Can We Buy New Cell Phone from Anyone Other than Verizon?

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

Sounds like a lot of trouble. Are the prices outside of Verizon worth
the aggravation?

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

<jeffy3@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1123789226.886950.243880@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> Our two year contract isn't up until January and one of our phones is
> all static and squawky. I took it to Verizon store and he said since
> it's out of warranty would have to replace it with a new phone but
> their cheapest one is $159.00. I see phones on eBay etc all the time
> but have no idea if I could just buy one and activate it with Verizon
> Wireless. Is it possible? What do I need to know?

When buying a phone on eBay or anywhere else for that matter. Make sure it
was a Verizon phone (cdma) and also make sure it is gps capable. Verizon
will no longer activate a cell phone that is non gps. Just went through this
with trying to activate a motorola v60c. If you not sure from the ad if its
gps, use google. And you can check the ESN with Verizon first as well.

MM

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

jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:
> Our two year contract isn't up until January and one of
> our phones is all static and squawky. I took it to
> Verizon store and he said since it's out of warranty
> would have to replace it with a new phone but their
> cheapest one is $159.00. I see phones on eBay etc all
> the time but have no idea if I could just buy one and
> activate it with Verizon Wireless. Is it possible? What
> do I need to know?

Yes it is possible.

Need to know:

1) Call VZW and ask if the particular phone model you have
in mind can be activated. It has to at least be CDMA.

2) Make sure the phone you purchase is not subsidy locked.
Sprint, for example, puts a subsidy lock on their phones which
prevents you from re-programming it. It also prevents VZW's
OTA programming from working. If the phone is locked you
need to know the password.

3) Before you buy you should get the ESN (Electronic Serial
Number) and call VZW to make sure it is not black listed. The
carriers will black list phones that are reported stolen or have
been deactivated for non-payment. You will not be able to
activate a black listed phone.

Once you get through all the above you can change the ESN
in your account on the web site to that of your new phone.
Wait about 1/2 hour and do a *228 option #1 and you're in
business.

-Quick

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

Also make sure that the phone is E911 capable too. Supposedly a store could
get in trouble if they are activacting these old phones with new service.


"Quick" <quick7135-news@NOSPAMyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:l4OKe.612$SR5.267@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net...
> jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:
>> Our two year contract isn't up until January and one of
>> our phones is all static and squawky. I took it to
>> Verizon store and he said since it's out of warranty
>> would have to replace it with a new phone but their
>> cheapest one is $159.00. I see phones on eBay etc all
>> the time but have no idea if I could just buy one and
>> activate it with Verizon Wireless. Is it possible? What
>> do I need to know?
>
> Yes it is possible.
>
> Need to know:
>
> 1) Call VZW and ask if the particular phone model you have
> in mind can be activated. It has to at least be CDMA.
>
> 2) Make sure the phone you purchase is not subsidy locked.
> Sprint, for example, puts a subsidy lock on their phones which
> prevents you from re-programming it. It also prevents VZW's
> OTA programming from working. If the phone is locked you
> need to know the password.
>
> 3) Before you buy you should get the ESN (Electronic Serial
> Number) and call VZW to make sure it is not black listed. The
> carriers will black list phones that are reported stolen or have
> been deactivated for non-payment. You will not be able to
> activate a black listed phone.
>
> Once you get through all the above you can change the ESN
> in your account on the web site to that of your new phone.
> Wait about 1/2 hour and do a *228 option #1 and you're in
> business.
>
> -Quick
>
>

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

jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:
> Sounds like a lot of trouble. Are the prices outside of
> Verizon worth the aggravation?

You can buy *very* inexpensive phones on eBay but
there is a good bit of risk. Best to buy from the very
large, established sellers, etc...

The aggravation should only take about an hour or
so total time assuming everything went well. Personally
it wouldn't be worth it for me. I'd decide what I wanted,
take 10 minutes to order over the phone from VZW, and
have it delivered to my door within 3 business days.

-Quick

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

jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:
> Our two year contract isn't up until January and one of our phones is
> all static and squawky. I took it to Verizon store and he said since
> it's out of warranty would have to replace it with a new phone but
> their cheapest one is $159.00. I see phones on eBay etc all the time
> but have no idea if I could just buy one and activate it with Verizon
> Wireless. Is it possible? What do I need to know?


Have you considered getting it fixed? For example Motorola will repair
some phones for $75.

You can also buy a new phone from Motorola, on thier website, without
service, for instance the v260 was $159, that's the same as the
cheapest one that was quoted you at the Verizon store but I don't konw
what phone they were quoting you.

Others have given good advice re buying from ebay or other. my
favorite, if it is in your city is craigslist.org. Here in NYC I see
E911 capable phones for $50 on up plus its local so you can meet
someone and try it before you buy it.

