If VZW transfers your contacts, they will have your contacts syncing with their software (backup assistant) , Not Google.
Just FYI...
That leads some people to problems later on.
If they are already in gmail, then u just log in and it will sync all of them.
If you are wanting to start a new gmail account, then go to gmail website, contacts, export. Then just import to new account
Thanks, everyone.
I seem to have separate groups of contacts: some in GMail, and a lot in my old phone. The GMail contacts came over automatically, but have no phone numbers.
I'll be trying the methods you suggested.
Your other contacts are probrably synced with VZW backup assistant. If they are, then you just need to go to that website and log in. Export contacts to csv file then log into gmail and import them to gmail. Or you can use the vzw backup assistant app and let it sync your contacts (but then you have contacts syncing from two different sources)
Or you can got to VZW and they will transfer them.