HOW-TO: the iDEN-->CDMA method to activate your Sprint phone on Boost CDMA

[Azazello]

deathtrip provided us with another way of activating our Sprint phones on Boost Mobile CDMA:
http://www.howardforums.com/showthre...7#post13740747

I'm just fleshing out the instructions so that members can follow them more easily, and report any issues or problems. All praise still goes to deathtrip!


PART ONE - set up an iDen account:

1- go to www.boostmobile.com/activate

2- near the bottom is 'PICK ONE OPTION BELOW'. Choose 'enter in SIM ID and IMEI' and use one of the following sets of SIM-ID/IMEI combos:

SIM ID:  000830473329300
Activation:  51001762363902

SIM ID:  000834671835300
Activation:  77952064834507

SIM ID: 000834015297300
Activation: 11612992376094

SIM ID: 000834040657300
Activation: 14863613500444

IMEI:  001703925568810
IMEI:  001700886164840
IMEI:  001700674046840
IMEI:  001700285967840

SIM: 000832309031300
ACT: 51001284277877
IMEI: 001705049825810

SIM: 000832683786300
ACT: 51001900174244
IMEI: 001705120487810

SIM: 000834957072300
ACT: 18448872576806

Here's a few more ...

3- Do NOT BE WORRIED if you get a message "that the activation numbers have both been used" -- this just means someone else is using the combo at the moment. You can either just wait (5 min? 10? 15? 30?) and try the same combo again, OR straight-away use a different pair, no need to wait.

Notice that you can use ANY of the above SIM-ID's with ANY of the above IMEI numbers.
For example you could use the first SIM and keep trying with all four of the IMEI numbers.

REMEMBER, use a SIM-ID/IMEI pair, NOT a SIM-ID/Activation combo.

4- It might take quite a few combo tries but once it works, you'll get a page 'choose your phone number'. Congratulations, you're almost finished!

5- Just follow whatever remaining instructions the website provide.

6- The procedure 'redeem activation number' might ask you for the Activation number, so be sure to remember which SIM-ID you used.

NOTE: even if the system rejects the number (it did for me), it will just assign you a new one. So DON'T PANIC!!

7- At some point you'll be charged for a re-activation fee of $10, and the system will ask you to also add $50 to get the service started. I think you can avoid paying at this time and put money on the account later. It's your choice. Obviously, you won't be able to use the phone until you pay.

8- Eventually you'll have finished the process and your iDen account is now set up.


PART TWO - migrate your iDEN acct to CDMA:

9- The wiki suggests, when using the ESN method, to call your new number and leaving a voicemail. I'm not sure if it's needed for these instructions, but go ahead and call your number (from a different phone of course) and drop a vox.

10- After that, no need to wait, call Boost customer service at 1-877-TLK-MORE. When you get a rep, say you want to "MIGRATE my service from iDEN to CDMA". That's it, you don't need to say anything else. The rep will ask for the ESN or MEID (they're the same thing) of the phone you want to put on the service (read the wiki Phones confirmed as working on Boost CDMA).
(For me, the rep never even asked which phone I had, they just asked for the ESN)

11- The rep will ask you to punch in some numbers, in order to enter the MDN and MSID (don't ask), and after maybe 5 minutes you are done.

12- Congrats, you're now on Boost CDMA.


Important Points:

• You will pay $10 no matter which method you use, ESN or iDEN-->CDMA. The 2nd method can be faster because you don't have to wait until someone releases an ESN.
• Again, you might have to keep trying different SIM-ID/IMEI combos.
• If you have other SIM-ID/IMEI/Activation combos, add them to this thread.

Also here's a potential way to save some money as well as get activated.

I Just wanted to note something that I also got from deathtrip: you can go on ebay and order a boost iden starter kit for $5, the starter kit comes with a sim card and a $5 account credit, just use that sim id when you create the account and you just saved yourself $10. and if your inpatient and dont want to wait the 3-4 days for the item to ship; most sellers will email you the code before they send it out.

This method of migrating from iden to cdma has worked flawlessly for me so far, zero hassles and have successfully activated 2 sprint handsets.

You can buy the $5 Boost Activation kits on Ebay for roughly $5 and use it to Activate online as noted above. You will get the $5 back as Boost Credit so you're not losing anything, and won't have to pay the $10 activation fee for using the USED numbers above.

Also note, you can use ANY inactive SIM ID and IMEI for Boost.

I hope this has been helpful. Let me know if it needs changes or updating.

All praise to deathtrip!

[turbointhailand]

[*]You will pay $10 no matter which method you use, ESN or iDEN-->CDMA. The 2nd method can be faster because you don't have to wait until someone releases an ESN.

I Just wanted to note something that I also got from deathtrip: you can go on ebay and order a boost iden starter kit for $5, the starter kit comes with a sim card and a $5 account credit, just use that sim id when you create the account and you just saved yourself $10. and if your inpatient and dont want to wait the 3-4 days for the item to ship; most sellers will email you the code before they send it out.

This method of migrating from iden to cdma has worked flawlessly for me so far, zero hassles and have successfully activated 2 sprint handsets.

[deathtrip]

Yea, I was trying to login to post that but HoFo was having issues on my end. Anyway, You can buy the $5 Boost Activation kits on Ebay for roughly $5 and use it to Activate online as noted above. You will get the $5 back as Boost Credit so you're not losing anything, and won't have to pay the $10 activation fee for using the USED numbers above.

