ebay cell phone can't be activated

[BillKirch]

I bought one on ebay and verizon says they can't activate it. I dial 611 and
connect to verizon and the guy that sold it to me says thats proof that it CAN
be activated. What would keep a cell phone from being activateable (word?) BG

 

[Art]

Contract Agreements with Verzion not fulfilled by the previous owner, plus a
multiple of other things. May consider getting your money back from the
seller, if possible. E_Bay, what a flippin Joke!!

 

[Sal Brisindi]

I bought a replacement Nokia phone on ebay as my daughter left my wifes phone out
in the rain. I have Cingular and all I did was put her old sim card in the new
phone and it worked. There must be a way the phone can be activated. I would pass
by a Verizon store and have someone look at it.

Sal

 

[Jerry G.]

The answer can be involved. Basically, if the contract from the previous
owner was not fully paid off, the phone will not be permitted to be
re-activated. The ID code of the phone is suspended by their system, until
someone goes in to their system and clears it.

The second main thing that stops a phone from being activated, is that its
firmware code set has to be compatible to the service provider's system.
This code set has to do with the type of encryptions, and frequency
allocation groups. This category is the main part that allows to have many
phone providers working in the same areas, and the user phones do not cross
over to other services or interfere with each other. The 611, 0, and 911
services however, are universally compatible, and this is one reason why the
phone can dial these.

This is the reason why you must only purchase a used or new phone that is
intended for the service provider that you are going to be activated with.
Before purchasing the phone, it is best to get the ID, and serial numbers
for the phone, and call the service provider to ask if they can and will
activate that phone.

Now you have the task to get back to the seller of the phone, explain your
problem, and fight to get your money back, if the will return it to you.

For all this trouble is it really worth to buy a used phone like this? With
many of the providers they have basic contract plans where you can have a
phone that is included, and at the same time, you get a full one year
warranty with the phone. Even with a used phone, you still have to buy a
basic plan to use it. The phone that they give with the plan will be a
current model, where you can buy options for it like the carrying case, and
the earpiece for it. Once the model is more than a year out of production,
the options are usually very difficult to find.

 

[Jerry G.]

One thing I didn't remember. Some services use a cad. By putting in a new
card that is recognized by the model of phone, it may be able to be
activated. Most of the services in the area where I am, do not use this
system. The phone has the complete activation ROM built in to the main
board. This way the phone must be completely dedicated to the service
provider. There are 4 providers available in this area. I think only one of
them may be using the card system. Both the card type and model issue of
phone must be compatible to accept each other.

 

[NSM]

X-No-archive: Yes

| I bought one on ebay and verizon says they can't activate it. I dial 611
and
| connect to verizon and the guy that sold it to me says thats proof that it
CAN
| be activated. What would keep a cell phone from being activateable (word?)
BG

You might need to track down someone who knows how to do naughty things to
cellphones (like clone them to other's numbers). But you never heard that
from me!

 

[KoRn Kid® (Child of the KoRn)]

X-No-archive: Yes

| I bought one on ebay and verizon says they can't activate it. I dial 611
and
| connect to verizon and the guy that sold it to me says thats proof that it
CAN
| be activated. What would keep a cell phone from being activateable (word?)
BG

You might need to track down someone who knows how to do naughty things to
cellphones (like clone them to other's numbers). But you never heard that
from me!

If the phone isn't blacklisted (reported as stolen), then I would try
activating it through their (Verizons) website.

Just make sure the phone currently assigned to the number you're
trying to program it to is turned off.

What kind of phone?

Is the security code set?

most times it (the security code) is the last 4 digits of the phone
number it's programmed for (or 0000)

 

[KoRn Kid® (Child of the KoRn)]

If the phone isn't blacklisted (reported as stolen), then I would try
activating it through their (Verizons) website.

Just make sure the phone currently assigned to the number you're
trying to program it to is turned off.

What kind of phone?

Is the security code set?

most times it (the security code) is the last 4 digits of the phone
number it's programmed for (or 0000)

My advice might have been premature.

I didn't see the rest of the thread that everyone else had replied to

Not to mention that by reading (the other thread) I gained some
insight

-Kk-

 

[mike appenzeller]

The answer can be involved. Basically, if the contract from the previous
owner was not fully paid off, the phone will not be permitted to be
re-activated. The ID code of the phone is suspended by their system, until
someone goes in to their system and clears it.

The second main thing that stops a phone from being activated, is that its
firmware code set has to be compatible to the service provider's system.
This code set has to do with the type of encryptions, and frequency
allocation groups. This category is the main part that allows to have many
phone providers working in the same areas, and the user phones do not cross
over to other services or interfere with each other. The 611, 0, and 911
services however, are universally compatible, and this is one reason why the
phone can dial these.

This is the reason why you must only purchase a used or new phone that is
intended for the service provider that you are going to be activated with.
Before purchasing the phone, it is best to get the ID, and serial numbers
for the phone, and call the service provider to ask if they can and will
activate that phone.

Now you have the task to get back to the seller of the phone, explain your
problem, and fight to get your money back, if the will return it to you.

For all this trouble is it really worth to buy a used phone like this? With
many of the providers they have basic contract plans where you can have a
phone that is included, and at the same time, you get a full one year
warranty with the phone. Even with a used phone, you still have to buy a
basic plan to use it. The phone that they give with the plan will be a
current model, where you can buy options for it like the carrying case, and
the earpiece for it. Once the model is more than a year out of production,
the options are usually very difficult to find.

One reason for buying a used phone is to replace one that got lost or damaged.
If you're currently under contract with a provider, you don't get the deals
on phones they offer to new subscribers, and you have to pay full retail price
for a replacement phone. In order to get the deal on a new phone, you'd have
to sign up with a different provider to get the cheap/free phone, and then pay
both bills until the contract on the dead phone expires.

Mike
WB2MEP

 

[w.fay]

Ok, lemme get this straight, you are trying to activate this phone with a
cellular company right? If so, one thing you need to know is if this phone
has been used for the Tracfone stuff, if it has chances are that it cannot
be used for a contract phone. Tracfone does something to the phone and makes
it so you cant use it as a contract phone after it is activated with
Tracfone. No way really to be certain if it has been used for TracFone
though. Another question is "CAN it be activated with TracFone?" TracFone
isn't bad, its just another option for a cellphone that someone doesn't have
the credit to get a contract cell. Remember too, that if you do activate it
with TracFone, it will not ever be able to be used for a contract phone
again.