How to deal with verizon?

[melm]

If I have an old motorola v60i which was put out by verizon and they don't want to reactivate it, how do I get the ESN code? Supposedly this code will allow me to change the phone so I can use it on the PagePlus system.

I have tried calling verizon, and will post on their forum, but the customer service people are clueless and can't give me any information. Verizon no longer wants the phone used on their service, so I would think they wouldn't mind me resetting it for another carrier.

Obsessed with this issue:

[Kalimotxo]

Originally Posted by melm

If I have an old motorola v60i which was put out by verizon and they don't want to reactivate it, how do I get the ESN code? Supposedly this code will allow me to change the phone so I can use it on the PagePlus system.

I have tried calling verizon, and will post on their forum, but the customer service people are clueless and can't give me any information. Verizon no longer wants the phone used on their service, so I would think they wouldn't mind me resetting it for another carrier.

Obsessed with this issue:

It's not that verizon doesn't "want" to activate it, they probably cannot. No carrier can activate a phone on their network without the phone having GPS.

The ESN is located on the back on the phone under the battery. ESN = electronic serial number. You would need to give that to page plus to see if they can activate it.

[melm]

Thanks.

I will call Pageplus. I emailed them but got no response.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by melm

If I have an old motorola v60i which was put out by verizon and they don't want to reactivate it, how do I get the ESN code? Supposedly this code will allow me to change the phone so I can use it on the PagePlus system.

I have tried calling verizon, and will post on their forum, but the customer service people are clueless and can't give me any information. Verizon no longer wants the phone used on their service, so I would think they wouldn't mind me resetting it for another carrier.

Obsessed with this issue:

melm, there's a few things that need to be clarified for you here:

1) The V60i is not E911 capable. It's unlikely ANY CDMA carrier, prepaid or otherwise, will be able to activate it. This is the primary reason Verizon won't activate it for you. E911 is a government mandated feature ALL phones activated these days must have.

2) The ESN (Electronic Serial Number) should be beneath the battery on your phone. It is a bar code with a set of numbers (about 11 digits) that is the identifier for the phone on VZ's network. This number will not unlock it for use on another CDMA carrier. With this number you could try PagePlus and see if they'll accept it, but there is NO guarantee. CDMA phones are notoriously difficult to activate on fellow CDMA networks they are not proprietary to. It's not as easy as it is with GSM phones and SIM cards. It's not impossible to get a CDMA phone working on a fellow carrier, but it's not easy either.

3) Verizon and Sprint are notorious for making it difficult to let non-proprietary phones on their networks. They want you to use their phones on their network. Since they are this picky about keeping people on their phones and network, why would they make it easy for someone to use one of their phones with another carrier? Some smaller carriers have the ability to flash phones to work on their network, but not all do.

I know you really like your V60i, but it is no longer usable on most (if not all) CDMA carriers, specifically because of the E911 issue.

[melm]

Thanks MobileMike.

I do know about the 911 law and the the ESN. However, during my research I came across instances were verizon had provided some sort of code associated with the ESN, to release it. I have been trying to contact PagePlus, as many people have suggested. I am having difficulty getting through as the message "all circuits are busy" comes on when I call their number. Sent an email with all the phone information.

The only other carrier I know of is Tracfone. But their phones have programming on them for adding air time. So Tracfone wouldn't be interested in this phone.

I have other cell phones, but the motorola v60i has the best reception and the clearest. People can't tell that I am talking to them on a cell phone. It is also pretty tough. My RAZR has some nicks and the LG, which is a piece of s***, should be buried in the back yard. It would get the same reception below ground as it gets above!

For some reason I'm like a dog that has the other end of the towel your pulling on. I just don't want to let go.

[mframe]

melm -

PagePlus will still activate non-e911 compliant phones. If you read around the other forums, you will see that their customer service has been overloaded from people signing-up for their new $40/mo unlimited talk/text plan (the original per-minute plans are, of course, still available). The best way to sign-up is to have a dealer do it (from the dealer's website). If you go on eBay, there are dealers that will set you up for a small fee ($1-$6 dollars), just do a search on "PagePlus activation".

[melm]

Thanks mframe.

Got through to Pageplus. They had to work at it, but got the phone unlocked from verizon.
They did a great job and I have been telling everyone about them.

Now onto my next outmoded phone a TDMA (motorola v60t color).

Thanks again.