My iPad (Verizon) and iPhone were stolen from my car. My iPad has an upgrade available. I understand that normally the iPad can only be upgraded to another tablet. But someone told me I may be able to switch the upgrade to a phone.

I have an old Verizon phone I'm not using. I think the process was perhaps to activate this old phone on the iPad's phone number then upgrade to an iPhone.  Or perhaps it was to activate the old phone on a new line and then switch the iPad's upgrade to it.  I am not sure.

Can anyone see a way to use my iPad upgrade toward a new iPhone?