Cannot sell my phone because it's tied to my account?

Phones using SIM cards are only associated to a phone number by the SIM card - change SIMs, you change the number. I've never heard of a phone being locked to a number. Locked to a carrier, yes. Think about it. What he said makes no sense. If the phone was locked to your number how would it be possible to pass the phone along to a new owner - whether you sell it, give it to a family member or friend, whatever. Maybe they just list the phone in your records by account phone number and that's what he was messed up about. Or maybe he was confusing phone numbers with IMEI numbers. I dunno.

When you port a number that automatically terminates your old service. Unless you still owed money on the phone Verizon should unlock it (from their service). And there should be no charge for unlocking the phone.

 

The only way Verizon will hold you hostage is because you still owe them Contract money. If this is the case, you gotta pay up. ( but you said you ported the number out, and that can't happen if you owe a carrier money )

Call CS and get that phone released, it is illegal for them to hold your phone hostage if it is not registered to a working number.

 

Yeah, I always paid my bill on time and my account is current. They didn't mention anything about owing them money.

 

Ok, calling Verizon again and the next person I'm talking to says he's never heard of what the last lady told me either...

 

Ok, just talked to the cancellations department at Verizon and he re-stated the first lady didn't know what she's talking about. FCC doesn't allow locking of phones unless the phone is on the stolen registry.

 

As of February of last year:
http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/02/starting-today-wireless-carriers-have-to-unlock-your-phone/