Use spectrum phone on Verizon

[CatsTide]

So I have a note 20 ultra I bought from spectrum. I've unlocked it and Verizon is telling me it's not compatible with their system. Spectrum tells me it should be. Samsung has verified that it is indeed unlocked. What to do now? A lot of finger pointing and a $1300 device I can't use.

 

[mikedt]

I'm pretty sure with certain US carriers, they have lists of phones you can or can't activate (BYOP) on their network.

For Verizon go here. https://www.verizon.com/bring-your-own-device/imei-esn-meid/ Enter the phone's IMEI, MEID, ESN, etc. And that should tell you whether your unlocked Spectrum Note 20 Ultra can be activated and used on Verizon's network.

Of course I can't help you any more than that, as I'm not in the US and have never had to deal with restrictive carrier activations.

 

[ocnbrze]

does verizon give you a reason why it is not compatible? seems odd to me. did you call them or go into a verizon store? i would go in person, if you can and have them set you up on their network.

 

[CatsTide]

I'm pretty sure with certain US carriers, they have lists of phones you can or can't activate (BYOP) on their network.

For Verizon go here. https://www.verizon.com/bring-your-own-device/imei-esn-meid/ Enter the phone's IMEI, MEID, ESN, etc. And that should tell you whether your unlocked Spectrum Note 20 Ultra can be activated and used on Verizon's network.

Of course I can't help you any more than that, as I'm not in the US and have never had to deal with restrictive carrier activations.

Just tried that link... Says it's not compatible

does verizon give you a reason why it is not compatible? seems odd to me. did you call them or go into a verizon store? i would go in person, if you can and have them set you up on their network.

I spent 2 hours in a corporate store.

 

[ocnbrze]

I spent 2 hours in a corporate store.

well they obviously did not do a good job at explaining why your device is not compatible with their network. did they give you a reason why?

 

[marctronixx]

verizon may be picky to add a phone whos ESN is not in their database. OP should return the phone back to spectrum or if that's not possible, sell it on swappa or use spectrums mvno.

really not much else to say.

EDIT - if the phone was locked upon purchase and you "unlocked it", that woudl for sure violate verizon's terms.

 

[CatsTide]

well they obviously did not do a good job at explaining why your device is not compatible with their network. did they give you a reason why?

No...and like said it took them 2 hours to come to the conclusion that it was not not comatable so I'm sure they would not be able to answer the question of why.

verizon may be picky to add a phone whos ESN is not in their database. OP should return the phone back to spectrum or if that's not possible, sell it on swappa or use spectrums mvno.


really not much else to say.

EDIT - if the phone was locked upon purchase and you "unlocked it", that woudl for sure violate verizon's terms.

It was locked by spectrum and I unlocked it. Not sure why Verizon would feel violated. Anyway I've decided to trade it in to Samsung for a s21+ .they've got a great deal where I can trade the note in and get it for about 142 bucks with a new case. I know it's a cheaper phone than the note ...but I'm over the hour long phone calls to techs.

 

[marctronixx]

It was locked by spectrum and I unlocked it.

Not sure why Verizon would feel violated.

you just explained why -- the phone left the factory as a LOCKED phone and that is how its ESN is seen to the carriers. when you walked in with the phone "unlocked", their database shows that phone is supposed to be LOCKED to a carrier. So since it has illegal software (in their eyeas) they are not going to touch it. its quite simple really.

happy you figured out a plan and got the newer device in the end. head over to the S21 forum a learn more about it.

cheers!