Verizon WILL NOT Activate Non-Verizon Phones

[Mobile Mike]

To avoid endless threads asking the same question as to whether Verizon can activate a Sprint phone (of any kind), or a phone from Helio, Alltel, US Cellular or Grandma's Cellular, below is the answer given each time this question is asked:

Verizon will not activate any phone they do not sell, even if the same model is carried by any CDMA network competitor, like Sprint or Alltel.

Though this is not absolute, the likelihood of them activating a non-Verizon phone is slim to none. Even if you get lucky and are able to do it, you are fortunate because a Verizon employee did something they are not supposed to do.

The time and effort it would take to try and activate a non-Verizon phone with Verizon is not worth the bother.

Sell your other-carrier phone and buy the Verizon version.

Another important point to make is Verizon and Sprint, in particular, have their own user interface they use with on phones to personalize it to the carrier's options and standards. A phone would need to be "flashed" in order to even be able to be used on another carrier. If you don't know what "flashing a phone" means, you shouldn't bother doing it. You would really have to know how to do it properly and even then, the time and effort is not worth the bother AND you run the risk of killing the phone, otherwise relegating it to a paper-weight or door-stopper. Besides, you would not have access to several Verizon features because you do not have their options programmed into the phone. Flashing doesn't guarantee it will work with Verizon either.

"Unlocking" a phone is irrelevant to CDMA carriers, like Verizon. Unlocking is most useful for GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile, as unlocking your phone allows you to use it on any GSM network.

Hopefully this answers a question you are about to ask as a new thread.

[RJB]

Heed the following words closely.

[cbandy77]

Verizon also gave me a hard time tryong to put a impulse phone onto my regular account..Rep said they use to but are NO longer able to.. fyi

[Underwriter]

I saw an news item this morning from WSJ that VZ is working on a new platform for both VZ and Vodafone. They will start testing in 2008. They will also allow 'approved' non-VZ phone to be used on their systems. A model of the phone must be inspected and approved by their lab.

[Izzyd]

FYI as long as the phone has a good ESN it's much easier to just activate it online and not deal with CS. I have activated numerous phones myself from other carriers on VZW's network and have never had and issue. I've even gotten phones directly from mfgs, like moto and LG and no issues.

The one time I did call in to activate yes they did say the ESN was invalid and I had to go to the store. the person there gave me the same line of garbage. the fact is I went home and did it myself on line and bam done deal.

Also for a heads up, yes VZW company policy did change for trying to put a pre paid phone on a post paid account. you can do it but there new policy is the original phone must be on a pre-paid account for a min of 6 months b4 they would activate it on a post paid account. Reason being is they caught on to the fact folks were getting out of a contract by buying a prepaid phone and calling in to activate it on post paid.

[Eric47]

okay so why do they say they have "opened up their network" and made a big publicity stunt about it if its not true.

no wonder i wont switch to verizon, even if their coverage is better in my area than att, i am not willing to deal with all of this bait and switch and crippled features.

[Fullstrength]

Originally Posted by Underwriter

I saw an news item this morning from WSJ that VZ is working on a new platform for both VZ and Vodafone. They will start testing in 2008. They will also allow 'approved' non-VZ phone to be used on their systems. A model of the phone must be inspected and approved by their lab.

Oh you mean LTE, 4th generation GSM. I can use any 800/1900 GSM phone on ATT or Tmobil. As for approved how will they know? If i move my sim to another phone, will the system not allow IMEIs that arent approved. Thats sounds restricted to me. ATT and tmobil will allow any compatible phone on there network. I guess it open as long as you do exactly what Verizon tells you.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by EricN4707

okay so why do they say they have "opened up their network" and made a big publicity stunt about it if its not true.

no wonder i wont switch to verizon, even if their coverage is better in my area than att, i am not willing to deal with all of this bait and switch and crippled features.

This was "stickied" long before they made their announcement. It will probably remain stickied until Verizon truly implements their "open" policy.

[leafsfan81]

Bait and switch, crippled features....

God Bless America!


Er.....Verizon!

[missing23]

I'm in the process of having Verizon upload the ESN for my Alltel 7250...they are doing it and will call me back when it is on their database...I'm attempting to do this while keeping my phone active on Alltel...when Verizon has updated I will call Alltel to cancel.

Hopefully the ESN can still be in use to be uploaded (but not yet activated) on Verizon's system.

[Eric47]

sounds like it could cause network confusion having it on 2 companies like that?

anyone ever heard of this?

[missing23]

Originally Posted by EricN4707

sounds like it could cause network confusion having it on 2 companies like that?

anyone ever heard of this?

The ESN will just be on Verizon's database...but it won't be activated on Verizon until I deactivate on Alltel.

[Eric47]

yea i see what you mean, your playing by the rules.

but i wonder, do the carriers communicate....basically how easy would it be to just jump ship and switch carriers and use both and them not know.

[gpatrick900]

Actually, they will. It depends on how you approach them.

Here are the problem with activating from another carrier
The spc code, you will need to get this from your carrier
The prl is one. If you are able to get prl on the phone, it should accept over the air programing.
The phones itself. It may only be able to receive the 1900 band and you would roam a lot.
Some phones will also need to be flashed to Verizon firmware.
Some phones you will not be able to use data.
Some phones that you can not load the prl, will have to be manually program and most likely the data will not work.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by gpatrick900

Actually, they will. It depends on how you approach them.

Here are the problem with activating from another carrier
The spc code, you will need to get this from your carrier
The prl is one. If you are able to get prl on the phone, it should accept over the air programing.
The phones itself. It may only be able to receive the 1900 band and you would roam a lot.
Some phones will also need to be flashed to Verizon firmware.
Some phones you will not be able to use data.
Some phones that you can not load the prl, will have to be manually program and most likely the data will not work.

The purpose of this thread was to ward off those who do not know how to flash/mod/program CDMA phones, which is a majority of the population.

Eventually when Verizon's "open network" plan is up and running, this thread will be irrelevant, but until then it serves as a warning for anyone who doesn't realize what they have to do to get a non-Verizon phone working on the Verizon network.

In the past there were FAR TO MANY threads asking the same thing over and over about this issue, hence the reason this thread was stickied.

[Kate1234]

Here is a quick question. Can I buy the Alltel Scoop Online (they do not have service where I live) and activate it on to the Verizon account that I use now? What would I have to do to get this done? Sorry if this was already asked, I am confused with Verizon changing what they say about using other phones,