CONFIRMED! eBay purchased Verizon Micro-Sim works fine in NEW iPad

RetiredInFl · Jul 25, 2012

jacg123 said:
Good idea, so when did you (or do you) reactivate it or are you just using fresh sim cards the 3 times reactivated/deactived your account. I know these questions are somewhat redundant, I apologize, but I'm trying to fully understand how this works.
Thanks again.

Since it is within the 5 months I just use the same account. You are not closing the account, you are just preventing an automatic billing for the next month.

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jacg123 said:
:

1) SIM CARD will cost 20.00. FALSE (it will cost nothing because you can't have one)
2) We can reactivate your account if you want to start your prepaid plan again (True but only on POSTPAID)
3) Back up and lets reset your ipad. (False - Waste of time, does nothing)
4) We dont carry sim cards, I dont know where you can get one. (Semi-False ' "we do carry them but won't give you one, so there! Nyah Nyah Nyah Nyah!)
5) Erase your CC info next time instead of cancelling it. (great, what if I sell it?) Ummm...they have to get a new plan then. (Sort of true - you can erase everything and give them a new password to access but it's better to spend $6 and give them a clean one)
6) People usually dont deactivate the service. <--- this one infuriated me for some reason, really thats the best answer you got? <HA!>
7) Its a problem with vzw, call them. (True, but a waste of time)
8) get a new sim card from apple, they should have them. (True - sometimes they pull one out of a unused return)
9) get a new sim card from verizon, they should have them. (True - See answer to #4)

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BFizzzle said:
Thats absurd, what is verizons "logic" for not giving/selling the sim

The actual fault is from Corporate. There is no means in their system to "sell" a card. They must account for every card and it must have a phone number attached and the only phone number they can create is POSTPAID. The manager of the store I went to months ago REALLY did try in every way possible but was unable to put it in his system. He had it in his hand to give to me but was unable to enter it without an attached account. He did say to try a non-corp store. Some people have gotten them there.

As for AT&T they do keep track all cards but they do have the ability to just scan them and give them away. They also, in many cases, charge $15 for a replacement IPAD (not cellphone) card. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think a regular card from a phone will work in an iPad nor will a "clean" regular sim card. I believe it requires a special pre-provisioned card.

I cannot believe after all these months VZW is still totally f'd up on this and Apple is of no help.

BiggAW · Jul 25, 2012

I probably wasn't going to get 4G service in the US for my iPad anyways, but now with this debacle, I definitely won't until they fix this activation issue. Considering Verizon is making this massive switch to a 3GPP/GSMA standard, I can't believe that they haven't figured out how to properly provision and handle SIM cards yet.

dchao · Jul 25, 2012

BiggAW said:
I probably wasn't going to get 4G service in the US for my iPad anyways, but now with this debacle, I definitely won't until they fix this activation issue. Considering Verizon is making this massive switch to a 3GPP/GSMA standard, I can't believe that they haven't figured out how to properly provision and handle SIM cards yet.

To be honest, it hasn't been such a big issue. If you don't click "Cancel your plan NOW", then you would have a 5 month window to reactivate it before you need a new SIM. If you plan to come back to the States after 5 month, get a $6 SIM card from eBay before returning, its not that hard at all.

Although I agree , Verizon sales rep could have been better trained to handle pre-paid inquiries, and provide replacement SIM for a minimal fee.

jacg123 · Jul 25, 2012

dchao said:
To be honest, it hasn't been such a big issue. If you don't click "Cancel your plan NOW", then you would have a 5 month window to reactivate it before you need a new SIM. If you plan to come back to the States after 5 month, get a $6 SIM card from eBay before returning, its not that hard at all.

Although I agree , Verizon sales rep could have been better trained to handle pre-paid inquiries, and provide replacement SIM for a minimal fee.

I agree it isnt hard, but alot of people I know who have vzw service on the iPad now will not have the saavy, or the know how to do this type of "workaround" once they cancel the wrong way. Some don't even have an eBay account.
The options are not really clear, and most people will pick delete now option just simply because they want to stop the service right "now". There are no warnings or even explanations for what the choices really mean. And clearly it isn't a simple matter of turning it on and off but it's most certainly was pitched that way to me and many others. 12,000 views on this thread alone should tell them there's a problem if not, at least an issue.
What can I say, I'm glad there's a simple solution. I'm just really disappointed about the way this is being handled or not handled as the case may be.

