Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Is there a way to unlock a sprint phone to work on verizon?

Capt.

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Capn,
I got stuck trying to go the other way. My brother sent me a new
Verizon (test) phone and I was on Sprint. Never could talk Sprint into
allowing it on their network. Ended up selling it on eBay to a Verizon
customer.

OK, now the technical part. Both Verizon and Sprint operate on CDMA
2000, so as far as phones go, a CDMA phone will work on either network
(versus Cingular/ATT who run GSM - completely different radio
technology and subsequently, phones). So, it is "technically" feasible
to use your Sprint phone on the Verizon network. BUT, internal business
systems will not allow it. The key is in the ESN. It's how your
carrier's network identifies your phone, bills you, allows you on the
network, etc. Each carrier has a range of ESNs (actually they are
assigned by the make of the phone, like Motorola) they allow and keep
track of on their networks. Trying to get an exception for your Sprint
associated ESN into the Verizon network (or visa versa, as in my case)
is an exercise in futility!

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Partially right....

Verizon can and WILL activate any phone that is compatible with their
network
and the plan you are signing up for.

Sprint will NOT activate any phone that isn't in their database



<javier.m.lopez@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1114176909.708729.89440@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Capn,
> I got stuck trying to go the other way. My brother sent me a new
> Verizon (test) phone and I was on Sprint. Never could talk Sprint into
> allowing it on their network. Ended up selling it on eBay to a Verizon
> customer.
>
> OK, now the technical part. Both Verizon and Sprint operate on CDMA
> 2000, so as far as phones go, a CDMA phone will work on either network
> (versus Cingular/ATT who run GSM - completely different radio
> technology and subsequently, phones). So, it is "technically" feasible
> to use your Sprint phone on the Verizon network. BUT, internal business
> systems will not allow it. The key is in the ESN. It's how your
> carrier's network identifies your phone, bills you, allows you on the
> network, etc. Each carrier has a range of ESNs (actually they are
> assigned by the make of the phone, like Motorola) they allow and keep
> track of on their networks. Trying to get an exception for your Sprint
> associated ESN into the Verizon network (or visa versa, as in my case)
> is an exercise in futility!
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

I beg to differ, My mother not knowing got me one of the slider LG phones from
Sprint, I brought it to Verizon and was promptly told to forget it. Not
wanting to give up on both a cool looking phone and my mother's gift, I
proceeded to take it to 4 other verizon stores, no one would do it, I was told
by one that it was not only technically possible but that they definitely knew
how to do it but would not do it on a matter of principle.


"Richard Ness" <richard.no@gamn.spam.nessnet.com> wrote:
>Partially right....
>
>Verizon can and WILL activate any phone that is compatible with their
>network
>and the plan you are signing up for.
>
>Sprint will NOT activate any phone that isn't in their database
>
>
>
><javier.m.lopez@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:1114176909.708729.89440@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>> Capn,
>> I got stuck trying to go the other way. My brother sent me a new
>> Verizon (test) phone and I was on Sprint. Never could talk Sprint into
>> allowing it on their network. Ended up selling it on eBay to a Verizon
>> customer.
>>
>> OK, now the technical part. Both Verizon and Sprint operate on CDMA
>> 2000, so as far as phones go, a CDMA phone will work on either network
>> (versus Cingular/ATT who run GSM - completely different radio
>> technology and subsequently, phones). So, it is "technically" feasible
>> to use your Sprint phone on the Verizon network. BUT, internal business
>> systems will not allow it. The key is in the ESN. It's how your
>> carrier's network identifies your phone, bills you, allows you on the
>> network, etc. Each carrier has a range of ESNs (actually they are
>> assigned by the make of the phone, like Motorola) they allow and keep
>> track of on their networks. Trying to get an exception for your Sprint
>> associated ESN into the Verizon network (or visa versa, as in my case)
>> is an exercise in futility!
>>
>
>


----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Then it was incompatible. Firmware or PRL that couldn't be updated
by VZW, 1900MHz only, something...

I have activated MANY phones that were not purchased from Verizon.
Just did 2 a week or so ago. One was a Sprint branded phone.

I'm here to tell you that it is done ALL THE TIME.
Like I said, "any phone that is COMPATIBLE".

"LrdAnlh" <LrdAnkh@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:42698c3b$1_1@127.0.0.1...
>I beg to differ, My mother not knowing got me one of the slider LG phones
>from
> Sprint, I brought it to Verizon and was promptly told to forget it. Not
> wanting to give up on both a cool looking phone and my mother's gift, I
> proceeded to take it to 4 other verizon stores, no one would do it, I was
> told
> by one that it was not only technically possible but that they definitely
> knew
> how to do it but would not do it on a matter of principle.
>
>
> "Richard Ness" <richard.no@gamn.spam.nessnet.com> wrote:
>>Partially right....
>>
>>Verizon can and WILL activate any phone that is compatible with their
>>network
>>and the plan you are signing up for.
>>
>>Sprint will NOT activate any phone that isn't in their database
>>
>>
>>
>><javier.m.lopez@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:1114176909.708729.89440@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
>>> Capn,
>>> I got stuck trying to go the other way. My brother sent me a new
>>> Verizon (test) phone and I was on Sprint. Never could talk Sprint into
>>> allowing it on their network. Ended up selling it on eBay to a Verizon
>>> customer.
>>>
>>> OK, now the technical part. Both Verizon and Sprint operate on CDMA
>>> 2000, so as far as phones go, a CDMA phone will work on either network
>>> (versus Cingular/ATT who run GSM - completely different radio
>>> technology and subsequently, phones). So, it is "technically" feasible
>>> to use your Sprint phone on the Verizon network. BUT, internal business
>>> systems will not allow it. The key is in the ESN. It's how your
>>> carrier's network identifies your phone, bills you, allows you on the
>>> network, etc. Each carrier has a range of ESNs (actually they are
>>> assigned by the make of the phone, like Motorola) they allow and keep
>>> track of on their networks. Trying to get an exception for your Sprint
>>> associated ESN into the Verizon network (or visa versa, as in my case)
>>> is an exercise in futility!
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet
> News==----
> http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+
> Newsgroups
> ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption
> =----

