can I buy a VZW smartphone with GSM band and not activate it? (for use overseas)
I have two VZW accounts with multiple phones. Both accts have NE2
credits that I've not used since 2005. (yes, I rarely update my phones... )
I was wonder if it's possible for me to upgrade one of the phone and use
the NE2 credit to get a VZW smartphone with GSM band, but not
activate it. (i.e. use it overseas with a foreign GSM carrier's SIM card)
Or, activate it, but switch my old phone back to this line, and remove the
$29 data package.
VZW probably SIM-locked these phones, right? Will they give me the
unlock codes? I will just continue to use my old phone on this same line,
of course, in order to satisfy the 2-year contract.(but I'm not planning to
switch to another carrier, so it doesn't really matter to me how many years
the contract is for anyway)
I have two VZW accounts with multiple phones. Both accts have NE2
credits that I've not used since 2005. (yes, I rarely update my phones... )
I was wonder if it's possible for me to upgrade one of the phone and use
the NE2 credit to get a VZW smartphone with GSM band, but not
activate it. (i.e. use it overseas with a foreign GSM carrier's SIM card)
Or, activate it, but switch my old phone back to this line, and remove the
$29 data package.
VZW probably SIM-locked these phones, right? Will they give me the
unlock codes? I will just continue to use my old phone on this same line,
of course, in order to satisfy the 2-year contract.(but I'm not planning to
switch to another carrier, so it doesn't really matter to me how many years
the contract is for anyway)
Thanks for any info on this....
You shouldn't have any problems doing this. Verizon will give you the unlock codes from what I understand, the only thing they will tell you is when you have another carriers sim card in the device you are no longer supported by Verizon while using it.
You shouldn't have any problems doing this. Verizon will give you the unlock codes from what I understand, the only thing they will tell you is when you have another carriers sim card in the device you are no longer supported by Verizon while using it.
And it may take several tries until you get a rep that will actually give you the unlock code. When I got my BB Storm unlocked, the first rep I spoke with said that they don't give out the unlock code, the second rep said that I had to have it active on the line for 6 months before they would give out the unlock code, and the third rep gave it to me right away.
You do have to activate the phone on your line though, and I believe that the phone has to be active on the line when you call before they will give you the unlock code. So if it takes a few days before you get a rep that will give you the code, you may end up having to pay for the data plan prorated for those days.
jseah is exactly right. Make sure that you have the phone active on the account when you call. Also, you need to speak to the people in Global Support or Technical Support. Those are the only departments that have access to the unlock codes, AFAIK.
I've only done this once, on a blackberry storm, and I just called *611 and said I had some questions about international roaming and data and asked if there was a global support department. I was transferred right away and the guy gave me instructions on how to unlock it without a problem. I had paid full retail for the phone though, so it was technically not a contract renewal, I don't know if they will do the same with a subsidized handset. I would just tell them you paid full retail and see what happens, not sure if they would actually lookup the esn change code reason (it'll say NE2 upgrade) or even look up the order.
As people have said, it all depends on the rep you get. If at first you don't succeed, just call back the next day.
Good luck, post on here with your results to others can benefit from your experience.
jseah is exactly right. Make sure that you have the phone active on the account when you call. Also, you need to speak to the people in Global Support or Technical Support. Those are the only departments that have access to the unlock codes, AFAIK.
I've only done this once, on a blackberry storm, and I just called *611 and said I had some questions about international roaming and data and asked if there was a global support department. I was transferred right away and the guy gave me instructions on how to unlock it without a problem. I had paid full retail for the phone though, so it was technically not a contract renewal, I don't know if they will do the same with a subsidized handset. I would just tell them you paid full retail and see what happens, not sure if they would actually lookup the esn change code reason (it'll say NE2 upgrade) or even look up the order.
As people have said, it all depends on the rep you get. If at first you don't succeed, just call back the next day.
Good luck, post on here with your results to others can benefit from your experience.
My unlocked Storm was purchased using an early upgrade, so they will give you the unlock code even though the handset is subsidized. As soon as I got the unlock code from the rep, I also received a form email warning that if I use a non-Verizon/Vodaphone sim in my phone and I have any problems, they won't support it.
They do have a direct number for the global support dept., but if the world phone is active on the line and you call in to *611, and you call in needing support for your phone (not billing issues or anything non-handset related), your call is automatically routed to the global support dept. anyway.
My unlocked Storm was purchased using an early upgrade, so they will give you the unlock code even though the handset is subsidized. As soon as I got the unlock code from the rep, I also received a form email warning that if I use a non-Verizon/Vodaphone sim in my phone and I have any problems, they won't support it.
They do have a direct number for the global support dept., but if the world phone is active on the line and you call in to *611, and you call in needing support for your phone (not billing issues or anything non-handset related), your call is automatically routed to the global support dept. anyway.
once I get the the smartphone unlocked, how do I go about deactivating it
and activating an old regular cell phone? (in order to remove the data
plan as well?)
You can go onto your account manager on VZW's site and there's an activate equipment button on there someplace that will let you input the ESN of the old phone and let you select the features you want - like a pay as you go data plan, for example. Then from the old phone you're reactivating, dial *228 option 2 (website should tell you all of this).
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Originally Posted by kathy_moore
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