Trials and tribulations of a T-Mobile iPhone 6 on VZW

[bbplayer5]

TL;DR - Don't do it.


If you still want the reasons why, here they are. The IMEI does not match a list that Apple sent Verizon of valid iPhone 6, and therefore, will always read as "Non-VZW Device" on the website and in their system. I had a service support ticket in that was escalated as far as it can go. The reply was "You need a new phone".

So I contacted Apple and they were more than helpful. The tech I spoke to put his supervisor on the phone, and she agreed that it was pretty lame, and offered to replace my phone with a VZW device. Basically, I had to order the phone from Verizon, and mail my phone back to Apple for a full refund. Given the Edge program Verizon offers, I can simply pay off the phone immediately, and not spend a dime.

The phone works perfectly on the Verizon network if you can get a SIM activated. The only catch with the T-Mobile phone is that you cannot receive any promotions. Currently they offer $25 off your smartphone line fee, which you cannot get unless the system sees your phone as a VZW device.

 

[dcharleyultra]

Trials and tribulations of a T-Mobile iPhone 6 on VZW

I had a 5s that registered as a non-VZW device, and I got the$25 off. I had bought it on Craig's List. It was an Apple White Box replacement, and had never been activated.

 

[KPOM]

This is why VZW should just go all-in with LTE and unlocked devices. Now that Apple is leaving the CDMA radios on in all iPhone 6 units, Verizon should just whitelist them (or at least give you the option of whitelisting).

I purchased my T-Mobile iPhone 6 from Apple.com to use on AT&T. Last year I actually purchased the "Verizon" model in store for the same purpose. But then the UDP window opened up and I picked up an unlimited plan. I've swapped SIMs and am using the iPhone 6 on VZW but it would be nice to have had an "official" VZW iPhone 6.

 

[Septembersrain]

Verizon didn't opt into the Apple SIM option either. They are just about as greedy as Sprint in terms of what they allow on their service. They probably wouldn't even have unlocked LTE devices if the FCC hadn't required it!

 

[ag29]

Can't you just activate a different phone on VZW and get the $25 discount and then switch it to the t-mobile one and still keep the $25 discount?

 

[bbplayer5]

Can't you just activate a different phone on VZW and get the $25 discount and then switch it to the t-mobile one and still keep the $25 discount?

No, it was immediately removed when I put my SIM back in my phone.

 

[iamMacPerson]

They probably wouldn't even have unlocked LTE devices if the FCC hadn't required it!

Of course they wouldn't have! If you leave Verizon they want to punish you lol. I'm glad the FCC forced it because if Verizon ever pisses us off, AT&T here we come!

 

[passivecool]

Can anyone update me on whether Verizon will activate a new nano-SIM card for an iPhone 6 purchased from Apple, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile (not from Verizon)? Currently, I'm not a Verizon customer, so I don't have a preactivated SIM.

No, it was immediately removed when I put my SIM back in my phone.

Is Verizon still refusing to apply discounts you should be receiving? Were you able to get a full refund for every month Verizon didn't apply a discount?

 

[nouveau-apple]

I just like how the titles says trials and tribulations.

 

[zorinlynx]

It's about time! They looked like fools, not activating perfectly compatible devices and turning away potential customers.

I just checked my IMEI on Verizon's site and it's listed as compatible now. Not that I'm switching to Verizon, as I have an older phone on my account that won't work on Verizon, but maybe someday.

 

[brianjsw]

Sadly Verizon still hasn't bothered to add unlocked iPhone 6S models purchased from iPhone Upgrade Program to their list!

 

[bbplayer5]

Sadly Verizon still hasn't bothered to add unlocked iPhone 6S models purchased from iPhone Upgrade Program to their list!

This is ridiculous. I thought it was a law now?

 

[aKansasKid]

From another recent thread about SIM-free phones on Verizon :

I've activated a full price AT&T and Sprint on Verizon without issues, so sim-free should be no problem. (Also, the full price AT&T is apparently the same model as sim-free, according to an Apple employee)

I wonder if the difference is that brianjsw 's phone was not paid in full, and not yet unlocked. Just trying to resolve the two opposite experiences reported recently.