BiggAW · Jul 26, 2012

jacg123 said:
I agree it isnt hard, but alot of people I know who have vzw service on the iPad now will not have the saavy, or the know how to do this type of "workaround" once they cancel the wrong way. Some don't even have an eBay account.
The options are not really clear, and most people will pick delete now option just simply because they want to stop the service right "now". There are no warnings or even explanations for what the choices really mean. And clearly it isn't a simple matter of turning it on and off but it's most certainly was pitched that way to me and many others. 12,000 views on this thread alone should tell them there's a problem if not, at least an issue.
What can I say, I'm glad there's a simple solution. I'm just really disappointed about the way this is being handled or not handled as the case may be.

Right. This issue shouldn't even exist. You should be able to delete or suspend the account and pick it up or make a new account with that SIM whenever.

dchao, You must not have noticed, but I'm from the US, I'm referring to using it internationally while traveling, and just not using it at home. It has left the house once in like 2 months, and even if it does, I can tether to my iPhone. If it weren't for the SIM problem, I would think about activating it if I travel to a Verizon-heavy area, but until they fix that, I'll live with just my AT&T iPhone.

dchao · Jul 26, 2012

BiggAW said:
dchao, You must not have noticed, but I'm from the US, I'm referring to using it internationally while traveling, and just not using it at home. It has left the house once in like 2 months, and even if it does, I can tether to my iPhone. If it weren't for the SIM problem, I would think about activating it if I travel to a Verizon-heavy area, but until they fix that, I'll live with just my AT&T iPhone.

I think the two deactivation options are pretty sufficient. What is needed is better 4G LTE training for the sales reps. Maybe, just let Apple handle all the iPad pre-paid inquiries, instead of passing the ball to each other.

The 6 month laps for burning the SIM card is pretty standard in the GSM world already. When I travel to EU, I will get a pre-paid SIM for voice calls. After I leave EU, and if I don't use it for 6 month, the SIM is burnt, and it is clearly stated in the SIM card brochure. Again, dealer training and clear instructions in the manual will solve this type of problem.

I am sure service quality for 4G will only get better in the US, as wireless data and tethering sales are all pretty new in the US. Compared to GSM countries, they've had them for years already.

I am from US as well, I bought my iPad 4G specifically for international travel as well, even though 4G LTE is very nice in the US, but that's more like a bonus to me. I don't tether to iPhone when I am traveling, I just have a regular GSM phone for all my voice calls. That's is why I need an iPad for data.

BiggAW · Jul 27, 2012

dchao said:
I think the two deactivation options are pretty sufficient. What is needed is better 4G LTE training for the sales reps. Maybe, just let Apple handle all the iPad pre-paid inquiries, instead of passing the ball to each other.

The 6 month laps for burning the SIM card is pretty standard in the GSM world already. When I travel to EU, I will get a pre-paid SIM for voice calls. After I leave EU, and if I don't use it for 6 month, the SIM is burnt, and it is clearly stated in the SIM card brochure. Again, dealer training and clear instructions in the manual will solve this type of problem.

I am sure service quality for 4G will only get better in the US, as wireless data and tethering sales are all pretty new in the US. Compared to GSM countries, they've had them for years already.

I am from US as well, I bought my iPad 4G specifically for international travel as well, even though 4G LTE is very nice in the US, but that's more like a bonus to me. I don't tether to iPhone when I am traveling, I just have a regular GSM phone for all my voice calls. That's is why I need an iPad for data.

Until Verizon fixes it and make it work 100% correctly, I'm not touching their service.

If there is a legitimate technical issue as to why the SIM is burnt after 6 months, then I should be able to walk into a corporate Verizon store, and be handed a new one in exchange for my burnt one at no cost to me.

The advantage to me is the pricing while traveling, although it may end up just being easier to buy the AT&T global plan for my iPhone, depending on the country and not have to worry about lugging the iPad around, we'll see. Even if I never use the HSPA+, I still get the GPS functionality, so either way, I made a good purchase.

PracticalMac · Jul 27, 2012

Great job!! Thanks!

jacg123 · Aug 6, 2012

TB07-NJ said:
I can't say 100% but I would assume as long as you don't active them they are fine. Never heard of a sim card expiring when not activated.

Also, I don't know if this matters, but a friend of mine got his sim card replaced by apple. He said they had replaced it with a white sim card, the one from the ebay seller is on a red card. Is there a difference?