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

On 11 Aug 2005 12:40:26 -0700, jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:

>Our two year contract isn't up until January and one of our phones is
>all static and squawky. I took it to Verizon store and he said since
>it's out of warranty would have to replace it with a new phone but
>their cheapest one is $159.00. I see phones on eBay etc all the time
>but have no idea if I could just buy one and activate it with Verizon
>Wireless. Is it possible? What do I need to know?

As long as the phone's been on Verizon you can use it with the provizo
that some of the old phones are not GPS capable and Verizon may not
activate them on the network.

- -

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

"MM" <marvinsnot@here.com> wrote in message
news:11fnp02kuj986b7@corp.supernews.com...
> <jeffy3@hotmail.com> wrote in message

>
> When buying a phone on eBay or anywhere else for that matter. Make sure it
> was a Verizon phone (cdma) and also make sure it is gps capable. Verizon
> will no longer activate a cell phone that is non gps. Just went through
> this with trying to activate a motorola v60c. If you not sure from the ad
> if its gps, use google. And you can check the ESN with Verizon first as
> well.
>

That's not really true. You can activate a Moto V60c-- or any other non GPS
CDMA phone-- yourself online.

I love the V60c and bought several on Ebay as I'm hard on cell phones and I
like to have spares on hand when I trash one. It takes just a few minutes to
switch your phone number to a new phone online. In fact, I did it this just
afternoon!

There's a couple of V60c models in good condition on Ebay ending this
weekend and I'll probably pick up a few new ones to keep my inventory up.

X

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

Can I check the ESN on Verizon before I buy? I can't find it on their
site, or do I have to call? I see an auciton on eBay and they supply
the ESN but I don't know where to check it. TIA.

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

jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:
> Can I check the ESN on Verizon before I buy? I can't
> find it on their site, or do I have to call? I see an
> auciton on eBay and they supply the ESN but I don't know
> where to check it. TIA.

You would have to call.

-Quick

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

Quick wrote:
> jeffy3@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>>Can I check the ESN on Verizon before I buy? I can't
>>find it on their site, or do I have to call? I see an
>>auciton on eBay and they supply the ESN but I don't know
>>where to check it. TIA.
>
>
> You would have to call.

But they should have no problems telling you whether it's activatable.


--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: sjsobol@JustThe.net Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

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

>
> That's not really true. You can activate a Moto V60c-- or any other
> non GPS CDMA phone-- yourself online.
>
> I love the V60c and bought several on Ebay as I'm hard on cell phones
> and I like to have spares on hand when I trash one. It takes just a
> few minutes to switch your phone number to a new phone online. In
> fact, I did it this just afternoon!
>
> There's a couple of V60c models in good condition on Ebay ending this
> weekend and I'll probably pick up a few new ones to keep my inventory
> up.
> X

If you have a free-up account you can not activate them online. There is no
option for doing so.
And I was told Verizon would not activate them by Verizon when I called
them.

MM

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

MM wrote:

> If you have a free-up account you can not activate them online. There is no
> option for doing so.
> And I was told Verizon would not activate them by Verizon when I called
> them.
>
> MM


What is a free-up account?

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

Expert Witness wrote:

> That's not really true. You can activate a Moto V60c-- or any other non GPS
> CDMA phone-- yourself online.
>
> I love the V60c and bought several on Ebay as I'm hard on cell phones and I
> like to have spares on hand when I trash one. It takes just a few minutes to
> switch your phone number to a new phone online. In fact, I did it this just
> afternoon!
>
> There's a couple of V60c models in good condition on Ebay ending this
> weekend and I'll probably pick up a few new ones to keep my inventory up.
>
> X


Based on your posting here I looked up a V60C on eBay and called
Verizon with the ESN and they punched it in and said they wouldn't
accept it. I asked her why and she said the computer doesn't tell her
anything more except that it won't take the number. Now I'm really
confused.

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

<jeffy3@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1124111250.107039.311590@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> MM wrote:
>
>> If you have a free-up account you can not activate them online.
>> There is no option for doing so.
>> And I was told Verizon would not activate them by Verizon when I
>> called them.
>>
>> MM
>
>
> What is a free-up account?

Free-up was their pre-pay account. They have changed the name and the
charges. I still have the old account so my free-up account still works. Its
a low cost alternative to me not having a phone. I alos set one of these up
for my dad for emergency use. With this service you buy a card say thirty
dollars and it will keep the phone active for sixty days with a set amout of
minutes. If you renew (buy a new card) the time rolls over. This way we have
a phone that cost us fifteen dollars a month. The weekends price per minute
as well as the mobile to mobile minutes are doubled. It makes a pretty good
emergency phone.

MM