So I have an unlocked 7+ from the upgrade program and, after 20+ years of horrible signal at home with Sprint, decided to switch to Verizon. I was shocked to be told by Verizon that currently they are not able to connect Sprint iPhone 7/7+'s due to an incompatibility issue. I told the rep that they are the same radios and he said there is something in the Sprint version that is giving them trouble connecting? He also said that the 6 and 6S wasn't a problem just the 7's. He spoke to his supervisor and said they are hoping to resolve this soon and took my number to call me when the problem was solved. Has anyone successfully switched from Sprint to Verizon with a 7 or 7+? I thought the Sprint and Verizon 7/7+'s were identical? Am I missing something?
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Carrier Sprint iPhone 7 & 7 plus NOT compatible with Verizon?
- Thread starter edlex
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Don't know if I buy that. Verizon did have some issues with the VERIZON iPhone 7/7+s.
Here is what I would do…
Find their cheapest phone that has a removable nano-SIM. Port your number to that phone and activate the SIM. Wait a few days and then return the phone (or sell it).
Put the SIM in your iPhone 7+ and go.
Verizon doesn't like to activate devices that weren't originally intended for their network, i.e., non-Verizon devices. So, this workaround gets your phone on the network with an activated Verizon SIM.
Perhaps, for whatever reason, the rep didn't want to tell you that or maybe they just don't know. Sounds like they are just trying to get you to buy a phone. The rep makes commission off what they sell to you and nothing if all you're doing is porting a device.
I thought that too but when I went to the Verizon website and entered my phones ID #'s it also said the phone wasn't compatible. Do you think if I went to a Verizon brick and mortar store that they could do the switch?
No idea.
I'm just mentioning info I've heard. I have no experience with Verizon whatsoever.
The phone is physically compatible, but Verizon may not allow it on their network because it's against their policy.
I suggest testing it with a Verizon SIM.
I suggest testing it with a Verizon SIM.
Well that's even more confusing then because why would their website give you the option to bring your own device and check if it's compatible if they don't accept them. Kind of flies in the face of the whole portability thing. I will definitely get a Verizon iPhone next year when I upgrade again.
This reply echoes what I've heard re:Verizon.
If OP has a friend or family member on Verizon, I'd try putting the Verizon SIM on that Sprint phone to test.
I bought a Sprint iPhone 7 plus from the Apple Store, immediately took out the Sprint SIM card and put my Verizon SIM card in. It works perfectly. The only thing is my account it shows that it is a "non-vzw" device instead of showing that it is an iPhone.
Yep, its a bs policy.
The phone will work fine when you put in a verizon sim.
They just want you to buy from them instead and suck you into those trade in deals and monthly cellphone payment plans.
The phone will work fine when you put in a verizon sim.
They just want you to buy from them instead and suck you into those trade in deals and monthly cellphone payment plans.
I can but when the internet isn't working, too far to connect or during power outages I have an horrible time with data intensive tasks. I'm tired of paying for a service that only works well in certain areas.
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Then why even promote bring your own device? According to the rep the 6 and 6S can be switched over fine it's just an issue with the 7's. Just boggles my mind that a company who claims to be the most technically advanced can't bring over a phone that is identical in every way to the one they sell? Crazy...
They Are Technically, But Verizon may be restricting which phones they allow to be activated. To Be honest this sounds like something they would do (I had Verizon for a few years and left because of crap like this). You are correct in that they both use the same modem, but my guess is that Verison only lets certain imei/meid #s activate, and yours seems to not be on that list ..... Chat with some of the tech support and see if they could do something to get it added.
I don't think it's any trickery.
The sales rep in the store would have gotten commission for your new line of service so they would want the sale at any cost. Commission for the line is the same regardless if the phone is provided by the customer or sold out of in-house inventory.
There is no incentive for the rep to try to get you to buy one from them so I wouldn't even think that.
I also had my unlocked iPhone 6 Plus from AT&T on Verizon's network for some time before I upgraded to the 7 Plus.
I would say it's a limitation with the phone for sure.
The sales rep in the store would have gotten commission for your new line of service so they would want the sale at any cost. Commission for the line is the same regardless if the phone is provided by the customer or sold out of in-house inventory.
There is no incentive for the rep to try to get you to buy one from them so I wouldn't even think that.
I also had my unlocked iPhone 6 Plus from AT&T on Verizon's network for some time before I upgraded to the 7 Plus.
I would say it's a limitation with the phone for sure.
It's clearly not a device limitation.
The phone will work 100% and all it's features.
It's called corporate greed...
It could also depend on the store as there are official corporate stores and there are authorized resellers and the like.
It could be a device limitation with that specific phone itself...
I just said before that that the rep is going to want commission for the new line and seeing someone walk out the front door without closing the sale was probably difficult for the rep.
I know that it should work but maybe they have a defective device or maybe the initial rep didn't know what they were doing.
I would try checking out another corporate store if there's one in your area just to get a second opinion.
Im not saying the Rep is involved necessarily, (But He May, Think about the money he would get for selling a Whole New Phone !!)
Here is probably what happens:
Customer asks to activate Phone
Rep types in imei number
Gives rep error, rep tells customer, it cant be activated
usually if you put up enough of a fight, you eventually are transferred to a higher rank rep who knows how to fix the error.
I haven't been to a store yet. This was told to me over the phone with Verizon customer service. They didn't even ask me for my IMEI or MEID. When I told him it was a 7+ he immediately told me that Verizon was having a problem with the 7's and even spoke to his supervisor. He said they were working on a fix and took my number to call me when the problem was resolved.
Its not. The phone is unlocked.
AT&T tried pulling the same with me back then.
I had a verizon iphone 5 and they wouldn't give me a sim card for it even though it worked fine on their network.
I had to give them another AT&T iphones imei number to get a line added to my family plan because the verizon device was not showing up on their database.
Then hes just trying to get you to buy a new Phone, dial *228 and press send and follow the instructions
Then hes just trying to get you to buy a new Phone, dial *228 and press send and follow the instructions
I don't think Sprint has *228 to update PRL. I thought that was a Verizon thing.