Verizon iPhone 4S

[Verizon User]

Long-time reader, first-time forum poster. My wife and I have done everything MMM advises and have cut our expenses from $80,000 (ugh, we were so foolish) to $40,000 and inching lower. The last big expense line item that has room for improvement is our cell phone bill. We've widdled it down from $195 per month to $121 per month, but that's not good enough. We have two Verizon iPhone 4s's. I have researched this at length, I cannot find the answer, and I need help. In my opinion, there are two options (and staying with Verizon is not one):

1) Republic Wireless. I'm a big fan, but my wife isn't on board yet. To go this route, we'd need to buy two new Moto X phones at a cost of $600 total ($300 each). We can sell our iPhones, but since we already have two phones that work great, I'm reluctant to go this route unless there is a way we can utilize our current iPhones... Is there?
2) Yes, Page Plus, which is a Verizon MVNO, but according to numerous blogs, signing up with Page Plus with a Verizon iPhone 4s is a considerable risk: you run the risk of having your phone number taken from you permanently if Verizon finds out.

So, are there any MVNOs that you know of that will accept a Verizon iPhone 4s? Any help would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

[skunkfunk]

You can sell your Verizon 4s and get a Sprint for the same price. Then port to Ting.

[starbuck]

You can sell your Verizon 4s and get a Sprint for the same price. Then port to Ting.

Was just about to recommend this. This was what we did a few months ago when our contract with Verizon expired. Bought two iPhones on ebay, and ported over to Ting. Our monthly bill went from $140 to about $30-40 once we switched.

Neither of us were willing to risk our phone numbers with moving to Page Plus. We've both had our numbers for about 10 years.

[skunkfunk]

You can sell your Verizon 4s and get a Sprint for the same price. Then port to Ting.

Was just about to recommend this. This was what we did a few months ago when our contract with Verizon expired. Bought two iPhones on ebay, and ported over to Ting. Our monthly bill went from $140 to about $30-40 once we switched.

Neither of us were willing to risk our phone numbers with moving to Page Plus. We've both had our numbers for about 10 years.

They will also pay 25% of any cancellation fee on your prior contract. So there's that, too.

[TheDude]

I do not represent page plus so what I say means nothing. However, I have helped several people move Iphone 4(s) over to page plus without any problem.  I have also not really heard of anyone getting kicked of page plus for having an iPhone. In my opinion it is very low risk.

[plantingourpennies]

Second the recommendation for Ting.  We made the switch from 2 Verizon iPhones ($161 family plan) to 2 Ting iPhones (4s all around) in January.  (We bought and sold with Glyde for ease and the limited guarantee and lost about $100/phone on the transfer.  YMMV.)  Our bill has never been more than $43 since the switch and couldn't be happier with the service. 

My only recommendation - switch at the very end of your Verizon billing cycle.  I was so happy to receive my Sprint iPhone that I switched it to Ting immediately and was shocked that Verizon didn't provide me with any sort of prorated refund for the 3 weeks of service I didn't use but had already paid for.  =(

Also, Verizon put some sort of lock on our devices so we couldn't sell them until the billing cycle was over as well.  So my advice is just suck it up and wait until the end of the billing cycle for both those reasons.

[Guizmo]

I have a verizon prepaid account with an iphone 4. I pay $46 for unlimited minutes, text and 500mb. I really do need unlimited minutes for my work. this is the best i could do since I have the iphone and I don't want to deal with possibly not being able to use it on page plus.