How to add new device to TF account without activating?

[FT_VZW]

Hi All!
I have a couple of thois flip phones coming from HSN, and I am wondering how I can add them to my TF account without activating them.

The reason of doing that is to get the 10,000 bonus points. I would then later (after say 50 days) activate both of them, and after 61 days (11 or 12 days after activation) combine (merge) the balances, and then finally transfer everything from the merged onto flip to my new phone with one of the BYOP sims from ebay with another year of service.

But looking at the TF website, I don't see the option of just "adding a phone". Can you guys help me out here? Thanks!

[pitflyer]

Have to chat. Crazy8 has a well documented script but basically just chat and ask to add a line for activation later. They should just text the existing phone on the account and ask for IMEI. Anything more they are doing it wrong

[FT_VZW]

Thanks pitflyer!
The activation (with getting a phone number, etc) can then be done online in the account later without contacting TF CS?

BTW: what does AAL stand for? I know it's the bous points, what what does the acronym mean?

[pitflyer]

AAL -- add a line
And yes, you can self activate once its in your account. Done it 4x

[Tracfancier]

Have your account open on your computer so you can see the 10,000 points appearing in your total each time... then you know the chat agent did it correctly. If you don`t get the 10,000 points you must remove the phone and try again with another chat agent.

[medontknow]

Have to chat. Crazy8 has a well documented script but basically just chat and ask to add a line for activation later. They should just text the existing phone on the account and ask for IMEI. Anything more they are doing it wrong

Please post crazy eights link where we can all see it. Thanks!

[kaZZoo]

Hi All!
I have a couple of thois flip phones coming from HSN, and I am wondering how I can add them to my TF account without activating them.

The reason of doing that is to get the 10,000 bonus points. I would then later (after say 50 days) activate both of them, and after 61 days (11 or 12 days after activation) combine (merge) the balances, and then finally transfer everything from the merged onto flip to my new phone with one of the BYOP sims from ebay with another year of service.

But looking at the TF website, I don't see the option of just "adding a phone". Can you guys help me out here? Thanks!

What is your reasoning on 50 days, to save almost 4 months of service time.

I believe most people delay activation because there’s no service time, and want to spend as little as possible to reach the 61st day.
The flips come with service.

Activate flip 1, Flip 2 the next day, new phone as soon as you get it,

30.000 points,

Once your 20.000 points are available, ( you should have gotten a text that your phone can be unlocked already ) you can merge the flips to your main phone.

[Tracfancier]

Activate flip 1, Flip 2 the next day, new phone as soon as you get it, 30.000 points
Once your 20.000 points are available, ( you should have gotten a text that your phone can be unlocked already ) you can merge the flips to your main phone.

If you merge the flips before the last 10,000 points vest... you lose the last 10,000 points.
Do nothing with the account until all AAL points have vested. Never touch an account that contains unvested AAL points.

[FT_VZW]

What is your reasoning on 50 days, to save almost 4 months of service time.

I believe most people delay activation because there’s no service time, and want to spend as little as possible to reach the 61st day.
The flips come with service.

Activate flip 1, Flip 2 the next day, new phone as soon as you get it,

30.000 points,

Once your 20.000 points are available, ( you should have gotten a text that your phone can be unlocked already ) you can merge the flips to your main phone.

I was thinking of delaying the activation to have as much service time left when transferring the service to my main phone. Activating right away would result in losing 2 months, correct? My 50 days were semi random, I could have picked 45 or 55 instead.
My thinking may be wrong, let me know if this is not a good idea!

[Tracfancier]

It is a good idea until TF/Verizon decides it isn`t a good idea for people to be getting away with this.
Their rules say 60 days of paid airtime for the 10,000 to vest on day 61. They could have said fewer... but they didn`t.
They will not tell us when/if they fix the glitch... your points just will not vest, and on day 61 the points will simply disappear.
I am not telling you what to do. The decision is yours to make. You just need to know there is a potential risk.

[FT_VZW]

It is a good idea until TF/Verizon decides it isn`t a good idea for people to be getting away with this.
Their rules say 60 days of paid airtime for the 10,000 to vest on day 61. They could have said fewer... but they didn`t.
They will not tell us when/if they fix the glitch... your points just will not vest, and on day 61 the points will simply disappear.
I am not telling you what to do. The decision is yours to make. You just need to know there is a potential risk.

Thanks Tracfancier!
So I take the safer way is to activate on day 1? Trying to learn here!
But, if I wait, wouldn't the points likely vest at day 50+61 if TF decodes to change the rules?

[Tracfancier]

Now it is the 61st day after the phone is "added" to your account. I assume it would change to be the 61st day after "activation".
If you had trouble finding an airtime card locally, say 5 days looking plus being tied up with something. you would be adding on day 5 of 61.
Then the airtime days would run out 4 days after points vest. You could get by with just 60 days of "new" airtime. You may get a text about unlocking on day 58 or 59 and must move fast to unlock it before it deactivates at the end of day 60.
Someone else will have to comment on unlocking if the days have run out, as I have no experience with that.

It may be Tracfones intention to force you to buy 3 months of service to earn the points and get it unlocked.

[FT_VZW]

Now it is the 61st day after the phone is "added" to your account. I assume it would change to be the 61st day after "activation".
If you had trouble finding an airtime card locally, say 5 days looking plus being tied up with something. you would be adding on day 5 of 61.
Then the airtime days would run out 4 days after points vest. You could get by with just 60 days of "new" airtime. You may get a text about unlocking on day 58 or 59 and must move fast to unlock it before it deactivates at the end of day 60.
Someone else will have to comment on unlocking if the days have run out, as I have no experience with that.

It may be Tracfones intention to force you to buy 3 months of service to earn the points and get it unlocked.

Thanks tracfancier!
My plan is to use a few HSN phones that come with a year of service, so there really wouldn't be any additional airtime cards needed, correct??

[Senkoboy]

Please post crazy eights link where we can all see it. Thanks!

Tracfone: Thank you for visiting Tracfone today. How may I help you?
I'd like to add new tracfone to my account.Here is the e-mail of the account that I want to add a line to. [email protected] Here is the new phone IMEI 000 000 000 000 000 to be added to the account.

I showed up in a few minutes as inactive and points as pending. I completed an online activation with a new number a few minutes later without issue.

[Tracfancier]

Thanks tracfancier!
My plan is to use a few HSN phones that come with a year of service, so there really wouldn't be any additional airtime cards needed, correct??

Correct... no extra airtime cards are necessary. Just wait out the days for the points to go from pending to available and the text to the phone starting about day 58 after activation that it now qualifies for unlocking. Make no changes in the account until ALL pending AAL points have vested.