RetiredInFl · Aug 6, 2012

jacg123 said:
Also, I don't know if this matters, but a friend of mine got his sim card replaced by apple. He said they had replaced it with a white sim card, the one from the ebay seller is on a red card. Is there a difference?

If they both work than it doesn't matter.

The one that came with my iPad and the six I got from eBay from 2 different sellers are all identical and look like this:

jacg123 · Aug 6, 2012

True...just wondering if there was a difference. Actually the same seller has now updated the listing to reflect iPad compatibility.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Verizon-Wir...Accessories&hash=item1c29049b68#ht_1125wt_954

BiggAW · Aug 6, 2012

jacg123 said:
True...just wondering if there was a difference. Actually the same seller has now updated the listing to reflect iPad compatibility.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Verizon-Wir...Accessories&hash=item1c29049b68#ht_1125wt_954

Where's he getting them from?

RetiredInFl · Aug 6, 2012

BiggAW said:
Where's he getting them from?

If you are referring to the eBay dealers who sell them, they seem to be Verizon NON-corporate independent dealers. At least the 2 I have dealt with are including the 1 in the first post. It's not that the VZW corp stores don't have them, they do, they just won't sell or give them away "because they can't."

BiggAW · Aug 7, 2012

TB07-NJ said:
If you are referring to the eBay dealers who sell them, they seem to be Verizon NON-corporate independent dealers. At least the 2 I have dealt with are including the 1 in the first post. It's not that the VZW corp stores don't have them, they do, they just won't sell or give them away "because they can't."

Oh ok, so they're at worst grey market but legally obtained?

Woob · Aug 7, 2012

Forgive my stupid questions, I've tried to read through all the posts. I gather:

1) if you have a verizon authorized SIM ipad 3 you can use these cards as substitutes?
2) or can you add verizon prepaid data SIM cards through this new system for non verizon ipads.

I'm confused, but do jump on the bandwagon that Verizon is pretty dumb most of the time.

RetiredInFl · Aug 7, 2012

BiggAW said:
Oh ok, so they're at worst grey market but legally obtained?

I wouldn't think they are necessarily grey market. Grey market would mean they are unauthorized dealers. There are many legit independent Verizon dealers. Amazon Best Buy and any number of small local stores are some. They can do and charge what they want for sims ifthey want to bother with it. Corporate stores are under control of VZW HQ and have to abide by their idiotic rules. That's not saying some eBay sellers aren't grey market but they aren't necessarily so.

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Woob said:
Forgive my stupid questions, I've tried to read through all the posts. I gather:

1) if you have a verizon authorized SIM ipad 3 you can use these cards as substitutes?
2) or can you add verizon prepaid data SIM cards through this new system for non verizon ipads.

I'm confused, but do jump on the bandwagon that Verizon is pretty dumb most of the time.

1: yes. They are the same cards that come with an iPad despite what VZW might tell you. 2: no. VZW sims only work in vzw iPads unlike ATT sims which, if preactivated in an ATT ipad will work in vzw ipads.

Woob · Aug 7, 2012

Thanks for info!

So you can basically enable a verizon ipad with a prepaid plan instead of going through verizon's contract system? Nifty.

RetiredInFl · Aug 8, 2012

Woob said:
Thanks for info!

So you can basically enable a verizon ipad with a prepaid plan instead of going through verizon's contract system? Nifty.

All iPads have always been prepaid devices. That is how they are advertised and how they are sold. Best Buy and VZW has been known to activate new iPads on postpaid accounts in order to get commissions without fully advising the customer which is what started this whole "replacement sim" ordeal from the beginning.

BiggAW · Aug 8, 2012

TB07-NJ said:
I wouldn't think they are necessarily grey market. Grey market would mean they are unauthorized dealers. There are many legit independent Verizon dealers. Amazon Best Buy and any number of small local stores are some. They can do and charge what they want for sims ifthey want to bother with it. Corporate stores are under control of VZW HQ and have to abide by their idiotic rules. That's not saying some eBay sellers aren't grey market but they aren't necessarily so.

They are allowed to sell them? And out of their territory? Than why aren't corporate stores selling them too? Of course it is a band-aid to a systemic failure in the way that Verizon handles SIM cards.

RetiredInFl · Aug 8, 2012

BiggAW said:
They are allowed to sell them? And out of their territory? Than why aren't corporate stores selling them too? Of course it is a band-aid to a systemic failure in the way that Verizon handles SIM cards.

