Older BYOP SIMs expired? SIM swap on Verizon?

[phone_bob]

I tried to do a service transfer from a Verizon BYOP to a new Verizon BYOP. I have a bunch of BYOP kits from 2016 (Family Dollar deal).

• I gave the rep the IMEI of the new phone and the new SIM number,
• He replied "I'm sorry but I cannot pull up the IMEI and SIM number."
• I clarified that it was a BYOP. He asked if I'd purchased a BYOP SIM
• I said yes, and gave the # again.
• He replied "I'm sorry but I still can't pull up the SIM number."
• He said "You need the BYOP SIM card kit and it has 3 different SIM cards. AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon."
• I said this was from an older (2 carrier) kit, and he said I need a new one.
• I tried a second SIM from the same vintage - same result.
• I asked if I could transfer using the old SIM.
• He said, "You can try."
• I asked if he would do the transfer, or if I should just move the SIM.
• He said just move the SIM.
• I gave him the old SIM number and he verified that it is active.
• I gave him the IMEI of the new phone, and he said, "I can only pull up an account which is branded Tracfone."
• I moved the SIM, and everything is working.
• He insisted that is all, and there's nothing he can do.

So - three questions:

1. Was this chat rep competent, or should I have bailed and tried again?
2. Are the SIMs from that vintage expired?
3. Is my service safe with the SIM swap, or do I need to do some follow-up?

Thanks!

[hpham]

Things are changed/messed up with TF nowadays I don't know what the correct answers are anymore.
* As far as I know, only TF/T-mo SIMs have expiration date.
* I don't know if TF/VZ does "auto-pairing" nowadays. If they do, then your new BYOP TF/VZ is automatically paired with the IMEI of the phone that it is in. If they don't, then the phone's IMEI is still paired to the old SIM. You can text FOUR to 611611 from your phone with the new SIM and see what 4-digit number it sends back.
- If it sends back the last 4 digits of the SIM number, it doesn't mean much.
- If it sends back the last 4 digits of the new phone's IMEI, then autopairing occured, which is good.
- If it sends back the last 4 digits of the old phone's IMEI, then the SIM is still paired to the old phone. That COULD cause you some problems.

[phone_bob]

Thanks, hpham! I texted FOUR and got back the last four digits of the new/current IMEI.

Also, my account shows that the device was activated today. It shows the correct SIM number, and for Device lists "Device unknown". So it looks like Verizon is auto-pairing the device and SIM, but not making that visible to most layers within TF.

I'd love to hear if other folks are able to use SIMs from 2016

[advcomp2019]

Things are changed/messed up with TF nowadays I don't know what the correct answers are anymore.
* As far as I know, only TF/T-mo SIMs have expiration date.
* I don't know if TF/VZ does "auto-pairing" nowadays. If they do, then your new BYOP TF/VZ is automatically paired with the IMEI of the phone that it is in. If they don't, then the phone's IMEI is still paired to the old SIM. You can text FOUR to 611611 from your phone with the new SIM and see what 4-digit number it sends back.
- If it sends back the last 4 digits of the SIM number, it doesn't mean much.
- If it sends back the last 4 digits of the new phone's IMEI, then autopairing occured, which is good.
- If it sends back the last 4 digits of the old phone's IMEI, then the SIM is still paired to the old phone. That COULD cause you some problems.

Yep. It is hard to keep track of these changes, or even if these charge will work with other people too.

It is just like over at reddit, people have been having reset phones to get data back, or even change the APN manually because their phone all the sudden lose data.

[advcomp2019]

Thanks, hpham! I texted FOUR and got back the last four digits of the new/current IMEI.

Also, my account shows that the device was activated today. It shows the SIM number, and for

Device: lists "Device unknown". So it looks like Verizon is auto-pairing the device and SIM, but not making that visible to most layers within TF.

I'd love to hear if other folks are able to use SIMs from 2016

What device are you using if I can ask that?

[phone_bob]

What device are you using if I can ask that?

The old device was an LG G3. The new one is an LG G6.

[advcomp2019]

The old device was an LG G3. The new one is an LG G6.

What model is the LG G6 then?

It is one of those phones that has multi-model numbers for a model name.

[hpham]

It shows the correct SIM number, and for Device lists "Device unknown". So it looks like Verizon is auto-pairing the device and SIM, but not making that visible to most layers within TF.

With a BYOP line, TF will show the SIM number and the nickname you gave the line. With a TF-branded device, it shows the phone model and the IMEI of that phone.

[hpham]

I tried to do a service transfer from a Verizon BYOP to a new Verizon BYOP. I have a bunch of BYOP kits from 2016 (Family Dollar deal).

• I clarified that it was a BYOP. He asked if I'd purchased a BYOP SIM
• I said yes, and gave the # again.
• He replied "I'm sorry but I still can't pull up the SIM number."
• I tried a second SIM from the same vintage - same result.
• Are the SIMs from that vintage expired?

I though some more about this...Those Family Dollar SIM Kits have TMFL. Maybe Verizon no longer wants to activate SIMs with TMFL and had removed those SIM numbers from their database, resulting in "Invalid SIM/Device" when you want to activate them.

[kittycatblues]

I though some more about this...Those Family Dollar SIM Kits have TMFL. Maybe Verizon no longer wants to activate SIMs with TMFL and had removed those SIM numbers from their database, resulting in "Invalid SIM/Device" when you want to activate them.

I tried to activate a few TMFL SIMs back in Dec/Jan and it was a no go. I had to use SIMs from a new kit I got at Best Buy. On one line the old TMFL did get transferred and on the other it didn't.