section. In the “Device” column, click “Activate Device.” If you have multiple phone lines on your Verizon Wireless account, click the phone line you want to swap phones for. Follow the on-screen instructions to activate the new phone on the selected phone line. You'll be prompted to enter the phone’s identification number, so have it ready.
Customer Service
If you don't wish to use the My Verizon online tool to swap phones on your Verizon Wireless account, you can contact the Verizon Wireless customer support center from a landline phone. The contact phone number is printed on your Verizon Wireless billing statement. Have your account number, which is also printed on the billing statement, and the new phone’s identification number handy when placing the call. Tell the Verizon customer service representative that you'd like to change the phone used on your account. He will perform the swap after gathering the needed information from you.
Features and Service
Different cellphones come equipped with different features. If the features and services used on your old cellphone are incompatible with the features offered on your new phone, you're prompted to select new features and services that are compatible with the new phone. This is true whether you choose to swap the phone using the My Verizon tool or over the phone with Verizon customer support.
References
Writer Bio
Maya Austen began freelance writing in 2009. She has written for many online publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from physical fitness to amateur astronomy. She's also an author and e-book publisher. Austen has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the New England Institute of Art and currently lives in Boston, Mass.