[Moto X General] Cozume:
Add A Line Method

If you have a family plan and do not have at least one line that has a basic phone or a capped data plan on it to transfer your upgrade to, you can add a basic phone line and get a subsidized iPhone for that line to sell to recoup the cost of the added line. You can do it if you have an individual plan, too, but it is not cost effective to convert an individual plan to a family plan as selling a subsidized iPhone will not recoup the added cost of a family plan.

You need to have a Verizon basic phone to add to the basic phone line or you can put the ghost ESN on the line. Keep in mind that Verizon prepaid phones can't be used for this unless they have met the requirements to be put on a postpaid account. Also keep in mind that some people claim that putting the ghost ESN on your line yourself is a violation of Verizon's TOS. Other people say Verizon reps will do this for you and it is not a problem. Idk what the correct answer is. The Ghost ESN = 13800000400. NEVER PUT THE GHOST ESN ON AN UDP LINE AS YOU WILL LOSE YOUR UDP IF YOU DO!

Since you will be dropping the data plan on the new line before 181 days to make this cost effective, you can only do this at three retailers - Verizon, Best Buy and Costco - since all other retailers will charge you a secondary ETF of $400 if you downgrade a data plan prior to 181 days. And of course, double check before you add a line that the three retailers still have this policy in place when you are ready to do it.

If you have a special plan, like the any mobile to any mobile for $5 promotion that ran a couple of years ago, you can't add a line online and keep that plan. You will have to call Verizon to add a line or do it in a store. Supposedly Best Buy reps and Costco reps know how to do this, too, but YMMV.

Here are the steps to add a line to your family plan through Verizon online:

1) Buy a used Verizon basic phone off of ebay/craig's list that is eligible for use on a postpaid account (skip this step if you are using the ghost ESN);

2) Log onto Verizon online and click Add a Line;

3) Select the subsidized phone of your choice and pick the 2GB data plan for the new line;

4) When you get the new subsidized phone at your home, follow the instructions to activate the new subsidized phone on the 2GB line - THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP THAT MUST BE DONE;

5) Turn off the new subsidized phone and click My Verizon Activate or Switch a Device to put the used basic phone or ghost ESN on the new line by following the directions;

6) The 2GB data plan may or may not drop off when you complete Step 5 - if it doesn't, you can block data on the basic/ghost phone line and the data plan will drop off or you can call Verizon and tell them to take the data plan off of the basic/ghost phone line and they will do it - caveat emptor if you use the ghost ESN as some people claim that is a violation of your TOS and others say it is not and the reps will do it for you, idk what the correct answer is; and

7) Turn off the phone currently on your UDP line and click My Verizon Activate or Switch a Device to put the new subsidized phone on your UDP line by following the directions.

Now that you have a basic phone line, you can use it to transfer any of your other family plan UDP line upgrades to by following the instructions for doing that in my previous post.

After you have upgraded all of your UDP lines, you will have 1 extra upgrade available and you can use that to buy a subsidized iPhone 5s to sell to recoup the cost of the added line.