I know Verizon hasn't fully implemented the "any device, any software" plan yet, however, due to a recent experience, I really must wonder if Verizon is actually going backwards. I had an Alltel V9m that I used for months and it activated without a hitch. My friend got a brand new Alltel V9m that would not activate at all and Verizon's highest techs called Motorola to verify it was a V9m, which Motorola did. Yet here is the response Verizon gave him:
"Unfortunately we cannot activate your phone. Motorola confirmed it is a V9m, however they noted it as an Alltel phone which we absolutely will not allow onto our network." We then explained that it was the same identical phone and the tech stated "If it doesn't say Verizon on it, we will not let it on the network" and I then asked why I was able to use my Alltel V9m for so long and he stated it was probably a fluke, and that he recommends that my friend buy a new phone from Verizon.
To rejuvenate this thread, I have an Alltel V9M that I flashed to Verizon, activated using *228 option 3 and used for the month of January at which time I decided to give a Samsung SCH-U900 a try.
I have like both phones but decided March 25th to go back to the V9M at which time it refused to activate, the stories I got from Customer Service, Tech Support, etc. is about the same as above.
They also used the "fluke" story, a software glitch allowed the phone to activate earlier but that's fixed so now it will NOT activate.
I'm pretty angry about this and will probably be finding a new carrier ASAP, not because I can't use my phone (Verizon might just as well have stolen it since it's now useless to me!) but because of all the lies I was told by CS over a week's time trying to find why I couldn't activate the V9M.
BTW, what would have happened if I'd never switched to the Samsung and kept the V9M active? Would my phone suddenly stop working or????
I have some additional information that I hope may be correct.
During all my conversations with CS one person suggested I take the phone in to a store and see if they could flash it so I did and encountered a guy who seemed to know what he was talking about..... he said that Alltel phone ESNs and MEIDs were all blocked until they had completed merging the data bases and he said he'd been told that would be completed by June or near that time.
If that's correct, I should be able to get the V9m running in June, we'll see.
I was just wondering if anyone has attempted to use a different CDMA phone on Verizon's network? This was talk a while ago, but have not heard much of it since.
Yep I've done it myself as have many others I know have also using the *228 option 3 activation, and manually programming others devices prior to VZW having the *228 option 3 activation function. I've had actual Telus, Alltel, and USCC devices on the network and all functions including data work with a little bit of work. I've also taken actual VZW devices and flashed them to other carriers firmwares and had them fully working also. However recently in whatever update VZW did you can no longer get the OTA to activate a phone that is not bought directly from VZW as it comes back the ESN/MEID is not in the system.
I was just wondering if anyone has attempted to use a different CDMA phone on Verizon's network? This was talk a while ago, but have not heard much of it since.
The fact is, ALL CDMA phones already run just fine on the Verizon network via roaming despite the fact they are not "approved". Moreover, Verizon MVNO's don't have ESN blocking enabled (except for banned phones like the E816), even though the activation front-end is provided by Verizon.
You can activate pretty much any carriers phone on Page Plus as long as you can manually program and load the PRL (assuming it's not OTA program compatible). Now that Page Plus has MMS & data (and soon Brew), the data related features, of course, require more tweaking.
That said, I can understand Verizon not wanting to provide costly tech support for foreign phones. This should strictly be for do-it-yourself ppl.
^^^^Exactly, and what kinda bothers me is they (VZW) allow Page Plus to activate any CDMA phone just about. And until 2 weeks ago the *228 option 3 would allow you to do the same thing. But ever since they did there update now you can't get a device activated again that had been on the network which is BS. And worse yet CS will tell you it is an invalid device beside the fact they can see the device had been on the network already just fine.
^^^^Exactly, and what kinda bothers me is they (VZW) allow Page Plus to activate any CDMA phone just about. And until 2 weeks ago the *228 option 3 would allow you to do the same thing. But ever since they did there update now you can't get a device activated again that had been on the network which is BS. And worse yet CS will tell you it is an invalid device beside the fact they can see the device had been on the network already just fine.