Independent dealers can do what they want. They can sell them, not sell them or give them away. They can sell phones for any price they want or give them away for free or half of what Corp sells them for. They can give rebates corp stores can't give (like if you sign up through them they can send you a $200 check after ?? months). The things they can not do is change the prices of plans, fees, penalties, contracts etc. It's no different than Costco, Best Buy, Amazon and dozens of smaller stores. Their only business is to sign up new subs and get their ~$300 clawbacks for each one.

The way a Corp manager explained it to me is that there is no way to "sell" (or give away) a sim in their system without having a new phone number attached to it. I believe him because he had one in his hand to give me but couldn't do it in his system. He spend 30 mins on the phone with someone who eventually said it couldn't be done and all he said he could do was put me on a postpaid plan which seems, with a few exceptions, what most others are experiencing. It's been months since I last tried to deal with a corp store so maybe they changed their policy but it seems not. Frankly, I don't care because now I have enough sims to last me a lifetime.

BiggAW · Aug 15, 2012

TB07-NJ said:
Independent dealers can do what they want. They can sell them, not sell them or give them away. They can sell phones for any price they want or give them away for free or half of what Corp sells them for. They can give rebates corp stores can't give (like if you sign up through them they can send you a $200 check after ?? months). The things they can not do is change the prices of plans, fees, penalties, contracts etc. It's no different than Costco, Best Buy, Amazon and dozens of smaller stores. Their only business is to sign up new subs and get their ~$300 clawbacks for each one.

The way a Corp manager explained it to me is that there is no way to "sell" (or give away) a sim in their system without having a new phone number attached to it. I believe him because he had one in his hand to give me but couldn't do it in his system. He spend 30 mins on the phone with someone who eventually said it couldn't be done and all he said he could do was put me on a postpaid plan which seems, with a few exceptions, what most others are experiencing. It's been months since I last tried to deal with a corp store so maybe they changed their policy but it seems not. Frankly, I don't care because now I have enough sims to last me a lifetime.

Interesting. Well, it's good that someone is filling this massive void that Verizon's utter and total ineptitude around SIMs has created. I'm just irritated though. Just on principle, I don't think I would subscribe to Verizon until they set up their system the right way, or else give free SIMs out at corporate stores.

andyclin · Jul 1, 2013

Multiple iPad sims

Can someone confirm if you can have multiple SIM cards activated by the same iPad and they would still all remain active?

Also if you were to sell or return the iPad without the SIM cards is there a risk of the new owner deactivating your cards?

And finally are you able to change plan options as well as suspend and resume if you're using it on an iPhone 5?

Thank you all so much.

sclawis300 · Jul 1, 2013

andyclin said:
Can someone confirm if you can have multiple SIM cards activated by the same iPad and they would still all remain active?

Also if you were to sell or return the iPad without the SIM cards is there a risk of the new owner deactivating your cards?

And finally are you able to change plan options as well as suspend and resume if you're using it on an iPhone 5?

Thank you all so much.

may want to start a new thread...this one is a year old.

patricem · Oct 25, 2014

I know this is an old thread but i need help. I have the verizon ipad 3. I jsust bought a new sim from same ebay seller mentioned here. I used a new email account...but it won't activate. Am I missing something? Thank you

wynnnj1977 · Nov 18, 2014

patricem said:
I know this is an old thread but i need help. I have the verizon ipad 3. I jsust bought a new sim from same ebay seller mentioned here. I used a new email account...but it won't activate. Am I missing something? Thank you

Here is what I did;
1) Use the old attached SIM Card by put it back to iPad
2) Reset all setting, including network and personal setting (they will ask icloud password, PIN (if any), so it will become fresh iPad
3) Turn it off, take out the old SIM Card, put the new SIM card and turn iPad back on under wifi
4) After you turn it on, the system will ask you to set up new iPad (just do set new, don't use restored one for safe side)
5) Cellular data accout setup will pop up automatically once you go to safari or something associated with network, otherwise, just go to setting> cellular> view your account
6) You will get a new cellphone number associated with iPad after you finished.

I know its over a week, and I just did last week also. I bought couples SIM from this seller and work like a charm. So if you have any problem, just let me know.

CONFIRMED! eBay purchased Verizon Micro-Sim works fine in NEW iPad

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