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Actually, depending on the model phone, it's quite easy to use a Sprint PCS
phone on VZW if you can get the MSL from Sprint. Which is easy to do if you
still have, or know someone who has, a Sprint PCS account. I just did it
this week with an old Kyocera 6035 Palm Phone that I've had for a couple
years since I left Sprint. I just had a friend call Sprint (or you can do it
on their website) and tell them he wanted to change his phone out to one he
got from a friend. They talked us through programming it (they'll have to
give you the MSL to do get into the programming menu on the phone so be sure
to write it down). After testing the phone I waited a couple hours then
called Sprint and switched the service back to my friend's phone.

Then I went to VZW's website and did a phone change there on my account and
gave them the ESN of the 6035. That configures VZW's system to use the
different phone. You then have to change the MSL to six zeros (which unlocks
it--VZW doesn't lock their phones like Sprint does) so it can be programmed
over-the-air. Then I dialed *2280x (1 in my case--try 0, 1, 2, etc. until
you get a Verizon recording) and pressed 1 to program the phone. That does
it. I could flash the BIOS on this phone too to give it a VZW bios instead
of Sprint's, but it's not required.

This is just one example of a phone where it's easy to do this. Other phones
don't allow the MSL to be changed by the user. It depends on the phone brand
and model. I haven't researched this lately, but this was a very common
thing a couple years ago at least with this model phone that I did it with
because Sprint started clearancing them out for next to nothing before VZW
did so a lot of people were buying them from Sprint and wanted to activate
them on VZW.

Now, as Javier mentions, you can't go the other way from VZW (or anyone
else) to Sprint because Sprint has a database of all phones they've ever
sold and will not activate any phone that is not in their database of phones
they've sold. But most people want to go the other way because Sprint sells
a much better selection of phones than VZW.

Hope this helps, but you'll have to do some Googling for help on your
specific phone model. I wanted to desperately do this same thing with an old
Samsung phone I have, but from what I can tell, the MSL is not user
changeable on that phone.

Steve


On 4/22/05 7:35 AM, in article
1114176909.708729.89440@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com,
"javier.m.lopez@gmail.com" <javier.m.lopez@gmail.com> wrote:

> Capn,
> I got stuck trying to go the other way. My brother sent me a new
> Verizon (test) phone and I was on Sprint. Never could talk Sprint into
> allowing it on their network. Ended up selling it on eBay to a Verizon
> customer.
>
> OK, now the technical part. Both Verizon and Sprint operate on CDMA
> 2000, so as far as phones go, a CDMA phone will work on either network
> (versus Cingular/ATT who run GSM - completely different radio
> technology and subsequently, phones). So, it is "technically" feasible
> to use your Sprint phone on the Verizon network. BUT, internal business
> systems will not allow it. The key is in the ESN. It's how your
> carrier's network identifies your phone, bills you, allows you on the
> network, etc. Each carrier has a range of ESNs (actually they are
> assigned by the make of the phone, like Motorola) they allow and keep
> track of on their networks. Trying to get an exception for your Sprint
> associated ESN into the Verizon network (or visa versa, as in my case)
> is an exercise in futility!
>

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

javier.m.lopez@gmail.com wrote:
> track of on their networks. Trying to get an exception for your Sprint
> associated ESN into the Verizon network (or visa versa, as in my case)
> is an exercise in futility!

You can't ever put a Verizon phone on Sprint's network. They won't even
activate Virgin Mobile prepaid phones on their postpaid service, and Virgin
Mobile is a Sprint PCS reseller that uses Sprint's network.

Sprint will ONLY activate phones that Sprint originally sold.

Verizon will activate phones they didn't originally sell, providing that they
can support them (which generally means buying a phone model that you could get
from Verizon anyhow).

If Verizon agrees to activate a Sprint phone, you're fine if you can get the
master subsidy lock code from Sprint, otherwise Verizon won't be able to
reprogram the phone.



--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
--New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"

Archived from groups: alt.cellular.verizon (More info?)

Richard Ness wrote:
> Then it was incompatible. Firmware or PRL that couldn't be updated
> by VZW, 1900MHz only, something...
>
> I have activated MANY phones that were not purchased from Verizon.
> Just did 2 a week or so ago. One was a Sprint branded phone.
>
> I'm here to tell you that it is done ALL THE TIME.
> Like I said, "any phone that is COMPATIBLE".

My impression is that they don't want to activate phones that they don't have
firmware for, but I've only ever done it once, and it was a phone that Verizon
themselves didn't sell but a couple resellers did (but mine originally ran on
Alltel's network).

--
JustThe.net - Apple Valley, CA - http://JustThe.net/ - 888.480.4NET (4638)
Steven J. Sobol, Geek In Charge / sjsobol@JustThe.net / PGP: 0xE3AE35ED

"The wisdom of a fool won't set you free"
--New Order, "Bizarre Love Triangle"