I ran into a problem reactivating a V9m with VZW firmware a few days ago . . . after switching to a Maxx Ve to recharge the V9m. Came back here (haven't posted in months) to find I'm not alone. It was working just fine a month ago. I switch phones on my line instead of changing batteries in the back . . . so I can recharge one tethered to a wall-wart.
With some time to try an experiment today, I tried to reactivate a K1m less than an hour ago . . . one that VZW unquestionably recognized the ESN in their database as a K1m ESN (the old type ESN; not an MEID) and it wouldn't activate either . . . not by using *228/3 or on-line . . . which I never, ever had a problem with in the past . . . not from day #1 when I bought the phone . . . well before folks were able to use *228/3 to activate phones from other carriers that had been service programmed for VZW.
I'm thinking now that VZW is deliberately locking out phones that were not bought directly from them through the account tied to the phone number. Phone sales slumped considerably when the economy tanked. VZW benefits whether it's a "full price" un-subsidized phone purchase or a subsidized one locked into a contract if VZW forces subscribers to purchase phones from them. It's a method to force new phone sales and pump up revenue.
I also expect extreme pressure from VZW to sell more than just "voice" plans and demand more accounts be bundled with "data services" . . . another method to pump up slumping revenue. See this article: http://www.internetnews.com/stats/ar...s+for+Pain.htm
Last edited by jalind; 04-04-2009 at 10:42 AM.
Reason: Added News Link
I just activated my Alltel V9M w/o any problem at all.
Previously I'd said:
"During all my conversations with CS one person suggested I take the phone in to a store and see if they could flash it so I did and encountered a guy who seemed to know what he was talking about..... he said that Alltel phone ESNs and MEIDs were all blocked until they had completed merging the data bases and he said he'd been told that would be completed by June or near that time."
Apparently that information was correct, too bad the CS people online had no clue! Fortunately it didn't take until June to get the databases working properly!
I LOVE my Samsung Flipshot but, like all Samsungs that I've had I can't hear anything, I wish Motorola would put the Flipshot's camera on the V9M!
Anyway, the V9mm, flashed to Moto firmware, is up and running and I hope others will be able to activate their phones now.
I have an Alltel V9m, and it WILL NOT activate online, over the phone, or by *228 option 3. The ONLY Alltel V9m's that will activate at will were the initial batches that had overlapping MEIDs, though Verizon may have temporarily suspended those until the merger is complete.
I have an Alltel V9m, and it WILL NOT activate online, over the phone, or by *228 option 3. The ONLY Alltel V9m's that will activate at will were the initial batches that had overlapping MEIDs, though Verizon may have temporarily suspended those until the merger is complete.
You can call technical support, they start a ticket, and it takes 2-7 days to get the MEID entered.
I just tried activating my Z6tv today to create new backups and couldn't switch with either ota or online. Never had a problem with it before and it's obviously a verizon subsidized model. This supports my hopes that this whole mess is just a temporary glitch. How temporary is the question...my nap might as well be a brick atm
Just wanted to give everyone an update, especially for those that previously had non-Verizon phones active on the network. As many know, *228 option 3 once allowed non-Verizon phones onto the network without a hitch, but this is no longer.
I have an unbranded Telus V9m that would no longer activate so I wrote Verizon via PlanetFeedback, and Verizon Wireless Executive Relations called me back, discussed the problem and had it in the database within 2 business days. While this may not be foolproof and some may get denied, if you are desperate to get a non-VZW phone one, write VZW via PlanetFeedback. The woman who helped me went out of her way to make sure this got done, and I won't post any specific information here, as I don't want her to be bombarded by requests.
Alltel phones are currently in a state of flux because they are in Verizon's database, but they only will activate on grandfathered Alltel plans. I will talk to the rep further and see about getting Alltel phones onto Verizon plans.
Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by xs11e
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