iPhone ESN Swap Procedure Details?

[NathanF]

Hello,
I've just ordered a new iPhone 4S on my wife's eligbile upgrade, and have a bit of musical chairs to do with my phones as a result. I've read up on how to activate/switch ESN's on the Verizon site, but I'd like to clarify the details.

Here's my current setup:
Me: iPhone 4
Wife: Old junky flip phone

Future setup:
Me: iPhone 4S
Wife: iPhone 4

The 4S comes tomorrow, and I'd like to switch over my line to it. I will then give her my iPhone 4 as one of her Christmas presents, but not for a few weeks. As such, I don't want to screw it up and accidentally activate it on her line (as it would do by default out of the box) causing her current phone to become inoperable. Let me know if this is right:

1) Pull ESN number from iPhone 4S box/paperwork, go to Verizon site, choose activate/switch lines, go to mine, then put in that info on my line.
2) Turn the iPhone on, go through iTunes, activate it (now on my line). Or dial *228 if it doesn't work from iTunes.
3) Put my old iPhone 4 aside until X-mas, now not tied to any line since the new phone took it over.
4) Night before x-mas, go to Verizon site, choose to switch phones for her line this time, put in my old iPhone's ESN, then activate via iTunes or *228.

Any thoughts? And if it makes any difference, I am grandfathered in with an unlimited data plan, and she has a new plan along with the iPhone since she previously did not have data. Obviously, I don't want any of that messed up, but as I understand it the ESN's and devices should have nothing to do with that.

Thanks for your help.

 

[mike824]

Not sure if this applies to you with Verizon but I did a similar switch last month with gifting my iPhone 4 to my daughter, only to learn I had to have a new Sim card. I had to scramble to do so at last minute on daughter's birthday. But I am with AT&T. I would check with Verizon just to make sure there are no last minute surprises. AT&T told me I had to have a new Sim card, the guy at our local store showed me how to cut down my daughters old sim card. It all worked out but I wanted to give you a heads up just in case it applies to Verizon phones too.

 

[NathanF]

Not sure if this applies to you with Verizon but I did a similar switch last month with gifting my iPhone 4 to my daughter, only to learn I had to have a new Sim card. I had to scramble to do so at last minute on daughter's birthday. But I am with AT&T. I would check with Verizon just to make sure there are no last minute surprises. AT&T told me I had to have a new Sim card, the guy at our local store showed me how to cut down my daughters old sim card. It all worked out but I wanted to give you a heads up just in case it applies to Verizon phones too.

Thanks much for the info, but as you guessed, Verizon does not use sim cards.

Got the new phone but the online switch feature did not work. Had to call in, but they were able to get the 4S up on my line in short order. Now my old iPhone is ready to go come Christmas. So far so good!