Also note, you can use ANY inactive SIM ID and IMEI for Boost only. Not "any" from any provider.

I'm glad someone made a thread about it, but I do think the original post could be cleaned up a little more and made to look a little nicer.

Thanks for the credit, but the method has been around long before I started mentioning it.


Edit: this is my 2,500th HoFo post.

[pitflyer]

Thanks for the detailed post, and congratulations deathtrip. I will ask only one question -- while the OP said he wasn't asked for the model when he migrated to the Sprint CDMA phone, isn't it possible for the rep to ask for the model of the CDMA phone? If so, do you need to 'fib' like you do with CDMA swaps and say you have a Motorola w385/c290?

[Azazello]

Waiting for an ESN costs me a week that I could have been playing with my toy. Wish I had known about this method sooner.

I'm glad someone made a thread about it, but I do think the original post could be cleaned up a little more and made to look a little nicer.

Thanks for the credit, but the method has been around long before I started mentioning it.

Is there an existing thread for these instructions? I don't mind if this one dies or gets merged into an original one. If the mods want to, feel free.

Yea, I was trying to login to post that but HoFo was having issues on my end. Anyway, You can buy the $5 Boost Activation kits on Ebay for roughly $5 and use it to Activate online as noted above. You will get the $5 back as Boost Credit so you're not losing anything, and won't have to pay the $10 activation fee for using the USED numbers above.

Also note, you can use ANY inactive SIM ID and IMEI for Boost only. Not "any" from any provider.

All good info. Let's let some time pass, I'll see if the first post should be updated.

Edit: this is my 2,500th HoFo post.

Congrats

[Azazello]

Thanks for the detailed post, and congratulations deathtrip. I will ask only one question -- while the OP said he wasn't asked for the model when he migrated to the Sprint CDMA phone, isn't it possible for the rep to ask for the model of the CDMA phone? If so, do you need to 'fib' like you do with CDMA swaps and say you have a Motorola w385/c290?

From what others have said, no need to fib in either case, just say you have a Sprint phone, they'll see what model it is anyway. If they start pooh-poohing, tell 'em you understand that although the phone is allowed it's not supported. If that still doesn't work, say goodbye, dial customer service again, then shampoo/rinse(and if necessary)/repeat.

[turbointhailand]

I didn't need to fib, when I added my touch pro and it didn't auto provision, he asked what phone it was and I just played dumb, like "hmm, Im not sure, it has a full keyboard" and he said "oh is it the Sanyo incognito" so I said "I don't see Sanyo on it..." then he just walked me through the manual steps. But generally speaking if they don't ask, don't mention it.

[GamerGrl]

When I was getting my Sprint Blackberry 8330 onto Boost the CS worker gave me a hell of a time trying to switch my service from IDEN to CDMA saying that I needed to be a customer for 3 months or longer. I am thinking to myself "WTF?" Craziness......DT got it done for me without any problems...but then again he has a silver tongue. LOL

[balazer]

Also note, you can use ANY inactive SIM ID and IMEI for Boost only. Not "any" from any provider.

I'm not sure what you're saying here. It would have to be a Boost SIM ID, but the IMEI can be for any iDEN phone, as far as I know. I've done new iDEN activations using Nextel phones before.

[balazer]

Small note: an ESN and MEID are not the same thing. But the difference is not important in this context.

[DaddyMikey1975]

I'm glad someone made a thread about it, but I do think the original post could be cleaned up a little more and made to look a little nicer.

PM me the changes you'd like to see and I can edit it ti clean it up a bit. (I got my moderator hat for the sprint prepaid section now too LOL)

[deathtrip]

I'm not sure what you're saying here. It would have to be a Boost SIM ID, but the IMEI can be for any iDEN phone, as far as I know. I've done new iDEN activations using Nextel phones before.

I'm saying exactly what I said. Azazello said

Notice that you can use ANY SIM-ID with ANY IMEI, for example you could use the first SIM and keep trying with all four of the IMEI.

I was clarifying you can not use ANY. First of all if a Boost SIM ID or IMEI is in use, you can't use it, just like with CDMA phones. Also, I can vouch that you can not use ANY IMEI, even if you can use some Nextel IMEIs, not all of the ones form Nextel work. I have tried numerous times and have been rejected with "incompatible device". I won't say you can't use one at all, but you can't use anyone you want.

I've been doing this since I started out here and have documented everything I've been able to do, and things I've not been able to do. I don't care if person A can do something and person B can't. I see way too many people here competing with eachother, or trying to argue or contridict things I say. I have no need to lie, and I have no reason to BS anyone. I help out as much as I can and contribute to the forums the best I can.

If something works for you a few times, great, that doesn't mean the exact same method will work for someone else. It happens! I see 100's of people who absolutely can not do ESN swaps, but I have no problem at all. I can produce probably just as many people who can not do ESN Swaps saying they have a Sprint phone, but yet I see 3 normals here say that's all they ever tell reps. I'm super happy some peoples methods work, and try to do what I can for the rest who can't.

</rant>

[balazer]

Gee, calm down. I was just saying what I knew.

[2 Bunny]

I just wanted to post and say thanks to the author and whoever provided those numbers. I am now up and running and posting remotely from my device away from wifi - so cool. Slow, but cool. LOL I was lucky they had one barely working payphone here to get it to work.

Good luck to the rest of you.

- 2 Bunny

[deathtrip]

Those SIM ID and Activation numbers I provided in the ESN swap thread. I have more if anyone needs any.