You can pause your Verizon account if you’re going on an extended vacation or traveling for a few months. What happens when I suspend my Verizon phone?
We’ll help you answer that.
If you choose to suspend your Verizon phone, your service will be blocked. The upside to this is you’re going to be paying much less per month, and it is perfect for when you’re on vacation or traveling.
Before discussing what happens when you pause your Verizon account, let us enumerate why you want to avail of the service suspension.
Reasons to Suspend My Verizon Phone and Account
Sometimes, you need to stop their Verizon subscription temporarily. It may be because your phone is missing, and you want to ensure no one will use your line.
No matter the case, the carrier made it easy for you to pause your service and turn it back on later.
Here are other reasons you want to suspend your Verizon service:
- Traveling or going on vacation for an extended period
- Unable to meet current monthly payments to Verizon
- Your device is lost or stolen
- Military deployment
- Staying in a secondary home for months
- Avoiding redundant expenses
Let’s proceed to the other important matters regarding your Verizon phone and account suspension.
What Happens When I Suspend My Verizon Phone: Everything to Know
Suspending your Verizon account can help you save money and keep your telephone number.
You’ll continue to be billed for some services, but it’s a small amount month to month.
Verizon offers three types of suspension:
- Reduced-rate billing
- Without billing
- Suspended with billing
What Services Get Deactivated When Suspending My Phone
Suspending your Verizon phone also means that you’re stopping service to your account.
This means that certain services like calls and texts will not be available for you to use. You must understand there will be services you won’t be able to access.
Suspending your account means that you’re putting it in hibernation mode. It allows you to keep your account without paying full price for a service you won’t necessarily use.
Of course, there will be some trade-offs where you won’t be able to use many of Verizon’s services.
Here are the services that get deactivated when you suspend your account:
- You won’t be able to make or receive calls.
- You can’t send or receive text messages on your phone.
- You won’t have access to mobile data.
- Your mobile number will be inactive.
Note: The difference between suspending your account and canceling it is that you can keep your number after you resume.
Will I Pay Less With a Suspended Account
Depending on your suspension type, either you pay less or skip the bill entirely.
You won’t be able to make or receive calls or access the network while your Verizon number and account are suspended.
It’s only fair if you don’t pay the full amount.
How will you be billed while service is suspended?
- For lost phones: You will not be billed for voice and data.
- For military deployment: You will not be billed for service and features.
- For vacation: You will be charged $10 per month.
- For financial reasons: You will be charged $10 per month.
- Device payments and recurring subscriptions will be billed.
Note: When you suspend or reconnect services, charges will be prorated.
How Long Can I Suspend My Verizon Phone
If you decide to suspend your Verizon phone and account, you know that it’s going to take a while before you reactivate it again.
Verizon gives you flexibility on how long you want the suspension to be. It’s entirely up to you when you want it to take effect and end.
As a general rule, suspending your account means you want to stop it for a minimum of 30 days or a month.
You can temporarily disable your account for up to 180 days or 6 months. However, the exact duration can vary depending on your specific needs.
Here’s what you need to consider when suspending your account for an extended period:
- Flexible suspension durations between 30 and 180 days.
- We recommend letting Verizon know the start and end dates.
- You can negotiate the duration depending on your plan.
- Longer durations mean you can miss out on promos and plan upgrades.
Pro Tip: If you need to extend or change the duration, it's best to contact Verizon right away.
What Happens to My Contract and Account Status
You might wonder what happens to your Verizon contract and account when you suspend them.
Well, there are a few things that will happen. For one, your account will be classified as inactive. This is when you stop having access to services like calls, text, and data.
More importantly, your account and contract with Verizon will remain intact. They won’t terminate your contract, and it will remain in effect even during the time your account is suspended.
The suspension period will also not count against your contract. It also gets extended based on the number of days your account is inactive.
Here’s what happens to your Verizon account if it’s suspended:
- Your contract will remain in effect during the suspension period.
- Your account status is changed to Inactive.
- Verizon services will be deactivated throughout the duration.
- Monthly service charges will not be billed.
Steps on How to Suspend My Verizon Phone
You absolutely can if you meet any of these criteria and want to suspend your phone to save a few bucks.
As long as you have a valid reason, Verizon will have no issues suspending your phone.
The process is quick and easy, and you can do it by calling customer service or via your My Verizon account.
Here’s how to suspend your Verizon phone:
- Visit the Verizon website at Verizon.com.
- Select the Sign in option.
- Log in using your My Verizon account.
- On the Account menu, navigate to My Devices.
- Choose the Suspend option and select a reason.
Note: Let them know the duration of your account suspension to complete the process.
How to Reactivate My Verizon Phone Service
After a few months of disabling your account, it’s time to reactivate it. It’s a straightforward process allowing you to get your account and service back when you want.
Reactivating your account means you will get your service back, allowing you to make calls and texts on your phone.
Here are the steps to reactivate your Verizon phone and account:
- Go to the Verizon website at verizon.com.
- Select the Login or Sign-in option.
- Enter your email and password associated with your account.
- Navigate to the Account Management section.
- Choose Reactivate your account.
Note: Verizon will ask you for information to verify your account so they can process your reactivation requests.
You need to know everything about suspending your Verizon phone and account.
You can now make the right decision whether you want to suspend your account or not. If you want to know more about this, you can contact Verizon customer support.
Bottom Line
Now that you know what happens when I suspend my Verizon phone, you can determine if it’s the best option for your current needs.
It’s an excellent way to save a few dollars per month, especially with the discounted monthly fee while your account is suspended.
Read Next: Verizon Cancellation Policy – All You Need to Know
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.