Should I Keep my Grandfathered Plan?

Things are constantly changing in the wireless industry and this is more apparent in the prepaid market than just about anywhere else. Between promotions, plan lineup shifts and other things, you’ve probably heard of or had a grandfathered plan at one point. But, what is a grandfathered plan? And is it worth keeping?

What is a Grandfathered Plan?

Sometimes, companies will offer promotional plans with more data, lower prices or other bonuses and features. Many times these plans will be for a limited time, and after a certain date consumers will no longer be able to sign up for it. Customers who signed up for the plan before it ended will become ‘grandfathered’ which means that they can keep the plan despite the fact that it’s no longer technically offered. Grandfathering is common when companies make sudden changes to their plan lineups or offer promotions, as it makes things a little easier for the customer.

What do I do if I have one?

If you find yourself grandfathered on an old plan, then you have two options: keep it, or switch to a new plan. If the new plans are vastly superior to the previous plans, then this is easy: jump to the new plans, and rejoice! However, it’s pretty common that companies will discontinue plans that are actually pretty nice, and being able to keep your awesome features can be pretty nice. If you decide that you want to keep your grandfathered plan, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

1. If your phone is deactivated, then you’ll lose the plan
2. With some companies if you change phones, you must select a new plan and will no longer be grandfathered.
3. Grandfathering does not last forever

I’d strongly recommend looking at what you’re losing and gaining when switching from a grandfathered plan to a newer plan. After all, if you decide you don’t like the new plan, you won’t be able to switch back! That being said, though, don’t feel like you have to stay on a plan simply because it’s no longer offered. At the end of the day, it’s all a numbers game, because chances are eventually you’ll have to switch to a newer plan eventually. It’s just a matter of time and how much you like the discontinued features on your grandfathered plan.]]>