tfr

I just got a Stellar from some guy on craigslist in the hope of simply using it as a wi-fi device. Met him at a Verizon store to have them check to make sure it wasn't stolen and all was good. However, when I got it home and fired it up with a new blank sim card, it locks the phone and says it's trying to activate it. So I went back by the Verizon store and asked them if there was a way around this and they said no. Even in airplane mode it won't work.

So, I spoke to Samsung advanced level tech today and Samsung has been forced into some kind of agreement with Verizon that any phones provided to Verizon will not be allowed to be used as a stand alone wi-fi device.

All Samsung smartphones MUST be activated and have a monthly plan with Verizon in order for the Wi-fi portion of the phone to be accessible.

Samsung phones with Sprint and others do not have this restriction on them (according to the tech I spoke with).

damewolf13

Wow! That is not something you want to hear AFTER the purchase!
Maybe you should post this in the Verizon forum, and see if there is any recourse to this. The other folks that use Verizon should know.

__________________
Never Lookin' Back!

backwards1979

i have found this to not be a stellar only issue. this is a vzw issue. after my gf and i upgraded a few days ago, we were going to give our kids the phones to use as pocket tabs. of course there was the matter of resetting the phones to get rid of all of the non kid friendly bits. and poof, no more usable phone! they now sit collecting dust in a forgotten place as they are useless without activation. as for the matter with the phones (toys without buying a psp or ds) for the kids, fortunately i had a couple of metropos phones laying around that are now doing the job.

Rxpert83

This is just . Big red is bad for consumers.

backwards1979

in thinking this through, the stellar is very similar to the s3 software wise, try this

On the Language screen (right on the first language) tap top left corner, then top right corner,(above the emergency call and next) then bottom left corner, then bottom right corner, then volume up.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1762722

BRAINZ2013

Well how about rooting a putting a new rom on it if it acts up downgrade i never heard of this from vzw cause most of their phones that are not on a wireless plan people use voice over data or the wifi . I have many friends that do this cause phones for little kids create big bills use your home wifi . But try another dealer or call and ask radio shack or best buy

gortna

This happens with a lot of phones. The cause was the master reset its still looking for initial activation. There are two ways around it that do not involve rooting the phone.

1. Activate the phone once after the reset, the go back to your other phone.

2. Enter the activation bypass code. Not sure what it is for this phone but you would need to do it every time the phone is restarted.